The Kokomo Tribune from Kokomo, Indiana • Page 31

persf Belmont field Secretariat wins triple crown JRW VriDV A i-i NEW YORK (AP) Secretariat poked his head in front entering the backstretch and went to a record- smashing victory in the Belmont Stakes Saturday to become thoroughbred racing's first Triple Crown winner in 25 years. In becoming the ninth Triple Crown winner and first since Citation in 1948, Secretariat completely overwhelmed four other 3-year-olds as he ran the 1 miles of the Belmont in 2:24 Hat, ripping 2 3-5 seconds off the record set by Gallant Man in 1957. Secretariat began opening up a lead over second-place Sham midway through the backstretch and drew away with ease to a 31-length victory over outsider Twice A Prince as Sham, run- nerup to Secretariat in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, faded to fifth and last. With Ron Turcotte sitting in the saddle as though he were out for a ride on a bridle path, Secretariat romped through the Belmont Park stretch as the crowd of 69,138 went wild. Twice A Prince staggered home a half-length in front of My Gallant, who got the show by 13 lengths over Pvt.

Smiles. Each starter carried 126 pounds. It was an incredible climax to a Triple Crown championship that was filled Secretariat one in a million with extraordinary performances. In joining the eight previous Triple Crown winners as one'of the sport's immortals, Secretariat, the Meadow Stable son of Bold Ruler, ran the fastest Kentucky Derby in history, the second fastest Preakness ever and then this almost unbelievable Belmont. Sent off as a 110 favorite, Secretariat returned $2.20 and cents, place.

Twice A Prince, owned by Max Gluck, paid $4.60. There was no show betting. Since it was the eighth race, the Belmont was an exacta and the winning combination of Secretariat and Twice A Prince, Nos. $35.20. Secretariat broke fourth but got his head in front of Sham, owned by Sig- miind Sommer and ridden by Laffit Pincay after the first quarter-mile.

"He still held a head lead over his arch- rival after a half-mile. Then the rout began as horse racing's newest hero drew away with ground- gobbling strides that drew oohs and aalis from the crowd that turned out under sunny skies in 90-degree heat. Secretariat, surpassing his 2-year-old in which he was named Horse of the Year, looked to be worth much than his record $6.08 million syndication value as he clocked fractions of 23 3-5 for the quarter, 46 1-5 for the half, 1:09 4-5 for three-quarters, 1:34 1-5 for the mile, 1:59 for miles and 2:24 for the race. His iy 4 -mile time was 2-5 of a second off his record-smashing Derby clocking. Secretariat is scheduled to end his racing career no later than Nov.

15 and go to stud under the syndication and, when he does, he will leave as one of the sport's superstars. In bringing trainer Lucien Laurin, Turcotte and Mrs. John Tweedy, operator of Meadow Stable, a fantastic fifth victory in six Triple Crown races over two years, Secretariat put his name on the list of Triple Crown champions with Sir Barton, 1919; Gallant Fox, 1930; Omaha, 1935; War Admiral, 1937; Whir- laway, 1941; Count Fleet, 1943; Assault, 1946, and Citation. In the Winner's Circle, Mrs. Tweedy accepted from New York Gov.

Nelson Rockefeller the Belmont Stakes Trophy and also the Triple Crown Trophy which had been brought to the track on six previous occasions since 1948, only to see a Triple Crown candidate fail in the grueling race known as "the test of the champion." Secretariat's $90,120 winner's share of the gross purse of $150,200 boosted him to earnings of $895,242 in just 15 career starts. The son of Bold Ruler-Some thingtoyal, who was bred by Meadow Stable at Doswell, won seven of nine starts as a 2year-old when he finished first eight times but was disqualified in the Champagne Stakes. Laurin, who had prepared Riva Ridge for the 1972 Triple Crown races by racing him in Florida and Kentucky, elected to go the New -York route with Secretariat. Secretariat opened his 3-year-old campaign with an impressive win in the seven-furlong Bayshore in the slop at Aqueduct March 17. Three weeks later KOKOMO TRIBUNE even close Secretariat is easily ahead of the remaining pack as he streaks down the Belmont Park, New York, race track with only feet to go before winning the Belmont Stakes and the Triple Crown.

