1970s Kentucky Derby Winners
Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed Dominated the Decade
Apr 14, 2009
Bold Ruler, Bold Reasoning, and Exclusive Native sired three great sons who dominated 1970s Thoroughbred racing, Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed, respectively.
Strong Genes Inherited by Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed
Bold Ruler's sire ancestry included Nasrullah and Nearco. Bold Reasoning was sired by Boldnesian, who was sired by Bold Ruler, giving Secretariat and Seattle Slew strong ancestral connection. Exclusive Native traced to Raise a Native and the fabulous Native Dancer.
These enduring pedigrees have gained immortal-esque status in Thoroughbred racing and continue to produce additional champions to this day.
1970s Overflowed With Champions and Stars
The 1970s, in fact, were loaded with champions and stars, not all of whom had the good fortune to win in a Run for the Roses. There was the great filly Ruffian, unbeaten and unchallenged until her death, John Henry, and Forego and Alydar.
But it was the Derby of 1973 that made every other racing accomplishment in the decade pale by comparison. Secretariat ran the Derby that year in quarter fractions that were ascendingly faster than the one he had just finished, a feat never done before, or after. He didn't slow down: he ran faster and faster as each quarter was completed, an almost incomprehensible achievement.
Kentucky Derby Winners in 1970s
- 1970 --- Dust Commander ----- trainer, Don Combs --- jockey, Mike Manganello
- 1971 --- Canonero II ----- Juan Arias --- Gustavo Avila
- 1972 --- Riva Ridge --- Lucien Laurin --- Ron Turcotte
- 1973 --- Secretariat --- Lucien Laurin --- Ron Turcotte
- 1974 --- Cannonade --- Woody Stephens --- Angel Cordero Jr.
- 1975 --- Foolish Pleasure --- LeRoy Jolley --- Jacinto Vasquez
- 1976 --- Bold Forbes --- Lazaro Barrera --- Angel Cordero Jr.
- 1977 --- Seattle Slew --- William H. Turner Jr. --- Jean Cruguet
- 1978 --- Affirmed --- Lazaro Barrera --- Steve Cauthen
- 1979 --- Spectacular Bid --- G.G. (Bud) Delp
Back to Back Derby Wins
Secretariat not only set an unmatched speed record in the Kentucky Derby, he made his trainer and jockey back-to-back Derby winners in 1973. The duo of Lucien Laurin and Ron Turcotte had also respectively conditioned and ridden Riva Ridge, Secretariat's stablemate, who won the classic in 1972.
Back-to-back Derby wins by trainers and jockeys are a rarity second only to Secretariat's lone fractions accomplishment.
Kentucky Derby Tales From the 1970s
In 1979 Spectacular Bid, who Bud Delp called the best horse "who ever looked through a bridle", beat Secretariat's talented son, General Assembly, for the Derby title.
Alydar ran second to Affirmed in the 1978 Derby, but had beaten him twice as a two-year-old.
A bishop had a premonition of Derby tragedy involving the number four in 1970. Dust Commander had to travel wide to get around a horse wreck that day and reach the wire first. The downed horse and jockey were the race's number four entry.
Canonero II arrived from Venezuela ill from days of quarantine and travel. He was entered in the Derby because owner Pedro Baptista woke from a dream in which his deceased mother told him to get Canonero II into the Run for the Roses.
The 1974 Derby had twenty-three entries, four of which had been trained at different times by Woody Stephens.
Famed announcer Chick Anderson miscalled the ending of the 1975 Derby. He named Prince Thou Art, who finished sixth, the winner over actual victor, Foolish Pleasure.
Bold Forbes came to the 1976 Derby having beaten all comers on Puerto Rican race tracks.
Because of his awkwardness as a foal, Seattle Slew was given the name Baby Huey, comparing him to the same characteristic of a cartoon figure.
