Secretariat was foaled in Virginia, but has two important connections to Virginia’s next door neighbor, Maryland. First, Secretariat won the second jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes, at Pimlico racetrack. Although his official time was not a Preakness record, other clockers had him breaking the record. Second, Mark Ciardi, producer of the movie Secretariat, is an alumnus of the University of Maryland.
Mr. Ciardi majored in marketing in the Robert H. Smith School of Business and received his degree in 1983. He was on the University of Maryland’s baseball team and was good enough to be drafted to play for Major League Baseball’s Milwaukee Brewers. Mr. Ciardi spent six years in the major and minor leagues. Other movies that he produced were: Invincible, Miracle, and The Rookie.
Maryland has a long and distinguished history pertaining to the breeding and racing of Thoroughbred racehorses. E. P. Taylor’s great Canadian-bred sire Northern Dancer spent most of his time at stud in Maryland. The Thoroughbred Racing Associations is located in Elkton and is headed by another University of Maryland graduate, Chris Scherf. Well-known trainers Michael Matz and Graham Motion have stables at the Fair Hill Training Center, also in Elkton.
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I attended elementary school at St.James Academy in Maryland. I remember a cute little new girl showed up in class one day and she told me that her folks owned Secretariat the race horse. I’ve never. ..as an adult figured out who this little girl was. Don’t remember her name but she had curly blonde hair blue eyes and would be around 44/45 years old now. Anyone that may know who this could be? Give me a shout