A famous racehorse who raced in 1972 and 1973. Secretariat was chestnut brown horse, with a white star marking on his forehead.
In 1973 Secretariat silenced critics when he won the Kentucky Derby in 1:59 2/5 seconds - the only time the Derby has been run in under 2 minutes, beating the closest opponent, a horse named Sham by 2 1/2 lengths.
Scretariat also won the Preakness Stakes, again over Sham by 2 1/2 lengths.
This set up a chance at the Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes. Secretariat won over a small field including the injured Sham by an all-time record 31 lengths. Secretariat became the first horse to take the Triple Crown since Citation in 1948ยน.
Secretariat was put out to stud after 1973. After a long time on the job, he was put out to pasture and died in 1989.
1. Since then the Triple Crown was won twice, in 1977 and 1978.
Info adapted from http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/tc2000/history/winners/secretariat/default.asp