Secretariat’s Lineage Pedigree

Thoroughbred Champions | Horse Family Tree: r/Useful Charts

Secretariat’s mother, Somethingroyal, was a remarkable Thoroughbred mare

Born on July 16, 1952, at The Meadow in Virginia, owned by Christopher Chenery. Sired by Princequillo, a stamina-rich stallion, and out of Imperatrice, a speedy mare, she blended endurance and pace in her pedigree—traits that would define her legendary son. Somethingroyal raced lightly, running six times at ages two and three with modest results: one win, two seconds, and a third. Her true legacy emerged as a broodmare. Over 20 years, she produced 18 foals, including four stakes winners, with Secretariat, born March 30, 1970, as her crowning achievement.

Her role in Secretariat’s story began with a coin toss in 1969 between Chenery’s daughter, Penny, and Ogden Phipps. Phipps won, choosing a filly from Hasty Matelda, leaving Penny with Somethingroyal’s unborn foal by Bold Ruler—Secretariat. Known for her strong build and calm demeanor, Somethingroyal nurtured Secretariat’s early days at The Meadow, where he stood out as a robust, eager colt. She lived until January 8, 1983, dying at 30 from a ruptured intestine, having left an indelible mark on racing history through her Triple Crown-winning son.

The journey began under the bright skies of Churchill Downs, where the Kentucky Derby awaited. As the gates flew open, Secretariat settled into his rhythm, biding his time as the field thundered around the track. Then, as they charged into the homestretch, he made his move. His greatest rival, Sham, fought to keep up, but Secretariat had another gear—one no other horse could match. With each stride, he pulled ahead, crossing the finish line two lengths in front. It was the fastest Derby ever run.

Two weeks later, at Pimlico Race Course, the Preakness Stakes unfolded in dramatic fashion. The crowd gasped as Secretariat, without warning, surged forward on the first turn—a bold, unexpected move rarely seen so early in a race. His jockey, Ron Turcotte, simply let him go. The colt’s acceleration was breathtaking, his speed almost supernatural. He stormed ahead, never looking back, and claimed the second jewel of the Triple Crown.

But it was at Belmont Park, on a warm June afternoon, that Secretariat became a legend. The air was thick with anticipation. No horse had won the Triple Crown in 25 years, and many doubted it would ever happen again. As the race began, Secretariat and Sham locked into an early duel, matching each other stride for stride. Then, on the backstretch, it happened.

Secretariat began to pull away. First by a length. Then two. Then five. The crowd roared as the gap widened. The chestnut colt, bathed in sunlight, was running as if he had no limits. His strides were impossibly smooth, his speed increasing rather than fading. The rest of the field was left in the distance, struggling to keep up. By the final turn, Secretariat was alone—his lead stretching with every powerful step.

As he charged toward the wire, 31 lengths ahead, the crowd was no longer cheering; they were in awe. It was not just a victory—it was domination, a performance so perfect that it seemed almost unreal. He shattered the world record for a mile and a half, a time that still stands today.

In that moment, Secretariat became immortal. He had not just won the Triple Crown—he had redefined what a racehorse could be.

May 5 1973 post race…

Sham’s team was heartbroken…It was a stunned silence…no one knew what to say… they had just watched their horse run the Kentucky Derby in 1:59 4/5 and not win…A stunned Sigmund Sommer quietly said Secretariat beat us fair and square. As Pincay brought Sham over to meet Frank Martin, Martin and groom Gato noticed blood trickling from Sham’s mouth. Martin struggled to stop the bleeding, there was so much blood Gato was sickened by the sight and he had to be removed from the area.

It took almost half an hour to stop the bleeding. Two teeth were knocked loose on the gate, Martin remarked that Sham looked like a four-legged hockey player. Pincay said I didn’t think anyone would be able to catch him… I still had some horse at the finish. On this afternoon Sham with a time of 1:59 4/5 broke Northern Dancer’s record of two minutes flat, Martin was right when he predicted Sham could do it. Sham ran faster in losing the derby than any horse( previously) had ever done in winning. Martin pointed out.

