Secretariat surges past Seattle Slew, virtually

Secretariat won a virtual Kentucky Derby Saturday against 12 fellow Triple Crown winners, 47 years after the chestnut colt won the real race at Churchill Downs.

The 1¼-mile race featuring computer-generated imagery was held the same day the 146th Derby had been scheduled until it was postponed by the coronavirus pandemic. The Derby has been rescheduled for Sept. 5.

A virtual Seattle Slew, who won the 1977 Triple Crown, led much of the way until being overtaken in the stretch. No margins were provided.

Secretariat, who won the 1973 Derby by 2½ lengths, was the 7-2 favorite, although there was no wagering. Instead, fans selecting the winning horse online were entered to win a VIP experience at the Derby this fall. Churchill Downs pledged to match $1 million in fan donations to COVID-19 relief.

The virtual Derby was part of NBC’s three-hour telecast that aired portions of the 2015 Derby coverage that set American Pharoah on his way to becoming racing’s first Triple Crown champion in 37 years.

The show opened with Churchill Downs bugler Steve Buttleman playing “Call to the Post” from the front steps of his Louisville home. It moved to the track, with shots of empty stands, betting windows and the jockeys’ room.

Larry Collmus, who calls the Triple Crown races for NBC, provided a live call of the virtual Derby, seeing it unfold for the first time just as he normally would have been doing.

“That was fun calling Secretariat and the other Triple Crown winners,” he tweeted.