Secretariat (March 30, 1970 – October 4, 1989) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse that, in 1973, became the first U.S. Triple Crown winner in 25 years. He set race records in all three events in the series – the Kentucky Derby (1:59), the Preakness Stakes (1:53), and the Belmont Stakes (2:24) – records that still stand . He is considered to be one of the greatest Thoroughbreds of all time. In 1999, ESPN ranked Secretariat the 35th-best North American athlete of the 20th century, the highest-ranking racehorse on the list. Secretariat ranked second behind Man o' War in The Blood-Horse's List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century. He was also ranked second behind Man o' War by a six-member panel of experts assembled by the Associated Press. He was also ranked second behind Man o' War by a Sports Illustrated panel of seven experts.