Penny Chenery - Credit www.secretariat.com
Secretariat tells the amazing story of Penny Chenery, played by Diane Lane, who defied all the odds and guided a stallion to the triple Crown in 1973.
- When did you first gain a passion for horses?
Well I was five years old when I first got on a horse, I remember it well. The experience was enjoyable but I was wearing short pants so my legs were quite badly chafed!
I did it mainly to please my dad - he was crazy about horses and I was crazy about my dad.
- What drove you to take on the stables after they risked falling into disrepair?
My dad was so proud of his horses. Horses were his whole passion throughout his retirement years and I got the dream from him and went with it.
- Did you feel Secretariat was a special horse right from the start?
I think it was when he won his first race that I realised. He was a beautiful horse, but you don’t always expect a beautiful horse to be a champion.
We used to have an expression ‘he’s too pretty to be any good’ but that wasn’t the case with Secretariat.
- Did you find it tough being one of the few women in the racing business? Were you treated differently as a result?
I didn’t find it tough at the time but yes I was treated differently. I just tried not to pay it any attention.
I was President of the Horses & Breeders Association for 10 years so that gave me some stature.
I think when Secretariat was running people were just jealous because of all of the success. So I just really stuck to what I needed to do and kept focused on the job.
The point is women can do the job just as well as men. I didn’t ever feel like I had to make that point myself, I didn’t set out thinking ‘this will make things easier for women that follow’ but I think that is just what ended up happening
- How was it meeting Diane Lane for the first time? Did you feel she did a good job in playing you?
Oh I thought she did a wonderful job. Diane spent some time with me and picked up on my mannerisms and voice inflections and she really is a lovely woman, we’ve become friends, I think she did just a fine job.
- How was it being able to play a cameo in the film of your life?
Oh yeah - that was fun! I wasn’t really on camera much - I was just seen watching the action in the background but everyone I know got such a kick out of spotting me on film.
The whole thing was such an enjoyable experience for me, the whole process has been fantastic!
- If people haven't yet seen the film at the cinema, what can they expect to see and enjoy most about the DVD/Blu-Ray now it is being released?
It’s a wonderful family film that people of any age would enjoy. People tell me they cry when they watch Secretariat win the Triple Crown.
I don’t know why they cry - it’s a happy moment! But I think people just get so involved in the emotion of the film and the build up to the climax, thinking ‘would he do it, could he win?’ and, God bless him, he does it.
Secretariat is out to buy on Disney Double Play Blu-ray & DVD now