Book description
The remarkable true story of one of America's finest racehorses.
When her beloved Meadow Stables is faced with closure following her
father's illness, housewife and mother Penny Chenery agrees to take
over. Despite her lack of horse-racing knowledge she calls in assistance
from trainer Lucien Laurin and a host of successful jockeys.
Pitted against the Phipps' racing dynasty, Penny takes the decision to
breed her mare Somethingroyal to the Phipps' Bold Ruler, the nation's
favourite stallion. With the toss of a coin it is agreed that one family
will take Somethingroyal's first foal with the losing stable taking the
colt out of Hasty Matelda and Somethingroyal's second foal. Penny loses
the toss, but the wait for the unborn foal proves fortuitous when a
bright red chestnut colt is born, Secretariat. Nicknamed “Big Red,” with
Laurin's guidance, Penny manages to navigate the male-dominated business
of horse racing, ultimately fostering the first Triple Crown winner in
25 years and what may be the greatest racehorse of all time.
Now, more than 30 years after its initial publication, the story of
"Big Red" continues to be a classic. Secretariat is the tale
of a great racehorse but also a testimony to the dedication of Penny
Chenery. Following her triumph with Secretariat she was elected as the
first female member of The Jockey Club, changing the face of American
horse racing forever. "Secretariat is an elegantly crafted,
exhilarating tale of speed and power, grace and greatness, told with
such immediacy that the reader is lost in the rush of horses and the
clatter and ring of the grandstand." Laura Hillenbrand, author of
Seabiscuit William Nack is an American journalist and author. He
started his journalistic career as a reporter for Newsday before
progressing to become a senior writer at Sports Illustrated for over
twenty years. With a passion for horse racing, he penned several sports
titles including Secretariat: The Making of a Champion, which is soon to
be released as a Disney feature film. He lives in Washington D. C. with
his family.
