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Hats Off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby
A Unique Online Charity Hat Auction Benefiting

Old Friends

sponsored by
^{MAGGIE MAE DESIGNS®
Custom Couture Millinery by Sally Faith Steinmann}

The "Academy Award" Hat

And the winner is......

MAGGIE MAE DESIGNS^® and Old Friends have teamed up for an unparalleled online shopping experience: "Hats Off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby". This unique Derby hat fundraiser features one-of-a-kind couture Derby hats created by MAGGIE MAE DESIGNS^® to benefit Old Friends. To learn more about Old Friends at Dream Chase Farm, please visit the Old Friends website, or call them at 502-863-1775.

For our fifth hat auction, Cape Cod milliner Sally Faith Steinmann of MAGGIE MAE DESIGNS^® created this stunning one-of-a-kind couture Derby hat in honor of Academy Award. A newcomer to Old Friends, this son of Secretariat was donated to Old Friends by Golden Globe-winning actress Angie Dickinson who has long supported Old Friends, along with Secretariat's owner Penny Chenery and Boston-based TV producer Barbara Bowen. To read more about this magnificent stallion at Old Friends, please click on the picture of Academy Award below.

To showcase this amazing athlete's chestnut coat and noble pedigree, a substantial hat was created in rich cinnamon-chocolate dupioni silk. Soft chocolate organza layers were added to form a wavy brim, meant to convey the undulating action of the Thoroughbred racehorse in motion. A very special, innovative trim design was created in specific colors, textures and shapes to bring together all of the elements of this stallion's conformation, name and pedigree as well as to celebrate the glorious "Run for the Roses".

And one can hardly create a hat for a horse named Academy Award without adding elements of Hollywood's finest hour to the construction. In honor of the red carpet, a red dupioni silk underbrim was created which provides a striking contrast against the wavy chocolate organza brim edge whenever the wearer's head is tilted up even slightly. Pure magic...

A ruched gold taffeta sash and sculpted leaves further remind us of the gilded setting of the red carpet show, the golden Oscar statues, and the actors in their elegant tuxes and glittering designer gowns.

For the hat's centerpiece, a single bold red silk organza rose curl was created in honor of Derby Day. The petals of the rose curl were carefully "pressed" to create an innovative new look that hints at Derbys past and present, and nestles into a setting of gold shantung leaves that frame it beautfully. A smaller version of this same rose curl design sets in the very back of the hat. Blue netting sprays and looped blue French ribbon accents are meant to remind us of Academy Award's signature racing colors of Yale blue with lighter blue hoops.

Is it even possible that one hat could hold so much magic? The red carpet, Thoroughbred royalty and a very special new friend at Old Friends... Could there ever be a more fitting way to celebrate the "Run for the Roses" and the splendor of that first Saturday in May?

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To read more about this accomplished athlete at Old Friends, please click on the following link - Featured Horse.

This amazing millinery delight will be up for bid from March 1st, 2010, through the 11th. At the end of the month, the winning bidder's name will be announced (unless they prefer to remain anonymous) and on March 1st, 2010 the next hat will be put up for bid.

Bid as many times and on as many hats as you like during this running auction. For further information about the eBay bidding process, please contact Old Friends at 502-863-1775. If you don't desire to place a bid on a hat, please contact Old Friends to see about what other ways you might be able to help out at Dream Chase Farm.

Freight charges will be at the expense of the winning bidder. Winning bidders, please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery of your hat in order to ensure proper sizing.

CONGRATULATIONS once again to Mr. Bruce Dutton of Alabama, the winner now of our first, third, and fifth Derby auction hats - "Black Tie Affair", Bull Inthe Heather" and "Academy Award" - that were up for bid in November, January, and March! CONGRATULATIONS once again to Helen Shannon of Chicago, the winner of our second and fourth Derby hats, the Will's Way" and the "Commentator". Our sixth Derby hat auction continues on April 1st, 2010, through the 11th. A very special Derby hat design has been created to celebrate Sunshine Forever, another retiree at Old Friends which will be available for viewing very soon. To learn more about Old Friends at Dream Chase Farm, please visit the Old Friends website to access the eBay link or call them at 502-863-1775.

To view the couture Derby hats that we have had up for bid in former rounds of this exclusive Derby hat auction, please click on the following - Old Friends Hat Auction Portfolio

COMING SOON! - Our sixth Derby hat auction continues April 1st, 2010, through the 11th. A very special Derby hat design has been created to celebrate Sunshine Forever, another retiree at Old Friends for the April auction. To place a bid or to learn more about Old Friends at Dream Chase Farm, please visit the Old Friends website to access the eBay link or call them at 502-863-1775.

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