No Horsing Around on Derby Day

Saturday, May 7 sees the 142nd running of the Kentucky Derby. Twenty three-year-olds, trained to the minute, doing battle over 2000 meters of the famed Churchill Downs racecourse in what has been regularly dubbed “The Greatest Two Minutes in Sport.” Over one hundred thousand people are expected on course, decked out in assorted finery, savoring an afternoon in the sun fueled by a steady supply of Mint Juleps.

Here at Bidsquare we dont feel that you have to be in Kentucky wearing a big hat to celebrate the Derby or the wonderful four-legged creatures competing throughout the day. Below weve picked out a handful of lots from sales featured on our site that will help bidders inject a little "Sport of Kings" flavor into their collections, all from the comfort of their own living room. Mint Juleps remain optional...

What better place to start than Lot 77 in Leslie Hindman Auctioneers Post War & Contemporary Art sale? Titled "Horses Going to the Start, Royal Stables, Chantilly, France," this oil on canvas by Richard Reeves perfectly captures pre-race anticipation, here in the classical confines of one of Europes oldest racecourses.

Derby day is the perfect event to plan a party around, and these two vintage pieces from Potter & Potter Auctions Two of a Kind: Gambling Memorabilia & Rare Playing Cards sale are a great way to entertain friends. Lot 444, a H.C. Evans horse race gambling wheel, offers beautifully reverse-painted glass horses, with the odds box on top. Bet on a horse, spin the wheel, and the odds determine the amount paid to the winner. Lot 450 is a large bakelite horse race put-and-take top dating to 1925.

Along similar lines and equally as much fun is Lot 458 from the same Potter & Potter sale. A Cavalcade horse race game dating to 1950, it was made by the same company that invented Parcheesi, and includes six horses, a green felt layout and instructions, all in its original box.

Leaving the confines of the racecourse and heading out to pasture, we come to Lot 88 in Leslie Hindman Auctioneers Fine Prints sale. A lithograph by American artist Thomas Hart Benton, its title "Running Horses" pretty much says it all. These animals love to run, whether theyre racing each other or an oncoming train.

Anyone looking to place a bet on the Derby is going to need luck on their side, and thats where Lot 484 in Potter & Potters Two of a Kind sale comes into play. A folk art wooden horseshoe, hand painted in a red and gold design, it could be just the thing to rub three times before heading out the door for the track. Oh, and heres the favorite for the race, the unbeaten two-year-old champ, Nyquist. Good luck everyone!