TRF Celebrates Double Anniversary with Penny Chenery
July 18, 2008
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Penny Chenery with "The Meadow Champions" |
Party organizer Wendy Woods with Leonard Lusky, manager of Secretariat.com |
Penny Chenery, TRF-James River President Robin Williams, TRF Executive Director Diana Pikulski |
TRF volunteers Laurie Pitts and Anne Tucker with John Tucker |
Penny Chenery, the first lady of racing, came to Colonial Downs July 18 to celebrate with us the 25th anniversary of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation and the 35th anniversary of Secretariat’s amazing Triple Crown triumph. The double anniversary party was the lead-in to Colonial Down’s Virginia Derby weekend of racing.
Also on hand were Diana Pikulski, the executive director of the TRF’s national office, Layton Lester, warden of James River Correctional Center, where the local TRF Second Chances program operates, and Jesse Barker, the instructor and correctional officer who oversees the program on a daily basis.
TRF volunteers Adair Roper, Wendy Woods, and Dudley Luck headed a committee that organized a fabulous evening at the track for 165 guests. The setting was the west end of the Jockey Club, with its beautiful oval bar and tiered tables overlooking the paddock and the Secretariat Turf Course.
Joe DeFazio made the dining experience special with passed hors d’oeuvres of shrimp in champagne glasses, buffet stations of pasta, vegetables and beef, and a glorious display of chocolate dessert.
The dining tables had unique bouquets of blue and white flowers – The Meadow Farm’s racing colors – arranged in bowls made of horseshoes. Many thanks to Mike Ruqus for welding the shoes to make the bowls, which were sold at the end of the evening.
Around the bar, the Virginia Equine Artists Association held an exhibition and sale, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Foundation. Thanks to our official photographer, Debby Thomas, for organizing the exhibit.
Colonial Downs honored the group with a race, and a festive group of supporters joined the winning trainer in the winner’s circle.
The highlight of the charity evening was the auction of lithographs of “The Meadow Champions," a pair of prints of Ms. Chenery’s horses, Riva Ridge and Secretariat. The prints were taken from the Richard Stone Reeves paintings in Ms. Chenery’s private collection and have never before been seen by the public. Madge Bush made the winning bid of $1,700. Her husband, Francis Bush, is the author of “Famous Horsewomen of Virginia: Their Stories in Racing," which features Ms. Chenery, among others.
Robin Williams, a director of the Foundation and the president of the James River Chapter, welcomed the guests and reminded them that all the money raised would go to support the horses at JRCC. The proceeds of the benefit will be used to fence a new pasture and build run-in sheds so that additional horses can be retired.
Ms. Chenery charmed the group with her memories of Riva Ridge, who came along in her father’s last months, when her siblings wanted to discontinue the racing stable. Riva’s Kentucky Derby win convinced the family to carry on, and the next year, Secretariat wowed the world. “So you see, without Riva, there would be no Secertariat,” she said.
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Photo by Coady Photography Used with permission |