Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I had bought the original videotape of ESPN's "Life and Times of Secretariat," and the original videotape of "Big Red's Last Race," about the 1973 Canadian International. It is nice to have both documentaries on the same disc.
But best of all, ALL of Secretariat's twenty-one starts are included on the disc. Almost all of them are shown in their entirety (only the very early races aren't totally complete). I am assuming all of the footage from these races came from owner Penny Chenery's private collection.
It was great to watch Big Red's races from his two-year-old season in 1972. I had never seen any of those races before. From the time Red won the Hopeful, turf writers from all over the country were hailing him as the second coming of Man O'War. He of course didn't disappoint. His five losses were interesting to see, and in the cases of the 1973 Whitney and Woodward, see again. It was clear he never should have lost a race.
I was extremely impressed with his first race on grass, the 1973 Man O'War. Jockey Ron Turcotte claimed Secretariat was better on the grass than he was on the dirt, and he had mentioned the horse seemed almost deer-like when he ran on the grass. In this race, Secretariat went up against the top grass horse in the United States, Tentam. Tentam did his best to try and catch Secretariat, who was on the lead most of the way in the race, but he couldn't do it.
Secretariat's best performance was arguably the inaugural Marlboro Invitational. In that race, initially intended as a match race between he and stablemate Riva Ridge, there were ultimately FIVE champions in that race, including Secretariat, Riva Ridge, Kennedy Road, Key to the Mint, and Cougar II. No single race since has had that many champions. Secretariat caught Riva Ridge at the top of the stretch and coasted home in world-record time, a record which stood for many years.
The DVD is expensive, but to see all of those races again it was worth the money.
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The only complete and authorized story of the most famous race horse of our time – Secretariat. This is the Official Secretariat DVD licensed by owner Penny Chenery. This commemorative issue is actually three videos in one. It features the original critically acclaimed ESPN retrospective chronicling Secretariat's life and legacy, a full feature documentary of Big Red's last race in the Canadian International at Woodbine PLUS recently discovered footage of the champion from 20 of his career races including his phenomenal 1973 Triple Crown victories shown in their entirety. This comprehensive DVD is full of interesting film clips, interviews, and historical information. It traces his days as a foal at the Meadow Stud Farm, Doswell, Virginia though his death in the fall of 1989 at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. Along the way you’ll see some of the most amazing achievements in the history of the sport. Follow Secretariat’s run to glory through the 1973 Triple Crown as he became the first horse in a quarter of a century to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. Hear from those closest to this equine hero with exclusive interviews from owner Penny Chenery, Hall of Fame trainer Lucien Laurin and jockey Ron Turcotte. Racing fans will appreciate the poignant documentary "Big Red’s Last Race" as well as the complete collection of original racing footage from his storied career. Enjoy this fantastic tribute to the world’s most legendary and loved Thoroughbred – Secretariat. Total playing time: 112 minutes.
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