Secretariat at 50: America’s equine hero endures in the national lore

Secretariat's Triple Crown records remain unbeaten to this day. Fifty years on, jockey Ron Turcotte reflects on a generous, kind and gentle' legend

Even in 2023, the name Secretariat is recognizable to millions of Americans otherwise unversed in horse racing. Tributes to the most famous racehorse of the 1970s are everywhere. More than 250 streets in the US are named after Secretariat (more than any human athlete), he was one of ESPN's top 50 North American athletes of the 20th century, and, somewhat confusingly, he even served as the basis for a character in Netflix's hit animated sitcom BoJack Horseman.

This weekend's Kentucky Derby marks the 50th anniversary of Secretariat's victory at Churchill Downs, which was itself the first step in the horse's signature achievement - winning the 1973 Triple Crown.