Big Red's Legacy

We were only kids when it came by,

The big red freight train we thought might fly.

The strapping big mass always came in a rush,

In order to see him mothers told babies "hush!"

He tore opponents apart and left them scattered.

They came home, battling for second, battered.

Up until June he was always last from the gate.

But he was still first-rate.

"He laid in the gate like he was on vacation."

But when he won it was only an affirmation

That he was a champion through and through,

Although some still cried out "BOO!"

Onion and Prove Out beat him though

And his many fans were filled with woe.

But the next time he started he came home to win beautifully

His form of racing an art? Totally!

But June 9 remained his tour de force

The biggest legacy of the big red horse.

He thundered, blazed along, sprinted the whole thing

His hoofbeats caused the grandstand to ring....

With applause.

No one claps during the running of a race

But this wasn't really a race.

His rival Sham never raced again

Falling apart halfway to the end.

A sixteenth of a mile away from the rest,

Red proved he was the best.

He came to the wire, still in best form

And there a legend was truly born.

He smashed down the records like they were scum.

Although the ones who had set them were no bums!

16 years after the Belmont we buried it

The great big red legend Secretariat.

And though he lasted only 19 years,

He's lived on in our hearts for many more years.

"He had a much bigger heart," they said.

Maybe that was why he always led,

At the end.

He kept himself running his race against time.

Time was a horse, and oh was he fine!

But Red proved himself better than fine...

His final race was at Canada's track Woodbine.

In November fans said goodbye at Aqueduct

And 16 years later their heads were ducked;

When they learned he was gone.

And some never knew when he finally left.

But there were some who were there the whole time.

Until the very end.

And he'll be back.

Just wait.