ST GEORGE SALES
HERITAGE TURKEYS
KEENELAND INNOVATIONS
FAYETTE ALLIANCE
K EENELAND WINTER 2021
celebrating bluegrass traditions
U.S. $5.00 (CAN. $7.50)
KEENELAND.COM
Top 5% in the country. Three consecutive years Saint Joseph Hospital is the only hospital in Kentucky named to Healthgrades’ list of America’s 250 Best Hospitals for three consecutive years. This achievement places us in the top 5% of all hospitals in the nation for our superior clinical performance and excellence. At CHI Saint Joseph Health, we’re called to serve. CHISaintJosephHealth.org
He’s
getting started
❝ You just start dreaming with these kind of horses, and just hope you get lucky.❞ Terry Finley of West Point Thoroughbreds, purchaser with Talla Racing of the $1,550,000 Justify colt consigned by Stonehaven Steadings
Aisling Duignan, Dermot Ryan, Charlie O’Connor, Adrian Wallace, Robyn Murray or Blaise Benjamin. Tel: 859-873-7088. Fax: 859-879 5756.
The leading first crop yearling sire of 2021 71 sold with an average of $393,713, median of $325,000 and top prices of
Unbeaten Triple Crown winner and Horse Of the Year by Scat Daddy
J U S T I C E R E A L E S TAT E
FORT BLACKBURN —Purchased by
Will Farish as 264 acres of raw land in 1999, Mr. Farish has developed this land into a truly exceptional horse farm. Adjoining a division of Stonestreet Farm, also in the immediate vicinity of Airdrie and Gainesborough farms, Fort Blackburn boasts an unparalleled location on Old Frankfort Pike. Horse improvements include 12+ miles of plank fencing, 3 world-class 20-stall horse barns, a covered walker, equipment/shop building, metal hay barn. Renovated historic 2,650 SF home. Fort Blackburn offers excellent soils as evidenced by the many, many stake horses raised there.
848 +/- ACRES—Developed into a horse
farm in 2006, while ofering tremendous frontage on two major roads (Hwy 627 and 57) and in the immediate area of Stone, Claiborne, and Hidden Brook. Comprised of 100 stalls in four barns, a newer 60’ x 80’ shop/equipment building, two employee houses, and two walkers. Beautiful land with several lakes and ponds. A wonderful opportunity to acquire improved quality land in Bourbon County. Will Divide!
ANNESTES FARM —This exceptional WALNUT SPRI NGS FA RM -2 68 384 acre horse farm is as beautiful as it ACR ES —Magnifcent 11,000 square foot is functional! Two magnificent stone entrances lead you through over 3.5 miles of roads to its centerpiece 20+ acre lake and two world-class 28 stall barns with 2 foaling stalls & wash bay. Stallion barn has 5 stalls, breeding area, office, viewing area, & bath suitable for a yearling complex. Two very nice and well-situated 3 bedroom/2 bath employee houses, an 1,800 square foot Tudor office building, shop/equipment building. An absolutely beautiful and aesthetically-pleasing horse farm.
main residence in a stone-enclosed court yard with pool and pool house. 66 stalls in 7 barns, open equipment shed, shop/equip bldg, 3 employee houses. This farm was originally purchased by Robert Sterling Clark of Singer Sewing Machines. He chose this land because of its excellent soils, abundant water, and the limestone underneath. The adjoining 256 acres is also available for sale by the same owner with 46 stalls in 3 concrete block barns.
256 ACRES ON CASTLE ROCK WAY— Tis turn-key horse farm produced a $10 million yearling on its excellent land (nearly 80% Maury and Lowell). 46 stalls in 3 concrete block barns, manager’s plus 3 employee houses. Two of the block barns have new roofs (2019 & 2020). A wonderful opportunity to acquire a well-located farm in the immediate area of Gainesway Farm. Adjoining 268 acre horse farm on Muir Station with magnifcent main residence is also available. Motivated seller!
WINDHAVEN FARM—One of the most
desirable locations in Central Kentucky: Old Frankfort Pike. Two story main residence with 4,000 +/- square feet and 3 horse barns with 37 stalls. Adjoining historic Darby Dan Farm and Bluewater Farm, this 138+ acre farm is located directly across Old Frankfort Pike from the main division of Stonestreet Farm. You’ll discover two tree-lined entrances of Old Frankfort Pike—one to the main residence and the other is the farm entrance.
