Comments on: La Prevoyante or Secretariat, Horse of the Year 1972

By: Sid Fernando

Sid Fernando — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 06:29:58 +0000

kevin, i’ve heard the quote but can’t recall the source. true, huh!

By: Kevin

Kevin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 20:07:32 +0000

RG: The writer was from Brooklyn but did mention in her letter that La Prevoyante’s Canadian connections were used against her and implied a bias on the part of voters.

Frank: In the Sport and Turf Digest she finished 2nd behind Key to the Mint in their HOTY voting. In fact, she finished just three points behind KTTM. I posted about it here: http://colinsghost.org/2009/11/and-2009-horse-of-year-is.html

Sid: No doubt — many greats emerged during the 70s. John Hall spoke too soon when he lamented the lack of stars. That reminds me of the quote from Frank Whiteley when he said (I am paraphrasing here) you should never say anything bad about a horse until he has been dead for 10 years. Does anyone know that quote? Was it Frank Whiteley?

Thanks for the comments – they are always appreciated

By: Sid Fernando

Sid Fernando — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 19:41:35 +0000

John Hall took a chance when he said, ““One notable not-so-grand is obvious, though. Out of nine awards being presented, there isn’t a Kelso or an Exterminator or a Native Diver or an Armed in the house.”

He didn’t know what Secretariat would turn into at 3!

However, he couldn’t have known that Secretariat’s comtemporary — also a foal of 1970, as yet unraced at 2 in 1972, and just warming up in 1973 — was the mighty Forego, one of the greatest geldings of all time.

Of course, after Forego, we also got John Henry.

Nice column.

By: frank mitchell

frank mitchell — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 03:13:08 +0000

Although La Prevoyante was a wonderful filly, she never ventured outside her division to tackle the leading colts. So, beautiful as she was, talented as she was, there was no real chance of her being named Horse of the Year.

But she was a hell of a filly and would have made a grand broodmare, but she died before going to stud.

What a shame.

Frank.

By: RG

RG — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:43:48 +0000

Kevin can you tell me if the letter to the NY Times came from Canada? I think there may have been some nationalism involved. The writer makes it sound like she took on all comers. One knock would have been five of her wins were against Canadian-breds. After Secretariat blew away field in the Garden State everyone I knew thought he was a cinch for the Derby and could have cared less about HOY.