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Hats Off To The Horses: Birdstone Chapeau Benefits Old Friends

For the 12th consecutive year, Maggie Mae Designs® and Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement have teamed up for an unparalleled online shopping experience: “Hats off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby”.

This unique fundraiser features one-of-a-kind couture hats created by Maggie Mae Designs®, the sale of which benefits Old Friends.

The last hat up for bid in our 2021 auction series honors Birdstone, winner of the 2004 Belmont Stakes and the 2004 Travers Stakes.

Bidding in this online auction will be available through April 11, 8:00 pm (EST). To bid, CLICK HERE

The son of Grindstone out of the Storm Bird mare Dear Birdie, Birdstone was donated to the non-profit organization by Gainesway Farm.

A homebred for owner Marylou Whitney and trained by Nick Zito, Birdstone captured the G1 Champagne Stakes as a two-year-old in 2003. Birdstone ran up the track in the Kentucky Derby and sat out the Preakness, before surprising most of the sell-out crowd when he got up in the final yards in the Belmont Stakes to ruin Smarty Jones' try for the Triple Crown. That summer, at Saratoga Race Course, Birdstone proved that the Belmont was no fluke when he added a victory in the Travers Stakes to his impressive resume.

A very special chapeau was needed to honor this accomplished athlete. An extra wide hat foundation was created using an iridescent blue taffeta with chocolate thread to reflect the Whitney Stable's Eton blue racing silk colors.

To celebrate Birdstone's amazing charge to defeat favorite Smarty Jones in his Triple Crown bid, three delicate Marguerites were created out of chocolate satin rose curl centers and greenish-blue organza petals top stitched with chocolate embroidery strands. Two large Marguerite flowers adorn the front of the hat and one slightly smaller Marguerite adorns the back.

A chocolate taffeta sash lined with black silk organza encircles the crown of the hat and swirling layers of chocolate brown tulle encircle the crown.

As a physical remembrance of Birdstone, several strands of his tail hair were braided and woven into the trim of the hat, creating a unique, one-of-a-kind Derby chapeau that captures Birdstone not only in spirit but in substance as well.

Maggie Mae Designs® Custom Millinery offers magnificent hats for all occasions – from glamorous racing events such as the Kentucky Derby and the Royal Ascot to stunning bridal wear and handsome cocktail fashions. Every hat is carefully handcrafted by milliner Sally Faith Steinmann from her home base in South Harwich, MA. Salons of her fashions can been seen on her website at www.maggiemaedesigns.com

Bidding is open now. To bid CLICK HERE

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Hats Off To The Horses: Patch Chapeau Up For Auction To Benefit Old Friends

This unique fundraiser features one-of-a-kind couture hats created by Maggie Mae Designs®, the sale of which benefits Old Friends.

The third hat up for bid in our 2021 auction series honors Patch, the son of Union rags out of the A. P. Indy mare Windyindy. Patch was donated to the non-profit organization by owner Calumet farm following a three-season racing career.

Bidding in this online auction will be available through March 11, 8:00 pm (EST). To bid, CLICK HERE

A 30-1 longshot in the 2017 Kentucky Derby, Patch became the season's feel-good story after it was revealed that he had lost his left eye as a 2-year-old but overcame his adversity to make it to the Churchill Downs starting gate on the First Saturday in May. Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Tyler Gafflione, Patch eventually finished 14th in that race behind winner Always Dreaming.

To celebrate Patch's fan-favorite status in the Derby, a large, sumptuous rose curl, created with swirling layers of red silk organza, became the centerpiece. Gold silk was then folded in several layers for the sash and hand stitched to encircle the crown of the hat. The lining, meanwhile, was made with lively black and white polka dot satin to reflect Patch's playful and kind personality.

As a physical remembrance of Patch, several strands of his tail hair were braided and woven into the trim of the hat, creating a unique, one-of-a-kind Derby chapeau that captures Patch not only in spirit but in substance as well.

Bidding is open now. To bid CLICK HERE

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Hats Off To The Horses: Auction Of Slew’s Brew Chapeau To Benefit Old Friends

This unique fundraiser features one-of-a-kind couture hats created by Maggie Mae Designs®, the sale of which benefits Old Friends.

The second hat up for bid in our 2021 auction series honors Slew's Brew, a son of Suave and a beloved resident at Old Friends at Cabin Creek in Greenfield Center, N.Y. since 2018.

Bidding in this online auction will be available through February 11, 5:00 pm (EST). To bid, CLICK HERE

Slew's Brew raced for his entire career in New York, and broke his maiden in 2014 at Saratoga. He retired in 2018 with a record of two wins from 29 starts and earnings of $186,649.

To honor this special Old Friends retiree, the turquoise and gold racing silks of owner Gold Bear Farm provided the primary color inspiration for the trimmings of this stunning Derby-style hat.

Steinmann started with a large foundation created by using a base layer of black dupioni silk in a wide-brim style. A turquoise under brim was added for a bold, elegant effect when the wearer's face is upturned. Yards of black silk organza made wavy brim layers, and to further showcase Gold Bear Farm's racing colors, a large rose curl, made of alternating layers of gold shantung and bronze organza, was added to adorns the front of the hat.

For a final element in the floral centerpiece, a sprawling medley of gold and turquoise organza “feathers” were added to the crown.

As always, a physical remembrance, several strands of Slew's Brew's tail hair, were braided and woven into the trim of the hat.

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Hats Off To The Horses: Sale Of Afleet Accompli Chapeau Benefits Old Friends

This unique fundraiser features one-of-a-kind couture hats created by Maggie Mae Designs®, the sale of which benefits Old Friends.

The first hat up for bid in our auction series, which kicks off Jan. 1, 2021, honors Afleet Accompli, a son of Northern Afleet who came to Old Friends via the sister aftercare organization Caribbean Thoroughbred Aftercare.

Bidding in this online auction will be available through January 11, 5:00 pm (EST). To bid, CLICK HERE.

Afleet Accompli spent most of his career running at Camarero Racecourse in Puerto Rico. The green and yellow racing silks of his Canito Racing racing stable inspired a tropical island palette for the trimmings of this stunning Derby-style hat.

A large hat foundation was created using stunning coral taffeta. Using yards of chocolate organza lined with coral organza, the wavy brim layers were topstitched with coral embroidered strands to reflect the rippling movement of the Thoroughbred athlete at full gallop.

To further showcase the stable's colors, a large rose curl, created in alternating layers of coral shantung and hot pink organza, adorns the front of the hat. This floral centerpiece is framed with leaves created out of lime green organza and taffeta.

A lime green taffeta sash lined with organza was fashioned to encircle the crown of the hat and a small peach button adorns the sash in the back.

As always, a physical remembrance, several strands of Afleet Accompli's tail hair, were braided and woven into the trim of the hat.

Bidding is open now. To bid CLICK HERE.

To see more photos and read more about the stunning new hat CLICK HERE.

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