518 East Main Street, Lexington, KY 40508 u ( 859 ) 255-3657 u www.kyhorsefarms.com
CENTRAL KENTUCKY’S HORSE FARM PROFESSIONALS Farms Are Selling and JUSTICE REAL ESTATE is SELLING MOST OF THEM
Sold ← 2314 IRON WORKS PIKE
← 5222 PARIS PIKE
← 1255 CARPENTER PIKE
← 913 AIKEN ROAD
145 Acres Sold: $6,500,000
127 Acres Sold: $3,335,000
← 5508 RUSSELL CAVE
365 Acres Sold: $6,275,000
206 Acres Sold: $2,575,000
← 169 MUIR LANE
(Listed by KIRKPATRICK & COMPANY)
(Listed by KIRKPATRICK & COMPANY)
94.58 Acres Sold: $2,132,500
19.54 Acres Sold: $1,700,000
Under Contract ← 500 SPEARS MILL
582 Acres Listed At: $4,219,500
← 820 STONEY POINT
475 Acress Listed At: $2,850,000
← 600 SOUTH YARNALLTON PK 95 Acres Listed At: $3,250,000
← 27 SUNDOWN LANE
71 Acres Listed At: $1, 925,000
The above properties represent just a small portion of farms we’ve sold in 2021.
Bill G. Bell (859-621-0607) u Mary Sue Walker (859-619-4770) u Marilyn Richardson (859-621-4850) Muffy Lyster (859-229-1804) u Allen Kershaw (859-333-2901) u Bill Justice (859-255-3657)
WheĢ We DoĢ't Get the ListiĢg SeŪe al tiġes a ūeek, ūe coġb ou hai , gathe ou ġa ketiĢg ġate ials aĢd p eseĢt ou best listiĢg p oposal fo poteĢtial clieĢts. Most of the tiġe, ūe’ e th illed to ea Ģ a Ģeū fa ġ o hoġe fo ou po tfolio. What caĢ be said of those listiĢgs ūe doĢ’t acńui e? The P Word | Afte a tho ough
We'd loŪe to be p oŪeĢ ū oĢg aĢd
Aggressively NoĢ-Aggressive | If
aĢalűsis, ūe offe aĢ eŰpe t
see folks ġake big, healthű
űou’Ūe beeĢ folloūiĢg ou
judgġeĢt of askiĢg
iĢŪestġeĢts iĢ ou coġġuĢitű
ġa ketiĢg eceĢtlű űou kĢoū ūe
likelű sale
p ices. PoteĢtial clieĢts ūho chafe
discuss fitΌ ūith g eat f eńueĢcű
at the Ģuġbe s the eiĢ geĢe allű
The thiĢg is, the ġa ket
aĢd gusto. Real estate is a c oūded
fall iĢto oĢe of tūo caġps.
coġġuĢicates Ūalue – aĢd todaű’s
field aĢd eŪe űoĢe is the happie
ġa ket is coġġuĢicatiĢg ńuicklű.
fo uĢcoŪe iĢg a good fit, both iĢ
The fi st ġight decide thei fa ġ
A feū sho t űea s ago, ūe ūe e
skill
isĢ’t eadű fo ġa ket aĢd
ofteĢ the secoĢd o thi d b oke to
iĢŪestigate iġp oŪeġeĢts to b iĢg
list a p ope tű ūheĢ the sheeĢ had
Ve ű a elű, a poteĢtial Ģeū clieĢt
thei p ope tű ġo e iĢ liĢe ūith
ūo Ģ off aĢ iġp essiŪe iĢitial
ūill choose soġeoĢe else: We just
desi ed coġps. O , theű ġight
listiĢg p ice. This is a ġo e
like hoū agg essiŪe X is,Ό theű saű
decide selliĢg isĢ’t iġpe atiŪe at
daġagiĢg tactic iĢ todaű’s chu Ģ.
apologeticallű. No apologű
this tiġe aĢd call us back iĢ a feū űea s.
teġpe aġeĢt.
