WHO WAS SECRETARIAT? Secretariat was a legendary thoroughbred racehorse whose name reigns supreme in the history of racing. The stallion with a chestnut coat, three white “socks” and cocky demeanor not only became the first horse in 25 years to win the Triple Crown in 1973.
QUESTION FROM SJ (A blog reader): "Have you ever heard the story about the famous Secretariat's ghost? I read about it online ages ago and I wish I'd kept the link! It's been claimed that at dusk people have heard the thundering hooves of a very fast horse at the Meadow Farm in Virginia (Secretariat's home/birthplace). I never got to see Secretariat race... I'd love to hear his spirit pound the dirt!"
MY TAKE ON THE STORY: I've never heard of a the ghost of Secretariat, but it could be a local legend. I've also been unable to find a reference to the story on-line. My thought is that it's likely the SPIRIT of Secretariat, coming back to visit his childhood home. Ghosts are usually people or pets that stay behind because of unfinished business. Secretariat achieved more than most horses throughout history, so I don't see that as plausible. However, spirits do come back to visit places they grew up in, or loved to go. If Secretariat was seen running in the farm he was born, I'm sure it's his spirit (and he isn't an Earth bound ghost).
VISITING SECRETARIAT'S BIRTHPLACE - The Meadow Event Park, formerly Meadow Stable, is the site where Secretariat was born, raised and first trained. According to the website, educational signage is posted at the historic barns and other points of interest. There are tours of the park and it features a look at the original yearling and stallion barns built in the 1930s. This includes the stall in the yearling barn where Secretariat stayed as a colt in 1971. Also on the tour is Secretariat’s foaling shed where he was born on March 30, 1970. Though it was moved from its original location on the north side, it is the same structure and is listed on the state and national historic registers.
BURIAL PLACE: Secretariat is buried in Kentucky. Secretariat’s grave at Claiborne Farm in Paris, just outside Lexington.
(Photo Credit: https://www.visitlex.com/guides/post/secretariats-grave/)
For more
information about how pets communicate from the afterlife, check out my books: Pets
and the Afterlife, Pets and the Afterlife 2, and Pets and the Afterlife 3: Messages from Spirit Dogs. All are available on Amazon.com in paperback and e-book