GEORGETOWN, KY - MARCH 31, 2015  

On April 1, the final hat in the six-month online charity auction "Hats off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby" will go the block, generating funds for Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Facility in Georgetown, KY.

This is the final chapeau in the series, created by the acclaimed milliner Sally Faith Steinmann of the Massachusetts-based Maggie Mae Designs® , and it was inspired by Old Friends retiree You and I, a stakes-winning son of Kris S.

The beautiful chapeau, which will be available to the winning bidder in time for the 141st running of the Kentucky Derby on May 2nd, was modeled by Shea Leparoux accompanied by her husband, leading jockey Julien Leparoux  (for a video of the fashion photo shoot please click here).

Bidding on the "You and I" begins at 8 pm on April 1st and will be open for 10 days only.  Interested bidders can go to the Old Friends website at www.oldfriendsequine.org and follow the link.

This is the sixth consecutive year that Old Friends has joined with Steinmann to auction off six exclusive Derby hats between November and April, each inspired by one of the non-profit organization's 150 retired racehorses.  To date the online fashion auction has raised well over $24,000.

ABOUT THE HORSE

Breaking his maiden as a two-year-old in 1993 at Belmont Park, the Florida-bred You and I beat future Kentucky Derby winner Go For Gin. Sold to owner Edmund Gann as a three-year-old, the nearly jet black son of Kris S entered the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel. Under Frankel's tutelage You and I captured the Riva Ridge Stakes, the prestigious Metropolitan Handicap and the Brooklyn Handicap.  In all, You and I won 6 of his 16 starts and had career earnings of over $700,000. 

In 1996 he entered stud at Airdrie Stud in Kentucky, where he sired the five-time Grade 1 winning filly You. He subsequently stood at Blooming Hills Farm and Sue Hubbard and Associates in California, and later at Woodstead Farm in Washington. Woodstead donated the stallion to Old Friends.

ABOUT THE HAT

A very special chapeau was needed to honor this accomplished athlete and sire. Steinmann's design showcases You and I's rich black coat, his unique personality and his racing-silk colors of red and blue.

The foundation of the "You and I" hat was fashioned as a triple-brim design, with dramatically tiered layers of red silk organza forming the brim and red dupioni silk forming the crown.

The edge is embellished with a single sculpted rose curl set inside a medley of deep blue and sheer black organza leaves. As a finishing touch, a cobalt blue metallic taffeta sash encircles the crown.

The finished "You and I" hat measures just over 25 inches across the brim.

Lastly, a physical remembrance of the stallion--several strands of his tail hair-- were braided and woven into the trim, creating a unique, one-of-a-kind Derby chapeau.

For more information and additional photos of the hat please click here. For a behind-the-scenes video a Shea's and Julien's photo shoot click here.  To read a blog about the making of this hat, please click here.  

For more information about Old Friends see their website at  www.oldfriendsequine.org or call the farm at (502) 863-1775.

 PHOTO Shea and Julien Leparoux model the You and I chapeau with You and I. Shea's Dress by Lexington Boutique Bella Rose, photo Courtesy and © EquiSport Photos