Larger-than-life Secretariat statue unveiled at Keeneland

Commissioned by the Triangle Foundation, which seeks to beautify Lexington, Ky., a larger-than-life statue of 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat was unveiled Saturday at Keeneland.

It's Big Red, indeed.

Sculptor Jocelyn Russell and her husband, Michael Dubail, created the bronze monument in Oklahoma. The statue traveled to Kentucky this week and will soon take up permanent residence within a traffic circle minutes from downtown, where Alexandria Drive intersects with Old Frankfort Pike.

The unveiling coincided not only with Keeneland's fall meet but also ongoing events for the Secretariat Festival, which annually celebrates the champion colt.

Racing fans took in the first look at the statue outside Keeneland's Sales Pavilion. Secretariat is cast wearing the 1A saddle towel he donned while setting the current record time of 1:59.4 in the Kentucky Derby.