Description:

Secretariat's left front race worn shoe used in winning the Belmont Futurity Stakes on September 16,1972.  Catalogued as Item No: sec091672jgshoe2 in The Official Secretariat Archive, the shoe is displayed on a wooden plaque, mounted by the late Jim Gaffney, Secretariat's exercise rider for the Meadow Stable from April, 1972 through May, 1973 Working in concert with groom Eddie Sweat and regular Meadow Stable farrier George Collins, Gaffney collected many of Secretariat's racing plates, meticulously cataloguing each as the colt was routinely shod. The Futurity shoe was obtained on October 8, 1972, when Secretariat was re-shod after winning the Belmont Futurity (often called the New York Futurity at that time) in preparation for his following race, the Champagne Stakes. The Futurity was Secretariat's third stakes victory but equally important, it was his first start at Belmont Park and a prelude to his record-breaking performance there nine months later in the 1973 Belmont Stakes to sweep thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown. Secretariat's 1 3/4 length victory in the Belmont Futurity was his fifth career win and a significant component in the body of achievements marking his juvenile season. The accomplishments from that extraordinary campaign ultimately earned him the title and award of 1972 Horse of the Year, an unprecedented feat for a 2-year-old. The left front Futurity shoe is mounted on a wooden plaque with blue metal backing containing an engraved plate identifying the race. On the reverse of the plaque, the frame has the handwritten inscription documenting the mounting by Gaffney along with the individual identification numbers. The plaque is hand-signed by the Meadow Racing Stable team of Mr. Gaffney, owner Penny Chenery, and Secretariat's Hall of Fame winning jockey, Ron Turcotte. Gaffney mounted several of Secretariat's shoes in this particular distinguishable manner, each with their own corresponding individual private code to ensure absolute authenticity. The shoe has been kept in protected storage in the possession of either Mr. Gaffney or the Secretariat historical archives since being acquired by this collection.

Insured Value: $30,000.00