Secretariat, argued to be the greatest racehorse of all time, was the 1973 Triple Crown Winner, most famously winning the Belmont Stake by 31 lengths. While Secretariat was fairly healthy during his racing career, he suffered from laminitis after retiring to stud. The cause of his laminitis is unknown, but his health was maintained up until October 4th, 1989 when he was euthanized due to the quick onset of extreme pain. It would appear that his coffin bone did not rotate up until this date, explaining the extreme pain. In honor of this amazing athlete, the article describing his death is archived in The New York Times. Just two days before his death, a home video was recorded of him grazing peacefully in his pasture. His severe case of laminitis appeared to be a sudden onset, and a tragic end to this athlete’s amazing career.
Secretariat Belmont Stakes 1973 & extended coverage (HD Version - NEW!). Dir. Dingerz. 25 June 2012. YouTube.com. Web. 22 Nov. 2014. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfCMtaNiMDM>.
Crist, Steven. "Secretariat, Racing Legend And Fans' Favorite, Is Dead." The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 5 Oct. 1989. Web. 7 Oct. 2014. <http://www.nytimes.com/1989/10/05/sports/secretariat-racing-legend-and-fans-favorite-is-dead.html>.
Secretariat's last footage. Dir. Jeff Lamb. 1 Feb. 2011. YouTube.com. Web. 4 Nov. 2014. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oyQPvoXMvs>.
Secretariat's last footage. Dir. Jeff Lamb. 1 Feb. 2011. YouTube.com. Web. 4 Nov. 2014. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oyQPvoXMvs>.