FILM · 2010 · USA
Secretariat
25 archived facts 2 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
All facts (25)
- #001
Secretariat's winning margin (31 lengths) and winning time (2:24) in the Belmont Stakes still stand 37 years later.
- #002
All but one of the film's racing scenes are recreations: the Preakness, seen on an old television in the Tweedys' study, uses historical footage of the real race.
- #003
The horse used for most of the close-ups was named "Longshot." Although "Trolley Boy" generally resembled Secretariat more closely, Longshot was considered more "close-up friendly."
- #004
Secretariat not only broke the fastest-time record in the Kentucky Derby (1:59 2/5); each of his quarter-mile splits was faster than the one before, meaning he was still accelerating at the end of the race. The split times were 25 1/5, 24, 23 4/5, 23 2/5 and 23.
- #005
Secretariat's time for the Preakness at Pimlico was initially set at 1:54 2/5. The official clock at Pimlico was having problems that day, and the race officials settled on that time. Many racing forum writers with their own stopwatches had Secretariat running faster. At the request of Penny Chenery and Pimlico President Tom Chuckas, the Maryland Racing Commission agreed to review the race. On June 19, 2012, the commission officially changed the time of Secretariat's run to 1:53. Secretariat now holds the fastest times in all three Triple Crown races.
- #006
Some of the close-ups of the racehorses were achieved by mounting lightweight digital cameras on poles and placing them near the horses galloping on the track. The horses got used to them, but the jockeys were sometimes spooked by them.
- #007
Five horses played the role of Secretariat. The main horse used, "Trolley Boy," was chosen by Penny Chenery at a Secretariat look-alike contest in Kentucky and even walked the Red Carpet at the film's Hollywood premiere. The five horses, four Thoroughbreds and one Quarter Horse, were made up with special makeup to replicate his three "white socks," blaze and star.
- #008
Secretariat's jockey, Otto Thorwarth, is a real jockey who was born in Arkansas but spent his early life in Canada. He had to work at not losing his Canadian accent in the film. The other jockeys are real jockeys as well; there was so much to do that the actors could not make the horses perform as required by measuring the distances needed for various wins, places and shows. Director Randall Wallace says the distances are accurate to within 1/2 length in every recreation.
- #009
The Triple Crown trophy seen after the third race is the real trophy, not a replica. It was lent to the production by the Kentucky Derby Museum and was accompanied by people on the trip to and from the museum and the film set.
- #010
Penny Chenery was on set for most of the filming. She was absent when she took her afternoon nap, but otherwise she was there every morning and later in the day.
- #011
Secretariat's time in the Kentucky Derby is still the record for that race (1:59 2/5). Only one horse has won it in under two minutes (2001, Monarchos, 1:59.97). Sham, who finished second behind Secretariat, may have completed the race in under two minutes, but there is no official time for him.
- #012
The scene in which Penny Chenery cannot attend Kate's play, listens on the phone and collapses sobbing on the hotel bed was shot in a single continuous take. Director Randall Wallace said he became so emotionally involved in the scene that he could not shoot another one.
- #013
In the film, Diane Lane's character is a reluctant Thoroughbred owner looking for team members to take over Secretariat's racing career. In real life, his jockey, trainer, groom and exercise rider had worked at Meadow Stable for years and had all been through a Triple Crown campaign the year before. A year earlier, their three-year-old Riva Ridge won the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes and finished fourth as the 3-to-5 favorite in the Preakness when the track came up "sloppy."
- #014
A total of 35 horses were used in the making of the film.
- #015
The Belmont Stakes, the last race of the Triple Crown, was not filmed at Belmont Park. The film was shot at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky.
- #016
Nelsan Ellis (Eddie Sweat) had his nose broken, was bitten on the stomach and was even once crushed by a horse during the production.
- #017
The golfer next to John Malkovich on the golf course is the head of the film's makeup department.
- #018
At the start of the film there is no opening title sequence after the title; it simply says "Walt Disney Pictures Presents Secretariat."
- #019
The film received almost no promotion in the United Kingdom, where Secretariat's story is little known, and was pulled from British cinemas after only one week.
- #020
In August 1972, Arthur Hancock fell ill while hunting in Scotland. A few weeks later he died of pancreatic cancer at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
- #021
In the film, Mrs. Ham wears the same blue dress for the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes. Mrs. Tweedy's outfits are different for each race.
- #022
The scene in the barn where Secretariat was born was shot in Louisiana in 100-plus-degree heat, even though the scene is set in winter. Between takes the actors were brought outside and put into air-conditioned vans running at full blast.
- #023
James Cromwell and John Malkovich had previously appeared together in RKO 281 (1999).
- #024
It is the 226th live-action film produced by Disney.
- #025
James Cromwell and Scott Glenn later appeared together in the film W. (2008).
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