He was not only magnificent on the track, he was beautifully build and he had a lovely personality. Pennery Chenery p referred Riva Ridge!
Boy did I mess that last post up!
He was a terrific horse. His trainer once wrote that he was a LAZY horse, who only liked sleeping more than eating. He famously leaned back against the starting gate before races. “Like he was in a hammock’, said his trainer. He ALWAYS did only what he wanted to do, WHEN he wanted to do it.
He knew he was the best. lol
Yes, Riva Ridge had a big personality and he was the horse who actually pulled her farm out of debt.
long ago on one of my string of racing fora, one of the members relayed going to see Secretariat at his stud farm, and Riva Ridge was there. She said as the guides extolled Secretariat in their barn, she got a nudge, it was Riva. Then Riva kept nudging the halters hanging nearby, and she kept picking them up when the fell to the ground, and replacing them. He did it many times and she said it was like falling in love with this jealous horse who wanted attention.
I don’t doubt Cheney loved Riva!