Secretariat Stakes

Precursor — Arlington Invitational

In 1973, after Secretariat became the first U.S. Triple Crown winner in twenty five years, many race tracks wanted to have him race at their tracks. Arlington racetrack management offered to run him in the American Derby but it was too soon after his Belmont Stakes victory.^[4] Instead, management established an event that would enhance Secretariat's connections. This event was called the Arlington Invitational with $125,000 stakes offered in order to showcase Secretariat to Chicago racing fans and it was held 30 June 1973. A crowd of 41,223 witnessed seeing the three challengers grouped as a single betting entry at 6–1 and Secretariat was 1–20 odds-on which created a minus pool of $17,941. Secretariat won the 1+1⁄8 miles race by nine lengths in 1:47 flat, just 1⁄5 off the track record set by Damascus with My Gallant and Our Native running second and third respectively. Both of these horses had lost to the champion in the Triple Crown series.^[5] The performance produced a lasting impression on Arlington Park management.

Event

One year and one day after Secretariat's performance at Arlington Park, track management scheduled a race to honor him. The inaugural event was held 30 June 1974 over a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles on the turf. The race was won in an upset with the 39-1 longshot Glossary winning.^[6] The event was set with Grade II status.

It was run over 1+1⁄8 miles (1.8 km) in 1975/76 and extended to 1+1⁄2 miles (2.4 km) from 1978 to 1984, before settling at 1+1⁄4 miles from 1985 to 2018.

In 1984 the event was upgraded to Grade I status.^[7]

In 1985 the event was held at Hawthorne Race Course over a shorter distance of 1+1⁄4 miles.^[8]

There was no race run in 1988, 1998 and 1999.^[8]

In 2005 it was included in the Grand Slam of Grass, which offered a substantial bonus to the winner of this race, the Colonial Turf Cup, the Virginia Derby and the Breeders' Cup Turf.

In 2019 the race was shortened to one mile.^[8]

In 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Arlington Park did not schedule the event in its abbreviated season.^[9]

During the last year of racing at Arlington Park in 2021, the race was renamed the Bruce D. Stakes in honor of the late Bruce Duchossois, the son of track owner Richard L. Duchossois.^[10]

In March 2022 Churchill Downs Incorporated (owner of the Arlington Park property) announced that it would move the Secretariat Stakes to Churchill Downs along with several of Arlington's traditional stakes races, including the Arlington Million.^[1] A week and a half before the Secretariat was supposed to be run, Churchill announced that the Secretariat would not be contested due to issues with the Churchill Downs turf course, while the other major turf stakes formerly run at Arlington—the Arlington Million and the Beverly D. Stakes—would be run as scheduled.^[2]

In December 2022 an agreement was reached between Churchill Downs and the American Graded Stakes Committee to move the 2023 Arlington Million and its supporting races, including the Secretariat Stakes, to Colonial Downs in Virginia.^[3]