. ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁sp illo vers ▁from ▁Secret ariat ' s ▁enorm ous ▁popular ity ▁was ▁the ▁record ▁crowd ▁of ▁ 1 6 3 , 6 2 8 ▁who ▁showed ▁up ▁at ▁Church ill ▁Down s ▁on ▁May ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 0 0 th ▁running ▁of ▁the ▁Kentucky ▁Derby . ▁Among ▁those ▁in ▁attend ance ▁were ▁Her ▁Royal ▁High ness ▁Princess ▁Margaret ▁and ▁her ▁husband , ▁Lord ▁Snow den . ▁ ▁In ▁light ▁of ▁Little ▁Current ' s ▁performances ▁leading ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 ¼ - mile ▁Derby , ▁he ▁was ▁given ▁little ▁consideration ▁by ▁the ▁bet ting ▁public ▁and ▁was ▁sent ▁off ▁at ▁more ▁than ▁ 2 2 - 1 ▁odd s . ▁Because ▁j ockey ▁Miguel ▁River a ▁had ▁earlier ▁committed ▁to ▁ride ▁R ube ▁The ▁Great ▁in ▁the ▁Derby , ▁Bobby ▁Us ser y ▁was ▁ab o ard ▁Little ▁Current ▁in ▁the ▁twenty - three - hor se ▁field , ▁the ▁largest ▁in ▁the ▁race ' s ▁history . ▁Comp lic ating ▁matters ▁for ▁Little ▁Current ▁was ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁tra iner ▁Lou ▁R ond in ello ▁was ▁in ▁hospital ▁recover ing ▁from ▁surg ery . ▁ ▁Le aving ▁from ▁post ▁position ▁ 1 0 , ▁Little ▁Current ▁was ▁last ▁at ▁the ▁quarter ▁pole ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁mile ▁mark ▁was ▁still ▁tra pped ▁behind ▁the ▁large ▁field ▁in ▁sevent e enth ▁place . ▁Despite ▁a ▁strong ▁drive ▁after ▁the ▁mile ▁pole , ▁he ▁finished ▁fifth , ▁more ▁than