1973 Kentucky Derby entered the homestretch, Secretariat passed Sham in the final furlong and distanced himself to consolidate his lead. Secretariat would go on to win the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes in the succeeding weeks, thus becoming the ninth horse to complete the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. Thirteen horses entered the Derby, which could have at most twenty participants. Horse owners had to pay a final entry fee of $2,500 to have their horses officially entered. The field was larger than anticipated because of new entries following Secretariat's loss at the Wood Memorial Stakes in New York. The Wood Memorial had
1899 Belmont Stakes his first of two in the 1899 Classics as he went on to win in the Preakness aboard Half Time, the colt ridden by Skeets Martin who finished second in the Belmont. The 1899 Kentucky Derby was run on May 4 and the 1899 Preakness Stakes on May 30, five days after the Belmont. The 1919 Belmont Stakes would mark the first time the race would be recognized as the third leg of a U.S. Triple Crown series. 1899 Belmont Stakes The 1899 Belmont Stakes was the 33rd running of the Belmont Stakes. It was the 10th Belmont Stakes held