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This Saturday marks the 154th running of the Belmont Stakes, where spectators will be treated to stories of the legendary Superhorse, Secretariat, who achieved the Triple Crown victory in 1973.
Each year, a video is played showing Secretariat easily outpacing the competition in the Belmont Stakes, crossing the finish line an incredible 31 lengths ahead and setting a record time of 2:24 flat that still stands today.
Just wait until next year when it’s the 50th anniversary.
To the average person or someone unfamiliar with horse racing, they may question why this victory is so significant. However, by applying mathematical principles, we can better understand and appreciate Secretariat’s impressive achievement. Hooray for math, a subject often met with mixed feelings by many.
Even though there won’t be a Triple Crown champion this year, there is still plenty of anticipation for one of the most difficult horse races to watch and bet on. Illinois horse betting allows for easy wagering on Saturday’s race from the comfort of home. The TVG app is tailored specifically for horse race betting.
Secretariat approaches Belmont Stakes
As the spring of 1973 began, the horse racing world was eagerly anticipating a Triple Crown winner. It had been 25 years since the last one in 1948, and concerns were mounting about the demanding nature of the racing season.
These comments were echoed repeatedly in the 90s and 2000s until the emergence of American Pharoah.
Secretariat and Sham were the top two horses in the 1973 three-year-old division. In the Kentucky Derby, Secretariat narrowly defeated Sham by two-and-a-half lengths, despite Sham losing two teeth in the starting gate.
The Preakness saw a familiar result, with both horses crossing the finish line in under two minutes. While Secretariat’s performances are often remembered, Sham’s time of 1:53 3/5 in the Preakness remains the fifth-fastest in the history of the race.
Because Sham and Secretariat appeared to be the top two horses, only five horses competed in the Belmont, marking a historically low turnout.
And they’re off
Although Secretariat ultimately triumphs in the Belmont Stakes by a staggering 31 lengths, the race starts off with a tight competition. Sham and Secretariat are neck and neck in the first turn, with Sham even leading by a head. Announcer Chic Anderson describes the race as a “match race” in the early stages.
As Secretariat races down the backstretch, his speed increases exponentially. Sham, unable to keep up, falls behind and eventually lands in last place. Secretariat’s lead extends to 10 lengths, then 12, forcing the television coverage to zoom out significantly just to capture both Secretariat and another horse in the same frame.
Another reason why this is so fascinating is because horses are typically herd animals, so it is very rare for one horse to separate from the group and run off on its own. The fact that this happened with a Triple Crown at stake is truly remarkable.
How does Secretariat’s win compare?
Anderson announced at the wire that Secretariat won by 25 lengths, but upon further review, it was determined to be 31 lengths.
What is the measurement of a length? In this case, it refers to the length of a horse, which is equivalent to eight feet. Now let’s convert the 1.5-mile Belmont Stakes race to feet. That would be 7,920 feet. Secretariat’s victory margin in the Belmont Stakes was 253 feet.
Let’s convert 253 feet to miles. Secretariat won a 1.5-mile race by 0.05 miles. By using Algebra, we can extrapolate that there are 138,336 feet in a 26.2-mile marathon. Secretariat’s Belmont Stakes win is equivalent to winning a marathon by 0.82 miles, or a weekend 5K run by 0.1 miles.
Twice A Prince finished in second place at the Belmont in 1973, but his exact finishing time is unknown. If it is assumed that he was running at a speed of 40 miles per hour, he would have closed the 253-foot gap between him and Secretariat in approximately five seconds.
Now, what about speed?
We can time this one. Secretariat’s average speed during the 1973 Belmont Stakes was an impressive 44.7 miles per hour. That’s incredibly fast.
On that day, Secretariat completed the mile in 1 minute and 34 1/5 seconds. The current world record for the mile, held by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco, is 3 minutes and 43.13 seconds.
In terms of speed comparison, sprinter Usain Bolt remains the fastest human in the world. He holds the record for the 100-meter dash at 9.58 seconds, reaching a speed of 27.8 miles per hour.
Secretariat set the fastest race time in history while the world was watching, a moment that continues to stand out almost 50 and 50 years later.
