1973 Belmont Stakes Kentucky Derby, Secretariat became the ninth horse to complete the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, and the first horse since Citation in 1948, ending a 25-year period without a Triple Crown winner. Secretariat's times in all three Triple Crown races were course records and still stand. In part due to accomplishing the Triple Crown and winning other races during the 1973 calendar season, Secretariat won Horse of the Year for the second consecutive year. In addition, he also won Eclipse Awards as the American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse and the American Champion Male Turf Horse. 1973 Belmont Stakes The 1973
Kentucky Derby to its approximate duration. It is the first leg of the American Triple Crown and is followed by the Preakness Stakes, then the Belmont Stakes. Unlike the Preakness and Belmont Stakes, which took hiatuses in 1891–1893 and 1911–1912, respectively, the Kentucky Derby has been run every consecutive year since 1875. The Derby, Preakness and Belmont all were run even every year throughout both World Wars, when the Olympics and nearly all professional sports seasons were canceled, due to the fact that nearly all the athletes enlisted. A horse must win all three races to win the Triple Crown. In the