LEXINGTON, KY (April 26, 2006) In the spring of 2007, the International Museum of the Horse at the Kentucky Horse Park will unveil a major new permanent exhibition featuring the great Triple Crown winner, Affirmed. The exhibition is being made possible through the generous loan of Affirmed’s racing trophies and memorabilia from the horse’s owners, Louis and Patrice Wolfson.
When asked about the exhibits, Mrs. Wolfson said, "We are extremely honored and pleased that our Affirmed exhibit has found such a prestigious, magnificent home as the International Museum of the Horse at Kentucky Horse Park and look forward to an enduring and exciting relationship."
A temporary exhibition opening this April in the Museum lobby will offer a preview of what is to come, and for the first time reunites Affirmed with the other great 1970s Triple Crown winners, Secretariat and Seattle Slew. The 2007 exhibition will not only document the wonderful story of one of the century’s greatest runners, but also center on the extended family who owned, trained, rode and cared for him. Appropriately, the 1,600 square foot exhibit will be housed near the Calumet Farm exhibition, which features Affirmed’s great opponent, Alydar.
In 1978, Affirmed became the third Horse of the Decade, and the last horse to win the elusive Triple Crown. His duels with Calumet Farm’s Alydar stand as perhaps the greatest rivalry in the history of American racing.
Bred, owned and raced by Mr. and Mrs. Louis Wolfson's Harbor View Farm, Affirmed won 14 grade I victories during his career. He was voted a champion at two, three, and four, and was named Horse of the Year in 1978 and 1979. He also established the record for annual earnings and became the first $2-million money-earner in the history of Thoroughbred racing.
Trained by Laz Barrera, at two Affirmed finished ahead of his arch-rival Alydar in four of their six meetings, winning the Youthful, Hopeful, Belmont Futurity, and Laurel Futurity. At three, Affirmed won eight consecutive races including the Triple Crown. With jockey Steve Cauthen aboard, Affirmed beat Alydar by one and a half lengths in the Kentucky Derby, by a neck in the Preakness, and by a head in the Belmont. At four, Affirmed, ridden by Hall of Fame jockey, Laffit Pincay, Jr, concluded his great career by winning his last seven races, culminating with a scintillating victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup over three-year-old champion Spectacular Bid and Belmont winner Coastal.
At stud, Affirmed sired 12 champions before his death in 2001. Notable offspring included two-time turf champion Flawlessly, Canadian Horse of the Year Peteski (buried at the park), Canadian champions Charlie Barley and One From Heaven, and the Irish champion Zoman.
The temporary Affirmed exhibition on display now is included with park admission, as will be the permanent exhibition next year.
For more information, contact Bill Cooke at 859-259-4231 or bill.cooke@ky.gov.
Park Hours and Rates: From March 15-October 31, the park is open seven days a week. Admission is $15 for adults, $8 for children 7-12. Children six and under are always admitted free of charge. Admission includes the American Saddlebred Museum.
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The Kentucky Horse Park is a working horse farm/theme park and equine competition facility dedicated to man’s relationship with the horse. The park is an agency of the Kentucky Commerce Cabinet that hosted nearly 900,000 visitors and 15,000 competition horses in more than 100 special events and horse shows in 2005. The park is located at Exit 120, Interstate 75, just north of Lexington. The place to get close to horses, the park is open daily March 15 to October 31, and Wednesday through Sunday, November 1 to March 14