Secretariat's 'Cove' Pastures Protected for Ever

Not far from the banks of the North Anna River, where rich grasses once nurtured a colt destined to change the face of American racing, a new chapter in conservation has taken root. According to bloodhorse.com, nearly 350 acres of Virginia farmland, long associated with Triple Crown legend Secretariat and the storied broodmares of Meadow Stable, are now under permanent protection thanks to a conservation easement placed by the Capital Region Land Conservancy. The property, affectionately known as "The Cove," was established in 1936 by Christopher Chenery as part of his Meadow Stable operation and played a foundational role in breeding champions such as Riva Ridge and Secretariat's dam, Somethingroyal. Often described as the cradle of a broodmare empire, The Cove helped lay the groundwork for what Penny Chenery later called "an empire built on broodmares." Kevin Engel of Engel Family Farms acquired The Cove in 2023, fulfilling a decades-long ambition to see the land restored and preserved. "Purchasing The Cove and restoring it to its heyday when Secretariat was running around on it has been a dream of mine for many years," Engel said. He noted that protecting agricultural land from industrial creep – data centres, warehouses, subdivisions – was as much about legacy as practicality. "It is so important for my grandchildren to be on land that is preserved without asphalt and concrete everywhere." Kate Tweedy, daughter of Penny Chenery, said her family had long championed land easements and praised Engel's commitment to stewardship. "My Mom and Granddad would be so pleased by this action," she said. That sentiment was echoed by Parker C. Agelasto, executive director of the Capital Region Land Conservancy, who underscored the lasting impact of land protection. "A landowner still owns their land, but they grant a restrictive deed to a third party… typically to eliminate development rights," he said. For Engel, the decision to place a conservation easement on The Cove carried deep personal significance. He began his farming career there more than four decades ago, and today his family business spans over 2,100 owned acres and leases another 30,000 across 21 counties in Virginia and North Carolina. While The Cove is a modest slice of that land, its historical weight is unmatched. Once home to Secretariat's earliest romps and the foaling grounds of champions, it will remain in agricultural use forever. Of its 346 acres, 156 are classified as agricultural cropland – 136 of them considered prime soils – and another 190 acres are protected forest, designated by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation as an ecological core of statewide conservation value.