By the summer of 1973, the entire nation knew the name Secretariat after the racehorse won the Belmont Stakes to nab the most impressive Triple Crown ever witnessed. However, prior to the Kentucky Derby a month earlier, the people had no idea what they would be in for.
That May, the most famous racehorse in history took first at Churchill Downs by finishing under 2 minutes — a record that stands to this day. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Secretariat’s sweep, Woodford Reserve has partnered with the Kentucky Derby Museum for a limited-edition box set containing one of two single-barrel versions of its Double Oaked bourbon. The box itself will feature an image of the iconic horse in the home stretch from ‘73, while the bottles will each bear the number 1:59 2/5 on the label as a nod to his record time and a special medallion around the neck.
The Derby Museum selected two barrels from Woodford Reserve’s stock, which only yielded enough to fill around 400 bottles. Bourbon from Barrel I and Barrel II will be marked by a different color tie around the bottle’s neck (blue or white). The box also contains a 50th-anniversary mint julep cup and tac pin.
Along with this release, Woodford Reserve debuted a special-edition bottle featuring Secretariat on the label. However, unlike the Derby Museum collaboration, those bottles don’t contain a new expression. Priced at $750, the Secretariat box sets will go live on March 9.
