It’s that time of the year again! With the holidays just around the corner, our attention turns to the traditions that accompany the season, including finding the perfect gift for the important people in your life. If you have a friend or family member who is passionate about both the horse and the sport, you have come to the right place.

This carefully curated collection of gifts is designed to bring joy to the hearts of racing fans and celebrate their love for this exhilarating sport. From shirts to Secretariat swag, find the perfect present that will make this holiday season unforgettable for your favorite horsey person.

Nifty Gifties

One favorite source anytime of the year is Amie’s Horse Racing Gifts. As a one-woman show, Amie Martinez is committed to creating personalized gifts of all kinds for fans of the sport. She can make ornaments for your tree with any horse and their silks; signs and pillow covers with the names of your favorite Thoroughbreds; earrings, buttons, and other accessories for your next day at the races; and much, much more. Get your order in early and beat the holiday rush.

A fantastic gift set.

Old Smoke Clothing Company offers a wide variety of shirts for your next day at the races. Their JK Collection includes button-up shirts featuring unique racing-related patterns perfect for a day at Saratoga Race Course or Santa Anita Park. T-shirts celebrating the sport’s iconic names and scenes at the racetrack offer a slew of choices for your gift-giving needs. This year is a great time to wrap up a hat or a hoodie for the horsey person in your life.

A sure bet for gifting both kids and kids-at-heart are Breyer model horses. Their line of racehorses includes Cody’s Wish, Harley, Tiz the Law, and more. Celebrate the legacy of America’s first black female jockey with the Cheryl White gift set, which also includes a copy of “The Jockey and Her Horse,” by Sarah Maslin Nir and Raymond White, and the 50^th anniversary of Secretariat’s Triple Crown with not one, but three models of ‘Big Red.”

For the Home

A candle is an easy holiday gift.

Bring the best smells of a day at the barn into your home with Grey Horse Candle Company’s candles, diffusers, and body care items. Scents like Peppermints for Ponies, Fresh Cut Hay, and Bran Mash fill your spaces with aromas familiar to any horse lover. Their wax melts and lip balms make great stocking stuffers, too.

No home is complete without artwork celebrating the sport that we love. Artists like Greg Montgomery and Robert Clark capture the sport’s iconic names and scenes on paper and canvas for hanging in your living room or office. Montgomery’s line of Travers posters share the sights and colors of the “Mid-Summer Derby,” a welcome addition to any space. The rich textures of Clark’s canvases bring racetrack stars like American Pharoah, Rachel Alexandra, and Zenyatta to your home in stunning detail.

Pick up a few collectibles and benefit retired Thoroughbreds when you shop both Old Friends’ and After the Finish Line’s eBay stores. Cutting boards, calendars, and coffee mugs from Old Friends benefit the sanctuary’s equine residents like Silver Charm and Lava Man, while After the Finish Line has saddlecloths, hats, and more with each purchase benefitting those caring for Off-Track Thoroughbreds.  

A Legendary Celebration

Pick up a copy!

For fans of Big Red, 2023 has been a year of celebration. The 50^th anniversary of Secretariat’s Triple Crown has inspired new artwork, books, and collectibles that make great gifts. Included on that list is the book “Secretariat’s Legacy: The Sons, Daughters, and Descendants Who Keep His Legend Alive,” by Patricia McQueen, a gorgeous coffee table book full of photographs of horses like Lady’s Secret, Risen Star, Weekend Surprise, and more. You also can appreciate the story of Big Red’s jockey Ron Turcotte and his family’s deep connection to the sport in Curtis Stock’s “The Turcottes: The Remarkable Story of a Horse Racing Dynasty.”

Commemorate Secretariat’s 50^th anniversary with artwork and photography from names like Jamie Corum, Tony Leonard, and Steve Haskin. Corum captures the elegance and power of the ninth Triple Crown winner in her studies of his conformation both under tack and standing alone. Both Leonard and Haskin share scenes from Secretariat’s life on the racetrack and off, including an adorable sequence where Big Red shares a stick he found with the people standing near his paddock. Leonard’s collection of scenes from the Kentucky Derby to the champion’s arrival to begin his stallion career in Kentucky would thrill any Secretariat fan.

As we reach the finish line for this gift guide, we hope you have found the perfect presents to make this holiday season one to remember. These carefully selected gifts capture the essence of the sport for the racing fan on your list. From fun shirts to gorgeous artwork, this list covers a wide range of options to suit every taste and budget.

If you are in a charitable state of mind this holiday season, consider the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation’s Tribute to Horses Program.

The Tribute program enables you to pay tribute to your favorite horse and tell your horse’s story. A dedicated tribute wall on the Grayson website allows you to share a photo and comments about your horse in memory or honor of them. You can simply donate in honor of your horse or a friend’s horse, or you may wish to remember a horse by donating in his or her memory. Along with the photo display, a leather bracelet with the name of the horse is also included with any donation over $50.

 

We wish you and your loved ones a holiday season filled with joy, warmth, and the kind of excitement that can only be found at the racetrack. Happy Holidays!