God Bless Sham for the horse that he was, he’s probably still chasing Secretariat above!

From Sham fb page.

The move Secretariat put on around the first turn, exploding from the back of the pack to the front in 15 seconds, was one of the freakiest things he did.

Many observers, including Secretariat’s trainer, Lucien Laurin, thought jockey Ron Turcotte had moved too soon and might pay for his impatience. Hall of Fame jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. loved what he saw from atop Secretariat’s chief rival, Sham, figuring Secretariat would be a sitting duck by the stretch run.

“Well, you saw what happened,” Pincay said recently, reflecting on the duel.

Turcotte did not like the slow early pace set by Ecole Etage, so with the slightest movement of his hands – he equated it to pulling a shirt collar straight – he asked the rocket ship he was aboard to launch. Once Secretariat fired, no horse, not even a game Sham, had the juice to catch up.

SECRETARIAT

“He’s 1,100 pounds of baby fat, eats too much and too often. The only reason he doesn’t eat more is because he’s too busy sleeping. He only does what he wants to do, exactly when he wants to do it. He lays against the back of the starting gate like he’s in a hammock in the Caribbean. When he finally does get out of the gate, it takes him forever to find his stride.”

~ Lucien Laurin, Secretariat’s trainer

Did You Know? Secretariat wasn’t just an extraordinary horse because of his speed—he was built differently. His heart was three times the size of an average horse’s heart, giving him a massive cardiovascular advantage. But that wasn’t all. His stride angle, the distance between his front and rear legs as they stretched during each step, was much wider than most other racehorses.

Secretariat’s stride angle was a massive 110°—much greater than the typical 80° to 90° seen in most horses. And here’s where it gets impressive: researchers found that every degree a horse increases their stride angle results in a 2% increase in stride length. This means that with just a 10° increase, a horse like Secretariat could cover 20% more ground with each stride! A true physical marvel, his body gave him the ability to fly across the track in ways no other horse could. It’s no wonder Secretariat became the legend he is—his unique physical traits made him a one-of-a-kind racehorse!

Secretariat had a Heart of a Champion – Search Secretariat had an unusually large heart, estimated at 22 pounds, while the average Thoroughbred heart is 8.5 pounds. This tremendous cardiovascular system, pumping oxygen into his lungs at an abnormally high rate, was clearly a source of his stamina and power. Upon Secretariat’s death from laminitis in 1989, an autopsy revealed that his heart was about 2.5 times larger than an average horse. This fact confirmed what every racing fan already knew—that Secretariat had the heart of a champion.

TwinSpires+2

Secretariat From the first time he saw Secretariat, Ron Turcotte knew this horse was special. He loved Secretariat’s playful spirit, his easy disposition, his complete absence of meanness, observing once, “You could ride him any way you wanted. And what a heart. He would go through anything. He never backed down. He’d fly around turns

“I Never Saw A Horse Look Like That Before”

One elderly turf-writer who had seen the grandmothers but never the grandson was quietly awaiting the colt’s arrival for the fourth. (Allowance, July 31, 1972).

Wearing tinted glasses and a summer suit, smoking mentholated cigarettes in a holder, his gray hair drawn back, his voice carried along on the soft southerlies of an old Louisville accent, Charles Hatton sat on a bench near the paddock and watched for Secretariat.

Hatton had been coming to the races for more than fifty years, working around them almost as long. His tutor was the former black slave and the rider of Ten Broeck, Billy Walker. Walker had retired as a jockey and was timing horses in Kentucky when Hatton came under his tutorial care. Billy Walker taught him the intricacies of a horse’s conformation—the proper angulation of the skeletal parts, the muscular investiture, the set of the eyes and the jowls and the length of the cannon bone relative to the length of the forearm. Horses were anatomical puzzles, all of a piece but in pieces.

Hatton had no way of knowing it then as he sat on the bench, but there was a young racehorse turning the corner of the racetrack—perhaps 150 yards away—who would fulfill some ideal that he had been turning over in his head since Billy Walker put it there more than fifty years ago.

