ALBANY, NY – Catching Triple Crown fever? So is Saratoga County, whose storied racetrack hosts the 157th edition of the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown, in June. But if you saddle up now you will catch professional horse sportswriter L.A. Berry’s one-of-a-kind collection on American Thoroughbreds and horse racing memorabilia in the ‘Around The Corner’ exhibit for the month of May at the Clifton Park-Halfmoon (NY) Public Library.
‘Around the Corner’ is a public space where local exhibits change monthly in a first floor showcase and pedestal display at the Library entrance.
Berry’s exhibit includes glassware commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Kentucky Derby; a 1973 33 ½ RPM recording of Secretariat winning the Belmont (and Triple Crown) and autographed Breyer horse model autographed by Lucien Laurin; plus Man O’ War (1919 Sanford Stakes loser to Upset) and Ruffian (who met her tragic end at Belmont Park in a 1975 match race against Foolish Pleasure) models; an exclusive 2009 ESPN image of Rachel Alexandra with Calvin Borel’s ‘thumbs up’ as she became the first filly in 85 years to win the Preakness; a first edition imprint of the Edgar Prado story, My Guy Barbaro; plus Olympic nods from this 1996 ACOG press coordinator to American Thoroughbred show jumpers, Snowbound and Gem Twist.
“May begins the 30-day countdown to the Belmont Stakes on June 4 at Saratoga Race Course,” Berry says about her exhibit choices. “Thank you, to the library, for this opportunity to build curiosity and encourage awareness, for a G1 Stakes classic and for the history of Thoroughbreds and horse sport, especially in New York.”
Thoroughbreds are the largest single breed in New York State and the economic impact of the horse racing industry (2023) contributes $3 billion to the state economy. The New York horse industry is the second-largest agricultural commodity after dairy.
Berry also exhibited with the USHJA Wheeler Museum 2016-2019 exhibit Medals, Memories & Milestones: Great Moments in American Show Jumping. Her byline will be found this summer in Saratoga Today’s Belmont edition of Equicurean© magazine and in its traditional racing/polo season issue in July.
The Clifton Park-Halfmoon Library is on 475 Moe Road, in Clifton Park, New York.
Media Contact:
L.A. Berry
latheequinista@gmail.com
(646) 920-9510