Ģecessa ű. A pie-iĢ-the-skű p ice ġeaĢs feūe shoūiĢgs, feūe offe s, aĢd feūe
We belieŪe st eĢgth is best
The secoĢd caġp sūiftlű eġploűs
oppo tuĢities to ūo k ūith a
t aĢsġitted th ough g aciousĢess.
aĢothe b oke o ageĢt to list at a
geĢuiĢe buűe oĢe-oĢ-oĢe. The
We’ll leaŪe the Ģeedless but ūell-
p ice ġo e iĢ liĢe ūith thei beliefs.
daűs of just ġake ġe aĢ offe Ό
ea Ģedʹ b usńueĢess to ou fifteeĢ-
b aŪado a e dūiĢdliĢg. The lessoĢ?
űea -old Jack Russell Te ie ,
Get the p ice ight f oġ the sta t.
pictu ed he e.
WheĢ ūe saű ūe ūish theġ luck, ūe eallű do.
Whű do clieĢts choose us agaiĢ
agaiĢ?
Whű? It could be ou ūo ld-class ġa ketiĢg, ou ūhite gloŪe se Ūice, o ou old-fashioĢed ūo k ethic. Pe haps it's ou he itage o ou collegialitű. It ce taiĢlű has soġethiĢg to do ūith ou ca efullű-hoĢed eŰpe tise
̥̥%
tech-saŪŪű. Mostlű, though? It's about t ust.
Trust ̥̥% of ou t aĢsactioĢs iĢ ̠̞̠̟ ūe e f oġ epeat o
ClieĢt P
le
̣̞%+ haŪe used Ki kpat ick pu chase aĢothe p ope tű
ZACH DAVIS PRESIDENT
PRINCIPAL BROKER
efe ed clieĢts.
Co. to sell o
$2.3 million AŪe age list p ice of cu eĢt po tfolio
zach@kirkfarġs.coġ ̧̣.̣̥̤. ̧̟̣ ScaĢ fo cu eĢt listiĢgs, coĢtact iĢfo, ġo e:
Eńuest iaĢ eŰpe tise iĢ tho oughb ed spo t-ho se discipliĢes
Contents Contents WINTER 2021
WINTER 2021
F EAT U R ES
42 PUTTING THE HORSE FIRST
by Lenny Shulman Archie and Michelle St George build a reputation for skilled, hands-on horsemanship.
56 EMBRACING
INNOVATION by William Bowden Keeneland sets the pace in the Thoroughbred industry for improvements in racing and sales.
70 BIRD THAT ‘BUILT AMERICA’
by Jacalyn Carfagno Rediscovered, heritage turkeys played an important role in the country’s early days.
80 GIFT TO KENTUCKY by Rena Baer Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest invites visitors to connect with nature on its 16,137 acres.
92 SWEET CENTENNIAL by Patti Nickell Ruth Hunt Candy Company celebrates 100 years of deliciousness.
ON OUR COVER Hoof Beats Paper cut, 29 1⁄2” x 29 1⁄2” by Patricia Mitchell
56
70
80
British-born Patricia Mitchell draws inspiration from her extensive travels and conservation work in Africa. Her love of nature, botany, and global culture and tradition clearly resonates through her work as a mixed-media artist. Behind the awe-inspiring intricacy of her paper and mesh sculptures, there always lies an empowering story that can either be absorbed, viewed in passing, or used as an interesting topic for research or discussion. Hoof Beats is lot 128 inThe Sporting Art Auction to be held Nov. 21 in the Keeneland Sales Pavillion.
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CRESTWOOD FARM The McLean family has owned and operated their full service, 1,000 acre Crestwood Farm since 1970.
Since then, Crestwood has bred and/or raised multiple Hall-of-Fame inductees, multiple Champions and over 285 stakes horses.
