Secretariat - 3 smiles

Secretariat is the only horse to win racing’s Triple Crown since 1973. Everyone knows that, right? So how can a movie about this spectacular event be interesting? Not to worry. It’s not only interesting, but it’s exciting, poignant and inspiring. Most of the credit for this feat goes to director Randall Wallace and star Diane Lane as Secretariat’s owner Penny Chenery. When Secretariat, the chestnut Thoroughbred who galloped to triumph through a rare combination of speed and stamina, is on the track, overtaking one horse after another, your heart is pounding and you’re rooting for his victory, almost as if you had no idea he’d win. And when the focus moves off the track, you’ve got a radiant Diane Lane to hold your attention. Her Penny Chenery exudes an almost other-worldly belief in her horse’s ability to win. And you could swear that the horse portraying Secretariat is not only playing to the camera, but he’s affirming Penny’s belief in him. Wallace turns “Secretariat” into a parable of faith and feminine strength.

When her mother dies, Penny Chenery Tweedy takes reigns of her father’s horse farm, refusing to sell the horses. Later, when her father dies, she refuses to sell Secretariat to pay off the massive estate taxes. Instead, Penny hires eccentric trainer Lucien Laurin (John Malkovich) and for a jockey, she brings on Ron Turcotte (Otto Thorwarth), who puts as much into his races as he demands from his mounts. For the necessary funds to pay the taxes and fund this endeavor, she forms a syndicate for breeding rights to Secretariat, provided he can perform on the track. Ogden Phipps (James Cromwell) leads the syndicate of 32 rich individuals and the villain is Pancho Martin (Nestor Serrano), the owner of Sham, Secretariat’s chief rival in all three Triple Crown races. “Secretariat” might be predictable, but it’s also a thoroughly entertaining story about the greatest racehorse of all time. 10/9/10