Penny Chenery
1922 - 2017
Penny Chenery died last week at the age of 95. The obituary of Ms. Chenery contains a lengthy lists of accomplishments, including the founding of the Vail ski resort in Colorado in the early 1960's. However, she is most noted for her contributions to the field of thoroughbred horse racing and breeding in the United States.
In 1968, she inherited her father's Meadow Stable in Virginia, help it stave off bankruptcy, and in 1972, it produced Kentucky Derby winner Riva Ridge. It was the following year, however, when Penny Chenery Tweedy and Meadow Stable made history when its most famous horse, Secretariat, burst onto the sports scene.
The world knows what happened. Secretariat became the first horse in twenty-five years to win the Triple Crown, and he became a racing and pop culture icon whose status remains undiminished to this day. Penny Chenery remained involved in thoroughbred racing all of her life, and she became the full time steward of Secretariat's legacy.
He death prompts me to post this clip of the Secretariat's victory in the 1973 Belmont Stakes. I can remember that for some reason I was home all alone that June Saturday afternoon, so I watched that race all by myself. It was one of the most astonishing sporting events that I had ever seen up until that point, and it remains so until this day. Watch it and see if you don't agree.
RIP Penny Chenery.
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