I think a lot of people hoped (quite understandably) that Secretariat would produce at least a few almost-clones of himself. He didn't, but as time and generations went on, he did become well-respected as a broodmare sire. In other words, many of his daughters went on to produce some very nice horses, winners of many of the big races like the Preakness and Belmont Stakes, to name a couple. Then those horses went on to produce successful offspring. He did have a lasting influence but not in the way anticipated.

I should explain that, although I'm a life-long horse owner (well, up until two years ago), racing is not something I was personally involved in, and I'm not any kind of expert in that area. What I've posted about Secretariat is the same information available to anyone. I do watch the Triple Crown races on TV in the spring, though. Can't resist that kind of excitement and anticipation.

Bob, that magazine has got to be quite valuable!

 Quote: Cheri Grissom

I think a lot of people hoped (quite understandably) that Secretariat would produce at least a few almost-clones of himself. He didn't, but as time and generations went on, he did become well-respected as a broodmare sire. In other words, many of his daughters went on to produce some very nice horses, winners of many of the big races like the Preakness and Belmont Stakes, to name a couple. Then those horses went on to produce successful offspring. He did have a lasting influence but not in the way anticipated.

I should explain that, although I'm a life-long horse owner (well, up until two years ago), racing is not something I was personally involved in, and I'm not any kind of expert in that area. What I've posted about Secretariat is the same information available to anyone.

I do watch the Triple Crown races on TV in the spring, though. Can't resist that kind of excitement and anticipation.

Bob, that magazine has got to be quite valuable!

Yes, my son and I were in NYC for the historic Inter-League baseball series between our SF GIANTS and the Yankees the 1st weekend in June of 2002 -- So on Saturday, after one of the ballgames, we took the LIR out to Elmont on Long Island to watch the Belmont Stakes "up close & personal" ... That year the Triple Crown was being contested by War Emblem a descendant of the great Man o' War through War Admiral (whom Sea Biscuit bested in their famous match race at Pimlico way back in the day) and on a pair of $2.00 General Entry tix, we sat in the top row on the bottom level of the Grandstand right AT the Finish Line !!! War Emblem stumbled coming out of the starting gate, without injury, but it set him back enough to NIX his chance to win the race

However, there had been MORE than ENOUGH drama in a lesser race earlier that afternoon -- We had just sat down on the bench when this undercard run began ... Noah had never been to a track before, so I was explaining some things to him, such as how DANGEROUS the sport is for Jockeys & Mounts alike (hence the human Ambulance following them around the course in each race & the horse Ambulance also parked at the ready nearby)

Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey was aboard one of the runners, and when the field hit the top of the Homestretch, his horse went down like a ton of bricks & never got up again -- He had either burst his heart in mid-stride or was euthanized on the track due to an irreparable injury (which is done behind portable screens adjacent to the horse Ambulance) before being driven away ... That was a horrible experience for all who saw it, and my 20 year old son found it so traumatic that he has refused to ever watch another professional horse race, because this is repeated "behind the scenes" with unfortunate frequency

But alas I do still follow the Triple Crown every year, because it's just in my blood, I suppose...

Edited by Candi Campbell (08/16/2017 11:13 AM)
Edit reason: double post

Do you know

When the great race horses are buried they only bury the heart the head and the hooves.

That represents the courage (heart), the head (brains) and the hooves (fleetness).

The one horse that was different was Man O War.

He had a big celebration and was buried in a piano case.

 Quote: Bob Scott

Do you know

When the great race horses are buried they only bury the heart the head and the hooves.

That represents the courage (heart), the head (brains) and the hooves (fleetness).

The one horse that was different was Man O War.

He had a big celebration and was buried in a piano case.

Yes, I had read that, Bob -- Whenever one of our pet horses passed, no necropsies were ever done, so their remains were left intact ... Then we buried the whole animal at home where they lived & died on our Colorado ranch that they all loved, using a back-hoe & bulldozer. Sad scenes one can ever forget

 Quote: Candi Campbell

 Quote: Bob Scott

Do you know

When the great race horses are buried they only bury the heart the head and the hooves.

That represents the courage (heart), the head (brains) and the hooves (fleetness).

The one horse that was different was Man O War.

He had a big celebration and was buried in a piano case.

Yes, I had read that, Bob -- Whenever one of our pet horses passed, no necropsies were ever done, so their remains were left intact ... Then we buried the whole animal at home where they lived & died on our Colorado ranch that they all loved, using a back-hoe & bulldozer. Sad scenes one can ever forget

This was what I had thought was always done .... my mind-picture was sadly out of date with regard to famous horses who would be autopsied.

