1973 Belmont Stakes a sloppy track. However, Knightly Dawn was scratched prior to race day. The horse's scratch also reduced the winner's share from $150,200 to $90,120. There was much speculation going into the Stakes over Secretariat's bid for the Triple Crown. Since 1948, when Citation achieved the feat, there had been six horses that had won both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes before failing in the Belmont Stakes. When comparing Secretariat to those six horses' health and fitness before the Belmont Stakes, writer Bonifice felt Secretariat was in the best shape, almost as good as when he entered the Kentucky
1919 Kentucky Derby 1919 Kentucky Derby The 1919 Kentucky Derby was the 45th running of the Kentucky Derby. The race took place on May 10, 1919. Horses Corson and Clermont scratched before the race. Winner Sir Barton went on to win in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes, becoming the first winner of the American Triple Crown. A "New York Times" writer believed that the Preakness Stakes was competing for attention with the Derby, as it was held four days following the Derby and offered a purse of $30,000, larger than the Derby's $20,000. The author felt that the three-year old racing horses during