Presented here are a pair of horse-racing champions’ trophies from the late 1980s. In 1986, “Life At The Top,” a three-year-old fillie owned by the Lloyd R. French Jr., won The Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, with a winning time of 1:49.60. Ridden by jockey Jose Santos, she bested the field that day and was awarded this serving tray with the sterling silver lion's symbol on the bottom. Unmarked with a single handle, the tray measures 13” wide by 10.5” deep by 3.5” high and weighs 2.5 lbs. (1,134 grams).
Three years later, “Open Mind,” a thoroughbred racehorse owned by Eugene V. Klein, won The Mother Goose Stakes for three-year-old fillies with a winning time of 1:49.40. Ridden by jockey Angel Cordero, her prize for winning the race that day was this beautiful sterling silver tea pot that was awarded by the New York Racing Association. The single-handled sterling silver (marked with lion's symbol) tea pot weighs almost five pounds (2,214g) and stands 12 inches tall. It sports a single burner on the bottom with decorative keys and chains as part of its design. Though tarnished through the years, its special engraving on the front is still legible: “New York Racing Association, The Mother Goose, Belmont 1989 Won by Eugene V. Klein’s Open Mind.”
Includes Letter of Provenance from the San Diego Hall of Champions.