Secretariat. An Awesome Story of Horsey Awesomeness.

I don’t know a thing about horses.

Despite having been kicked in the shin by one while enjoying a pretty awesome summer at 4-H camp one year (not even sure how I happened into a 4-H camp, but it did) I can’t say I’ve had much interaction with the beasts.

But, they sure are cool to look at.

And, fun to bet on!

Well, I really only like betting on them when I win (I’m stingy like that), but I do enjoy going to horse races and running alongside the track cheering on my selected steed.

Especially when he (or she) has one of those insanely ridiculous names.

Just look at who was running at the track we like to frequent last week: Sensational Play, Wild Frock and, my favorite ever, Givesusdirtylaundry.

Seriously.

Can’t you just see me breaking all track etiquette while running and screaming, “Come on Givesusdirtylaundry!  COME ONNNNN!”

Totally can see myself doing that!

Actually, I have seen myself do that.

All three Dudes in tow, spilling popcorn and Hot Tamales on innocent bystanders nearby.

It’s just so much fun.

This past week we received a copy of Secretariat* from Disney to review.

I’m already a sucker for a “based on real life events” movie, so when they combined it with horse racing I knew I would be hooked!

What I didn’t count on was that Dude #1 would be so into it!

I mean the movie is great: exciting racing sequences, interesting and inspiring characters (including an underdog horse and a powerhouse 70s housewife),  touching family bonds, a passionate love for horses, and a little history rubbed on it for fun.

 

We watched it as a family for our weekly movie night and I cried tears of joy more than once (I’m just a sucker for a sad movie.  Or a happy movie.  Or a sad-happy movie.  Okay, perhaps I’m just a sucker?!). 

Whatever, movies do that to me.

Somehow all of the awesome in the film combined just perfectly to make #1 come to me the next morning and ask me questions about Secretariat’s life.

Like, how long did he live?  And, where was the farm he lived on located?  And, have any other horses won the Triple Crown since?

I Googled it all and found out that Secretariat lived to be about 19.  The farm that he lived on was in Virginia.  And. yes, the Triple Crown has been won since, but he was the first to win it in 30 years and no horse has done so again since 1978!

Pretty interesting stuff.

#1 has decided that he would like to take in a few more races at our favorite track this year (yeah for me and my popcorn flinging, funny-horse-name screaming antics!), including the “Peakings,” known to the rest of the world as The Preakness!

It is run right here in Maryland in May, and he invited his Papa to take him to it.

Lucky Papa!

Hope Papa remembers to buy Dumb Mom a ticket too (hint-hint!).

*Secretariat will be released on Blu-Ray-DVD on Tuesday, January 25th, 2011.  If you’ve not had a chance to enjoy it yet, I suggest you check it out.  It’s a great family film that viewers young (not as young as #3 who talked the ENTIRE time!) and old will likely enjoy.  Plus, it gives you the added opportunity to follow it up with a little online research about horse racing, horses, and gambling.  Okay, so maybe not so much on the gambling.  But, learning about the history and tradition and culture of horse racing is pretty dang fun! 

**pBd Admits it’s Free:  The Disney DVD PR people give me Disney DVDs to review prior to their release date.  They don’t give me cash and they don’t tell me what to say.  I agreed to this arrangement because, a) I like movies, and b) movies keep my kids quiet when I need to play Fruit Ninja on my iPad work.  And, I’m always honest on my blog.  I only lie in real life.