Secretariat entered the Marlboro Cup with a bit of a chip on his shoulder, having to prove that the Whitney defeat was behind him. He was also facing perhaps his greatest competition yet - stablemate Riva Ridge. The race was conceived as a match race between the two, but after both lost their prep races the field was expanded. It was a phenomenal line-up, but no one would touch the Meadow Stud pair. Secretariat set a world record in winning, with Riva Ridge behind him in second.