Secretariat Festival to be Held Virtually
Image:
Description:
Photo: Courtesy The Secretariat Festival
The 12th annual Secretariat Festival, Oct. 10-11, is poised to be a memorable renewal with a shift to a digital experience in response to pandemic restrictions and recommendations. The online move creates opportunities for fans to experience exclusive transcontinental encounters with celebrity Fan Forums and Secretariat-centered tours.
Headlining the 2020 Secretariat Virtual Festival are Hall of Fame jockey Ron Turcotte and author/family historian Kate Chenery Tweedy, daughter of Penny Chenery. Joining them will be jockeys Steve Cauthen, Pat Day, Mike Manganello and Laffit Pincay Jr.; moderators Laffit Pincay III and Kenny Rice; Disney's Secretariat producer Mark Ciardi as well as jockey-turned-actor Otto Thorwarth; and author and historian Leanne Ladin.
"We cannot replicate the in-person fellowship that our fans have enjoyed at our Festival events in the past," said Tweedy. "But as we started contemplating a virtual format, we realized that it would present some opportunities that we have been able to harness and present to Secretariat fans all over the world. Now and in the future, we remain committed to bringing fans together annually to celebrate the life and legacy of Secretariat."
The Fan Forum virtual events require pre-registration and will be conducted via Zoom. Virtual tours, presented for Secretariat fans, will be free and featured on the Secretariat Festival Facebook page: Claiborne Farm, the historic farm where Secretariat stood during his stallion career and is now buried; Ron Turcotte's hometown of Grand Falls, New Brunswick, Canada, showcasing the Secretariat monument and bridge named for the famed rider; the newly refurbished National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame; the fan favorite Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Center; and the Kentucky Derby Museum, which features one of the largest collections of Secretariat artifacts.
In addition to the virtual events will be the online Secretariat Festival auction, benefiting the Secretariat Foundation, now open through Oct. 11. The auction features original historic Press Photos from the early '70s, items from the personal collection of Ron Turcotte and Charlie Davis, as well as Penny Chenery hand-signed memorabilia from the Secretariat/Meadow Stable Archives.
A complete schedule and details can be found on Secretariat.com with continued updates on the Festival's official Facebook, Instagram and Twitter feeds.
The Secretariat Festival, which celebrates the life and legacy of the 1973 Triple Crown champion, launched in 2008 in Paris, Kentucky. In the years since, thousands of attendees have gathered in the heart of the Bluegrass to toast the sport of racing and one of its most beloved champions. Proceeds from the event have benefited the area charities as well as the Secretariat Foundation, which is committed to funding equine-related causes that enhance the welfare of the Thoroughbred community.