An American Classic--A True Story

I just read Secretariat. Coming home last Monday night I was listening to NPR. There was a quick little announcement that Kate Chenery Tweedy would be giving a lecture at noon on Wednesday about Secretariat's Meadow, her new book, at the Virsgina Historical Society. WOW! I checked it online and told Jimmy that I was going. I couldn't think of anyone else that would be interested in going (Jimmy showed no real interest) so I would go alone.

I knew when I got there early and had to go to the parking deck and wait in line that there was going to be a crowd!

I had a great seat. The Museum Director had a real smooth introduction. He's definitely the right man for the job. Then they played a recording of the horns announcing Post Time. Nice touch.

Kate is about 4 or 5 years younger than me....salt & pepper hair cut short and not nearly as tall as her mother. She was very nervous. She confessed that she'd delivered this material to other audiences a number of times and never fumbled. She considered everyone in this audience to be experts. Kate had spent a couple years in the greater Richmond area doing research for the book and felt her statistics, etc. might be scrutinized. She's a lawyer and wanted it to be accurate and perfect. You can't blame her. There were a bunch of academics in that audience of the Virginia Historical Society. Everything she said went along with what I'd read in the other Secretariat book. She had exquisite photos of Secretariat and of life at the Meadow the way it was. That was my favorite part. Most are in her new book, Secretariat's Meadow. At the end, she showed us a short film that was assembled by Penny's brother. It featured video clips of Secretariat in his paddock at Claiborne Farm. Audio clips from the track--the announcer calling the race, voices, newsmen, etc. had been added and was syncronized to Secretariat's movements running and turning. Very nice. She said we were the only people who had ever seen this film other than some close friends in Denver.

One of the fascinating things she said was that Riva Ridge is never mentioned in the new Walt Disney movie. When confronted with this omission, the Disney people said it wasn't good for the movie to have more than one star!!! Keep that in mind when you see the movie. Riva Ridge won the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont in 1972--the year before Secretariat won the Triple Crown. Riva Ridge was horse of the year in 1972. He, too, was a horse out of the Meadow Stable.

I'm fascinated with how Penny Chenery Tweedy rose to meet the challenges of running a racing barn and program in the middle of a man's world. She was dauntless. She never considered that she couldn't do it even though she knew she had a lot to learn--and fast. According to Kate, Penny was a great mom and wife but when the call to action came to run the stables, she was ready and able. (Kate was about 20 years old then.) There is a scene in the movie trailer where Penny is sitting at a dining table and they are trying to tell her that this was a "Men's" Club. It didn't phase her at all. I think that is true to her real character.

Fascinating family. Great horses. History. And an age that has passed!!! And our Virginia and national treasure, Secretariat. What a fabulous horse!

I'm glad I went.