Living the Legacy
Charlene Shaw was in sixth grade when Secretariat won the Kentucky Derby. It was 1973, and Shaw had been rooting for another horse.
"There was a lot of hubbub about Secretariat," recalls Shaw, 49, of Slippery Rock Township, who had her eye on a horse named Sham.
But Shaw soon changed her allegiance.
Secretariat, the big, chestnut thoroughbred, awed spectators as he overtook his 12 rivals, gaining speed as he ran each quarter-mile of track.
He finished 2½ lengths ahead of Sham, who came in second.
Secretariat offered a similar performance in the Preakness Stakes, but he shined most brightly in the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown.
Secretariat won by 31 lengths. He ran the race in 2:24, the fastest 1½ miles on dirt in history.
"People didn't think he could do it because his sire couldn't," Shaw said of the track, the longest of the three.
"It was amazing because he wasn't even drawing a deep breath."
Shaw's eyes begin to well as she recalls television announcer Chic Anderson's oft-repeated cry, "Secretariat is widening now! He is moving like a
tremendous machine!""They say people were weeping as he came down the stretch," Shaw said.
That season, Secretariat became the first U.S. Triple Crown champion in 25 years, setting records yet unbeaten in the Derby as well as the Belmont Stakes.Shaw went on to become associate director of alumni programs and events at Grove City College.But her love for the legendary horse led her to an unforeseen path."I was just surfing the Web on my lunch hour," Shaw recalled, describing a Google search for racing news during the 2002 season.She happened upon the secretariat.com website, newly created and soliciting donations for a lifesize bronze statue to be installed at the Kentucky Horse Park."I kicked an e-mail to info@secretariat.com," she explained. "At the time, I was in the development office in our college. I asked a couple questions — (and suggested) things they might do to enhance the website."Two weeks later, Shaw was invited to Lexington, Ky., where she would meet with Secretariat's owner Penny Chenery about starting a charitable foundation in his name."At first I thought it was totally bogus," said Shaw, likening herself to a crazed Beatles fan.But the meeting was anything but bogus. Shaw was hired as development director for the foundation, a job she could do on a part-time basis while maintaining her position at the college.As part of the development director role, Shaw handled all aspects of starting the nonprofit foundation, organizing the Secretariat Bronze Fund Paver program and helping Chenery complete the project and donate the statue to the horse park.
Shaw voluntarily ended her role as development director in 2006, when Chenery, now 88, moved from Kentucky to Colorado, where her daughter, Kate Tweedy, could assist with development and various aspects of day-to-day operations.But Shaw continues working as needed for Chenery as well as Leonard Lusky, who owns the Secretariat website.Shaw's most recent duties included reporting on the Bourbon County Secretariat Festival in Paris, Ky., which she attended last week with her daughters, Emma, 20, and Eleanor, 16.There, Shaw's daughters staffed the secretariat.com merchandise booth and the trio assisted with autograph sessions for Ron Turcotte, Secretariat's jockey; Charlie Davis, Secretariat's exercise rider; and Hall of Fame jockeys Pat Day and Eddie Maple.The Shaws also were VIP guests at a charity premier of the movie "Secretariat," released Friday."We walked the red carpet while the paparazzi clicked away," Shaw recounted. The Shaws also had reserved seating in the theater, sitting across the aisle from Diane Lane, who portrays Chenery in the film."(She) was lovely and very down to earth and ate popcorn all through the showing of the film — just like anyone else!" Shaw said.Also present was journalist and author Bill Nack, whose book "Secretariat: The Making of a Champion" inspired the Disney movie."Afterwards, it was off to a private cocktail party across the street, where the girls got to speak to Randy Wallace, the film's director and (got to) enjoy seeing just about every racing luminary that resides in central Kentucky," Shaw said.
Also present at the premiere was Otto Thorwarth, just 3 years old when Secretariat made headlines. But Thorwarth, a jockey, has studied the race videos — especially since he was cast by Disney to play Turcotte, the famed thoroughbred's rider."The hair still stands up on the back of my neck and arms," Thorwarth said, describing his response to the historic footage.Thorwarth's previous acting consisted of news interviews and ads for racetracks where he works, so he laughed when a publicity worker at the Riverdowns track in Cincinnati approached him about the audition.The role was written for a white male between 30 and 40 — and the director wanted someone who could ride."There just aren't actors out there that can do what we do," said Thorwarth, who was cast in the role after three auditions.Like Shaw, Thorwarth expresses amazement that Secretariat's legacy has carried him toward a new career — especially in such esteemed company. Thorwarth's first day on the job included a scene with Lane and John Malkovich, who plays Lucien Laurin, Secretariat's trainer.Thorwarth said the director has asked about his interest in making more movies — something he welcomes as a potential retirement profession to ease him out of racing.Along with his own acting debut, Thorwarth said five Secretariat lookalikes appear in the film.As a jockey, Thorwarth was able to advise the director on each horse's temperament and abilities, helping to create a compatible match for each scene.Lusky said secretariat.com hosts an annual Secretariat lookalike contest, which helped with the equine casting.One of the stars was Trolley Boy, a great-great grandson of Secretariat."He was the Tom Cruise (of the movie)," Lusky said, explaining Trolley Boy required no stage makeup, but camera angles had to compensate for the fact he was 5 inches too short.Another lookalike, Longshot Max, was largely used in the racing scenes.Beyond hosting the lookalike contest, the site offers a link to Chenery's foundation and provides information and merchandise to preserve the memory of Secretariat.But the big, red horse is far from forgotten. Lusky estimates the site draws about 5,000 visitors a day, with as many as 20,000 during the racing season.Like others involved in Secretariat's legacy, Lusky expresses gratitude."I wake up every day and get to work with my heroes," he said. "I know people in the racing world on a personal basis: That makes it worthwhile."And Shaw feels privileged to be among them."Thanks to my connections to Leonard and Penny, I've had (an opportunity) to meet my heroes in the sport — human and equine,' she said."I truly have experienced working in my dream job with the Secretariat team while still enjoying my job at my alma mater, Grove City College."I am doubly blessed," Shaw said.
Secretariat was sired by Bold Ruler. His dam, Somethingroyal, was owned by Penny Chenery, who acquired Secretariat by losing a coin toss.Nicknamed Big Red, the chestnut thoroughbred stood 16 hands 2 inches tall and weighed 1,155 pounds in his racing prime.After winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes in 1973, he drew national attention as the first contender in 25 years for the Triple Crown.As such, Secretariat became the first and only horse to grace the covers of Time, Newsweek and Sports Illustrated.Secretariat's win at the final jewel in horse racing's triumvirate, the Belmont Stakes, was distinguished by a record finish. That record, as well as his Kentucky Derby mark, remain unbroken.In 1989, Secretariat was afflicted with laminitis, a common foot ailment that is often difficult to treat and prevent. He was euthanized at age 19. A necropsy revealed his heart weighed about 22 pounds, more than double the average size.Although only the head, heart and hooves of winning horses are typically buried, Secretariat was buried whole.Years after his death, Secretariat appeared on a U.S. postage stamp and was listed by ESPN as one of the 20th century's 100 greatest athletes.In 2007, he was inducted into the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame, marking the first time an animal received the honor.His owner, 88-year-old Chenery, still operates a foundation in Secretariat's name. Her causes include laminitis research, thoroughbred retirement and rehabilitation and therapeutic riding.From www.wikipedia.com, www.secretariat.com and other sources.
