Won Thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown (Kentucky Derby, Preakness
Stakes, Belmont Stakes) in 1973.
In the 1973 Belmont Stakes, he ran the 1½-mile distance in world record
time of 2 minutes, 24.00 seconds. As of May 2007, this record still
stands.
Inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1974.
In the book "Thoroughbred Champions: Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th
Century", published by The Blood-Horse, Inc., he is ranked #2, behind
only Man o' War.
Secretariat inspired a movie, The Electric Horseman (1979) which centered on a fictional famous race horse named "Rising Star." Coincidentally, he later sired a horse named "Risen Star" (named for religious reasons by his owner) who went on to win the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes in 1988.
The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour (1971) invited
Penny Chenery in 1973 to bring her horse, the legendary
Triple Crown winner Secretariat to appear on the show.
Chenery, knowing her horse wouldn't care for a TV studio, declined. This later inspired The Electric Horseman (1979) wherein a famous racehorse named "Rising Star" is signed to appear at a Las Vegas casino.
Thoroughbred racehorse. Career statistics: 21 starts, 16 wins, 3
places, 1 show. Career earnings: $1,316,808.
Inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2013.