MAY 2025:
Racing the Odds: Secretariat and Penny Chenery, the Trailblazer Behind the Crown…
A Legend Reborn on Screen
Disney’s Secretariat (2010) isn’t just a sports drama; it’s a cultural artifact that attempts to bottle the lightning of a moment when a horse, against the odds, became a national symbol of resilience, speed, and near-mythical perfection. At the heart of this biographical tale lies not just the majestic racehorse, Secretariat, but the woman who believed in him—Penny Chenery. Known posthumously as “the First Lady of Racing,” Chenery defied gendered expectations and financial pressures to oversee one of the most extraordinary sports stories of the 20th century.
Directed by Randall Wallace and anchored by Diane Lane’s poised yet passionate portrayal of Penny, Secretariat dramatizes the 1973 Triple Crown campaign, fusing real-life events with the storytelling polish we associate with Disney films. But how well does it balance cinematic style with historical truth? What does it illuminate—or obscure—about the realities of Penny Chenery’s role, the ethics of horse racing, and the cultural backdrop of the early 1970s?
This critique explores the film across several lenses—historical accuracy, cinematic representation, gender and legacy, myth-making and memory, and what it omits—to unpack the dual storylines of Secretariat the horse and Penny Chenery the trailblazer.
Cinematic Style and Structure: Disney’s Vision of Triumph
Randall Wallace crafts Secretariat as a sweeping sports saga. From the soft golden lighting of morning gallops to the thunderous slow-motion shots of Secretariat’s hooves pounding the track, every frame emphasizes inspiration and grandeur. On a surface level, Secretariat fits neatly into the mold of the inspirational sports film: a central underdog figure, a family legacy on the brink of collapse, and a climactic triumph that restores faith in the improbable. Wallace, best known for writing Braveheart, applies the familiar beats of perseverance, sacrifice, and emotional catharsis to the story of a woman and her horse.
The film’s direction emphasizes grandeur and sentimentality. Composer Nick Glennie-Smith’s orchestral score swells with patriotism and drama, particularly in the Belmont Stakes sequence, where Secretariat wins by an astonishing 31 lengths—a visual sequence that leans into near-biblical awe. Dean Semler’s cinematography soaks the racetracks in golden light, capturing both the mythic tone and the literal beauty of the horse’s movement.
Yet this aesthetic polish often flattens complexity. Conflict is telegraphed broadly: boardroom sneers from sexist businessmen, disapproving family, and a ticking financial clock. These familiar tropes, while emotionally effective, can undercut the nuances of Penny Chenery’s real-life decisions and the systemic barriers she dismantled.
Secretariat the Horse: Myth, Muscle, and Motion
Secretariat wasn’t just fast—he was extraordinary. At 16.2 hands high with impeccable conformation, he became the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years, setting records in all three races—records that still stand today. His 31-length Belmont victory is still regarded as one of the most dominant performances in sports history.
The film captures this well. Secretariat is shot with reverence—his gallops are balletic, his eyes seem wise, and he’s given moments of near-spiritual presence. There’s a running theme of destiny: Penny believes in the horse not just for profit, but because she senses something transcendent.
The film treats Secretariat almost as a spiritual figure. He’s portrayed less as an animal and more as a kind of equine avatar of destiny. Close-ups emphasize his intelligent eyes, rippling muscle, and calm charisma.
Still, Secretariat the film misses opportunities to explore how he became so dominant. It glosses over the science of breeding, the strategy behind pacing and race choice, and the rigorous day-to-day care involved. It also avoids acknowledging the animal welfare debates that surround the racing industry—painting the sport as noble and pure, with no mention of its darker corners.
Historical Context: Horse Racing in the 1970s
The 1970s were a golden era for horse racing—but also a turning point.
Secretariat’s 1973 Triple Crown was followed by Seattle Slew (1977) and Affirmed (1978), a trio of champions that brought mainstream attention to the sport. Races were broadcast nationally. Attendance boomed. Horse racing was among the top five American sports.
