The Horse Secretariat is a famous British stallion born in 1970. He won the Triple Crown three times, he owns several world records, some of which are still unsurpassed. The popularity of this horse was so great that even a feature film was dedicated to it.
Early career
Initially, few believed in the success of the horse Secretariat at the races. Even despite her beautiful pedigree. But experts believed that the stallion did not have enough stamina. They were right only in that the steedās path to success would not be easy.
In its first horse race, the Secretariat reached the finish line only in 4th place, hesitating at the start and colliding with another horse. But already the second race helped her to get out of the category of beginners. The Secretariat won the favorite of the race for as many as three corps.
Already in 1972 he was recognized as the best horse of the year. In nine races at various distances he managed to win seven victories, bringing his owners more than 450 thousand dollars.
The Secretariat was born on March 30, 1970. He was born in Virginia. They picked up his name immediately, although after numerous victories they wanted to rename him the Red Giant.
His father was the then-famous horse, nicknamed Bold Ruler, one of the main track and race champions in the United States. Specialists have always named him among the best producers of new offspring.
The Secretariat's mother was a mare named Samfinroil, who had already managed to present one world champion. The foal, to which this article is devoted, even in childhood was distinguished among peers by independence and independence. He did not initially cling to his mother, seeking to know the world around him.
First trainer
The first trainer of the Secretariat horse was Lucin Lorin, the stallion specially moved to him in Florida.
The first successes were followed by new victories. At the races, he managed to beat Linda Shif, the main contender for the championship, ahead of her in three corps. It was in this race that the Secretariat horse, whose biography is described in detail in this article, showed the audience its crown technique: a quick throw in the finish line.
On a kind of equestrian Olympus, a change of power took place. At almost every horse race, a horse nicknamed the Secretariat demonstrated a champion move. He was quickly recognized as the new star of racecourses.
Triple Crown
In 1973, the Secretariat began to prepare for the legendary Triple Crown races. Its owner, Penny Tweedy, despite certain financial difficulties, was nevertheless able to syndicate a lot of money on the horse - more than six million dollars. However, in reality there was no real reason for concern, the Secretariat confirmed this by opening the new race season with another series of convincing victories.
His masters were worried when at the Horse Memorial Stakes horse race came only third to the finish line. This raised doubts about his superiority and rumors that another stallion from a stable friendly to the Secretariat Secretariat could actually win the Triple Crown. All this finally confused the bookmakers and potential players at the races.
Kentucky Race
Traditionally, a weekend in Kentucky began the competition in Kentucky. 134 thousand people gathered to watch the best horses of America. From the very beginning of the race, many were amazed: the favorite Secretariat was among the outsiders, taking only 11th out of 13 possible at the start.
But after the first turn, the jockey managed to bring the horse to fifth position, gaining more agility and speed every second to demonstrate corona acceleration at the finish. Shortly before the end of the race, the Secretariat not only made it to the third place, but also beat its long-time rival Sham, the two leaders pulled ahead, for a long time going flush. At the finish, the Secretariat took two and a half corps forward. Sham, who finished third, lost to the winner as many as 8.5 buildings.
Specialists appreciated the amazing statistics: it turned out that every quarter of a mile a champion champion horse Secretariat increased running speed until it became maximum. This was the first step to the treasured āTriple Crownā, had to win two more races - in Prikness and Belmont.
Horse racing in Prekness
It is worth noting that the three most prestigious races of America in a row won in the history of just a few horses. Already at the next races in Prekness, which the audience watched spellbound, the Secretariat from the very beginning again kept in the background. But this time he managed to get ahead in the first half mile.
Many then felt that this was a risky and reckless step, because the horses were often tired just before the finish, giving way to the competition. But not at this time. The Secretariat won the second prestigious race in a row. The second one this time came Sham, losing 2.5 corps.
In addition, a new record was set for this racetrack - 1 minute 53 seconds. Nobody has shown such high results yet.
Belmont
The decisive race for the right to possess the Triple Crown was held in Belmonte. Only four competitors decided to fight against the redhead favorite, the rest recognized his superiority and did not even go to the start. From the first minutes, many viewers had the hope that Sham would finally be able to take revenge, coming to the finish line first. Initially, these horses became leaders, the situation did not change until the very end.
After the first turn, the Secretariat begins to gain momentum and comes forward with incredible agility. A historical duel in the finish line did not work, the winner surpassed the pursuer by as much as 31 buildings. In addition, another world record was set on unpaved ground.
After these three triumphant victories, the Secretariat's photographs adorned the front pages of fashion magazines, and its owner was recognized as the first lady of the race in all of America.
Retirement
The houndās career is short, so soon the Secretariat had to put an end to it, but before that he had won six more races. The most intense race was in Saratoga. The hippodrome in this city has the unofficial status of āCemetery of Championsā. He got this name because of extremely poor statistics. The champions who came here to the competition lost the races over and over again.
Unfortunately, this tradition has also been confirmed for the Secretariat. He succumbed to the mare of Whitney. But already in the next race he won a landslide victory, delighting his fans.
