A Quiet Moment with Secretariat, and a local Derby Day tradition

April 22, 2026

Written by Debra A. Aleksinas for The Lakeville Journal

Long before the hats, the laughter and the rising hum of voices waiting for the starting horn, there was a quieter moment, one that has stayed with me far longer than any Kentucky Derby Day celebration.

It happened in the mid-1970s, during a private family invitation to Claiborne Farm.

We were invited to see Secretariat — the legendary American Thoroughbred known, somewhat mischievously, for tugging shiny hoop earrings from ladies’ ears.

Decades later, I still remember the anticipation, and then, the sudden stillness as the powerful stallion appeared.

Led from the barn by his handler, Secretariat stepped into view not with the thunder of hooves that defined his racing days, but with a calm, deliberate presence. Up close, he seemed even more extraordinary, his gleaming chestnut coat catching the light, his sheer size and strength unmistakable.

There was a brief moment of instruction, and I realized I was the only one in our small group wearing hoop earrings. Quietly, I slipped them off, suddenly aware of just how close we were about to get.

And then, just like that, I was within arm’s reach of Big Red.

READ the rest of the article in The Lakeville Journal.