![Seattle Slew (February 15, 1974 – May 7, 2002) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who became the tenth winner of the American Triple Crown (1977). He is one of only two horses to have won the Triple Crown while being undefeated in any previous race; the second was Justify who won the Triple Crown in 2018 and is descended from Seattle Slew. Seattle Slew was the 1977 Horse of the Year and a champion at ages two, three, and four. In the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century Seattle Slew was ranked ninth. Joe Hirsch of the Daily Racing Form wrote of Seattle Slew's three-year-old campaign: "Every time he ran he was an odds-on favorite, and the response to his presence on the racetrack, either for a morning workout or a major race, was electric. 'Slewmania' was a virulent and widespread condition."[2] Seattle Slew later became an outstanding sire and broodmare sire, leading the North American sire list in 1984 when his son Swale won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. Another son, A.P. Indy, won the Belmont Stakes and continued the sire line through descendants such as Mineshaft, Tapit, and California Chrome.](https://i0.wp.com/moviestohistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Seattle-Slew-.jpg?ssl=1)
![Seattle Slew (February 15, 1974 – May 7, 2002) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who became the tenth winner of the American Triple Crown (1977). He is one of only two horses to have won the Triple Crown while being undefeated in any previous race; the second was Justify who won the Triple Crown in 2018 and is descended from Seattle Slew. Seattle Slew was the 1977 Horse of the Year and a champion at ages two, three, and four. In the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century Seattle Slew was ranked ninth. Joe Hirsch of the Daily Racing Form wrote of Seattle Slew's three-year-old campaign: "Every time he ran he was an odds-on favorite, and the response to his presence on the racetrack, either for a morning workout or a major race, was electric. 'Slewmania' was a virulent and widespread condition."[2] Seattle Slew later became an outstanding sire and broodmare sire, leading the North American sire list in 1984 when his son Swale won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. Another son, A.P. Indy, won the Belmont Stakes and continued the sire line through descendants such as Mineshaft, Tapit, and California Chrome.](https://i0.wp.com/moviestohistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Seattle-Slew-2.jpg?ssl=1)
But behind the glamour were serious issues:
- Minimal safety regulations
- Growing concerns over performance-enhancing drugs
- Poor treatment and low pay for grooms and exercise riders (many of whom were Black or Latino)
- Rampant industry sexism
In this environment, Penny Chenery stood out—not just as a woman, but as a competent business leader who demanded respect. While the film touches on the skepticism she faced, it doesn’t fully contextualize how rare it was for a woman to negotiate breeding deals, control a stable’s operations, and syndicate a horse for millions—all while raising children and fighting off condescension from men in every room.
Penny Chenery: More Than a Disney Heroine
Diane Lane’s portrayal of Penny Chenery is dignified and emotionally strong, but it lacks the harder edges of the real woman. The film frames her as someone who steps up reluctantly after her father’s illness. In truth, Penny had an MBA from Columbia, understood the business deeply, and had already been acting behind the scenes at Meadow Stable before her official takeover.
![Helen Bates "Penny" Chenery (January 27, 1922 – September 16, 2017) (married names: Penny Tweedy until 1974 and later Penny Ringquist until 1980) was an American sportswoman who bred and owned Secretariat, the 1973 winner of the Triple Crown. The youngest of three children, she graduated from The Madeira School in 1939 and earned a Bachelor of Arts from Smith College, then studied at the Columbia Business School, where she met her future husband, John Tweedy, Sr., a Columbia Law School graduate.[3] In March 2011, Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia, awarded Chenery an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree.](https://i0.wp.com/moviestohistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Penny-Chenery-1-2.jpg?ssl=1)
She was no outsider. She was a strategist, a negotiator, and a natural leader. Her crowning achievement was not just winning the Triple Crown—it was organizing the $6 million syndication deal that ensured Secretariat would remain in her control. This was not luck or pluck—it was financial mastery and bold risk-taking.