— STALLIONS — CARACARO
FIRING LINE
Uncle Mo – Peace Time
HEART TO HEART English Channel – Ask the Question
1946 N. Yarnallton Pike
|
Line of David – Sister Girl Blues
JACK MILTON |
859.252.3770
YORKTON
TEXAS RED
Afeet Alex – Ramatuelle (CHI)
War Front – Preserver
Lexington, KY 40511
GET STORMY
Stormy Atlantic – Foolish Gal
|
email: stallions@crestwoodfarm.com
Speightstown – Sunday Affair
|
www.crestwoodfarm.com
Contents
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24
D E PA R T M E N T S PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 16 • CONTRIBUTORS 18 • NEWS 20 • CONNECTIONS 24
28 28 SPOTLIGHT ON Author James C. Nicholson places his racing tales in the larger context of history. by Maryjean Wall
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104 MAKING A DIFFERENCE Fayette Alliance advocates for smart land use in Lexington’s urban and rural corridors. by Robin Roenker
A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE AWAITS. CASTLETON LYONS
offers a unique opportunity for serious breeders to board their thoroughbreds. Here you’ll find a highly skilled staff in a state-of-the-art facility with old world charm. Over one thousand acres of lightly grazed lush pasture supported by the best quality soil, so famous for producing great race horses, await your thoroughbred investments. Individual, detail-oriented attention for horse and client in a top class environment can be found within minutes of Bluegrass Airport, Keeneland, Fasig-Tipton, and the world’s best equine hospitals.
Inquiries to Pat Hayes: 2469 Iron Works Pike, Lexington, KY 40511 (859) 455-9222 Fax (859) 455-8892 www.castletonlyons.com
2022
K EENELAND celebrating bluegrass traditions
The off cial magazine of Keeneland Association, Inc. published by Blood-Horse LLC 821 Corporate Dr., Lexington, KY 40503 (859) 278-2361/FAX (859) 276-4450 KeenelandMagazine.com BloodHorse.com
May the New Year be the best, the strongest, and safest year yet!
Editor: Jacqueline Duke Artists: Catherine Nichols (Art Director), Claudia Summers Copy Editors: Tom Hall (chief), Rena Baer Visuals Director: Anne M. Eberhardt Creative Services: Jennifer Singleton (Director), Forrest Begley Account Executive: Amanda Ramey Masters Sales Support: Catherine Johnston CORPORATE OPERATIONS Circulation Accounting Manager: Lauren Glover General Manager: Scott Carling PUBLISHED BY Blood-Horse LLC BOARD OF DIRECTORS James L. Gagliano, Carl Hamilton, Ian D. Highet, Stuart S. Janney III, Dan Metzger, Rosendo Parra
Make your year-end giving to Blue Grass Farms Charities today.
KEENELAND ASSOCIATION, INC. 4201 Versailles Road P.O. Box 1690 Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.A. 40588-1690 Tel: (859) 254-3412 (800) 456-3412 Keeneland.com © 2021 Keeneland Association, Inc.
GODOLPHIN’S SUCCESS
ANDRE PATER
RADIO EYE’S MISSION
A CONSUMMATE HORSEWOMAN
K EENELAND SPRING 2021
celebrating bluegrass traditions
TO SUBSCRIBE OR TO SEND A GIFT SUBSCRIPTION to Keeneland magazine, visit BloodHorse.com/KeenelandOffer
www.bgfcky.org KEENELAND.COM
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KEENELAND.COM
To order Keeneland magazine and additional copies, call 1-800-582-5604
President’s Message WINTER 2021
Winter Reflection and Renewal “Winter is a season of recovery and preparation.” —Paul Teroux
At Keeneland, winter is a time of recovery from a busy fall as we readjust to the new normal on what is hopefully the heels of the pandemic. Winter is a time of refection, celebrating our victories of the past year. Winter is also a time of preparation for our sales and race meets in 2022 and, of course, the return of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. Phenomenal victories were the 2021 September yearling sale and the fall race meet. Gross sales of $352 million were the sixth highest in history. Te average price of $132,045 surpassed the previous record of $129,331 from 2018. Te median price of $65,000 smashed the record $57,000 set in 2017. In addition to the joy of welcoming fans back to Keeneland, the fall meet also set records. All-sources wagering of $181 million exceeded the previous record of $164 million from the 2021 spring meet and the previous fall meet record of $160 million from 2019. We at Keeneland are grateful for each of you who contributed to an excellent fall season for our industry and community. With respect to sales, much credit goes to our tremendous team that includes Tony Lacy, Cormac Breathnach, and Mark Maronde. In racing, credit goes to the team that includes Gatewood Bell, Dr. Stuart Brown, Ben Hufman, and Jim Goodman, as well as to track maintenance leaders and experts Jim Pendergest and Alfredo Laureano who work (literally) day and night to make our racing surfaces safe. Credit also is due to our legacy team that includes Rogers Beasley, Geofrey Russell, Ted Bassett, Bill Greely, Nick Nicholson, and Bill Tomason, who contributed foundational systems, practices, and traditions we continue to follow. In addition, credit goes to the energized collective human spirit, which bodes well for the
