Triple Crown Winners Memorabilia

For those who love proud horseflesh, there are none quite so revered as the select club of Triple Crown winners. Since 1919, there have been only 11 horses who have achieved the singular honor, making memorabilia relating to the Triple Crown winners some of the hottest selling merchandise among the collectors of horse racing memorabilia. In addition to horse racing photos and race memorabilia signed by the jockeys who rode them to victory, a number of the famous horses have inspired movies, which has inspired another entire line of movie memorabilia related to the winners of the Triple Crown.

The Triple Crown isn’t an easy accolade to earn. In order to become a member of the elite club of horse racers, a horse must win three races – the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes. All three races are confined to three-year-olds, so a horse has precisely one season in which he can take the crown. In the 125 years of formal racing history, only 11 horses have achieved that goal. Of those, only three have managed it since 1948, all of them in the 1970s.If you’re looking for a special collectible for someone who loves the ponies, consider a purchase of framed art or other memorabilia of one of these famous horses.

Triple Crown wins seem to come in spates. The first Triple Crown winner, Sir Barton, took the crown in 1919 and held it until 1930, a full 11 years. The next winner, Gallant Fox, was unseated in just five years by Omaha, who won the Triple Crown in 1935 and was defeated in turn, just two years later by War Admiral. Those wins were followed by Whirlaway in 1941, Count Fleet in 1943, Assault in 1946 and Citation in 1948. Triple Crown memorabilia from those early races is scarce and quite valuable.

The racing world waited 25 years before seeing another horse who would take the Triple Crown honors. In 1973, Secretariat, ridden by Ron Turcotte, stormed down the course at the Derby and the Preakness to take each race by 2 ½ lengths. In the Belmont Stakes, Secretariat took fire and won the course by a dramatic 31 lengths in a breakaway that still leaves people breathless. A 2010 move, Secretariat, immortalizes the relationships between the horse, his rider and his owner, and contributes even more Secretariat memorabilia for collectors to treasure.

Just four years later, Seattle Slew, ridden by Jean Cruguet, took the Derby and the Preakness by 1 ¾ and 1 ½ lengths, then won the Belmont by a full 4 lengths. The dramatic photo of Slew, crossing the finish line with Cruguet standing in the saddle in triumph, is a treasured piece of horse racing memorabilia.

The last winner of the Triple Crown, Affirmed, won the crown in 1978. No other horse has managed the feat since, though a few have come close.

Some of the most treasured pieces of horse racing memorabilia include portraits or photos of all three 1970s Triple Crown winners, signed by their jockeys. If you have a horse racing fan on your gift list, you can't go wrong with a gift like that.

Memorabilia as Game Room Decorations

Finding the right decorations for your game room walls can be tricky, especially if you’re trying to avoid looking dated. If you’re updating your man room or need ideas for man cave décor, toss out the velvet painting of dogs playing poker and step up to game room decorations that make your room feel and look like a private club. If you’re stuck for ideas, consider checking out some of the collections of memorabilia available from dealers online.

Cigar Aficionado

Cigar Aficionado magazine has been the premiere magazine for cigar lovers since the early 90s. Since 1994, every issue of the popular magazine has featured a well-known celebrity on the cover, enjoying a good cigar. Now one popular dealer of collectibles has gathered many of the most popular Cigar Aficionado covers into an incredible collection of collectible art for the discerning cigar smoker. If your man cave is a homage to the pleasure of enjoying a fine cigar, you might find the perfect finishing touch in one or more of their framed collection. Each cover is signed by the celebrity and framed with a real cigar. The collection is far-ranging, so there’s a good chance you’ll find one of your favorite celebrities represented among the crowd. The collection’s availability is very limited, and includes such luminaries as supermodel Claudia Schiffer, actress Demi Moore, celebrity chef Emeril and timeless sex kitten Raquel Welch.

Game Room Decorations

Replace the velvet dogs with celebrity collages featuring some of the most famous movie gamblers and casino scenes of all time. Hollywood has always been fascinated with the fast life of the casino bosses and those who live to thwart them, and Tinseltown’s obsessions has resulted in a wealth of casino-themed memorabilia to decorate your game room. You can choose from celebrity collages featuring Joe Pesci and Robert DeNiro, along with memorabilia from the movie Casino, Paul Newman and Jackie Gleason as they appeared together in The Hustler or Frank Sinatra in Oceans 11, or go all out with a shadow box collage of memorabilia and photos related to the most famous fast-living movie stars of all time, the Rat Pack.

Memorabilia for the Home Theater

Turn your home theater into something spectacular with the addition of movie poster master prints and movie posters from all of Hollywood’s golden ages. From Charlie Chaplin’s The Kid to Sex and the City, you’ll find posters – signed and unsigned – framed and ready to hang on your walls.

Genuine memorabilia adds a special touch to your game room, home theater or man cave. Look for your favorite celebrities and movies online and find out what’s available through dealers of fine memorabilia.