Secretariat walked down the pathway toward the paddock, toward the towering canopy of trees above the saddling area, toward Hatton, who saw the colt and came to his feet. The red horse filled Hatton’s eyes for an instant, not striding into his field of vision but swimming into it, pulling Hatton from the bench to a standstill before him.

Hatton had seen thousands of horses in his life, thousands of two-year-olds, and suddenly on this July afternoon of 1972 he found the 106-carat diamond: “It was like seeing a bunch of gravel and there was the Kohinoor lying in there. It was so unexpected. I thought, ‘Jesus Christ, I never saw a horse look in his eyes like Secretariat

Sovereignty is a fifth-generation descendant of Secretariat, and just won this year’s Kentucky Derby

Sovereignty is a fifth-generation descendant of Secretariat, and he recently won the Kentucky Derby1. He is the son of Into Mischief and Crowned 1. Trained by a top-tier team, Sovereignty showcased his potential in various preparatory races 2.

What’s its pedigree?

Sire: Into Mischief

Dam: Crowned by Bernardini.

Sovereignty was bred in Kentucky by Godolphin.

Who is the horse’s trainer?

Bill Mott, 71, of South Dakota is Sovereignty’s trainer. Prior to his win Saturday, Mott had one other win in 13 Derby starts with Country House via disqualification in 2019.

Who’s its jockey?

Prior to Saturday, Alvarado, 38, had five Kentucky Derby starts under his belt with the best finish coming on Mohayem (fourth) in 2026.

Venezuelan jockey Junior Alvarado, 38, described the win as a “dream come true” that “meant the world to me.”

“I thought I had a great chance,” said Alvarado, thanking Sovereignty’s trainer, Bill Mott, for sticking by him even through an injury.

Who owns the horse?

Godolphin LLC, which was founded by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and the ruler of Dubai.

SOVEREIGNTY TURNED ON THE JETS DOWN THE STRETCH TO WIN THE 151ST KENTUCKY DERBY!

Secretariat was going to win Saturday’s Kentucky Derby no matter what.

2025 Kentucky Derby: Every horse in field a descendant of the horse racing GOAT Secretariat

That includes Sovereignty, who showed great come-from-behind speed to win on the messy track at Churchill Downs.

Sovereignty is a fifth-generation descendant of Secretariat.

MORE: How Secretariat is related to every horse from 2025 Kentucky Derby

He also can claim as ancestors two of the other greatest race horses ever, Seattle Slew and Affirmed.

Sovereignty is the son of Into Mischief and Crowned. Into Mischief raced six times in his career, with three wins and three places. His mother never raced.

The great-grandsire of Sovereignty is Bernardini, who won the 2006 Preakness.

Other pieces of Sovereignty’s pedigree, according to the Louisville Courier Journal:

Spectacular Bird
A.P. Indy
Unbridled
Storm Cat

Not a bad group to draw genes from.

The Sporting News

More on how the Secretariat is related to every horse. https://sn-now.com/4iOEJVv

MORE: Why Secretariat’s records have never been broken

2025 Kentucky Derby Results – Search Videos

Secretariat (March 30, 1970 – October 4, 1989),

Also known as Big Red, was a champion American thoroughbred racehorse who was the ninth winner of the American Triple Crown, setting and still holding the fastest time record in all three of its constituent races. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest racehorses of all time. He became the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years and his record-breaking victory in the Belmont Stakes, which he won by 31 lengths, is often considered the greatest race ever run by a thoroughbred racehorse. During his racing career, he won five Eclipse Awards, including Horse of the Year honors at ages two and three. He was nominated to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1974. In the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century, Secretariat was second to Man o’ War.

At age two, Secretariat finished fourth in his 1972 debut in a maiden race, but then won seven of his remaining eight starts, including five stakes victories. His only loss during this period was in the Champagne Stakes, where he finished first but was disqualified to second for interference. He received the Eclipse Award for champion two-year-old colt, and also was the 1972 Horse of the Year, a rare honor for a horse so young.

