He set a track record of 1:59.2 for his 1973 Kentrucky Derby. That record still stands today but was challenged in 2001 by Monarchos. Monarchos did not win the Triple Crown. All the other Derby finishers were over 2 minutes.
The Princequiillo line has always and consistently produced champions. This was one of that line's best.
Secretariat had a stride that could match Man o' War. He and Man o'ar were born at the same stable, Meadow Farm in Virginia. He finished the Belmont something like 31 lengths ahead of the next horse and never saw whip. It was a world record time of for one and a half miles of two minutes and twenty-four seconds. With that victory he had won the Triple Crown for Three Year Olds and went on to compete to win Horse of the Year and award for races on the turf as well.
He retired a year later and sired over 600 foals in his retirement. No one could ever catch him. He had a huge stride and the same size heart with a girth of 72 inches. They just don't make 'em like that anymore and they should.
Mud isn't easy to run in, so this is quite an accomplishment.
Belmont Stakes Results: Ruler on Ice Claims (click here)
Belmont Stakes at 24-1 Odds
By Ryan Rudnansky
(Featured Columnist) on June 4, 2011
Belmont Stakes Results See 24-1 Darkhorse Ruler on Ice Shock in New York
Ruler on Ice wasn't given much of a chance headed into Saturday's Belmont Stakes, a 24-1 darkhorse who faced odds as bad as 42-1 the morning of the race.
But one thing Ruler on Ice did have going for him, beyond the third-place finish in the Sunland Derby and the second-place finish in the Federico Tesio Stakes, was he had shown he excelled in muddy conditions....
Ruler On Ice, who posted an official time of 2:30.88 (click here). Over six seconds longer that Big Red. You could put a freight train through that gap. The whole throughbred world has gone to hell in a handbasket and they don't care. Darn shame. A nag like that wouldn't have even showed his face on a race track a decade ago.
