While racing fans will always associate the Secretariat’s victory in the 1973 Belmont Stakes (G1) with Chic Anderson’s call on CBS Television, Anderson was not the only broadcaster to cover the race. race.
Ray Haight made a radio call, allegedly from a dining room seat at Belmont Park. New York tri-state radio listeners may also have heard Harvey Pack’s WNBC rendition of the race, aka “Pack At The Track”.
69,138 fans at Belmont Park and radio listeners in the Saratoga Springs, NY area, heard the voice of New York Racing Association race track announcer Dave Johnson call the Secretariat’s legendary 31-long victory.
Johnson, now 82, is one of the sport’s most famous announcers, best known for an award-winning career of more than 35 years in which he coined his signature quote. is “And they will come!”
But on June 9, 1973, Johnson was a 32-year-old NYRA broadcaster, and his secretariat call to Belmont was the missing piece of history. But through the courtesy and permission of the NYRA and Johnson, BloodHorse is presenting Johnson’s follow-up video and accompanying call.
Videotapes
Not only does the viewing and listening provide a great addition to the secretariat lore, but it also tells the story of how the race callers of that era operated under much more restraint than the generation of non-registries. call the race more pompous and exciting than today.
“In 1973 as a follow-up broadcaster, you were paid to say what you saw,” Johnson said. “I had to turn the microphone off when I was about 70 yards away and I couldn’t call the finish. We were told to keep going through the entire field and the only time you could call the finish was when it was broadcast on television. television or radio.”
Because of those limitations, Johnson’s call is much simpler than Anderson’s. For example, while Pvt. Smiles, who was never a factor and disappeared from Anderson’s call after the first six innings, Johnson’s duty to his watching listeners required him to still mention the shot. Long shot 14-1 defeated in the interval .
Even with those shackles, however, Johnson managed to grasp the significance of what was happening as he spoke louder, faster, and with more emotion in the late stages.
“In the stretch, the Secretary was completely alone, leading 20. In 16 miles, Secretary, racer Ron Turcotte, led 25. Secretary led 25, an easy winner. He was won 25 races. Here’s the rest of the pitch. Twice second Prince, third My Gallant, Pvt. Smiles and fifth Sham.”
At that point, Johnson knew he had witnessed a moment he would never forget.
“I think it is the greatest horse I have ever seen,” he said, “and if you bring any horse to Belmont Park that day, the Secretariat will beat it.”
To better understand the times, racing is concerned about losing to the bookies. To suppress fans are not allowed to make phone calls on the track during races. The phone bank was locked before the first race and re-opened after the last race was officially declared cancelled. Do not call the winner play on this attempt.
When this call was also broadcast on the radio, Johnson called it over. The mention of Turcotte in the call also went against the trend. In that era, Johnson was ordered to avoid mentioning the names of racers and trainers.
“One day I said (jockey Angel Cordero Jr.) was going to win Thursday and the next day,” Johnson said, “my boss received a letter from a board member saying that ‘Inform Mr Johnson that it is not a horse race.’ “
As seen in Belmont’s race video, the cameramen were told that if a horse was clear and certain to be the winner, they should focus on the horses behind to have videotape available to the riders. management in case of any collision. That’s why the video shows Twice a Prince and My Gallant breaking through the fence, but not the Secretariat.
After all, that was 50 years ago, when the race was different and there was a race when “And down the stretch they come” didn’t apply because of the word “they”.
As Dave Johnson noted, in the 1973 Belmont Stakes, only one horse plunged down the ramp. There is the Secretariat and then others.
