LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As Kentucky celebrates the 50th anniversary of Secretariat retiring from horse racing, the town of Paris unveils a park in honor of the famed Triple Crown winner.
On any given day, Bobby Shiflet is surrounded by images of the most famous racehorse there ever was and likely ever will be, Secretariat. Shiflet owns Frames on Main, an art gallery and print room. In a town like Paris, how could you elude a name like Secretariat?
“In the three of the most popular races he still owns the track record,” Shiflet says of Secretariat. Of the countless number of images depicting the famed horse for the last three years, Shiftlet’s focus is on one scene. “He’s an older horse, but look at the muscle. He’s putting on a show for people,” Shiflet says, holding a particular photo.
The image he’s referring to is by the late Tony Leonard and it shows Secretariat in retirement at Claiborne Farm. Shiftlet, a photographer himself, personally photographed Secretariat twice before the animal’s passing in 1989.
“He would step back and strike a pose and strike a pose. Both times I saw him, he went that way and, like I said, he knew he was great. He really did,” Shiflet recalls.
The photo depicting an older but strong Secretariat is the inspiration of a newly constructed Secretariat Park and monument installed in downtown Paris, sculpted by Jocelyn Russell. Russell is the same artist who sculpted the largest bronze monument of Secretariat that was on display near Lexington on Frankfort Pike Road.
Shiflet is part owner of the image and was instrumental in commissioning the monument.
“We have a great history of the thoroughbred industry here in Bourbon County. I mean it’s, most people would say as far as history goes, nobody touches it,” Shiflet explains.
On Saturday, Nov. 11, exactly 50 years to the day Secretariat arrived at Claiborne Farm, a grand unveiling ceremony was held in Paris, officially opening the park.
One Paris resident who has a unique and personal connection with Secretariat is retired veterinarian Dr. Robert Copelan. In 1973 Copelan was the Churchill Downs racetrack veterinarian and attended to Secretariat in the days before his history-making Kentucky Derby run.
“An almost perfect conformation,” Copelan told Spectrum News 1. Copelan, who is 97 years old, has been a grand cheerleader of the project and was present on dedication day.