I know somewhat of Secretariat in reality. I was at the Preakness that year and saw the great horse run. I saw on TV the Derby and Belmont wins. I saw the great horse at Claiborne Farms after he was retired. I saw his grave just after he was put down with laminitis.
So much can be stated about this incredible and beautiful creature. He knew he was a star! We may well never see anything like him again. I am fortunate that I did many times.
To the movie. There is nothing ever quite correct in film. The premise of selling him was skewed for the movie, but in the long term the shares and monies were correct. The story about the Chenery's is also quite true. Hollis, the brother, was a professor and intellectual and was not at all into horses. He wanted to get rid of Meadow, the farm, and take the money. Penny's husband was a straightforward guy and was totally against the farm and wanted it sold. Only by Riva Ridge winning of two of three Triple Crown races the year prior to Secretariat's saved the Meadow and Chenery. Eddie Sweat was the closest to Secretariat all his life. He was with him every step of the way until boarding the plane to calm down the horse on his final trip to Kentucky. There is a famous picture of him crying after handing Secretariat over in the wonderful book "The Horse God Created".
In the end, there were many things correct about the movie and a few not so much. The racing scenes were sometimes good but the major Belmont race could have been more exciting. I thought it over all very good and reasonably concise for a two hour film. I would see again for sure.
So much can be stated about this incredible and beautiful creature. He knew he was a star! We may well never see anything like him again. I am fortunate that I did many times.
To the movie. There is nothing ever quite correct in film. The premise of selling him was skewed for the movie, but in the long term the shares and monies were correct. The story about the Chenery's is also quite true. Hollis, the brother, was a professor and intellectual and was not at all into horses. He wanted to get rid of Meadow, the farm, and take the money. Penny's husband was a straightforward guy and was totally against the farm and wanted it sold. Only by Riva Ridge winning of two of three Triple Crown races the year prior to Secretariat's saved the Meadow and Chenery. Eddie Sweat was the closest to Secretariat all his life. He was with him every step of the way until boarding the plane to calm down the horse on his final trip to Kentucky. There is a famous picture of him crying after handing Secretariat over in the wonderful book "The Horse God Created".
In the end, there were many things correct about the movie and a few not so much. The racing scenes were sometimes good but the major Belmont race could have been more exciting. I thought it over all very good and reasonably concise for a two hour film. I would see again for sure.
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