1973 Belmont Stakes

105th Belmont Stakes

Belmont Stakes
Secretariat on the final stretch
Location	Belmont Park, Elmont, New York
Date	June 9, 1973
Winning horse	Secretariat
Jockey	Ron Turcotte
Trainer	Lucien Laurin
Owner	Penny Chenery
Conditions	Fast
Surface	Dirt
Attendance	69,138
← 1972 1974 →

The 1973 Belmont Stakes was the 105th running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York held on June 9, 1973. Facing a field of five horses, Secretariat won by 31 lengths, the largest margin of victory in Belmont history, in front of a crowd of 69,138 spectators. His winning time of 2 minutes and 24 seconds was an American record for a mile and a half on dirt and has not been broken. The event was televised and broadcast over the radio.

Secretariat was widely viewed as the favorite to win by most sportswriters and people; however, the added distance and the possibility of running too slow for a distance or running too fast too soon could potentially cause him to lose. Out of the gates, Secretariat and Sham traded the lead. Around the three-quarters mile marker Sham began to fade and Secretariat began to extend an advantage. Twice a Prince and My Gallant overtook Sham to take second and third, respectively. Sham finished last, behind Pvt. Smiles, who was in last before Sham slowed severely.

The victory in the Stakes, when combined with Secretariat's previous victories in the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, meant he completed the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. This was significant as he was the ninth horse to complete the feat and broke a 25-year drought where a horse failed to complete the achievement.

Secretariat, Sham, Pvt. Smiles, and My Gallant were the first four horses to be entered into the Belmont Stakes. Secretariat, winner of both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, was the odds on favorite to win the event. The added distance of the Belmont when compared to the Derby and Preakness was found to be one potential reason for Secretariat to lose the race. Steve Cady of the New York Times wrote that Secretariat could be defeated if the pace of the race went too fast or was too slow for too long, in both of which scenarios he felt Sham would win. Sham received significant attention as well and was thought to be the second best horse, along with having the potential of becoming the first horse to be runner-up in all the Triple Crown races. My Gallant was considered the best of the rest, especially as he was the progeny of Gallant Man, who set the Belmont Stakes course record of 2: 26 ³⁄₅ in the 1957 edition.