Randy Suits

Secretariat – The Hope and the Promise

Dearest Eve, My hoped for and promised wife,

The story of Secretariat began with a coin toss in 1969 between Penny Chenery of Meadow Stable and Ogden Phipps the owner of Bold Ruler, considered one of the important stallions of his time. Because her father could not pay the stud fees for a horse with the blood line and history of winning high stakes horse races, the coin toss was established as a way to pay the fee by giving Ogden Phipps one good foal from the children of the race horse stallion Bold Ruler, who had a fine balance between speed and stamina required for long distance racing. When Phipps won the toss, he chose a foal from the mare everyone knew should produce the best distance runner capable of winning the esteemed triple crown. Penny Chenery was left with an unborn horse (Secretariat was born March 30 1970) with an inferior bloodline (through his mother Something Royal), slim hopes and virtually no promise to win in the highly competitive field of thoroughbred horse racing. Meadow Stables was near financial insolvency but the life hope of her father was to breed and train a race horse who would win the major races of the Triple Crown in racing. When her brother wanted to sell the foal in the brink of bankruptcy, Penny stubbornly held out hope that Secretarial could win the races which would deliver the family stables and preserve the horse racing legacy of her father. In 1973 the hope held out by Penney Chenery and the promise delivered in Secretariat produced the first triple crown winer in 25 years. Secretariat won the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes. His winnings and the ensuing stud fees delivered Meadow Stables from bankruptcy and fulfilled the life dream and career of a little known horse breeder who dared to dream big and then worked a lifetime to bring it to pass. My Kochana, we also have hopes rooted in promises which we strive to claim. Sometimes it is not easy to hope in the face of discouragement and opposition from those who fail to claim the promise or refuse to believe in the reward afforded those who work without doubt or hesitation. The Most High God said, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring (wicked men/women who rebel against God) and hers (Jesus Christ and his godly chosen redeemed, who are one with him and in him in holiness, righteousness and truth). He will crush your head and you will strike his heel.” As Secretariat was the hope and the promise for Penny Chenery, Our Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal hope and certain promise who is able to deliver us for He is joy unspeakable and He is full of glory.

God gave hope and promise through His son Jesus Christ,Kochany