Onion (horse)
Onion (May 23, 1969 – October 24, 1995) was a U.S. thoroughbred whose victory over Secretariat in the 1973 Whitney Handicap is considered to be among the most dramatic upsets in the history of horse racing. Background Onion was a chestnut gelding bred and owned by Hobeau Farm, based outside of Ocala, Florida, and was trained by Allen Jerkens. He was sired by Third Martini, who was trained by Jerkens to win several stakes races including the Knickerbocker Handicap in 1964. Racing career Onion was initially not considered a top-tier horse and the early part of his career was focused on lower grade non-stakes races. On July 24, 1973, Onion achieved his first claim to notability by breaking the Saratoga Race Course track record for a six-furlong race. Jerkens entered Onion in the Whitney Handicap, which was receiving added attention because of the presence of Secretariat, the winner of the Triple Crown, in his first race against older horses. Jerkens had noted that Secretariat's pre-race workout was flat and surmised the champion thoroughbred was not performing at his best. The Whitney was held on August 4, 1973, at Saratoga in front of a record crowd of 30,119. Secretariat was the