Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

Wiltsjen — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 20:36:33 GMT

Wasn't expecting to find myself bawling my eyes out over that post! Phew! Lovely.

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

MyBigRed — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 16:19:19 GMT

Happy Birthday to my Most Favorite Woman, (other than my mother) that I ALWAYS look up to!! You are such an inspiration to me & my horses :)Thanks Steve for the Happy Birthday to Penny Masterpiece !!

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

Alicia McQuilkin — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 14:13:13 GMT

A very happy birthday Ms. Chenery!

And thank you for being not only a successful woman in an industry that is strongly male, but also being a strong-willed, classy woman during a time when women weren't supposed to be both...in a male-exclusive industry. Career women forty years later should be inspired by you!

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

arlingtonfan — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 19:47:18 GMT

Steve--you are the best! Thank you so much for this beautiful piece. I never knew that Sham, too, had a larger-than-normal heart. Never met him, but I was very lucky to meet Secretariat, Riva, Spectacular Bid, Nijinsky II, and Danzig (before he hit it big as a sire!) at Claiborne in 1984. I'll always treasure that memory.

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

LongStoryTB — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 19:11:18 GMT

Happy Birthday Miss Penny!!!!!

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

LongStoryTB — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 19:09:24 GMT

Exquisitely written! I go on a journey every time I read something you have written. Glad I have my own office, as I usually sit back here, tears running down my face. Thank you for everything you write about. You are a MASTER!

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

cin — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 17:55:18 GMT

Happy Birthday Penny. I won 5 HOY titles in a row and ran 1 1/2 miles faster than Secretariat and my owner was a wonderful woman. Happy Birthday Penny. My owner is a nice classy lady with blonde hair too and I won the Triple Crown. Both Kelso and Affirmed can't understand why the horse and owner are both so overrated. But, happy birthday. "cute" stories from so called animals and people that unfortunately are no longer with us. It's ashame Secretariat, Kelso and Affirmed are all gone. Maybe we'll get another super horse one day so the horses of the past aren't forgotten, ALL OF THEM.

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

Aleine — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 04:09:38 GMT

Kinda neat that "The Meadow" is very useful to the public in modern day. The Meadow Event Park will live on and on and be useful with each event happening there. Long live The Meadow!

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

Aleine — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 04:07:18 GMT

I actually sent Ms. Chenery a birthday card. I hope she received it. It had a very large print of a Magnolia

Virginius (magnolia tree bloom) on the front of the card.

From one Virginian to another. Hope she liked the card.

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

Daina Ryan — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 18:01:50 GMT

Steve - oh my goodness - this is soo good! Your writing is soo engaging - - simply beautiful and what a GREAT concept. This is going into my Secretariat archives. I was 14 in 1973 and I had newspaper articles about Secretariat taped all over my walls (wish I still had them). I was one of the many young girls in love with horses and he really caught ones attention. I knew he was something special but I was also too young to really know what I was seeing. But because of him (and Man O'War - the first book I really loved as a child) I have been an avid racing fan -always looking, reading, watching and waiting for another like him (and there have been some great ones) but as the years tick on (41 years later) it's pretty clear now -first at how naive I was and second that I was just one of the fortunate to have been alive to witness something so extaordinary, a gift from the heavens - a racehorse that we will most likely never see the likes of again. I just want to go back - scoop it all up, hold it tight and never let it go.... and so thanks Steve for taking us back there once again. And last but not least - HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY PENNY - you're the real kind of star. Someone to be truly admired and respected. I can't imagine how proud your father really is.

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

Old Old Cat — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 16:23:12 GMT

My God.. you've done it again. You made my eyes water and my heart sing. What a wonderful tribute to a fine bunch of people and horses. Happy birthday Penny and many more. You are a blessing. And God bless you too Steve, you're the greatest.

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

Remington — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 14:00:10 GMT

Nice writing, Steve. Penny Chenery sure is a special lady and wonderful ambassador for racing. I live close to Meadow Farm and have had the pleasure of walking in Secretariat's foaling shed. Your detail of including Capital Asset, Capito and the names of the staff who kept Meadow Stud running separates you from the rest of the pack. Keep the great memories coming!

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

Debbiek — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 04:41:08 GMT

Happy Birthday, Penny!! I wish you many more happy birthdays. Steve, I absolutely loved this article, brought tears to my eyes reading some of these "cards" and I am so glad that Sham was included. Secretariat was so special, but Sham helped make him that way and I will always love him also. I was nine when Secretariat won his Triple Crown and even at that age I understood just what those two horses were accomplishing. Takes my breath away to this day. I visited Claiborne Farm this past September and paid my respects to both Secretariat and Riva, told them both how much I loved them (and, of course, the others too). Reading this just brought back the happiness of my visit there. Thank you so much for doing this, Steve.

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

Seaurchin51 — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 23:32:38 GMT

Happy Birthday Penny. Keep well and happy and thank you for the memories.

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

greyghost — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 23:21:51 GMT

This birthday tribute was done as only Steve could do it. Happy birthday to a lady with determination and the will to succeed. Where would the sport be without Secretariat.

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

Newracingfan — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 20:27:33 GMT

Thanks, Steve, for this wonderful tribute to Penny Chenery. It is a trip down memory lane for many - a history lesson for the rest of us. Even when I barely knew a horse from a dog, I knew about Secretariat. This glimpse into his peeps and contemporaries is truly amazing. Happy Birthday Penny Chenery.

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

Daniel Jividen — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 20:23:25 GMT

Christopher Chenery was a hellavu stud. All his progeny were winners, especially his shiny Penny.

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

Windolin — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 18:08:23 GMT

Oh the tears as I read this. Steve, no one can pull our heartstrings like you do. This is a beautiful tribute to Penny. She has always been on my list of most admired people. Happy Birthday dear Penny. May God bless you with many more. You and our beloved Secretariat and Riva Ridge are forever in my heart.

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

Alysheba1 — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 11:55:34 GMT

Happy Birthday dear Penny…most inspirational horse lady in the world! Makes it my honor to say I still work for Disney,because of your story they filmed of Secretariat I am honored Cast Member sharing Secretariat's magic around the world~~Chestnut Thoroughbreds are simply the top in breeding & beauty… <3

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

Meleen Drewery — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 11:50:47 GMT

Oh to be Penny Chennery ...

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

RajahsMom — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 08:54:41 GMT

Miss Penny, what a joy and an honor to be able to wish you a Happy/Healthy 92nd Birthday, you are one of the reasons I fell in love with horse racing.

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

ibizans — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 08:12:58 GMT

Penny and Secretariat share the same, humongous, heart. She gave me the courage to enter the man's world of racing in the 70's. Thank you Penny.

I wish you a happy 92nd and many more.

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

Secretariat — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 04:14:55 GMT

Wait a minute!!!

I'm "Secretariat" and someone is putting words in my mouth.

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

Gin — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 02:47:44 GMT

Wow, thank you Steve. You know so many of us have tears after reading all these great letters to Penny. Thank you Penny for all that you have done for racing. To have Sham included is spectacular. He was a great horse. Eddie was just a wonderful unselfish man. Who had the opportunity to stay at Claiborne and take care of the boys, but turned it down. Good to see his comment as well.

re: Penny's 92nd Birthday Party

Paula Higgins — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 01:55:57 GMT

WOW, this was fantastic Steve!! You are pretty amazing to come up with these "Letters to Penny." I loved each and every one and I am really hoping the real Penny gets to read these. They will make her smile and laugh. out loud. On that note, Happy Birthday Penny! You are a very unique, historic, courageous, intelligent and beautiful woman. Horse racing owes you so much. Thank you.