Bred by Edward B. Benjamin in Greensboro, North Carolina, the bay colt was born with a noticeably crooked foreleg, and as such was considered to have no future in racing.
Gerard started practice as a veterinarian for race horses, some highly successful ones, such as Canonero II, who won the Kentucky Derby.
The Maryland Jockey Club reviewed the tapes of the 1973 race and the 1971 race, which held the record at the time, and found Secretariat had finished ahead of the 1971 winner, Canonero II.