"Remembering Kelly" took Shirley Kelly’s usual two long years of work on the quilt itself. The conception goes back to 1959 at a ‘Maiden- Special Weight’ race at Atlantic City Race track. Shirley’s husband Jay bet on Kelso because that was his nickname too. From then until the horse retired from racing in 1966 Jay’s ‘namesake’ earned enough for Jay to buy a new truck.
Shirley and Jay visited Kelso at Woodstock Farm in Maryland many times. Shirley says, “I think he was the greatest racehorse I have ever known because he did more things better on more occasions over a longer period of time. And just because I loved him.”