Despite retiring at the young age of three after only two racing seasons in 1973, Secretariat, also known as Big Red, enjoyed his retirement in Paris, Kentucky and remained full of energy.
Being an exceptional racehorse, Secretariat was naturally intended for breeding with other mares. After retiring, he was brought to the Claiborne Farm where he is seen in this video. In December 1973, three non-Thoroughbred mares were used to test his fertility, and one of them, an Appaloosa named Leola, gave birth to Secretariat’s first foal in November 1974. The colt was named First Secretary and had a chestnut coat like his sire but was spotted like his dam.
Following the successful birth of his first foal, Secretariat began his first official breeding season. His offspring included notable horses such as Dactylographer and Canadian Bound, who became the first Thoroughbred yearling to fetch over $1 million when sold for $1.5 million. However, Canadian Bound, like many of Secretariat’s early foals, was not successful in racing, leading to a decline in the value of his offspring for several years. Meanwhile, the popularity of Northern Dancer’s genes for breeding was on the rise.
Despite not producing any male offspring of his own caliber and failing to leave behind a leading sire son, Secretariat’s legacy was ensured through the excellence of his daughters. Many of them proved to be exceptional racers and even more became highly successful producers. As a result, in 1992, Secretariat was named the leading sire for breeding in North America.
What makes Secretariat such a remarkable horse?
To this day, Secretariat is revered as a legendary racehorse and widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time. In the 1973 Belmont Stakes, he delivered a truly breathtaking performance, beating his closest competitor by an astonishing 31 lengths. This incredible feat is widely considered one of the most remarkable horse races in history. Moreover, Secretariat’s times in all three Triple Crown races still stand as the fastest in history.