Dos Valles Garden Club, Valley Center History Museum events at a glance

Garden Club Plant/Rummage Sale Set for June 18

Locally grown plants and a trove of garden treasures will be on sale at the upcoming Garden Treasures Rummage Sale and Summer Blowout Plant Sale, from the Dos Valles Garden Club (DVGC). The sale will be 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 18 at the Martin Gang Ranch, 28933 Cole Grade Road, Valley Center.

Heirloom tomatoes, California natives, trees, herbs, perennials and succulent gardens will be available, as the club wants to “place” plants in homes before the summer heat envelopes the greenhouse/nursery. Club-member contributions of kitchen items, garden tools, fixtures, etc. also will be available in the rummage sale.

Free refreshments will be offered. Proceeds from the sales are used to support community activities and scholarships for local students. Five local students recently received $1,000 scholarships from DVGC for the coming school year.

Valley Center Museum expands thoroughbred show

Memorabilia related to Sea Orbit, progeny of the legendary Seabiscuit, is now on view at the Valley Center History Museum.

A popular exhibit spotlighting several famous thoroughbreds raised in Valley Center has been expanded at the Valley Center History Museum, according to Valley Center historian Robert Lerner. The show is one of the museum’s most popular displays, he said.

The newly-expanded exhibit features memorabilia and artifacts related to Sea Orbit, who lived most of his life in Valley Center, and was the only progeny of the legendary Seabiscuit’s 108 foals to enjoy a successful racing career.  He was often called “baby biscuit”.

Exhibit visitors experience photos and documentation on Secretariat, considered by many to be the greatest thoroughbred in history.  Secretariat’s descendants include two horses with a local connection:  Lady’s Secret, a major stakes winner and 1988 Horse of the Year, and Ex-Secretariat.

Also on view is a salute to Atzimba, a granddaughter of Seattle Slew;  Kemosabi, who won four national championships and sired 1,300 purebred offspring; Snow Chief, Preakness stakes winner and California Horse of the Year for every year he raced; and Blanco, the Andalusian horse who portrayed Shadowfax in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy.

Film fans will also be surprised to learn about Triplicate, owned by onetime Valley Center resident Fred Astaire.

The history museum at 29200 Cole Grade Road is open noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.  Admission is free.  For more information, visit vchistory.org or call (760) 749-2993.