He was declared the he turned in another big performance when he equalled the Aqueduct track record of 1:33 2-5 in winning the one- mile Gotham. Then came the April 21 Wood Memorial, also at Aqueduct, and Secretariat's prestige dropped sharply he turned in a lacklustre third-place finish behind Angle Light and Sham in the event. Critics immediately said he was a typical son of Bold Ruler, whose offspring have gained a reputation of not liking distance races. The critics were silenced for good Saturday when Secretariat made a mockery out of a race that has earned the reputation of being one of the toughest--if not the toughest--in the United winner by an official 31 lengths for a record-breaking victory. Secretariat is the first thoroughbred to claim the Big Three Jewels since Citation did it in 1948.

(AP Wirephoto) States because of what it asks of a 3 -year-old at this time of year. Both Laurin and Mrs. Tweedy were much more confident before this race than they had been before the Preakness, a race in which Riva Ridge lost a shot at the Triple Crown last year by finishing fourth. Laurin's confidence was not diminished by his memory of 1966 when he ruined Kauai King's bid for the Triple by winning the Belmont with Amberoid. Secretariat's Belmont victory snapped the string of unsuccessful Triple Crown bids strung together by Tim Tarn in 1958, Carry Back in 1961, Northern Dancer in 1964, Kauai King in 1966, Majestic Prince in 1969 and Canonero II in 1971.

Turcotte summed up the race with one simple sentence: "He's just the complete horse. "I let him run a bit early to get position to the first turn. Once he got inside of Sham he wasn't about to give anything away. He pulled away on his own down the backstretch and I never asked him to. He was just running his race." Turcotte, who had said minutes before the Belmont that this was "just another race," said afterward, "there's sure a lot of pressure off now." "He broke good," continued the veteran jockey.

"I wanted to get him toward the front, because I didn't want to take a chance that he might get shuf- fled back." As the race progressed and it became obvious that Secretariat would be an easy winner, Turcotte said, "I was just watching the fractions. My horse was taking those big, long strides. I just hand rode him down the stretch." "This is the greatest moment of my life," said Laurin. "Nobody had any excuses today," a reference to remarks by Sham's trainer, Frank "Pancho" Martin after the Derby and Preakness that his horse had problems in both races and would beat Secretariat in the Belmont. "The best horse won," Laurin said firmly.

Huskie baseballers join Noblesville, Anderson, Blackford in regional play BY KEN McMANUS Tribune Sports Writer Supersprints on tap again at speedway If they, get a chance, the supersprints will be running faster tonight then they did all of last year. This was the opinion of several drivers who were on hand before the rains came last Sunday night and saw Ron Fisher of Kokomo, establish a new one- lap mark of 16.99. Several drivers were under 18 seconds and those who were over this mark were just barely over. So if the track is as fast as last week- aid then the speeds should be terrific. Promoter Bill Lipkey has been working on the track all week and hopes the weatherman will hold off so he can get in a complete program tonight.

Scheduled will be three heats, trophy dash, consolation and 25-lap feature. Time trials are at 7 o'clock with the first racing event due to get started at 8 o'clock. All of the top supersprint drivers in Indiana are expected for the program tonight and besides, Fisher, these will include Dick Gaines of Floyds Knob, Danny Bowlin, Mike Waltz, Bobby Kinser, all of Bloomington; Ron Ziegler, Marshall, Bobby Black, Taylorsville; Mike Johnson, Martinsville; Jim Murphy, South Haven, Jack French, Waynetown; Louie Mann, Burlington; Ray Kenens, Lafayette; Don Walker, Atlanta; Tom Beezley, Columbia City; Allen Barr, Seymour; Chuck Mosley, Lapel; Mark Caldwell, Bunker Hill, Hop Jones, Lebanon and many others. Kokomo drivers will include Paul Joyce, Richard Jackson, Dave Reagon, Wright. Coach Keith Slaughter and his Haworth Huskies are they figure to be mighty ornery customers.

Haworth, the Kokomo Sectional winner, joins sectional winners from Noblesville, Anderson and Eastbrook for Monday's Anderson Regional. The Huskies and Noblesville open the tournament at 11 a.m. and Anderson tangles with Blackford County at 2 p.m. The championship bout gets the green light at 6 o'clock. The regional will be played at Memorial Field, located at 29th and Madison avenue.

Haworth and Anderson will rate as co-favorites when the firing begins. Haworth owns two victories over Noblesville this year, while the Huskies dropped a 5-4 decision to Anderson early in the season. They've also beaten Blackford County twice. Noblesville should be well rested. The Millers wrapped up their title a week or so inclimate weather hampered Haworth, Anderson and Blackford they didn't put the lid on sectional play until Thursday night.

