Walt Disney Studios announced today that a special advance screening of the upcoming drama Secretariat starring Diane Lane and John Malkovich will be held on Sunday, October 3, 2010 and the proceeds will benefit the Secretariat Foundation. The screening will take place at the Kentucky Theater in Lexington, Kentucky, and a cocktail reception will follow Lexington’s Portofino Restaurant.

"Secretariat's victories have stirred people's emotions for decades, but with this film, we’ve been swept up again with the incredible story of this horse and its owner, Penny Chenery," said Rich Ross, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios. "In reliving Secretariat's extraordinary achievements, we can all appreciate Penny’s passion and determination, and the need to support her efforts on behalf of the Secretariat Foundation."

According to the press release, "The Secretariat Foundation was created by Penny Chenery to serve as a non-profit charitable organization within the Thoroughbred and equine-related industries. Long a supporter of many charities and research programs, Mrs. Chenery named the Foundation after her great champion with a specific purpose - to use Secretariat's enduring appeal to bring greater awareness to the many causes that help horses and the people who care for them."

Tickets to the event start at $125 per person, and include general admission to the screening and cocktail reception. Bumping up to the $250 per person ticket also includes reserved seating at the screening and reception. Tickets can be purchased beginning Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2010, at secretariat.com or by calling 502-893-7997.

The movie opens in theaters nationwide on Friday, October 8th, and select theaters already have showtimes and tickets available for opening day! You can check out the trailer for the movie on the Trailers & Videos page, and photos from the movie should be coming in the next couple of days are available on the Photo Gallery page.

Source: Press Release