A Heart for the Race

My husband and I saw Secretariat last night. What a film! What a horse! His Triple Crown performance has never been equalled, but the story behind the horse shows the power of love, courage, and determination. Penny Chenery Tweedy had to fight and risk everything to keep and race Secretariat.

After her parents died she faced $6 million in death taxes. If you want to know why so many family farms are sold for taxes, this movie illustrates it. Penny Tweedy was able to sell breeding rights in Secretariat to raise the money, but there was a clause in the contract that required performance. If Secretariat lost two races, the contract was void. She had the determination to risk everything because she believed in the horse and the film shows the special relationship between the animal and his owner.

And he did lose. The first race at Aqueduct in New York. But, as history shows, he went on not only to win but break records that stand today. His performance at the Belmont Stakes made him a legend.

I don't know how much of the film's story is true and how much artistic license, but the relationships among the characters makes the film. And it's interesting to look at news coverage of the time. The film even copied the clothing worn by the major characters on race day. Penny Tweedy has a cameo during one of the race scenes; see if you can pick her out before they show her photo at the end. It's a great production and we plan to go again with some of our grandchildren. It's a great metaphor for St. Paul's statement about running the race. Do it like Secretariat - with all your heart!