Can you imagine coming across a prestigious 50-year-old horse racing trophy in a storage locker? Hauls like that are usually the subject of reality television productions – think ‘Storage Wars,’ or one of its many spinoffs. Although, in this particular instance, there were no small-screen treasure hunters involved, just a brazen perpetrator and the long arm of the law.
Multiple media reports out of Florida explain that a 59-year-old ex-convict has been charged with various counts of grand theft and burglary after storage units were broken into in Delray Beach.
According to a specific report by mypalmbeachpost.com, the 59-year-old in question, Alicia Elaine Murphy, has told local authorities that she rented a storage unit at the facility in question, which gave her 24-hour access to the premises. It is alleged that Murphy devised and executed a plan in which she cut the locks off of other units overnight and looted the spaces for their treasures. Murphy has told authorities that she rented a large truck and even hired labourers to help her load and haul away the stolen booty.
Well, that sure sounds like something, but what does all of this have to do with horse racing again? Unfortunately, the Preakness Stakes and possessions linked to an iconic Canadian racing figure are involved.
One of the storage units that Murphy allegedly pilfered contained roughly $300,000 worth of goods. Among the locker’s bounty was a Preakness Stakes trophy that was awarded to the connections of Majestic Prince, who, in 1969, captured the second leg of Thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown. The trophy was among other racing memorabilia and family heirlooms that belong to Francine McMahon, who had been renting that particular storage unit.
Francine McMahon is the daughter of Frank McMahon, an iconic Canadian oilman who was heavily into the breeding and racing of high-end Thoroughbreds. Majestic Prince, who had won the Kentucky Derby prior to the Preakness, just missed Triple Crown glory when he finished second in the Belmont. Majestic Prince is now a member of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame south of the border. In 2017, Frank McMahon was on the ballot to be inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame under the Builders category, but just missed out.
Authorities allege that Murphy arranged some of the stolen racing memorabilia, including the Preakness trophy, to be sent to a New York auction house. Detectives arrested Murphy this past Wednesday (March 14).
It is believed that Murphy stole somewhere between $350,000 to $400,000 worth of goods in the foiled plan. Other items that were allegedly stolen by Murphy included electronics, taxidermy and other miscellaneous goods.
(With files from mypalmbeachpost.com)