The year was 1973, and for horse racing it can be summed up in one word: Secretariat. He had swept the first Triple Crown in 25 years, the longest span at that point. He had put on the greatest show America had ever seen in the Belmont Stakes,and arguably set a track record in every one of the Triple Crown races.

He was a freak, a super horse, a champion. He went on to win the Invitational by nine lengths, and then surprisingly proved that any horse can be defeated on any given day. He lost to Onion in the Whitney Handiap.

He came back to defeat older stablemate Riva Ridge in the Marlboro but then lost the Woodward by a stunning 4 1/2 lengths.

No one will doubt Secretariat’s greatness, but he was not perfect. He could be beaten. Still in 1973 he was in a class by himself and there was not a lot left for him to prove. He could continue beating the same competition on days he was at his very best, or he could cross over to turf and try and prove that he was a superior animal on any surface.

On October 8th his owners wanted to prove just that. He was entered in the Grade I Man o’ War. Sound familiar? It sure does, although back in 1973, before the days of the Breeders Cup it was held in the fall. Secretariat broke running and led all the way around the mile and a half race winning easily by five widening lengths. He set a track record and almost ran the same time over the turf as he did for his Belmont Stakes.

Secretariat started one more time twenty days later on another turf course. He won the Canadian International by 61/2 length. He had nothing left to prove and was far too valuable as a sire to keep on the racetrack. Still it is interesting to think of what he would have done as a four year old, and the fights he would have had with a maturing Forego.

Today we have a four year old that brings back memories of Big Red, and has since the first time he set foot on the racetrack. Curlin did not run as a two year old, so the lack of seasoning may have been too much for him to overcome Derby day. Curlin, is a horse, that like Big Red, can be beaten, but it doesn’t happen too often and when it does you can count on him to round out your trifectas. He has never finished out of the money, and has gotten better with age.

Last year at three, he rolled off three wins before finishing third in a traffic field Derby. He fought it out down the stretch and took the Preakness. He missed the Belmont by his head to the super filly, and then ran a dull third in the Haskell. He has not lost since and has run all over the place.

He is physically imposing, almost as much as the king. They have the same white blaze, and they both have/had beautiful chestnut coats. Secretariat had a redder hue, giving him the nickname Big Red. They both can make defeating top horses look easy. Maybe they can both run on any surface. We will find out in another thrilling Man o’ War this weekend, a race named after another dazzling, unforgettable chestnut.