Secretariat Page #8

- I guarantee it!

- [Crowd murmuring]

Pancho's starting to brag like a boxer.

Maybe he plans on

taking up prizefighting

after he finishes horseracing.

Sham has about as much chance

of beating Secretariat

as Pancho has of beating Muhammad Ali.

[Crowd laughs]

[Eddie] I know it hurt,

but I got to do it, Red.

How's it look?

Same. Still ain't ate.

I'm going to have Ronnie

take him out in the morning.

See how it goes.

It's nothing like Sham's been running.

Nothing like Secretariat's been running.

Penny's not talking.

- Eddie?

- No, ma'am. He's still off his feed.

Miss Tweedy? Miss Tweedy?

How's your horse doing?

He'll answer that question for himself

on race day.

- You're Bill... Nack, right?

- Yes, ma'am.

I've read you. You write like a poet.

Why do you do this?

For years they had me

covering politicians.

I wanted to write about

the other end of the horse.

Why do you do this, Miss Penny?

I'm his voice.

[Stopwatch ticking]

Penny, we think the abscess is gone,

but he still hasn't eaten

and Ronnie says

his breathing is still a little shallow.

I don't know.

I don't know ifwe should run him.

Can I have a moment with him?

All right, then.

I'll see you in the morning.

OK, Eddie.

Thank you.

[Eddie] Hey, Kentucky!

Big old Red done ate

his breakfast this morning!

And you about to see something

that you ain't never even seen before!

So get ready!

Get ready!

[Fanfare plays]

[Crowd sings Old Kentucky Home]

We will sing one song

For my old Kentucky home

[indistinct chatter]

Do you think he'll be OK?

He ate his food this morning.

It's your day, baby.

[Girl] Excuse me.

Hold it.

- He's posing again.

- This way.

- Good luck today, Miss Penny.

- Thank you.

[Crowd cheering]

- [Woman] Go, Secretariat!

- [Man] Yeah!

[Snorting]

[Crowd cheers]

Easy, Red.

Safe trip, boys.

[Woman] Bring it home, Red!

- Big day, Mrs. Tweedy.

- Mmm-hmm.

Yeah!

There you go, boy.

- [Neighs]

- [Man] OK, get him in.

Get him in there.

- Hold it, hold it.

- [Indistinct chatter]

Come on now, Red, come on.

Don't get distracted. Focus. You got it.

[Man] Go ahead. Hold up, now.

[Man 2] Steady! All right!

[Man] Come on, Big Red!

[Man 2] All right, let's go.

[Male announcer] They're at the post.

Secretariat throws his head just a bit.

[Secretariat breathing heavily]

[Starting bell rings]

[Male announcer] And they're off in

the 99th running ofthe Kentucky Derby!

Shecky Greene sprinting to the front,

Royal and Regal just behind.

Gold Bag quickly moving into third.

And Secretariat breaks last

from the gate.

Sham moving up

to challenge for the lead.

Royal and Regal now being moved

to the inside, looking for room.

Gold Bag is up on the outside.

Run them down, run them down, Red!

Run them down. Come on! Come on!

Sham and a dozen others

moving into striking position.

Secretariat is at the back of the pack.

- [Indistinct chattering]

- I can't watch this.

You have to stay here

and take this with me.

Sham working into strong position.

Sham now third on the outside

by two lengths.

Fast first quarter in 23.2.

There you go! Come on!

As they're heading into

the back straight Sham moving up,

challenging for the lead.

Navajo, Forego, and Warbucks beginning

to move up, followed by My Gallant...

- Come on.

- Run them down, Red!

Sham moving up into third.

Gold Bag just in front of him

as they clear the half mile.

Secretariat still lagging offthe pace.

[Ronnie] I'm sick of this dirt.

Let's get rolling.

Sham closing to the rail.

Three quarter time: A speedy 1:11.4.

- Gotta move him, Ronnie.

- Let's go!

- Come on, Ronnie, move.

- Sham has taken the lead.

Secretariat well back of the leaders

and failing to mount a challenge.

Entering the final turn, Secretariat

surging past Angle Light!

- Come on, Red!

- Final quarter mile!

Come on, Red. Pace yourself.

This yours. This yours.

- Come on, Ronnie!

- Run!

Go!

They're at the head ofthe stretch

and Sham is the leader.

He leads it by a length.

Secretariat is in the center

ofthe racetrack and driving!

It's Sham and Secretariat,

neck and neck!

They're in the stretch. It's Secretariat

on the outside to take the lead.

Sham holding in second.

Run him, Ronnie!

It's Secretariat at the finish!

He wins it by two lengths.

- Holy!

- Whoo!

I knew he was going to do it.

I knew he was going to do it.

Whoo! All right!

We won! I knew you could do it, Mom!

[Lucien] Congratulations.

- I can't believe it!

- You did it!

Penny, it's been 25 years since

horseracing's had a Triple Crown winner.

Now, is this the horse that finally

breaks that streak?

We still have a lot ofwork to do.

But at least we've

given ourselves the chance.

Congratulations, Penny and Secretariat

on the fastest Derby ever!

Here's hoping we see the same thing

two weeks from now at the Preakness.

[Reporters clamoring]

[Jack] Girls!

The race is about to start!

[Man on TV] The excitement

over this super-horse has captured

the imaginations of Americans

and brought together people

across great divisions of culture,

politics and passion.

Uniting them in one great battle cry:

"Go, Secretariat, go!"

Of course he's the favorite in this race

as we look at him in his barn.

He's getting ready now to make the walk

across to the saddling area.

I'm Jack Whitaker, along with Heywood

Hale Broun, Chic Anderson

and Frank Wright. We welcome you

to the 98th running ofthe Preakness.

- Hey, there's Mom.

- I can't believe that's Mom!

- Wow. She looks awesome.

- [Boy 1] I can't believe she's on TV.

- [Boy 2] That's amazing.

- [Sarah] So cool.

With three horses in,

I'm going to give this to Chic Anderson

who will call the race for you.

[Chic] We're about ready to go

as Ecole Etage...

Secretariat bobs his head.

We're still looking... And they're off!

For the early lead, that's Deadly Dream.

On the outside, Ecole Etage.

Settling into second, Torsion. Sham

has good position, third on the rail,

and Secretariat is last, again,

as they move...

- Red's last.

- He's last. Why is he always last?

But here comes Secretariat! He's moving

fast! And he's going to the outside...

He's going for the lead,

and it is right now he's looking for it!

- See him right there?

- All right, Red.

- Come on.

- Yes.

[Indistinct chatter overlapping]

Secretariat is right alongside.

Sham now going to the outside in third.

We're moving down the backstretch.

They're incredible! Look at them!

Secretariat the leader by...

- Dad, you seeing this?

- I see him.

And it looks like Ecole Etage

has had it, dropping back in third.

Here's the race, folks.

Secretariat trying to hold it.

Look at this!

Head of the stretch,

Secretariat at two and a half.

- Sham under a strong left-handed whip.

- [All cheering]

Secretariat by two lengths!

Sham driving second!

It is Secretariat! He's coming to the

wire! He wins it by two and a half,

almost three!

I don't believe this!

And it was a powerhouse race again

Rate this script:5.0 / 2 votes