Synopsis

With the death of her mother, housewife and mother Penny Chenery agrees to take over her ailing father’s Virginia-based Meadow Stables despite her lack of horse-racing knowledge. Against all odds, Chenery — with the help of veteran trainer Lucien Laurin — manages to navigate the male-dominated business, ultimately fostering the first Triple Crown winner in twenty-five years.

Discussion Questions • WhenPenny’smotherdiedshestayedatherfamily’sVirginiahometolookafterthefamily businessdespitehavingnoformalbackgroundinhorseracing.Howdoyouthinkshebecameso successfulsoquickly? • PennyhopedthatLucienLaurinwouldcomeoutofretirementtohelphertrainherhorse.Atfirst heresisted.Whydidhechangehismind? • Asthehorsewasgrowingup,theycalledhimBigRed.Whentheybegantoracehimin respectableraceshewasforcedtohaveamorerespectablename.Whatdoesthename Secretariatmean?Whydoyouthinktheychosethisname?DoyouthinkthenameSecretariatfits thehorse?Why? • WhiletherewasstressonPenny’sfamilyrelationsbecauseshewasbackandforthbetween herhomesinColoradoandVirginia,herfamilyremainedintact.Whataresomeofthereasons youattributetothefactthatthebondsbetweenherandherchildren,andherandherhusband werestillstrongattheendofthefilm? • WhatdoyoubelievewasbehindPenny’sdesiretosucceed?AtonepointinthefilmPenny realizedthattheycouldselleverythingfromherparent’sestateandatleastpayoffwhatthey owedonthefarm,butshewasnotwilling.Shewantedtowin.Whydoyouthinkthatwas?Have youeverfeltasimilardrivetosucceed?Whywereyousodriven?

A BUG’S LIFE

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Secretariat

Activities

• ResearchthehistoryoftheTripleCrownraces.Whatother horseswontheentireTripleCrown?Whichonescameclose? Howdidtheotherwinner’stimescomparetoSecretariat’s? Ifyouenjoyedwatchingtheracesinthefilm,youcanstillfindmanyoftheseracesonlineatYouTube. • WatchtheKentuckyDerbyontelevision.Thisrace,which takesplaceeveryspringinLouisville,KY,isthemostfamous intheUnitedStates.Observetheritualsandtheclothes. Youmayparticularlyenjoyallthehats--thinkaboutmakinga hatofyourowntowearwhilewatchingtheDerbyonTV. • Secretariatwasnotthefirstnamechosenbyhisowners.In fact,manynameswererejectedbeforeeveryonesettledon Secretariat.Learnaboutthenamingprocessofracehorses. • Pennygotinvolvedinabusinessthatwascompletelymale-dominated.Todayit’snot unlikelytohavewomeninalmostanyprofession.It’seasytoforgethowdifferentitwasjusta fewdecadesago.Interviewtheoldestwomaninyourfamilyaboutwhatlifewaslikefor womenwhenshewasgrowingup,andthenasshebecameanadult.

Get Involved

• Horseshavebeenanimportantanimalinourcountry’shistoryandhavebeenusedformuch morethanjustsport.Oftentimeshorsesareusedastherapyforpeoplewithmanydifferenttypes ofdisabilities.Thisisalsoreferredtoas“AdaptiveRiding”or“EquestrianTherapy.”Findan adaptiveridingcenternearyouandfindoutiftheyareinneedofvolunteers,especiallyforcare ofthehorses. • Pennywasexposedtoherfamily’sbusinessfromanearlyage.Shewaspushedbyherfatherto getagoodeducationaswell.Doyouknoworunderstandwhatyourparentsdo?Orifyou’re aparent,doesyourchildknoworunderstandwhatyoudo?Shadoworbecomeashadowfora child/parentdayatwork.

Findoutwhatotherpeoplearesayingaboutthisfilmanddiscoverhowtheyareusingtheguide! JointheconversationatTrulyMovingPictures.org.

Movie images © 2010 Disney

Secretariat