Watch for the next hat!  Bidding will start February 1st, 2011

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SOLD $1455.

"CREATOR"

The third hat in this year's series
"Hats Off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby"

Exclusive Couture Hat to be offered in a
one of a kind online auction beginning January 1st, 2011

Creator Hat

Bred in Great Britain, this striking chestnut was the last foal of the great UK turf champion, Mill Reef, who to this day remains the only racehorse to have won the Epsom Derby, Eclipse, King George and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Creator had an amazing racing career in England and France for the Godolphin Stables, winning on both grass and dirt including five consecutive graded stakes victories with impressive wins in The Prix Ganay and several at Longchamp. Following his racing career, he stood at Nitta Farm in Japan alongside Sunshine Forever. In late 2004, arrangements were made to bring both Creator and Sunshine Forever from Nitta Farm to Old Friends, thereby making them the first stallions to be brought back to America after stud duty in Asia.

Creator photo by Matt Wooley equisportphotos.com

This handsome chestnut stallion's coat is described by Old Friends as the color of "a bright new shiny copper penny", most especially when the setting sun shines upon it. A brilliant reddish coppery brown dupioni silk was selected to capture this warm imagery, and a unique trim design of sumptuous tones and textures was chosen to celebrate Creator's conformation, the racing colors of his stable and his impressive career as a talented equine athlete.

Perhaps the most striking and unusual feature of this hat design is its asymmetrical shape. Creator himself often strikes a pose reminiscent of some Hollywood movie star; his long, full forelock swished to one side of his face. To capture this effect, layers upon rippling layers of shimmering copper-tinted chocolate crinkled taffeta and chocolate tulle were fashioned in such a way as to catch the light and draw the eye to the right side of the brim.

Additional sprays of chocolate tulle were added to these wavy overbrim layers, expanding the brim to more than 23 inches and creating a suave, debonair look.

Creator's racing silk colors for the Godolphin Stable back in the 1980's were maroon and white. To reflect these colors, a stunning rose curl was created using a rich maroon dupioni silk swirled with layers of white silk organza to give a regal centerpiece to the design.  Copper and sage metallic taffetas were used to create a lavish bed of variegated leaves which symbolize Creator's wins on both dirt and turf during his racing career.

For a finishing touch, two pebbly green sparkle buttons were set on the center back seam of the hat to celebrate the arrival of Creator and his old companion, Sunshine Forever, to Old Friends in 2004.

The purpose of this amazing millinery delight is to honor the life of Creator and all of the horses who, thanks to the generosity of those who support their aftercare, now graze in the warm sunshine of Dream Chase Farm for the rest of their lives.