Today In History

Penny Chenery is the owner of Triple Crown winner Secretariat, arguably the most famous horse in the 20th century. Helen “Penny” Chenery is responsible for making the right decisions to lead to his storied success. A graduate of Columbia Business School, Chenery combined her business savvy with her passion for thoroughbreds. Her love for horses came from her father who founded Meadow Stable, a thoroughbred racing and horse breeding facility. Upon her father’s death, she wanted to fulfill his dream of breeding a horse to win the Kentucky Derby, and she took over the management of Meadow Stable. She hired Lucien Laurin to train and guide the horses, and in 1972 their colt Riva Ridge won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. The next year, the duo made history with Secretariat. The three-year old thoroughbred captured the heart of Americans by winning the Triple Crown in 1973 – the first horse to do so in twenty-five years. A trailblazer throughout her career, Penny Chenery was the first woman elected as a member of The Jockey Club in 1983. She also was honored in 2003 when the Arlington Park track established the annual “Peggy Chenery Distinguished Woman in Racing Award” inspiring women to achieve greatness in the sport.