The books one reads with farm-animal deaths and sometimes having to wait for iron-hard winter land to thaw at least slightly .... that was where I guess all my info had come from.

I read everything by Dick Francis, too, but I guess I don't remember the burials.


Yes .... sad scenes indeed.

My brother in law has a couple of horses buried on his farm.

Same procedure with the back hoe and bulldozer.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

 Quote: Candi Campbell

 Quote: Bob Scott

Do you know

When the great race horses are buried they only bury the heart the head and the hooves.

That represents the courage (heart), the head (brains) and the hooves (fleetness).

The one horse that was different was Man O War.

He had a big celebration and was buried in a piano case.

Yes, I had read that, Bob -- Whenever one of our pet horses passed, no necropsies were ever done, so their remains were left intact ... Then we buried the whole animal at home where they lived & died on our Colorado ranch that they all loved, using a back-hoe & bulldozer. Sad scenes one can ever forget

This was what I had thought was always done .... my mind-picture was sadly out of date with regard to famous horses who would be autopsied.

The books one reads with farm-animal deaths and sometimes having to wait for iron-hard winter land to thaw at least slightly .... that was where I guess all my info had come from.

I read everything by Dick Francis, too, but I guess I don't remember the burials.

Yes .... sad scenes indeed.

Ruffian was also Interred Intact on the infield at Belmont Park in 1975 covered with her own monogrammed blankets, heading for the Finish Line -- No one could ever read or watch Ruffian's life story without SOBBING out loud ... She was such a Spectacular Filly and her TIMES were FASTER even than Secretariat's !!!

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

 Quote: Candi Campbell

 Quote: Bob Scott

Do you know

When the great race horses are buried they only bury the heart the head and the hooves.

That represents the courage (heart), the head (brains) and the hooves (fleetness).

The one horse that was different was Man O War.

He had a big celebration and was buried in a piano case.

Yes, I had read that, Bob -- Whenever one of our pet horses passed, no necropsies were ever done, so their remains were left intact ... Then we buried the whole animal at home where they lived & died on our Colorado ranch that they all loved, using a back-hoe & bulldozer. Sad scenes one can ever forget

This was what I had thought was always done .... my mind-picture was sadly out of date with regard to famous horses who would be autopsied.

The books one reads with farm-animal deaths and sometimes having to wait for iron-hard winter land to thaw at least slightly .... that was where I guess all my info had come from.

I read everything by Dick Francis, too, but I guess I don't remember the burials.


Yes .... sad scenes indeed.

In some states, you are not allowed to bury an entire farm animal carcass - they are typically sent to a rendering plant. I had to do that with 2 of my horses as I did not have land to bury them on when they passed - I cut a piece of mane from both to remember them by, and planted trees for them as a memorial.

When Breeze passed last year, though it was the week before Christmas, the ground had not fully frozen, and we were able to bury her on the hill looking down on the pasture. When their times come, Winchester and Bullet will join her up there. We *may* have broken the law by burying her, but to me, it was a no brainer.

 Quote: Kelly

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

 Quote: Candi Campbell

 Quote: Bob Scott

Do you know

When the great race horses are buried they only bury the heart the head and the hooves.

That represents the courage (heart), the head (brains) and the hooves (fleetness).

The one horse that was different was Man O War.

He had a big celebration and was buried in a piano case.

Yes, I had read that, Bob -- Whenever one of our pet horses passed, no necropsies were ever done, so their remains were left intact ... Then we buried the whole animal at home where they lived & died on our Colorado ranch that they all loved, using a back-hoe & bulldozer. Sad scenes one can ever forget

This was what I had thought was always done .... my mind-picture was sadly out of date with regard to famous horses who would be autopsied.

The books one reads with farm-animal deaths and sometimes having to wait for iron-hard winter land to thaw at least slightly .... that was where I guess all my info had come from.

I read everything by Dick Francis, too, but I guess I don't remember the burials.


Yes .... sad scenes indeed.

In some states, you are not allowed to bury an entire farm animal carcass - they are typically sent to a rendering plant. I had to do that with 2 of my horses as I did not have land to bury them on when they passed - I cut a piece of mane from both to remember them by, and planted trees for them as a memorial.

When Breeze passed last year, though it was the week before Christmas, the ground had not fully frozen, and we were able to bury her on the hill looking down on the pasture. When their times come, Winchester and Bullet will join her up there. We *may* have broken the law by burying her, but to me, it was a no brainer.

IMHO, you followed a Higher law, Kelly.