No individual was as closely associated with Secretariat as his groom, the late Eddie Sweat. Through all circumstances, whether under the bright sun or in heavy rain, this dedicated caretaker remained steadfastly by the side of the remarkable horse.
During Secretariat’s inaugural season as a two-year-old in 1972, trainer Lucien Laurin made the decision to reassign Sweat from the stable’s prominent horse, Riva Ridge—who had recently triumphed in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes—to the care of Secretariat, a horse Laurin was beginning to see as a potential once-in-a-lifetime champion. The trainer sought to place his most skilled groom with his most promising horse, and Sweat was chosen for this important role.
While all the staff in Lucien Laurin’s racing stable were proficient in their duties, the trainer believed that Sweat possessed an exceptional quality—what one might refer to as a “touch.” The groom had a unique rapport with horses, which was particularly evident in his relationship with Secretariat. This bond endured throughout Secretariat’s racing career.
Exercise rider Charlie Davis notes that Sweat treated Secretariat as if he were family, and the horse reciprocated this affection towards his caretaker. “Eddie would approach the shed row, and Secretariat would watch him intently, as if to say, ‘Here comes daddy,’” Davis reminisces. “When Eddie entered the stall with that currycomb, he would say, ‘Right there, Eddie. Oh, oh. Scratch it rig
