N.B. jockey Ron Turcotte’s Triple Crown saddle sold for over $1.5M US at auction

A saddle used by the famous New Brunswick jockey, Ron Turcotte, was sold on Thursday at an auction house in New York.

The custom-made leather saddle was put up by Christie's New York and sold for $1,524,000 US, or about $2 million Cdn.

In January, Nathalie Ferneau, the head of sale for private and iconic collections at Christie's, said the piece was estimated to be worth between $1.5 million US and $2 million US.

Turcotte referred to it as his "big race" saddle.

The saddle was previously owned by the late Jim Irsay, who purchased it from Turcotte a few years ago.

The saddle was most famously used on the racehorse Secretariat, during his Triple Crown win more than 50 years ago, which set records at the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont.

Turcotte won over 3,000 races. He was inducted into six different halls of fame and also received the Order of Canada.

But his racing career was cut short in 1978 after a fall left him a paraplegic.

Turcotte died last August at the age of 84 in Drummond, N.B., the same community where he was born.

Christie's website says the saddle came with four removable inscribed lead weights, photographs of Secretariat's Belmont victory all signed by Turcotte and a letter of authenticity from Turcotte.

No one from Christie's was available for an interview before deadline Saturday.