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future of Toroughbred racing and our community. Our breeders, consignors, and buyers emerged from a difcult period with a renewed sense of vitality during the September Sale, ready to seize the day. Purse levels for Toroughbred racing across the country — and particularly in Kentucky with the Kentucky Toroughbred Development Fund SHANNON ARVIN bolstered by wagering on historiPresident and CEO cal horse racing — have revealed pent-up demand for racehorses. At Keeneland, the fall meet marked the return of the julep cup program, through which farm sponsors present a julep cup to winning connections of an allowance race. Our team focused intently on making the experience of our horsemen, patrons, and community at the races the best it could be. Race days are a celebration of the years of work to prepare an equine athlete. Our horsemen deserve the pageantry and honor of the traditions we are proud to have at Keeneland. We also took time to celebrate worthy causes, such as Make-a-Wish Day, where 10 children facing medical challenges enjoyed a day devoted to them. For Heroes Day Presented by Rubicon, we honored those who sacrifced for all of us, especially those who have kept us healthy and safe during the pandemic. During American Heart Association Day in the spring, we remembered Carol Barr, an incredible friend, wife, and mother lost too soon because of a heart condition. We will continue to support worthy causes that improve the lives of people in our community. We are emerging from the pandemic reinvigorated and ready to live life to the fullest. Next year, we will continue the hard work and dedication to ensure we remain stewards of this great institution. Trough pursuit of our mission, we will continue to put the horse frst and contribute to our community as we have for the past 85 years. Happiest of holiday wishes to you and yours. I hope you hold your loved ones especially close this season. Cheers to blue skies ahead.
—Shannon
COMMITTED TO YOUR
SUCCESS
For more than 40 years, Lane’s End has pursued one mission: helping our partners achieve their goals in sales, breeding, and racing. That dedication to your success has guided us as we’ve stood with our fellow horsemen through the ups and downs of the industry—and will continue to guide us as we look toward our shared future. This is what we stand for.
ACCELERATE | CANDY RIDE (ARG) | CATALINA CRUISER | CITY OF LIGHT | CODE OF HONOR | CONNECT DAREDEVIL | GAME WINNER | GIFT BOX | HONOR A. P. | HONOR CODE | LIAM’S MAP | MINESHAFT QUALITY ROAD | THE FACTOR | TONALIST | TWIRLING CANDY | UNIFIED | UNION RAGS | WEST COAST
HAPY HOLIDAYS
V
V
TO OUR FARM FAMILIES
Contributors
WINTER 2021
RENA BAER (Gift to Kentucky) is a writer and an editor whose work frequently appears in Keeneland magazine and several other Lexington-based and national publications.
WILLIAM BOWDEN (Embracing Innovation) most recently worked as publications editor at Transylvania University. He was formerly a writer and an editor at the Somerset (Kentucky) CommonwealthJournal, the Lexington Herald-Leader, and the National Tour Association.
JACALYN CARFAGNO (Bird that ‘Built America’) is a professional writer and an editor based in Lexington. She has covered the equine industry and written restaurant reviews and commentary for the Lexington Herald-Leader in addition to work for a wide range of clients.
PATTI NICKELL (Sweet Centennial) is a freelance travel writer whose work has appeared in major newspapers and national magazines. She currently writes travel articles for the Lexington Herald-Leader.
AMY OWENS (Keeneland News/Connections) is Keeneland Communications Associate.
ROBIN ROENKER
MAY THE SPIRIT OF
CHRISTMAS BRING LOVE, HOPE & JOY TO AL
(Friends of Farmland) is a freelance writer and frequent Keeneland magazine contributor who writes for many Kentucky-based and national publications.
LENNY SHULMAN (Putting the Horse First) is a senior correspondent for BloodHorse magazine and the author of Head to Head: Conversations with a Generation of Horse Racing Legends; Justify: 111 Days to Triple Crown Glory; and Ride of Their Lives: The Trials and Turmoil of Today’s Top Jockeys.