At age three, Secretariat not only won the Triple Crown, but he also set speed records in all three races. His time in the Kentucky Derby still stands as the Churchill Downs track record for 1+¹⁄₄ miles, and his time in the Belmont Stakes stands as the American record for 1+¹⁄₂ miles on the dirt. In 2012, his actual time of 1:53 in the Preakness Stakes was recognized as a stakes record after an official review.

Secretariat’s win in the Gotham Stakes tied the track record for 1 mile, he set a world record in the Marlboro Cup at 1+¹⁄₈ miles and further proved his versatility by winning two major stakes races on turf. He lost three times that year: in the Wood Memorial, Whitney, and Woodward Stakes, but the brilliance of his nine wins made him an American icon. He won his second Horse of the Year title, plus Eclipse Awards for champion three-year-old colt and champion turf horse.

At the beginning of his three-year-old year, Secretariat was syndicated for a record-breaking $6.08 million (equivalent to $43.1 million in 2024), on the condition that he be retired from racing by the end of the year. Although he sired several successful racehorses, he ultimately was most influential through his daughters’ offspring, becoming the leading broodmare sire in North America in 1992. His daughters produced several notable sires, including Storm Cat, A.P. Indy, Gone West, Dehere, Summer Squall, and Chief’s Crown, and through them Secretariat appears in the pedigree of many modern champions. Secretariat died in 1989 as a result of laminitis at age 19. Source: Secretariat (horse) – Wikipedia

And since Big Red was a direct descendent of Man a War, all 2025 Derby horses were descendants of Man a War. This is the non photoshopped version of his win at the 1973 Belmont Stakes…31 lengths clear of the entire field. To this day, he still finishes 2 seconds faster & approximately 110 FEET ahead of the second-fastest horse to ever run that race To think 52 years later Secretariat still holds the records for the fastest Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont is mind blowing

Secretariat was great to watch. Derby was 1.59, Preakness 1.53 Belmont 2.24 track record 31 lengths in front of pack Has Sired 660Beautiful to watch big red

If you’re wondering how every horse in the Kentucky Derby was a direct fifth descendant of Secretariat…

Wouldn’t he have been great, great, great, great, great grandfather or more to them, all starting with when he was alive and retired and used for stud with a multitude of pedigree females and then all those children had children for several more generations until here, we are today???

That’s the amazing thing. Today’s meds, feeds, foods, training, travel, track, housing or boarding if you will, all better, yet records stand!!!!!

He had a heart 3x larger and stride longer than all the others. Look it up his stride was 20% longer than the average racehorse.Secretariat was a damn freight train coming down the track and his will and love to run was 100% more than others. And look at the competition!! Holy cow those were some big contenders!

Absolutely beautiful…one of the astounding numbers to me was he ran the first 1-1/4 in the Belmont faster than he ran the Derby! And just think The second fastest Belmont Stakes winner ever loses to Secretariat by 8 to 10 lengths! However, after seeing that 9 track records were set that weekend you don’t believe that the track was prepared for record setting times.

Never another has filled those Horseshoes the Belmont time will never be broken, it’s a full 2 seconds over second best. The other two records are a fraction of a second, half second tops, but 2 seconds in a century plus of racing is a big deal and preserves his legacy.

However, with the genetic advancements in recent years coupled with the understanding of how his biomechanical makeup very much contributed to his success, and the horrible frequency with which young horses are breaking down and dying on the track, I predict in the future the Thoroughbred closed blood book may allow for some modern-day manipulation.

He looked back at the field going around the final turn. And he looked at the clock as they crossed the finish line. I just can’t believe every time his back hoofs hit the dirt he’s covered 24 feet 11inches!! That’s just hard to comprehend. He was the greatest thoroughbred and Ronnie Turcotte’s story is amazing too When he was passing Sham on the end of the backstretch, you can see Secretariat was taking a little over 3 strides to Sham’s 4 and not even working that hard.