HAWORTH reached the semi-final round of the sectional by nipping Kokomo's defending champion Wildcats, 1-0. The Huskies then polished western, 5-1, in the --Thursday and dealt Western a 3-1 set- back in championship finale. Anderson needed only five innings to devour Alexandria in the title game. The Indians erupted for a 12-2 victory. Blackford reached the regional by beating Marion, 8-4, and Eastbrook, 8-2.

Noblesville beat Tipton, 7-4, and Carmel, 4-3, to win its own sectional. HAWORTH will offer plenty of the Huskies have a well- rounded pitching staff. The Huskies' top, three rotation features Fred Giles, Mike Watkins and Chuck Vyzral. All three worked in the you can rest assured they'll be ready to answer the regional call. Either Giles or Watkins will probably start on the mound in the opener.

The rest of the lineup will probably be composed of Kim Healy (first base), Mike Platt (second), Randy Hulet (shortstop), Jim Walker (third), Gary Case (catcher), and Greg Crawford, Scott Jay and Dave Brown in the outfield from left to right. Legion DH postponed Sunday's scheduled 1 p.m. doubleheader in Highland Park Stadium, pitting Kokomo's American Legion against Boswell, has been postponed since Boswell has won its own high school baseball sectional tournament. No date has been set to play the doubleheader. Instead, the Legioneers will open their season at home Wednesday against Frankfort.

Game time is 7:30 p.m. Next Saturday the local team has a doubleheader at Southport. The first game starts at 1 p.m. 'What a horse! 7 says happy Penny Tweedy NEW YORK (AP) Penny Tweedy wiped a joyful tear from her left eye and leaped a foot in the air. "Wheel Marvelous! Marvelous!" she exclaimed as her big-chested chestnut thoroughbred, Secretariat, bolted across the finish line in the Belmont Stakes and into horse racing immortality.

It was the lady's day as well as the horse's--and what a mighty horse he proved to be. But Mrs. John Tweedy, the gracious, effervescent, tireless mistress of the Meadow Stable, all but upstaged the record cracking son of Bold Ruler, in the first Triple Crown in 25 years. Mrs. Tweedy and her trainer, the little French-Canadian, Lucien Laurin, were tense as they watched the race through binoculars from Box A17 on the second tier at Belmont Park.

"I'm worried," Laurin whispered as Secretariat shot into the lead just be- fore the first turn. "He may be running too fast." At that stage, Sham, Secretariat's shadow in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, was making a duel of it. As they came around the last turn, Secretariat bolted to the front--easily, effortlessly--and made Sham and the rest of the field look as if they had suddenly put on brakes. It wasn't until Secretariat headed down the homestretch-- zooming toward a track record of 2:24 flat and an incredible 31-length triumph--that tension left the attractive owner. Laurin leaned over toward Mrs.

Tweedy and said, "He'll have to fall on his face now to lose." Mrs. Tweedy jumped to her feet and applauded wildly as her colt stormed toward the finish line with long, powerful strides. "Wow! What a horse!" she exclaimed. THE BELMONT PARK STAKES CHART Copyright, 1973, by Triangle Publications Inc. (Dally Racing Form) 6 Pu rse I12S OTO 105th running The Belmont Stakes, 3 year-olds all Ibs.

IV, miles, value ol Race 1151,200. Value to winner 720 i (5, 0 0r 1 rct0rd 2: (Gallant Man, In gate 5:38. oil 5:38 1-4-3 12-5-41. Time 2:2) (new track record) Clear and Fast. (5 went.

Start good, ridden out. 2.20, 2.40, 4.40. Exacta 2-5 paid S35.20. Horse Secretariat Twice A Prince My Gallant Pvt. Smiles Sham 1 1-hd 4 4-5 3 3-3 2 5 5 2-5 Scratched--Knightly Dawn 1-hd 4-10 1-hd 5 200 1M 1-7 3-hd 1-20 2-hd 3-2 4-8 Sir 1-28 3 1 2 2-hd Fin 1-31 2- 1 3-13 Jockeys Turcotte Baeia Cordero A Gargan Pincay To fl .10 17.30 17.40 14.30 5.10 4-Twlce A Prince Secretariat sent up Mutuels paid 4.60 Gallant (Eacta 2-5 paid I3S.2W At track tonight long the inside to vie for the early lead with Sham to the drew off at will round- to establish a record backstretch, disposed ol that one after going three-quarters, drew off at will rounding the far turn and was under a hand ride from Turcotte Hop Jones of Lebanon will be one ol the many super- sprint drivers at the Kokomo Speedway tonight seek- ing cash and glory.

Time trials for the at 7 with the first racing event at 8. program start and tC stopreV )l t0 Uh de that rival ller 90infl Ihrwt uir.