MARYJEAN WALL (Turf Writer Extraordinaire) won multiple Eclipse Awards during 35 years asTurf writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader. In addition to Madam Belle: Sex, Money, and Infuence in a Southern Brothel, she is the author of How Kentucky Became Southern: A Tale of Outlaws, Horse Thieves, Gamblers, and Breeders. She holds a doctorate from the University of Kentucky.
VISIT WW.BGFCKY.ORG TO DONATE 18
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Keeneland News
WINTER 2021
COMPILED BY AMY OWENS
KEENELAND SETS WAGERING RECORD FOR 85TH ANNIVERSARY is a 22-percent increase over last fall’s $148,229,708. • On Fall Stars Saturday, Oct. 9, Keeneland set records for fall meet single-day all-sources ($20,926,640) and Pick 5 wagering ($1,255,080). • Te new Keeneland Turf Pick 3, ofered on the fnal three turf races each day, was popular, netting a total handle of $1,683,502. Te average payout was more than $1,300 for a $3 wager. Meet leaders were jockey Tyler Gafalione (29 wins) and trainer Brad Cox (14 wins) while Brad Kelley’s Calumet Farm and Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum’s Godolphin tied for leading owner (four wins each). Godolphin and G. Watts Humphrey Jr. each achieved their eighth Keeneland graded stakes win to earn a Keeneland Tray as part of the track’s Milestone Trophy Program. ANNE M. EBERHARDT
C
hampionship-caliber racing and strong fan support drove record wagering during Keeneland’s 17-day fall meet from Oct. 8-30. While celebrating its 85th anniversary, Keeneland ofered a race-meet record $6 million in stakes purses and an expanded stakes schedule of 22 races. Purses averaged $880,511 per day, up 29 percent over the 2020 fall meet. “We are so appreciative of the tremendous support from our fans, our horsemen, the Central Kentucky St. George Stable’s Letruska won the Juddmonte community, our horseplayers, and our Spinster Stakes as the odds-on favorite. corporate partners,” Keeneland Presour community and the horse industry.” ident and CEO Shannon Arvin said. Among the wagering highlights: “Welcoming fans back to Keeneland this • All-sources wagering (not including fall, along with the return of our special whole-card simulcasting at Keeneland) events and tailgating on Te Hill, felt like a totaled $181,009,626, smashing the previbreath of fresh air afer the restrictions of the past year and a half. It was a terrifc way ous record ($164,680,229) from this year’s to mark our 85th year of racing and to cele- spring meet and the previous fall meet brate the important role Keeneland plays in record ($160,207,916) from 2019. Te total
Keeneland’s September yearling sale, a bellwether event for the Toroughbred industry, had gross sales of $352 million — sixth-highest in sale history — and set records for average ($132,045) and median ($65,000) prices. Large crowds of enthusiastic buyers and buoyant trade throughout the 11-day auction from Sept. 13-24 drove a record-high clearance rate of just over 80 percent to refect a confdent market and excitement for owning racehorses. Te gross was 48 percent higher than last year, when the COVID-19 pandemic afected the 12-day sale, and was just shy of the $359,787,700 from 2019 to signal a resumption of the bull markets of previous years. A total of 2,672 yearlings sold through the ring this year compared to 2,346 in 2020. Fifeen yearlings sold for $1 million or
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more, led by a colt from the frst crop of grade 1 winner City of Light who brought $1.7 million. He sold to Woodford Racing, Talla Racing, and West Point Toroughbreds. “Tanks to all our breeders, consignors, and buyers, whose passion for racing clearly showed through these past two weeks,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. Small, family-run farms made a splash by consigning homebreds that sold for seven fgures. Te sale-topping colt by City of Light was consigned by Rosilyn Polan’s Sunday Morning Farm. Jacob West’s West Bloodstock, agent for Repole Stable and St. Elias, was the sale’s leading buyer, purchasing 43 yearlings for $16,045,000. Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, led all other consignors for the seventh
ANNE M. EBERHARDT
Soaring Market Generates Positive Results at September Sale
A colt from the frst crop of City of Light topped the sale at $1.7 million.
consecutive year and the 23rd year overall since 1988. Taylor Made sold 304 yearlings for $37,306,500.
