The 1973 Triple Crown – the Competition, Contention and Odds, from Sham’s Perspective
When Secretariat was gauging the fields and trying to find some foot on the racing tracks, a stronger and more experienced contender from a similar ancestry awaited him at the gates; Sham was sired by Pretense, to Seqoia by Princequillo; the grad sire to Secretariat as well. The genetic traits provided both these half cousins with the same gene for speed and consistence that later laid the foundation of another memorable rivalry in the books on horse racing.
Frank Martin, also referred to as “Pancho”, prepared Sham for the fastest runs anyone had ever witnessed or anticipated on the racing tracks. The stalker was a promising brown colt with a lightning speed and a confidence that all other contemporary horses dreaded. Sham’s most prominent racing occurred only when he turned three. His first crucial win came from the Santa Catalina Stakes that was a grade 2 race which soon followed with the beginning of his rivalry with his half cousin Secretariat in the Woods Memorial where he defeated the former to closing second himself and Angle Light got away with the benefit of their rivalry. Sham was partly succumbing to Linda’s Chief but he soon captured the scene at the Santa Anita Derby defeating the Chief by 2 ½ lengths.
The Triple Crown evolved into a high pressure zone when the two top favourites prepared for the test of the champions; Secretariat and Sham were the best contemporaries at the time racing against each other to prove who deserved the Crown, however following the controversial rise of Penny Chenery from a housewife to owner and rescuer of the Meadow Stables, Secretariat got the instant positivity while Sham fell into the obvious negative light without a fault. The 99th Derby was won by Secretariat who finished the fastest ever 1 ¼ miles in 1:59 2/5 with Sham closing in by 2 ½ lengths, probably the only second fastest in the history of Kentucky Derby followed by Monarchos (2001) who raced the same in 1:59.97 and Northern Dancer (1964) in 2:00.
Sham was once again defeated by an unfortunate 2 ½ lengths in the Preakness. However in the Belmont, Sham offered an aggressive speed duel to Secretariat who set an early lead much contrary to his basic running style of staying behind the pack. However, Sham ran out of gas to finish last in the field of five and Secretariat racing into an incredible victory by 31 lengths, the largest lead record that stays intangible till date along with the 2:24 flat for 1 ½ miles of dirt.
Sham was discovered to have suffered a hairline fracture following his Saratoga race preparations due to which his career witnessed an unexpected early retirement. After standing stud to a handful of good foals, Sham died due to a heart attack in 1993. The misfortune of being shadowed by a contemporary especially when he too displayed record breaking and exemplary performances in terms of speed and timing and stamina, is the basis of his saga as a true competitor.
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