The Forgotten Champion of Meadow Stable…
 
        He ran like a deer in 1971 to become Two-Year-Old Champion and save The Meadow and all its horses (including a very promising chestnut colt) from the auction block. In 1972, he became the first Meadow Stable horse to win the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. Later, despite a frightening injury and even being a victim of suspicious pre-race tampering, Riva Ridge gamely kept competing. But Penny’s “Golden Boy” would forever be overshadowed by his younger stable mate, the legendary Big Red.
        To celebrate the fortieth anniversary of Riva’s Classic victories in 2012, this book distills the topsy-turvy career of “the forgotten champion” of Meadow Stable into a tale of triumph and heartbreak. It features exclusive Chenery family photos of Riva along with personal memories from Penny Chenery, Ron Turcotte, Charlie Davis and others who knew and loved him. These pages offer Riva the long-overdue recognition he deserves for his victories, his valiant spirit, and his valor. As fans once chanted: VIVA RIVA!
             by Kate Chenery Tweedy and Leeanne Meadows Ladin