![Penny Chenery with Secretariat and Ron Turcotte after winning the Belmont Chenery's life changed when her mother died suddenly and her father became ill in late 1967. He entered New Rochelle Hospital in April 1968 and remained there until his death in January 1973. Due to Mr. Chenery's advancing senility, Meadow Stable, the Chenery thoroughbred breeding and racing operation in Virginia, had been neglected in the mid-1960s and was no longer profitable. Chenery's siblings wanted to sell the operation since their father could no longer manage it. Chenery, however, hoped to fulfill her father's dream of winning the Kentucky Derby. The board of Meadow Stable elected her president and in 1968, she began the long process of cutting costs, repairing facilities and returning the stable to profitability. In 1969, she fired long-time trainer Casey Hayes. On the advice of longtime family friend and business associate Bull Hancock of Claiborne Farm, Chenery hired Roger Laurin to train and manage the Meadow Stable horses. With Laurin's help, the stable began to produce a few stakes winning horses in 1969 and 1970. However, in May 1971, Roger Laurin left the Meadow to train for the much vaunted Phipps family stables, so Chenery turned to his father, Lucien Laurin, as a temporary substitute. However, Laurin Sr. decided to stay on when the Meadow's homebred Riva Ridge brought in over $500,000 in purses in the fall of 1971. In May, 1972 Riva Ridge won the Kentucky Derby and in June Belmont Stakes, thus fulfilling Mr. Chenery's lifelong dream of producing a great horse. That same year, another Meadow colt, the two-year-old Secretariat had such a dominant fall season that he became American Horse of the Year which was a rare honor for a two-year-old. The following year, Secretariat captured the imagination of racing fans worldwide when he became the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years, setting records that still stand in all three races and winning the Belmont by an unheard-of 31 lengths. Both horses were inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.[4] When Chenery's father died in January 1973, his estate owed such a large tax bill that it could only be satisfied by syndicating the breeding rights to Secretariat and Riva Ridge to a consortium of breeders. Chenery made headlines by successfully syndicating Secretariat for $6.08 million and Riva Ridge for $5 million. Eventually the Meadow in Doswell, Virginia, also was sold to settle the estate. Chenery moved many of the remaining horses to Long Island, N.Y. and continued racing. Although Penny Chenery gets the credit for managing Secretariat's racing career, Christopher Chenery was the genius behind the matching of Somethingroyal and Bold Ruler to produce Secretariat. In 1965 he set up the deal by which two Meadow mares would be bred annually to top sire Bold Ruler, owned by Ogden Phipps. Each year the owners would flip for the right to choose among the foals. The Meadow sent their best mare Somethingroyal to Bold Ruler several times and had already produced a stakes winner, Syrian Sea, a full sister to Secretariat. In 1969, Penny Chenery who by then managed Meadow Stable, lost the coin toss. This gave her the right to first choice of the foals in 1970, but that year there was only one foal: Secretariat. After Secretariat, Chenery continued to breed and race horses under the Meadow silks with her greatest success coming in Saratoga Dew, who became the first New York-bred horse ever to win an Eclipse Award when the filly was voted the 1992 American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly.](https://i0.wp.com/moviestohistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Chenery-Secretartat--630x1024.jpg?ssl=1)
Her portrayal in Secretariat is inspiring, but not entirely accurate. By softening her intellect and business savvy, the film misses a chance to show the full spectrum of Penny’s groundbreaking role.
Post-Racing Advocacy: Penny’s Second Act
The real Penny Chenery didn’t fade after Secretariat’s final race. Instead, she spent the next four decades transforming the industry from within.
She became:
- President of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association
- A founding member of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, advocating for the humane treatment of retired horses
- A powerful voice for women in racing, mentoring younger female owners and executives
- A consistent critic of drug use and unsafe training practices in the industry
In 2006, she was honored with the Eclipse Award of Merit, racing’s highest individual accolade.
None of this post-1973 legacy appears in the film, which ends on the high note of the Belmont win. In doing so, it obscures how Penny Chenery moved from personal victory to public reform, and how her influence outlasted even Secretariat’s reign.
Gender, Power, and the Male Gaze
The film is laudable for placing a woman at the center of a sports story, especially one told by a traditionally male-centric studio like Disney. However, it often frames Penny’s empowerment through male validation—her father’s approval, the grudging respect of her trainer (Lucien Laurin, played with eccentric charm by John Malkovich), and the ultimate success of her horse.