ARMY MULE
KITTEN’S JOY
Friesan Fire - Crafty Toast by Crafty Prospector
El Prado (IRE) - Kitten’s First by Lear Fan
$7,500 LFSN
$50,000 LFSN
CHARLATAN
LOST TREASURE (IRE)
Speightstown - Authenticity by Quiet America
War Front - Wading (IRE) by Montjeu (IRE)
New for 2022 - $50,000 LFSN
$5,000 LFSN
CURLIN
MACLEAN’S MUSIC
Smart Strike - Sherriff’s Deputy by Deputy Minister
Distorted Humor - Forest Music by Unbridled’s Song
$175,000 LFSN
$50,000 LFSN
FLINTSHIRE (GB)
MIDNIGHT LUTE
Dansili(GB) - Dance Routine (GB) by Sadler’s Wells
Real Quiet - Candytuft by Dehere
$7,500 LFSN
$15,000 LFSN
GHOSTZAPPER
MUCHO MACHO MAN
Awesome Again - Baby Zip by Relaunch
Macho Uno - Ponche de Leona by Ponche
$75,000 LFSN
$7,500 LFSN
GOOD MAGIC
VIOLENCE
Curlin - Glinda the Good by Hard Spun
Medaglia d’Oro - Violent Beauty by Gone West
$30,000 LFSN
$25,000 LFSN
KANTHAROS
WORLD OF TROUBLE
Lion Heart - Contessa Halo by Southern Halo
Kantharos - Meets Expectations by Valid Expectations
$20,000 LFSN
$7,500 LFSN
Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa
LGB, LLC 2021
Keeneland Board Adds Four Members
Keeneland Magazine Wins Prestigious Awards Keeneland magazine, the ofcial magazine of the spring and fall meets, recently was recognized for outstanding work by the prestigious American Horse Publications. During the Sept. 18 presentation of the 2021 AHP Equine Media Awards in Irving, Texas, the magazine won the General Excellence award and took two other frst-place honors: • Best feature article for a piece from the Spring 2020 issue written by Maryjean Wall about sculptor Jocelyn Russell, who created a larger-than-life bronze of Secretariat on display at the intersection of Alexandria Road and Old Frankfort Pike in Lexington; and • Best cover for the Winter 2020 edition. Keeneland magazine also won second-place honors in the personality profle category for a feature written by Lenny Shulman about Arthur Hancock III that appeared in the Spring 2020 edition.
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KEENELAND ASSOCIATION
Prominent horsewoman Julie Cauthen, Tree Chimneys Farm Chief Commercial Ofcer Case Clay, Airdrie Stud Vice President Bret Jones, and LNJ Foxwoods’ Jaime Roth have been named to Keeneland’s Advisory Board of Directors. Longtime directors Seth Hancock of Claiborne Farm and Will Farish of Lane’s End have moved to emeritus roles on the Advisory Board. “Each of our new directors — Julie, Case, Bret, and Jaime — brings a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective on the industry from diferent vantage points that will be instrumental in guiding Keeneland as we meet the opportunities and challenges of the future,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. “We thank them for their service and loyalty to Keeneland.”
September Sale Graduates Eligible for New Races
Queen Elizabeth II met Round Table at Claiborne Farm in 1984.
KEENELAND LIBRARY CELEBRATES QUEEN ELIZABETH II Te Keeneland Library is presenting the exhibit “Elizabeth II: Horsewoman,” which features photographs of the lifelong horsewoman and successful Toroughbred owner and breeder, thanks to collaborations between the Library and other entities in the Toroughbred industry Te exhibit, curated by Research Services Librarian Kelly Cofman, opened Nov. 1 and runs through July 2022. “When she was young, Queen Elizabeth II was introduced to Toroughbred racing and breeding by her father, King George VI,” Cofman said. “Tis exhibit shows her not as a queen but as a horsewoman while conveying her deep passion for the sport that has lef an undeniable mark on the Toroughbred world.” Te Library also has a display of works of renowned sculptor Herbert Haseltine that includes a plaster model of the queen’s favorite racehorse, Aureole. Executed from 1955-1956, “Aureole” was presented to Te Queen to honor the horse’s achievements that include wins in the 1954 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Ascot in England. Te Keeneland Library is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call (859) 288-4224 or visit Keeneland.com/library.
