Larry-tariat: Secretariat Star Will Be a North Dakota Thoroughbred Named Larry

by Fran Jurga | 23 August 2009 | The Jurga Report

Larry the North Dakota Thoroughbred is ready for his close-up...and Disney apparently likes what it sees.

When I first heard about the casting call for Secretariat look-alikes, I thought that the stories of the submissions might be more interesting than the actual movie. And it turns out that I might have been right.

Just look at one of the winners.

While some of us thought that Point Given should come out of his deluxe stall at Three Chimneys and leave his stud career behind for a while, it turns out that Secretariat will not be played by a Kentucky blueblood. And not even by a Southern California runner.

No, think again. Think of the most unlikely state that has Thoroughbred racing and then cue the Rocky theme: here comes Larry the Thoroughbred, all the way from his happy home at the North Dakota Horse Park in that most famous of North Dakota towns, Fargo. (Cue the wood chipper from Fargo, the movie. Why couldn't Marge Gunderson play Penny Chenery? I loved that movie.)

Secretariat is scheduled to begin filming this fall in Kentucky (even though Secretariat himself was from Virginia) and Larry, whose real name is Cyclone Larry, has been sold to Disney for the duration of production. He'll be given back at the end of filming.

North Dakota Horse Park General Manager Heather Benson knew she had the right horse when she heard what Disney was seeking.

“They were looking for a big, bright chestnut Thoroughbred with a happy attitude and good health and Larry fit that to a T,” said Heather. “We sent in his photos and biography to their website, www.secretariat.com, and a week later Larry got the call to Hollywood!”

Disney Head Wrangler, Rusty Hendrickson will have three-year-old Larry shipped to the Kentucky-based training center sometime during the week of August 28. Until then, the new Hollywood “star” will reside at the North Dakota Horse Park and remain in training.

Heather said that Larry will need some help from a makeup artist to match Secretariat in the markings department; Disney countered with "no problem!"

Larry proudly paraded in front of the grandstand yesterday at the races, though he probably wondered what all the fuss was about. The track celebrated his good fortune with dollar beer and hot dogs, and a turnout of 2500 racing fans for a 12-race card, too.

It sounds like Larry comes from a pretty great place. The horse park is unique in that it is a racetrack but also the site of the North Dakota State University Equine Sciences Department.

Click here to become a fan of Larry-tariat on Facebook.

Larry showing off his color and physique that helped him get the role of Secretariat. Photos are mirrored from Larry's Fan Page on Facebook.com.

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New Year's Resolution: Update Your Disaster Plan for Pets and Horses (and Yourself); Watch AVMA Video Tips

I hope that Mother Nature's resolution for the new year is to have a quiet, peaceful year without hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, blizzards, ice storms, tidal waves, earthquakes or wildfires but just in case, take a few minutes to watch this helpful new video featuring Dr. Heather Case, Coordinator for Emergency Preparedness with the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Dr. Case reviews common sense steps to take to have your pets and horses ready to evacuate in the event of a disaster. There are sure to be specific aspects for your geographic area or the type of pets you own but the dawn of a new year is a great time to go over your basic plans and inventory your contacts and supplies.

Don't forget your own health, as well as your pets. The first of the year is a great time to take 15 minutes (that's all it takes, honest) to fill out a Google Health Profile. This profile lives online and can contain just simple information like your doctors and family contacts in the event of an emergency, or you can list allergies, or vaccinations, or medications and dosages. If you are away from home and become ill or injured, this data could be of supreme value to hospitals providing your care. This is a no-brainer for trail/endurance riders and eventers, but valid for anyone working around horses.

What will those clever people at Google think of next? My Blue Cross Blue Shield newsletter recently advised me to set up a Google Health Profile, so this system is widely recognized for its value. You can fill in as much or as little information as you wish.

Another new year's task that will start your year on the right hoof is to book your routine health appointments now: your annual physical, your dental xrays and cleaning, eye exam, your mammogram and gyn exam (if you're a woman), and (especially) those Big Tests like bone density and colonoscopy, if you are due to need one. Don't put off your routine health until the middle of riding and travel seasons, get those appointments onto your calendar now! You'll also be able to book your best time of the day if you have a few months to spare.

Check on your tetanus booster status; anyone working outdoors or around animals needs to stay up to date on that one! I think a skin cancer screening is a good investment, too.

And, while you're at it, go shovel out that horse trailer, if you live in a snowy zone, and make sure that you can open all the ramps and doors. No, you can't run away from an ice storm or blizzard, but if you have a sick or injured horse that needs to get to the hospital this winter, your trailer must be ready to roll! (Check the tire pressure, too!)

Taking care of things sooner instead of later will give you more time to enjoy with your animals, and who doesn't want that? Your animals need to have their plans in order, and if something goes wrong, they need you to be healthy and able to care for them!