Sham (horse) Totally Explained

Everything about Sham Horse totally explained

Sham (April 9,1970 – April 3, 1993) was an American thoroughbred race horse, often overlooked in history because of his larger than life peer, Secretariat, of the same birth year.

Kentucky Derby Preparation

In 1973 at the age of three Sham won the Santa Catalina Stakes (G2)and took second place in the Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) over Secretariat who finished third. Most impressive however that spring was his effort in the Santa Anita Derby.
On March 31, 1973, at Santa Anita Derby (GI), California's main Kentucky Derby prep race, Sham scored a 2 ½ length surprise victory over 1-2 favorite Linda's Chief, under jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. Sham electrified a crowd of 49,564 by equaling the Santa Anita Derby record for the 1 1/8 miles of 1:47, which was set in 1965 by Lucky Debonair. Sham provided Pincay with his third win in the Santa Anita Derby.

1973 Triple Crown chase

99th running of the Kentucky Derby, May 5, 1973

Before the largest crowd to see a horse race in the United States to that date - 134,476 – the May 1973 Kentucky Derby went off with great anticipation.
Sham ripped two teeth out on the starting gate at the Kentucky Derby, bleeding from the start of the race he poured his entire heart into his effort. Secretariat won by 2 ½ lengths over Sham, running 1:59 2/5 for the 1 1/4 miles, the first horse to break 2 minutes in the Derby. (The previous record was 2:00, set by Northern Dancer in 1964.) By running 2 1/2 lengths behind Secretariat, Sham ran the distance in either 1:59 4/5 or 2:00. As races were not timed to 1/100th of a second, and nonwinning times were not taken, no exact time is available.
It wouldn't be until 2001 that another horse won the Derby with a time under 2 minutes. Monarchos won it in 2001 in an electronically timed 1:59.97, which is by convention converted to 1:59 4/5. No other horse, through and including the 2008 running of the Kentucky Derby has ever been below 2 minutes. Sham's Derby time was thus no worse than the fourth fastest time in history (behind Secretariat, Monarchos, and Northern Dancer) and may have been the second fastest time in history.

Preakness

With a Maryland racing record audience of 61,653 looking on, the mighty chestnut Secretariat struck down rival Sham for the second time in two weeks. With a field of just six, Sham finished second to Secretariat by 2 ½ lengths again.
Odd fact, Sham was given only bottled water before the Preakness Stakes.

Belmont

Under orders Pincay was to keep Sham with Secretariat from the start. This worked fine through the first turn and into the backstretch. The gates crashed open, and they surged onto the track as one. Secretariat and Sham soon went to the front. Neck and neck, they began to pull away from the field. They were racing as though this was a sprint race, ticking off quarter-mile fractions in incredible times that were record-breaking in themselves. Neck and neck halfway through the race, Secretariat pulled ahead as Sham equally fell back. Whereas Sham ultimately finished last, Secretariat pulled ahead to a win of what was later recorded by 31 lengths.

Retirement and Death

While Sham didn't race again after the Belmont Stakes he wasn't retired, contrary to the perception of a Belmont breakdown, until July of 1973 while preparing to meet Secretariat again at Saratoga. It was in mid July that a hairline fracture of his leg was detected and he was retired. Sham was sent to stud duty at Walmac International near Lexington, Kentucky. Some of his progeny included stakes winners Arewehavingfunyet (f), Jaazeiro, and Safe Play. He died of a heart attack on April 3, 1993 at age 23 and is buried on the Walmac farm.

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