After weeks of waiting, it’s finally here – there are just a few hours left until the 2025 Kentucky Derby kicks off! Fans are buzzing with excitement, and there’s so much anticipation building for the marquee event at Churchill Downs. There are 20 horses in the race, but just like every year, only one will take home the garland of bright red roses and stand in the winner’s circle. Now there’s definitely something unique about the 151st edition of the horse race; if you’re a seasoned horse racing fan, you might think of Secretariat.

Secretariat may have passed on decades ago in 1989, but believe it or not, a part of him still lives on in a pretty unexpected way. On X, @Secretariatprmr, a Secretariat fan account, shared an interesting nugget of information: “It’s Derby Day! Every horse in today’s Kentucky Derby, including Thursday’s addition of Baeza, has Secretariat in his pedigree. We wish good luck and safe trips to all the horses and riders!” Every horse entered in the 2025 Kentucky Derby has a link to the legendary Triple Crown winner. How does that even work? Well, let’s dive in.

The main point to note is that Secretariat sired a whopping 660 registered foals during his life, so it’s no wonder that his bloodline is so far-reaching. @Secretariatprmr further added, “Many horses in Thoroughbred racing today, including today’s #KyDerby151 contenders, descend from Secretariat via his daughters Weekend Surprise, Terlingua, and/or Secrettame, who in turn gave birth to major sires A.P. Indy, Storm Cat, and Gone West, respectively.”

As Bob Baffert’s Rodriguez got scratched from the race, Baeza stepped in to take his place. And yet even this last-minute inclusion hailed from Secretariat’s bloodline. Due to his unmatched dominance in the sport, Secretariat was a highly in-demand sire, though none of his progeny have been quite able to match his feats. After all, Secretariat was considered the perfect racehorse biomechanically, and with the lottery that is genetics, it’s not surprising that no other horse has been blessed with the same genetic advantages, like his structurally perfect, larger heart.

All the horses in this year’s Run for the Roses have a bit of a connection to the legendary Triple Crown winner. How about we check out some of the popular ones? Bob Baffert’s Citizen Bull has a sire named Into Mischief, who comes from Storm Cat. Storm Cat is a well-known son of Terlingua, one of Secretariat’s daughters. This lineage creates a direct link to Secretariat through the sire’s side. But with the Derby coming up and Secretariat’s record time of 1:59.40 still holding strong decades later, let’s discuss this horse racing legend.

Secretariat cemented his name in racing history

Secretariat, born on March 30, 1970, was an American Thoroughbred racehorse famous for his incredible speed and endurance. Back in 1973, he made history by becoming the first U.S. Triple Crown winner in 25 years, taking home the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. His Belmont win, which he snagged by an incredible 31 lengths, is often talked about as one of the best performances in horse racing history.

Secretariat set and still holds the fastest times in all three Triple Crown races, and that’s pretty impressive! Aside from being an amazing racehorse, he was also known for his stunning chestnut color and strong build. Once Secretariat retired, he really made a name for himself as a broodmare sire.

The champion stallion’s daughters went on to produce some pretty influential stallions, including Storm Cat, A.P. Indy, and Gone West. He passed away in 1989 because of laminitis, but his legacy lives on, with many modern racehorses having connections to him. One thing’s for certain, and it’s that regardless of who wins the race, Secretariat’s legacy will continue to remain strong.