Horse

Lexington’s skeleton symbolizes the reverence in which he was once held and the neglect into which his legacy has fallen in the years since his fame has waned. Lexington was not only forgotten, relegated to an attic, but mislabeled. Just as Jarret’s contributions are obscured from the record, Lexington is similarly seemingly forgotten, labeled simply “Horse.” Like his history, Lexington’s skeleton was assembled based on assumptions, not firsthand knowledge of his physiology.

It is only the photograph of Lexington with Jarret, and the accompanying paintings she and Theo encounter in their research, which lend Jess insight into Lexington’s true form. It is fitting that the only actual reference photograph of Lexington features Jarret by his side, as he always was. In studying Lexington’s skeleton and ensuring that his newly articulated and properly labeled form will be placed in a proper place of recognition, Jess participates in the theme of Legacy, Heritage, and Inheritance, which is, in turn, directly intertwined with the theme of The Lost Stories within American Racing History. In rearticulating Lexington’s skeleton, Jess enables the creation of an exhibit specifically for him, which enables Lexington’s story to be told—and Jarret’s, should anyone pick up where Theo’s research left off.