Kentucky 2007: Secretariat's Stall and Pasture!

When I was a child, I always wanted to visit Secretariat. I imagined it as sort of like a pilgrimage to meet that handsome red man. And then when I was in graduate school, I thought I should go. But he passed away in 1989, being euthanised after foundering. So, I felt that visiting his home was bittersweet. I am glad that I went and glad that I met a woman who said that she did see Secretariat when she was a young girl, and that he was proud, snorting, and territorial! Which is not the way I imagined him at all, but it is still awfully nice!

Anyway, here is his stall which he now bequeathed to Eddington. And here is his pasture which he now bequeathed to Pulpit. You can see that several handsome important fellows besides Secretariat lived in that stall!

Kentucky 2007: Claiborne's Eddington!

So, on the morning Barbie, Gummy and I visited Claiborne, we were in a group of nice ladies -- one lady who married into a Paris, Kentucky family and who had seen Secretariat at Claiborne Farms as a child and who was now bringing a friend for the tour, and two other ladies from Great Britain. We delighted in the lady's story about how territorial and powerful Secretariat was and we enjoyed the Breeding Shed.

Then our tour guide brought us to the Stallion Barn and showed us such important stalls! Bold Ruler and Round Table were born the same day and then as they stood at stud, they shared the same barn. We saw Secretariat's stall which Eddington now calls home. And then our tour guide brought out Eddington himself!! He strolled out all sweet and kind and beautiful and then when he was stood outside, it was like he had hit his mark on a stage. He got all puffy and posey and macho and sexy. He just preened like a peacock, looking all alert and powerful and vigilant. He was Stud Macho!!! You can see it in these photos! No wonder his 2007 breeding fee was $20,000! He is on his dad's Top 10 Runners by Lifetime earnings list in 9th place right behind Grindstone and Unbridled's Song.

So, Eddington was born on March 25, 2001 and his career record is 17: 6-3-6. He earned $1,216,760 on the track, and in 2004 took first in the Calder Derby, 2nd in the Pegasus Handicap, and 3rd in the Wood Memorial, Travers Stakes, Preakness Stakes, and Gotham Stakes. In 2005, he earned 1st in the Pimlico Special and Gulfstream Handicap, and 3rd in the Donn Handicap and Oaklawn Handicap. He was retired on 6/29/05 to stud duty at Claiborne after a soft tissue injury.

He has a dubious achievement as well -- his jockey, Jerry Bailey, is under a cloud. He rode Eddington at a furious pace in the Belmont Stakes and it is unclear whether he was purposefully trying to "use up" Eddington in order to rattle Smarty Jones and spoil his chance for the Triple Crown. We'll never know, but certainly Smarty Jones just blazed in that race, trying to beat the early speed of Eddington and Rock Hard Ten.

And talk about small world among thoroughbreds!! When he ran in the Belmont Stakes, he was beaten by Birdstone who won and whose grandpa is Unbridled!

Anyway, Eddington's dad is Unbridled and so he is related to Mr. Prospector, Buckpasser, and Dr. Fager. Through his mom, Fashion Star, he is related to Danzig and Secretariat. He even has, get this, a Blue Nola filly in his family tree! And, yes, of course, he is related to my girls, through many connections, but here are a few: Wild Risk, Wild Violet, Wood Violet, Count Fleet, Better Self, Bimelech, Princequillo, Nasrullah, Case Ace and Turn-To.

He is a beautiful stallion. I feel blessed to have seen him stand with pride and power.