Secretariat Shapes World's Largest Horseshoe

More than 40 years after rewriting record books during his legendary Triple Crown campaign, Secretariat is now inscribed with yet another world record. One of his race-worn shoes was the inspiration in the collaborative effort by the Kentucky Derby Museum, the Secretariat Festival, and Secretariat.com to create the world's largest horseshoe. 

The super-sized replica has been certified for this official distinction by international authority Guinness World Records and will make its public debut at 1 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 20 at the museum.

The unveiling will be a satellite event for the weekend-long, Bourbon County-based Secretariat Festival and a continuation of the 30th anniversary celebration for the Museum.

"We are proud to house the world's largest horseshoe at the Kentucky Derby Museum," said museum president Patrick Armstrong. "It is a spectacle that both horse racing fans and Louisvillians will want to come out and see, and it is reverent to the enormous impact that Secretariat made to the sport and to history."

The dimensions of the 610-pound horseshoe will be announced at the unveil. Louisville-based Eagle Sign & Design cast the giant replica using aircraft aluminum contributed by original Secretariat racing plate manufacturer Thoro'bred, which provided shoes for the Meadow Stable colt during his racing career. 

"The world's largest horseshoe is such a fun concept and a charming way to attract new fans to our grand sport," said Secretariat's owner Mrs. Penny Chenery, who will attend the unveiling. "It is sure to be a unique attraction and the backdrop in memories for years to come. I can't wait to see it myself!"

The horseshoe's debut will be the centerpiece of a special event at the museum, with several members of the Secretariat team expected to attend, including Mrs. Chenery and Meadow Stable exercise rider Charlie Davis. 

Special VIP tickets for the event are available for $99, representing Secretariat's win in the 99th running of the Kentucky Derby. VIP tickets will include a numbered, gold-edition commemorative horseshoe with accompanying certificate of authenticity hand-signed by Mrs. Chenery and jockey Ron Turcotte as well as the first opportunity to be photographed with the world's largest horseshoe. A Secretariat Festival excursion package is available to transport Lexington-based guests to the Museum for the day. Tickets can be purchased on both derbymuseum.org and Secretariat.com. 

An expanded collection of Secretariat items and artifacts also will be on display for the festivities, which the public is invited to attend with a $15 museum general admission ticket.  

Visitors will have the opportunity to meet with other racing luminaries who will be attending the event and available for autographs, including Triple Crown winners jockey Jean Cruguet and trainer Billy Turner, two-time Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winning jockey Jacinto Vasquez and Derby winner and Churchill Downs all-time leading rider Pat Day, with one outside item permitted during the autograph session. Additional items can be purchased from the Museum Gift Shop, including souvenirs featuring the World's Largest Horseshoe as well as other Secretariat and Kentucky Derby memorabilia.

The  horseshoe's permanent home will be at the Museum, but it will be the feature of a broader exhibit that is expected to travel around the nation during the summer of 2016.

The Secretariat Festival is an annual public civic event in Paris, Ky., that celebrates the legacy of the legendary Thoroughbred and the horse racing heritage of the Bluegrass. It returns for its eighth season Sept. 18-20.