While the real Chenery did deal with skepticism and condescension, she also created her own legitimacy through relentless work, not just through symbolic victories. There’s an opportunity missed here to more deeply explore how she built coalitions, educated herself, and out-negotiated her male counterparts.
Also absent is the deeper emotional toll of being a woman in the public eye during a time of cultural upheaval. The early 1970s saw the rise of second-wave feminism, yet the film avoids placing Penny’s struggle within this context—missing a chance to connect her personal triumph to broader societal change.
What the Film Leaves Out: Race, Class, and Labor
While the film includes Eddie Sweat (played by Nelsan Ellis), Secretariat’s loyal African American groom, his role is limited. The reality is that Sweat—alongside jockey Ron Turcotte (played by Otto Thorwarth) and exercise riders—was essential to Secretariat’s health, training, and mental state. Without them, there is no Triple Crown.
Horse racing has long depended on invisible labor, often performed by marginalized workers. The grooms, muckers, and hotwalkers—many of them immigrants or people of color—rarely receive recognition. The film misses a valuable opportunity to highlight this systemic erasure.
Likewise, Turcotte’s later accident (which left him paralyzed in 1978) is never addressed, nor is the precariousness of life as a jockey—where weight requirements and dangerous track conditions can ruin careers or worse.
Secretariat in the Pantheon: Comparing Other Racing Films
Secretariat exists in a cinematic stable that includes several notable horse racing films. Each frames the sport differently:
Seabiscuit (2003):
Directed by Gary Ross and based on Laura Hillenbrand’s bestseller, Seabiscuit is darker, grittier, and more layered. It ties a horse’s rise to the trauma of the Great Depression and human grief. Where Secretariat is about destiny, Seabiscuit is about healing.
HBO’s Luck (2011–2012):
Created by David Milch and starring Dustin Hoffman, Luck dives into the underbelly of the racing world—gambling, corruption, class exploitation. It was critically acclaimed but canceled after three horses died during production—an ironic commentary on the very issues it raised.
Dreamer (2005) and Ruffian (2007)
tell emotional stories of underdog horses but are more concerned with sentiment than sport.
Compared to these, Secretariat is the cleanest and most crowd-pleasing. But it’s also the most sanitized.
Legacy: The Value of Myth and the Need for Truth
Despite its simplifications, Secretariat has enduring value. It introduces new generations to an extraordinary athlete and to a woman who broke barriers. It’s visually gorgeous, emotionally effective, and reverent in its tone.
But myth alone isn’t enough.
The film invites deeper questions—it just doesn’t answer them. For those interested in the ethics of sport, the real structures of power, or the overlooked labor behind the glamour, Secretariat is a first stop—not a final word.
Legacy: Why the Story Still Matters
Despite its simplifications, Secretariat plays a crucial role in preserving the legacy of both horse and owner. For a generation unfamiliar with the 1973 Triple Crown or with Penny Chenery’s rise, the film provides a gateway into an extraordinary chapter of sports history.
Penny Chenery passed away in 2017 at the age of 95, but she remained active in the racing world for decades, mentoring young women and advocating for safer, more transparent racing practices. She was not just a “horse owner”—she was a reformer and a cultural icon.
The film’s enduring popularity also testifies to the power of narratives that blend individual courage with national nostalgia. At a time when the economy was struggling (the film released in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis), audiences found hope in a story of comeback and control—both embodied in Secretariat’s record-breaking gallop at Belmont.
A Rousing Race, A Simplified Story
Disney’s Secretariat is a triumph of style and sentiment. It does justice to the awe-inspiring achievements of Secretariat and introduces a wide audience to Penny Chenery’s resilience. But in doing so, it also trades complexity for clarity, avoiding deeper truths about class, race, gender politics, and animal welfare in the sport.
That said, there is inspiration in watching a woman claim her space in a world not built for her—and in a horse that ran like no other before or since. For fans of history, film, and equine greatness, Secretariat is a gallop worth taking—so long as you also take the time to look beyond the finish line.
Secretariat is available now with a subscription to Disney+…