Turcotte said after the race, he wasn’t even breathing that hard and when he removed the saddle, he hadn’t sweated under it. Look at his neck… no sweat or lather. Just an amazing horse. When they asked Ron Turcotte why he turned around he said he was curious why he didn’t hear any horse behind him…wow! Crazy… him and sham had 10 lengths on the field before he said, “see ya later sham”. poor sham.

That pace was too much, and he fell off hard.

Sham broke his cannon bone during the race, which is why he fell back into the field. Although Secretariat most likely would have still won, Sham would have been a close second if it weren’t for the injury. Always felt bad for Sham, he was a beast himself compared to most other racehorses back then…just unfortunately for him, Secretariat was alive at the same time.

Sham was an impressive racehorse, no doubt, but Secretariat was a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon. The comparison to Tiger Woods is spot-on—just as Tiger redefined golf, Secretariat dominated horse racing in a way that left even the best in his dust. That 1973 Belmont Stakes performance, winning by 31 lengths, is still one of the greatest moments in sports history!

Sham was a solid horse not a great one. Five horses not named Secretariat defeated him in various races, but he had the misfortune of running against a true legend.

He would have beaten Seattle Slew by 25+ lengths, & he was the next triple crown winner. Imagine his time if there had been another horse anywhere nearby… With no one in sight, Big Red jogged home the last 1/4 in 25 sec.

However, He almost didn’t leave that legacy. In the beginning of his stud career he couldn’t settle a mare. The owners tried to collect insurance for the loss. Lloyd‘s of London told them they had to try one more time. The only mare in the pasture that could be caught that day and was in heat was an Appaloosa mare belonging to one of the grooms. (Just grab her. It doesn’t matter.) ) It worked.

She gave birth to a blanketed stud colt that was named First Secretary. The Appaloosa world was ecstatic. Secretariat genes are coming through more from the mares he sired rather than Secretariat colts. Super mares. Doesn’t explain at all how every horse is a direct descendant…. Forgot to mention how much they breed him after these iconic wins until he was put down for laminitis. And also funny enough, his “daughters” are the ones who keep siring the great racing horses.

No, winning the Belmont, doesn’t not explain how all the derby runners were his descendants. But he was not bred any more than any other top Thoroughbred. It is a well-known phenomenon in TB breeding that some stallions are “broodmare” sires. Their sons may be good, but their daughters’ offspring are outstanding.

Secretariat was one of these.

Secretariat’s most outstanding trait was his heart, which was 3 times the size of a normal thoroughbred’s. Incidentally, that particular trait, often referred to as the X factor, is only passed down from father to daughter. For some horses their best breeding comes through on the female side and that’s true with Secretariat.

Therefore, Secretariat’s best descendants were the sons of his daughters, the two most notable were Storm Cat, whose mother was Terlingua, and AP Indy, whose mother was Weekend Surprise. Either Storm Cat or AP Indy appear in the pedigrees of all of the horses in the Derby this year, so two generations further back you find the greatest broodmare sire of all time, Secretariat.

Secretariat sired more than 660 registered foals in his lifetime, with several such sires or dams showing up in each Kentucky Derby horse’s pedigree. I remember the exhilaration following Secretariat in 73. He was running to be the first Triple Crown champion in 25 years. The greatest horse to ever race. sired over 650 colts which spread his DNA far and wide in the horse racing world that is how it came to be.

I heard Sovereignty had Secretariat and Northern Dancer Bloodlines. Every time I watch the Belmont race when Secretariat is rounding the far turn, passing a huge American Flag, while the announcer yells ‘ he’s running like a tremendous machine’ I get goose bumps! lol Wow, beautiful! I saw Secretariat lose to a horse named Onion in Saratoga and collected $10 on the win ticket

Fun fact: to be registered as a thoroughbred, the mare must be live covered by the stallion. There’s no “sperm floating around” out there from Secretariat. Other breeds use/allow Artificial Insemination, thoroughbred registry does not allow/recognize it.

SECRETARIAT – Big Red’s Last Race – Part I

SECRETARIAT – Big Red’s Last Race – Part II