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Lot # 1665: Secretariat Claiborne Farm Horseshoe with Detailed Provenance (LOA)

Category: Horse Racing

Starting Bid: $2,000.00

Bids: 1 (Bid History)

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Secretariat is the ninth winner of the 1973 American Triple Crown and the consensus greatest North American racehorse of all time. Presented is a Secretariat Claiborne Farm horseshoe with detailed provenance (LOA). Secretariat was sired by Bold Ruler with Somethingroyal as his dam. Known for his coloration as "Big Red," he was a very large horse, and at his full growth, he was 16.2 hands. His chest was so large that he needed a custom-made girth. His chest, height, long back, and his extremely powerful hindquarters gave him tremendous heart/lung efficiency. He had an incredibly long stride, once measured at 24' 11". Sean Hancock, of Claiborne Farms, once described Secretariat in human terms: "You want to know who Secretariat is in human terms? Just imagine the greatest athlete in the world. The greatest. Now make him 6'3", the perfect height. Make him real intelligent and kind. And on top of that, make him the best lookin' guy to ever come down the pike. He was all those things as a horse." With Ron Turcotte as his jockey, Secretariat won all three legs of the Triple Crown in 1973: The Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont. He won them all in record time, and those times still stand to this day. Included with the Secretariat horseshoe is a detailed Letter of Provenance from Andy Padilla. That signed and notarized LOA reads, in part: "This is to certify that the accompanying size 5 horseshoe (scalloped plaque w/resin coating +photo of man with cap with Secretariat) was won by Secretariat while residing at Claiborne Farm.... This horseshoe was given to Mr. Doyle Bilbrey of Dayton, Ohio during a visit to Claiborne Farm in December of 1988 by Claiborne Farm manager John Sosby. Mr. Bilbray took multiples of Secretariat (one of which is on the plaque)) and retained all of the original photos/negatives/order form/dated receipt (12/15/1988) documenting this event, including one where John Sosby is holding Secretariat as Mr. Bilbrey poses for a photo. The horseshoe and related photographic paraphernalia stayed in the Bilbrey family after his death and was ultimately consigned to an estate auctioneer in 2022 at which time I acquired it. I attest to be the only person to have owned this horseshoe (outside of the Bilbrey Family) and is today being sold free and clear." The letter is dated April 24, 2024, and it was notarized in Kentucky on May 10, 2024. The Secretariat horseshoe is attractively mounted on an 8.5x10.5" wooden plaque. One of the photos that Mr. Bilbrey took of Secretariat is mounted on the plaque. A approx. 2x4" smaller plaque is mounted on the display and reads, "SECRETARIAT TRIPLE CROWN WINNER 1970-1989." The horseshoe is 4.75" tall. Stamped on the horseshoe is "top 5F." Also included are ten (10) 8x10" color photos taken of the aforementioned visit to the Claiborne Farm by Mr. Bilbrey, including one where John Sosby is holding Secretariat while Mr. Bilbrey poses for the photo. One of the photos has a slightly bent top left corner. Also included are two 3.4x3.5" color photos of Secretariat, one of which shows John Sosby and Mr. Bilbrey. Another inclusion is the 5.5x8.5" CPI photograph envelope which is also a receipt for the developing and enlargement of the aforementioned photos. Secretariat, by consensus the greatest racehorse of all time, created horseracing history in his marvelous Triple Crown triumph in 1973. A Secretariat-worn horseshoe will be a standout in any collection.

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