HJ 205 — Commending Secretariat Racing Into History.

SESSION INTRODUCEDENROLLED 24107578D I HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO.

205 OfferedE February 22, 2024 N Commending Secretariat Racing Into History.

TN Patrons––FowlerR andAgreed CarrAgreed Rto ––––––––––by the Senate, February 29, 2024 2024 O WHEREAS, in 2024, the Town of Ashland will unveil Secretariat Racing Into History, a statue OL dedicated to one of the greatest racehorses in the history of the sport, Virginia's own SecretaDiat,Secretariat, who wonL thewonWHEREAS, covetedSecretariat, Americanalso Tripleknown Crownas Big Red, was foaled and raised on a farm in 1973;Caroline County E by his owner and breeder Helen Bates "Penny" Chenery, who famously received the horse as the result of a coin toss between her and her fellow stable owner and breeding partner Ogden Phipps;

and D WHEREAS, Secretariat,Penny alsoChenery's knownfather, asChristopher BigChenery, Red,grew wasup foaled and raised on a farm in CarolineAshland, Countyattended byRandolph-Macon hisCollege, owner and breederfounded Helen Bates "Penny" Chenery, who famously received the horsenearby asMeadow theStable, reCultwhere ofSecretariat awas coinborn tossin between1970; her and her fellow stable owner and breeding partner Ogden Phipps;

andandWHEREAS, Randolph-Maconwith College,his andexceptional foundedsize theand nearbystrength, MeadowSecretariat Stable,impressed whereimmediately Secretariatand wasappeared borndestined infor 1970;racing greatness;

and D WHEREAS, with his exceptional size and strength, Secretariat impressed immediately and appeared destined for racing greatness;

and WHEREAS, in his second year of racing at age three, Secretariat became the first thoroughbred since 1948H to win the American Triple Crown, along with the unprecedented feat of breaking track records in all three races;

andandican Triple Crown, along with the unprecedented feat of breaking track records in 0 WHEREAS, Secretariat's 1973 campaign included a track record time of 1:59 2/5 at the Kentucky E Derby on May 5, 1973, a stakes record at the Preakness Stakes with a time of 1:53 on May 19, and R included an American record for 1 1/2 miles on dirt with a time of 2:24 at the Belmont Stakes on June 9;

and 0 WHEREAS, Secretariat was a celebrated icon of his day, leading news headlines and appearing on the covers of several major publications, bringing new fans and attention to the sport of horse racing;

and WHEREAS, in February 2024, the Town of Ashland accepted a magnificent 3,500-pound bronze 35 statute by sculptor Jocelyn Russell, Secretariat Racing Into History, which will be placed at Reynolds 36FamWHEREAS, Familythe Plaza,Secretariat aRacing plannedInto parkHistory atstatue thetoured intersectionseveral ofracing Englandtracks Streetin 2023 and Railroadwill Avenue;be the first permanent monument to Secretariat located in the Commonwealth;

and 37 WHEREAS, the Secretariatmomentous Racingoccasion Intowas Historymade statuepossible touredthrough severalthe racingSecretariat tracksfor inVirginia 2023Committee, andwhich willis 38chaired beby Kate Chenery Tweedy, the firstdaughter permanentof monumentPenny toChenery Secretariatand locatedmonument's placement in theAshland; Commonwealth;

andand, Committee,who whichbrought isher chairedfamily's bylegacy Katefull Chenerycircle Tweedy,by facilitating the daughterWHEREAS, ofSecretariat PennyRacing CheneryInto andiniaHistory granddaughterwill stand as an emblem of ChristopherSecretariat's Chenery,excellence, whoa broughtgleaming herbeacon family'sfor legacyregional fulltourism, circleand bya facilitatingdramatic focal point for educating the monument'spublic placementabout the region's illustrious history in Ashland;horse racing;

andnow, WHEREAS,therefore, Secretariatbe Racingit IntoRESOLVED Historyby willthe standHouse as an emblem of Secretariat'sDelegates, excellence,the aSenate gleamingconcurring, beaconThat for regional tourism, and a dramatic focal point for educating the publicGeneral aboutAssembly thehereby region'sCommonwealth's illustriousgreatest historyathletes; in horse racing;

now,and, therefore, be ititonument RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Secretariat Racing Into History, a monument to the achievements and legacy of one of the ComRESOLVEDRESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Town of Ashland as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for the significance of the Secretariat Racing Into History monument as a symbol of the high regard in which Secretariat is held by the horse racing community to this day.