The Center of the Universe will host Big Red’s triumphant return this weekend to kick off a national celebration of the 50th anniversary of Secretariat’s 1973 Triple Crown.

Immortalized as a 3,500-pound bronze statue by acclaimed sculptor Jocelyn Russell, the statue “Secretariat Racing Into History” will travel over 1,000 miles from Oklahoma to Downtown Ashland just in time for festivities on Saturday, April 1st. The Secretariat for Virginia Committee will celebrate Big Red’s birthday with cake, family-friendly activities, movies, music, museum tours, and even a surprise special guest!

The celebration recognizes the Secretariat for Virginia Committee’s plans to install the “Secretariat Racing Into History” statue at the corner of England Street and Railroad Avenue in Downtown Ashland. Randolph-Macon College and the Town of Ashland have offered the site for the statue to stand as a permanent monument to Secretariat’s life and legacy.