Haskin on Secretariat - Horse Racing Forum - PaceAdvantage.Com

PaceAdvantage · 09-13-2010, 03:39 AM

The Real Secretariat

The Disney movie, “Secretariat,” will be released on Oct. 8, but many, including myself, have already seen it or plan on seeing it before its opening.
There already have been reviews published, most of them mixed. This is not a review, but a merely a look at the real Secretariat through my eyes, my lens, and my recollections through a kaleidoscope of colors and images that it is hoped will bring Secretariat to life for those who did not have the privilege of seeing him in person.

~~read the rest at the following link~~

http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/horse...cretariat.aspx

tucker6 · 09-13-2010, 06:09 AM

Great pics of a bygone era. Four things from that article I noted. The first was to be reminded how small Riva Ridge was compared to Secretariat. The second was the insanely short times between races for a TB champion, including long, strong workouts just days prior to a race. The third was the seeming casualness in which he set world records. The fourth was Haskins contention that Riva saved the farm. I'm sure Steve must be correct, but everything I have read said that Riva helped save the farm, but the money earned from racing him was not enough to make Uncle Sam happy, which is why they syndicated Secretariat. Anybody here know whether Steve is correct or not?

mountainman · 09-13-2010, 09:12 AM

Saw clips from upcoming movie and fear the worst. Lucian Lauren now a flake who did stand up routine for reporters, and whole thing transformed into little girl loves horsey saga. That, I can live with, but if they so much as try, for one single scene, to reinvent the big red choo choo as proverbial 'underdog,' I'm walking out.

classhandicapper · 09-13-2010, 10:33 AM

I love that photo of the rippling muscles and long stride.

born2ride · 09-13-2010, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by classhandicapper

I love that photo of the rippling muscles and long stride.

That photo plus the one of him rising from the grass - magnificent. He was simply, a beast.

bane · 09-13-2010, 12:47 PM

That is a shame with this movie is that it sounds like they are taking Riva Ridge's thunder, as the horse that I won't say saved...but kept the Meadow going a little bit longer. I also wonder how much will focus on The Syndication of Secretariat since that is what truly kept the farm going as long as it did, the book covered it a good amount.

Heh...maybe the movie will protest The Death Tax.

Miss Disco · 09-13-2010, 01:11 PM

Protest Death Tax

I am sure racetrackers will find scenes in the movie that make you

but Seeing the big horse on the big screen will be worth it. And you know, no one ever made a film about Man o' War, so I think we are lucky to get this one.

bigmack · 09-13-2010, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by classhandicapper

I love that photo of the rippling muscles and long stride.

Penny Tweedy once said to reporters, I don't think you'll be able to print this but I think he's sexy.

toetoe · 09-13-2010, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mountainman

Saw clips from upcoming movie and fear the worst. Lucian Lauren now a flake who did stand up routine for reporters, and whole thing transformed into little girl loves horsey saga. That, I can live with, but if they so much as try, for one single scene, to reinvent the big red choo choo as proverbial 'underdog,' I'm walking out.

Hear, hear.

. If Rosie stars as Red, I myself will walk out. Wanda Sykes as the curmudgeonly trainer ? Toetoe gone ! Danny De Vito as wisecracking Ron Turcotte ? Buh-bye.

I found Penelope rather tweedy, truth be told [sniff, sniff]. For its meaning, refer to Dick Chenery. He's an encyclopedia. Literally !

46zilzal · 09-13-2010, 03:08 PM

trying to pass off Keeneland for Belmont????

joanied · 09-14-2010, 10:47 AM

I read haskin's 'blog' story too...there are several things that bother me, one being that they didn't even try to disguise Keeneland as belmont...is there a sign saying Keeneland or what...I'll be surious about that...the other things he mentioned as negatives aside, the one that really caught my attention is what he said about at least one peice of music in the movie...
"the inane choice of a song during the stretch run in the Belmont at the end of the movie"...
which leads me to a couple of questions...maybe someone that's been to a screening can answer them...
are they ending the movie with the Belmont rather than hs race in Canada?
And just what IS this inane song Haskins mentions?

The last scene in any movie is always important, and in a movie like this one, I beleive the last scene shoud really be something powerful, emotional, so folks come away from the movie thinking...WOW!!

Grits · 09-14-2010, 10:57 AM

Please. Someone tell me its not:

a. Rocky (theme)

b. Chariots of Fire (theme)

c. We Are The Champions (probably not, its plural).

joanied · 09-14-2010, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grits

Please. Someone tell me its not:

a. Rocky (theme)

b. Chariots of Fire (theme)

c. We Are The Champions (probably not, its plural).

seriously though, the operative word from Haskin is 'inane'...I would really like to know what the music is!

tzipi · 09-14-2010, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mountainman

That, I can live with, but if they so much as try, for one single scene, to reinvent the big red choo choo as proverbial 'underdog,' I'm walking out.

I think they do. Pretty sure it was reported that Disney shows Sham winning out in California and then coming here and winning over Secertariat in the Wood Memorial. Problem is Sham didn't win the Wood. Angle Light did.
So I think from what I read they show Secretariat as an underdog going into the TC and it being "sad" because Penny Chenery needs money to save the farm.

DeanT · 09-14-2010, 12:58 PM

I think horse racing movies have to be doctored somewhat because they need a storyline. And in racing, how are you going to have an underdog storyline?

- "Jerry Moss and Zenny". Jerry needed the money and was down and out because Itunes has reduced his fortune to about $11M. The horse, named after his buddy Sting, runs the table and becomes a household name. The earnings save his fleet of Rolls Royce's.

- "Jess Jackson and the Rachel Alexandra Story" - Reeling from a 1 cent increase in grape prices, wine magnate Jess Jackson uses his $10M pocket change to gamble on a filly, with a huge downside risk, off a 20 length win in the Oaks. He and little known trainer Steve Assmussen embark on an amazing year long journey of hope.

- "Sheik Mo - No Mo Money" - The amazing underdog story of Sheik Mo, who was given the Gehrigian task of buying $10M yearlings and turning them into champions.

It's pretty tough to sell a true story in racing.