Character Relationship Map: Secretariat

Characters

• Penny Chenery (played by Diane Lane) — protagonist

  Penny Chenery is the central protagonist, a Denver housewife and mother who returns to her childhood home after her mother's death. She takes control of the struggling family stable, dismisses its dis...

• Lucien Laurin (played by John Malkovich) — protagonist

  Lucien Laurin is an aging French Canadian trainer whom Bull Hancock recommends to Penny Chenery. He initially rejects Penny's offer but eventually trains the horse, reassures her after its early defea...

• Bull Hancock (played by Fred Thompson) — supporting

  Bull Hancock is a leading Kentucky horseman associated with Claiborne Farm. After meeting Penny Chenery at her mother's funeral, he offers assistance with the struggling stable and recommends Lucien L...

• Laffit Pincay (played by Keith Austin) — minor

  Laffit Pincay is the jockey riding Pancho Martin's rival horse. Acting on Pancho's strategy in the Belmont, he stays with the leading horse in an effort to tire it early, but the plan fails when the h...

• Seth Hancock (played by Drew Roy) — minor
• Ogden Phipps (played by James Cromwell) — supporting

  Ogden Phipps is a leading owner who enters a breeding arrangement with Chris Chenery involving the stallion and two mares. After winning the coin toss and selecting one foal, he later offers Penny Che...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Lucien Laurin → Bull Hancock (Professional Contact) — Bull's recommendation establishes Lucien as a trusted professional in the racing network.

  Bull Hancock recommends Lucien Laurin to Penny as a replacement trainer.

• Penny Chenery → Ogden Phipps (Professional Business Counterpart) — Penny and Phipps are connected through major breeding and ownership negotiations.

  Penny's father makes a breeding deal with Ogden Phipps involving Bold Ruler and Chenery's mares.

• Bull Hancock → Seth Hancock (Family Father) — Bull and Seth are father and son within the Claiborne Farm family.

  The plot identifies Seth Hancock as Bull Hancock's son.

• Penny Chenery → Lucien Laurin (Professional Employer) — Penny recruits Lucien to lead Secretariat's training.

  Bull recommends Lucien Laurin as a new trainer, and Penny makes Lucien an offer to train for her.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Laffit Pincay → Lucien Laurin (Conflict Racing Opponent) — Laffit's racing strategy challenges Lucien's training plan in the Belmont.

  Laffit rides the rival horse Sham against Secretariat, the horse trained by Lucien.

• Laffit Pincay → Penny Chenery (Conflict Racing Opponent) — Laffit becomes a direct competitive obstacle to Penny's Triple Crown campaign.

  Laffit Pincay rides Sham and is instructed to stay with Secretariat through the Belmont in an attempt to tire him.

• Penny Chenery → Seth Hancock (Alliance Supportive Acquaintance) — Seth is part of the Hancock support network surrounding Penny.

  Penny meets Seth at the funeral alongside Bull, and the Hancocks offer help during her efforts to restore Meadow Stables.

• Penny Chenery → Bull Hancock (Alliance Supporter) — Bull provides practical support to Penny during the rebuilding of Meadow Stables.

  After Penny's mother's funeral, Bull Hancock offers any help she may need in restoring Meadow Stables to profitability.

Story Analysis

A determined owner protects an extraordinary racehorse through family grief, financial pressure, competitive setbacks, and an historic Triple Crown pursuit.

Plot Progression

1. A Stable Worth Saving — Penny returns after her mother's death and discovers that Meadow Stables faces serious problems. With support from the Hancocks, she dismisses the dishonest trainer and seeks new leadership.
2. The Foal And The Dream — A breeding agreement and coin toss leave Penny with Somethingroyal's foal, later named Secretariat. His difficult debut exposes the need for a more experienced racing team.
3. Winning At A Cost — Secretariat's victories bring Horse of the Year honors, but Penny's father's death creates a major estate-tax crisis. Penny protects the horse by syndicating him rather than selling him.
4. The Setback Before Glory — Phipps's offer tests Penny's resolve, while the Wood Memorial produces a frightening defeat. The discovery of a mouth abscess explains the horse's poor performance and preserves hope.
5. Thirty-One Lengths — Secretariat wins the Kentucky Derby and Preakness in record time. He then dominates the Belmont by thirty-one lengths, securing the Triple Crown and completing Penny's campaign.