Collections Connections
- Audience: Ages 8 and up
Collections Connections uses objects from the Museum's collections to connect youths to the horses, people, and places of the sport's past and present. Virtual series segments, designed for learners ages 8 and up, spotlight myriad stories from the rich history of thoroughbred racing. This program is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
The Racehorse Simulator
Description: In this week's Collections Connections, Museum educator Matt Reichel demonstrates one of the most unique and exciting items in the Museum, our authentic thoroughbred racing simulator. Try it out for yourself at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame!
Click here for video: Collections Connections - Racing Simulator - YouTube
Breeders' Cup trophy
Description: In this week's Collections Connections, Museum educator Matt Reichel celebrates this year's Breeders' Cup by looking at the event's coveted trophy.
Click here for video: Collections Connections - Breeders' Cup trophy - YouTube
Sunny Jim's chair
About: In this episode of Collections Connections, museum educator Matt Reichel dives into the legendary career of James "Sunny Jim" Fitzsimmons, the Hall of Famer of two Triple Crown winners
Click here for video: Collections Connections - Sunny Jim's chair - YouTube
The Big Red Spring
About: In this episode of Collections Connections, museum educator Matt Reichel talks about one of the more surprising items in our collection: Big Red Spring, the famous spring at Saratoga Race Course.
Click here for video: Collections Connections - Big Red Spring - YouTube
Fort Marcy
About: In this episode of Collections Connections, museum educator Matt Reichel dives into one of Paul Mellon's greatest horses, Hall of Fame member Fort Marcy. You can find this sculpture and many more incredible items in the Museum's newest exhibition, The Passions of Paul Mellon: Horses, Art, and Philanthropy.
Click here for video: Collections Connections - Fort Marcy - YouTube
Artist Thomas Percy Earl and the English Grand National
About: In this episode of Collections Connections, museum educator Matt Reichel highlights some recently conserved paintings by renowned artist Thomas Percy Earl that showcase one of Europe's premier races: the Grand National Steeplechase.
Click here for video: Collections Connections - English Grand National - YouTube
Saratoga centennial sign
About: In this week's Collections Connections, Museum educator Matt Reichel celebrates a century of racing at Saratoga and highlights one of the museum's past presidents, Charles Mather II.
Click here for video: Collections Connections - Saratoga Centennial - YouTube
The Belmont Trophy
About: In this week's Collections Connections, Museum educator Matt Reichel talks about the Belmont Stakes and two trophies associated with the legendary race.
Click here for video: Collections Connections - Belmont Trophy - YouTube
Robert Clark's "SPAtacular"
About: In this week's Collections Connections, Museum educator Matt Reichel talks about a unique sculpture in our collection and how it reflects the rich history of racing in Saratoga.
Click here for video: Collections Connections - Spatacular - YouTube
New York racetrack posters
About: In this week's Collections Connections, Museum educator Matt Reichel dives into some new items in our collection: a series of promotional subway posters for New York's Aqueduct and Belmont Park racetracks.
Click here for video: Collections Connections - Racetrack posters - YouTube
Penny Chenery
About: For Women's History Month, Museum educator Matt Reichel talks about Penny Chenery and her monumental impact on the sport of thoroughbred racing.
Click here for video: Collections Connections - Penny Chenery - YouTube
Janet Elliot
About: For Women's History Month, Museum educator Matt Reichel highlights the amazing career of Janet Elliot, the first woman trainer to ever be inducted into our Hall of Fame.
Click here for video: Collections Connections - Janet Elliot - YouTube
Anthony Hamilton
About: In this episode of Collections Connections, Museum educator Matt Reichel delves into the fascinating story of Hall of Fame jockey Anthony Hamilton, who dominated racetracks across America during the 1880s.
Click here for video: Collections Connections - Anthony Hamilton - YouTube
The First Futurity
About: In this episode of Collections Connections, museum educator Matt Reichel talks about the inaugural running of the Futurity Stakes in 1888, and the impact of Black jockeys on the sport.
Click here for video: Collections Connections - First Futurity - YouTube
James McLaughlin
About: In this week's Collections Connections, museum educator Matt Reichel goes back in time to examine the legendary career of James McLaughlin, one of horse racing's first superstar jockeys and a member of the inaugural Hall of Fame class of 1955.
Click here for video: Collections Connections - James McLaughlin - YouTube
Man o' War
About: In this week's Collections Connections, museum educator Matt Reichel reflects on one of the best racehorses to ever live, 1957 Hall of Fame inductee Man o' War (Photos and videos from the Museum's collection)
Click here for video: Collections Connections - Man o' War - YouTube
Lady's Secret
About: In this week's Collections Connections, museum educator Matt Reichel talks about a tiny filly and daughter of Secretariat who beat the odds — the great Lady's Secret (Photos and videos from NYRA and the museum collection)
Click here for video: Collections Connections - Lady's Secret - YouTube
James Ben Ali Haggin
About: In this week's Collections Connections, museum educator Matt Reichel takes a closer look at a portrait depicting influential owner/breeder James Ben Ali Haggin, a 2022 Hall of Fame inductee as a Pillar of the Turf.
Click here for video: Collections Connections - James Ben Ali Haggin - YouTube
Against All Odds
About: In this week's Collections Connections, we take a closer look at one of the newest items in the Museum's collection and delve into the fascinating story of Hall of Famer John Henry
Click here for video: Collections Connections - Against All Odds - YouTube
1974 Kentucky Derby program with Angel Cordero, Jr.
About: In this edition of Collections Connections, we are joined by a very special guest! Legendary jockey and Hall of Famer Angel Cordero, Jr. takes a look at the Kentucky Derby program from 1974, when he won his first of three editions of the Kentucky Derby with Cannonade.
Click here for video: Collections Connections - 1974 Kentucky Derby program - YouTube
Angel Cordero, Jr. and the 1969 Gallant Fox Handicap Trophy
About: In this edition of Collections Connections, we are joined by a very special guest! Legendary jockey and Hall of Famer Angel Cordero, Jr. showcases the trophy for the Gallant Fox Handicap, won by him in 1969 aboard the horse Ship Leave.
Click here for video: Collections Connections - 1969 Gallant Fox Handicap Trophy - YouTube
John Skeaping's Secretariat
About: In this week's episode of Collections Connections, Museum educator Matt Reichel talks about John Skeaping's iconic statue of 1973 Triple Crown winner and Hall of Fame member Secretariat.
Click here for video: Collections Connections - Skeaping's Secretariat - YouTube
Artist John Wootton
About: In this week's episode of Collections Connections, Museum educator Matt Reichel talks about the oldest painting in our collection and one of the most influential sporting artists of the 18th century.
Click here for video: Collections Connections - Wootton - YouTube
Pimlico Race Course 1870 gate
About: In this Collections Connections segment, Museum educator Matt Reichel talks about the historic Pimlico Race Course gate on the Museum property.
Click here for video: Collections Connections - Pimlico gate - YouTube
Sergeant Murphy
About: In this Collections Connections segment, Museum educator Matt Reichel talks about Hall of Fame member Seabiscuit and related items from the Museum Collection.
Click here for video: Collections Connections - Sargeant Murphy - YouTube
Seabiscuit memorabilia