On July 27, in preparation for the Whitney Stakes, Secretariat put in a stunning workout of 1:34 for a mile on a sloppy track, a time that would have broken Saratoga's track record. On race day though, he was beaten by Onion, a four-year-old gelding who had set a track record at 6 1/2 furlongs in his previous start.
Somethingroyal also produced three other stakes winners and was named the 1973 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year.
Early leader Shecky Greene set a reasonable pace, then gave way to Sham around the far turn. Secretariat came charging as they entered the stretch and battled with Sham down the stretch, finally pulling away to win by 2 1/2 lengths.
Secretariat wintered in Florida but did not race until March 17, 1973 in the Bay Shore Stakes at Aqueduct, where he went off as the heavy favorite. As the trainer of one of his opponents put it, "The only chance we have is if he falls down."
Lady's Secret won twenty-five of her forty-five races and had nine second-place finishes.
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