Female racehorses are taking the lead with The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame‘s new exhibit showcasing star fillies and mares in the sport. Fabulous and Fast: The Female Horses of the Hall of Fame, which opened on April 3 in the museum’s Contemporary Racing Gallery, spotlights 66 Hall of Fame fillies and mares through a collection of art, photographs, multimedia and artifacts from the museum’s own collection. “We’re always looking to show off different parts of our collection and to honor different aspects of this sport,” says Brien Bouyea, the Hall of Fame’s Communications Director. “We get to shine a light on these 66 female horses, and we’re really excited about that.”
In addition to the art and artifacts on display, guests to the Fabulous and Fast exhibit will also enjoy Hall of Fame induction ceremony highlights, snippets of racing footage and a detailed chart of the female racehorses’ lineages and accomplishments in the sport. The collection is a genuine treasure trove and highlights include: Beldame’s 1904 Saratoga Cup trophy; Shuvee’s Jockey Club Gold Cup trophies from ’70 and ’71; and portraits of female champions from the 1970s by famed American equine painter Richard Stone Reeves. Museum-goers can also visit the nearby Racing Day Gallery for a special photo opportunity with retired racehorse superstar Rachel Alexandra, winner of the 2009 Preakness Stakes. Back in ’09, Rachel Alexandra became the first filly to win the Preakness Stakes in 85 years (she was also named 2009’s Horse of the Year at the Eclipse Awards).
The Fabulous and Fast exhibition runs through December 31 and will serve as a teaser to the museum’s upcoming Women in Racing exhibition, which will highlight the diverse roles of women throughout the history of the sport. The Women in Racing show is slated to open on July 20, just a week after the opening of Saratoga Race Course.
