On February 26, 1973, a momentous event occurred in the world of horse racing—Secretariat was purchased for a record-breaking $5.7 million! This purchase not only set a new standard for the thoroughbred horse industry but also marked the beginning of an incredible legacy that lives on to this day. Let's take a look back at this legendary moment and explore how it has shaped the industry since then.
An Unprecedented Sale
The year was 1973, and the price tag attached to Secretariat was unprecedented, even by the most generous estimates. At $5.7 million, he became the first ever racehorse to exceed half a million dollars in sale value, a feat that may never be matched again. It is not surprising that such an amount of money would be willing to invest in such an animal. After all, he had already made quite a name for himself by winning numerous stakes races with ease and had accumulated over $200,000 in prize money at this stage already. No wonder then that wealthy investors were eager to get their hands on him before someone else did! Secretariat ended his career undefeated in 16 out of 17 starts, cementing his place as one of the greatest horses to ever exist.
A New Standard For Racehorses
Since this record-breaking purchase, prices for racehorses have continued to soar ever upward. Today, it is not uncommon to see sales figures surpassing seven or eight figures depending on the pedigree and performance potential of any given horse. This reflects just how much trust potential buyers have in these animals —something which likely arose due to Secretariat's groundbreaking achievement so many years ago.
In addition, it can also be argued that this purchase helped raise awareness about horse racing amongst the wider public. Many people who may not have been particularly interested in these events suddenly found themselves drawn towards them due to their fascination with Secretariat's rise from obscurity into superstardom overnight. As such, many organizations began investing more money into promoting their races as they knew that they could draw bigger crowds thanks to this newfound interest.
A Legend That Will Never Be Forgotten
Although Triple Crown Winner Secretariat passed away back in 1989, his legacy still lives on today. Every year, dozens of horses are still named after him in tribute, fillies being especially common recipients of his namesake. His lifelike bronze statue stands proudly outside Claiborne Farm, where he once resided, and consistently attracts visitors from all parts of the world despite its remote location near Paris, Kentucky, USA.