"Sham was a worthy opponent, and in any other year when he wouldn't have faced Secretariat his name would have shone. But in 1973, he was just second best. He sadly broke down in the Belmont Stakes, never to race again. Big Red was way too much."The above is from:"http://thoroughbred-racing.suite101.com/article.cfm/1973_kentucky_derby_all_big_red>" "An odd breakdown at the Belmont for Sham. In July after the Belmont a hairline fracture was found in his leg so he was retired."From:http://alexbrownracing.com/wiki/index.php/Sham>The chart comment for Sham's Belmont trip was not "eased" but rather "stopped badly", which may be indicative of an injury. Yes, Sham was kept in training, but six weeks after the Belmont, he was diagnosed with that hairline fracture, which was attributed to his Belmont run and likely the cause of his "stopped badly" running line.