At farewell competitions, he again broke all the boundaries of what was permitted, setting a new world record at a distance of one and a half miles. The final performance of the horse took place in the Canadian Woodbine. With unprecedented ease, he defeated opponents, bypassing the nearest pursuer in six and a half buildings. A few days later, the Secretariat last entered the treadmill in order to adequately say goodbye to the audience and its fans. Thousands of people chanted after him: "Goodbye, Secretariat!"
The horseās history The Secretariat turned out to be so inspiring that decades later they decided to dedicate a film to it.
Fate outside the racetrack
When the Secretariat completed its sports career, it was transferred to Clayborn Farm. It is noteworthy that although he did not expect champion offspring, the hero of our article became the father of several outstanding stallions.
In 1986, his son became the horse of the year, and his daughter became the champion Ladys Secret. Two more daughters of the Secretariat showed outstanding results, having received worldwide recognition. In total, after the official completion of his sports career, he gave birth to about six hundred foals.
The secretariat died in 1989 after it began inflammation and rheumatoid hooves. According to the conclusion of veterinarians, complicated laminitis became the official cause of death. After his death, an autopsy was performed, which shocked everyone without exception. It turned out that his heart was two and a half times larger than the heart of an ordinary horse. Moreover, this size was not a consequence of any pathology. It was natural, just very large. Modern researchers believe that it was this fact that contributed to such a stunning success of the horse.
The owners of the horse decided to bury her with all possible honors. He rests next to his father and two grandfathers on the maternal and paternal lines. The grave of the idol of a million fans is regularly replenished with fresh flowers.
Movie about the Secretariat
The Secretariat decided to shoot the film about the horse at the legendary Walt Disney studio in 2010. It tells in full detail about his bright victories, the difficulties that he had to face on his way. Much attention is paid to the love of fans and fans, many of whom literally idolized the Secretariat.
The director of the tape was Randall Wallace, who had previously written the scripts for the films āBraveheartā, āThe Dark Angelā, āPearl Harborā, and also acted as screenwriter and director of the films āThe Man in the Iron Maskā and āWe Were Soldiersā.
For the picture āChampionā, he hired screenwriters Mike Rich and William Nack. The operator on the set was Dean Semler, who worked in the films Farewell to the King, Dancing with the Wolves, Bruce Almighty, and Apocalypse. The music for the film was written by Nick Glenny-Smith.
Cast
In the movie about the horse, the Secretariat is quite famous and even star actors. The owner of the horse, Penny Tweed, is played by Diane Lane, John Malkovich appears on the screen in the image of a trainer Lucien Loren.
Dylan Walsh plays Penny Jack's husband, Margot Martindale, Secretary of the Singing Father of Miss Elizabeth Ham, Nelsan Ellis appears in the guise of Eddie Sweetton, Otto Torvat - Ron Turkott, Fred Dalton Thompson Arthur Hancock, and James Cromwell Ogden Phipps.
The plot of the picture
Cinema about the horse The Secretariat begins with the fact that Penny Chenery agrees to take care of the stables of his father, who is hopelessly ill. She herself at that moment was so far from the jumps that she could not even imagine how successful this would turn out in the future.
Penny had to wade through all the wisdom of horse breeding to become better in this matter. The coach and veterinarian Lucien Laurent provided significant assistance in this. Thanks to them, the Secretariat became the only horse in the world, which until its death practically knew no defeats.
It was not easy to start everything. A film about the Secretariat's horse tells Penny Tweedy that she found out that the land, house, and stable that her parents owned could be sold out due to big debts. She decides to do everything to maintain a family business. She leaves her four children in the care of her husband, and she takes up the management of the economy, which in recent years her mother was engaged in. She had to assume these responsibilities because Penny's father had been so sick in recent years that he could not perceive reality.
First decisions
A horse movie The Secretariat details what Penny took to save his fatherās household. First of all, she fired a rogue trainer who was planning to sell several valuable horses to another breeder who worked for him in parallel.
Instead, she recruits Canadian Lucien Loren, who is recommended to her by an old friend of her father, Bull Hancock. Lauren has been in this business for many years, he was going to retire, but at the last moment decided to postpone his farewell to his beloved business.
Soon, Penny's mare gives birth to a foal, which is immediately called the Big Ginger. The newborn immediately amazes everyone around him, standing on his feet, everyone decided that this was a good omen.
Secretariat wins
When the time comes for Ryzhik to take part in the races, the Equestrian Federation demands that a unique nickname be entered into the protocol. Many options offered by Penny and her assistants are rejected by members of the federation. Then Miss Ham comes up with the name of the Stallion Secretariat. This nickname is happy.
It is under it that the horse makes history, becoming the legend of equestrian sport in America. He wins the three most prestigious competitions in 1973, receiving an honorary prize known as the Triple Crown. After several decades, not a single horse is able to repeat this achievement. The Secretariat deservedly remains one of the most famous and great racehorses.