Secretariat a Star Never to Be Forgotten

I'll never forget Secretariat. He was like a machine at work.Arlington International Racecourse will honor the greatest horse Iever saw when the $400,000 Secretariat is run Aug. 28.

The only time "Big Red" ran at Arlington, he attracted arecord 40,000 fans. He won an Invitational Stake race June 30,1973, by nine lengths.

No horse in the Secretariat Stake will resemble him other thanhe'll have four legs. It figures to be a good race because the purseis big enough and the race is on the turf, something that attractsgood horses to run 1 1/4 miles.

I thought it would be a good idea to have Secretariat'sjockey, Ron Turcotte, at Arlington for the race. But Turcottesaid his daughter Lynn is getting married a few days after that andhe'll be unable to make it.

"Maybe next year," said Turcotte, whose last stakes winner wasaboard my Old Frankfort.

Turcotte was paralyzed when a horse he was riding fell atBelmont Park on July 13, 1978. That finished his riding career.

Turcotte was something else. He rode his heart out on everyhorse he guided. He won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, each by 21/2 lengths, and scored in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont Stakes by 31lengths. I was there for that race. It was the first time I had toturn my head to look for the second-place horse who was Twice aPrince.

I have never seen an easier winner among the thousands of racesI've seen.

"Secretariat was something else," Turcotte said. "He was in aclass of his own. He was different than most good horses because hecould go to the front or come from behind without fighting for thebit. Other great horses like Dr. Fager and Buckpasser could go tothe front, but asked to be rated. They didn't respond near as muchas Secretariat.

"Man O'War wanted the lead and so did Dr. Fager, but Forego wasa stretch runner. Secretariat could win either way without trouble.That's why Secretariat was the greatest horse I've ever seen. He wascontrollable. I could send him to the lead and he'd win or I couldtake him back. He'd respond to whatever I wanted to do.

"They beat Dr. Fager with a rabbit (another horse was used torace with him early) and the same goes for Buckpasser. They couldn'tbeat Secretariat when a rabbit was used in an effort to run him downon the lead. When another horse wanted the lead, I just took itback. Secretariat would listen to every command. He was somethingspecial.

"Forego was a real class horse and had longer legs thanSecretariat, but he couldn't carry his speed too far. He could runfar, but without continuous speed." A good field of nine fillies and mares has been entered in the$150,000 Arlington Budweiser Breeders Cup Handicap Saturday at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. They are One Dream, 117; Words of War, 116; AubeIndienne, 115; Highland Crystal, 115; Assert Oneself, 115; Hat Key,113; Papatass, 111; Guard Dance, 111 and Due Bill, 109. The $250,000 Arlington Handicap at 1 1/4 miles on the turf Sundayshould also be an interesting race with Star of Cozzene, carrying123 pounds; Fanmore, 119; Marastani, 114; Split Run, 114, and threeor four others. Star of Cozzene won the Arlington Million last year. Harness racing from the State Fair in Springfield Aug. 16 will beavailable at all offtrack and intertrack outlets from noon until thecompletion of the program.

On Aug. 19, the State Fair harness races will be available at alloutlets from noon until just before Arlington's 3 p.m. post time.

On Sept. 3, the World Trotting Derby from the DuQuoin CountyFair will be available at Arlington and all outlets. Bill Jackson has been appointed a member of the racing board byGov. Edgar to replace Emil Troy, who died recently. Jackson is aformer state police officer assigned to the track.