Graduates of the 2021 Keeneland September yearling sale are eligible to run in a pair of $250,000 allowance races — one for fllies and one for colts and geldings — at the 2022 FanDuel Meet at Kentucky Downs. “Tis innovative venture between Keeneland and Kentucky Downs is a win/ win, rewarding those horsemen who buy yearlings at the September sale with lucrative racing opportunities while enhancing Kentucky’s racing circuit,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing Gatewood Bell said. “It is an investment very much in keeping with Keeneland’s mission to strengthen the sport of racing and an example of how collaboration among racing entities benefts our industry.” Te September salerestricted allowance purses will not include any Kentucky Toroughbred Development Fund money, which is available only to registered Kentucky-bred horses. Tat means horses born anywhere will run for the entire $250,000, which is more than the purses of most stakes races. Funding will come out of the Kentucky Downs’ horsemen’s purse account under an agreement with the Kentucky Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association, which represents owners and trainers at the state’s fve Toroughbred racetracks.
2022
GUN RUNNER $125,000 LFSN
VOLATILE $15,000 LFSN
PALACE MALICE $12,500 LFSN
SKY MESA $12,500 LFSN
SHARP AZTECA $5,000 LFSN
FUNTASTIC $5,000 LFSN
WILL TAKE CHARGE $5,000 LFSN
Gun Runner $15,988,500 Horse of the Year 6xGrade 1 Winner Leading Sire of 2YOs
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Connections
WINTER 2021
1 | FAN CLUB A throng of young fans led the connections of Hat Creek Racing’s Averly Jane in the winner’s circle after the flly won the Oct. 10 Indian Summer (L) Presented by Keeneland Select to earn a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1).
2 | AIDING IN STYLE As part of UK HealthCare’s new role as Keeneland’s “Official First Aid Provider,” a specially designed “chase vehicle” followed horses and riders around the track during every race. Inside were paramedics and an expert horse handler to optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of Keeneland’s coordinated response for humans and horses if needed.
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Racing Hall of Famers along with current and former members of the Keeneland jockey colony participated in the Jockey Autograph Signing on opening day of the fall meet. The popular event raised $6,371 for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.
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KEENELAND PHOTOS
3 | SIGNING FOR A CAUSE
4 | SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS 3
Lane’s End Farm presented two $10,000 scholarships on the Oct. 15 College Scholarship Day Presented by Lane’s End to Erica McKind from Kentucky State University and Kyle Hampton from the University of Louisville. Joining them were Kara Heissenbuttel of Keeneland (left) and Ande Farish Day of Lane’s End.
4 During the 14th Make-A-Wish Day on Oct. 14, jockey Tyler Gaffalione highfved Wish Kid Gwyn. Ten children with severe health conditions and their families were treated to a VIP day at the races in an event made possible by contributions from area Thoroughbred farms and organizations.
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PHOTOS BY Z
5 | SPECIAL DAY FOR KIDS
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legacy. Yet collector frearms do just that. Tey are the collision between form and function. In them is all the skill and aesthetics of art, as well as the calloused brutality of war. Perhaps most importantly, they provide a tangible link to the past. To know a frearm’s story and to hold it in your hand is to stand awestruck in the footsteps of those who held it frst. It is to appreciate the same qualities decades or even centuries apart. It is to become the next step in a legacy, and to enjoy the pride that it brings. Far and away, the most prolifc purveyor of high quality, collector frearms in the world today is Rock Island Auction Company. Te business has passed from father to son, an appropriate coincidence given that outdoorsman traditions and the gentleman’s pursuit of arms collecting have long been legacy activities. Passed from generation to generation, family military weapons, memory-saturated hunting arms, and fne collector frearms all carry with them the gravitas of what we cherish most: tradition, family, pursuit, sacrifce, and a respect for those that came before us. While RIAC is known world-wide for ofering 7- and 6-fgure frearms, their oferings are available to collectors of any experience level who are unafraid to fnd beauty in an exciting and unexpected place. Whether you are seeking to preserve a legacy of your own, or to begin one anew, the people at Rock Island Auction Company have the experience and a proven record of accomplishment to bring those aspirations to life. To put their diligence and excellence to work for you, please contact them at www.rockislandauction.com. Keeneland readers may call 1-800-238-8022 to receive a complimentary auction catalog for their December Premier Auction of fne, historic, and investment quality arms. You may also email them at info@rockislandauction.com.
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Spotlight On JAMES C. NICHOLSON
TURF WRITER AUTHOR JAMES C. NICHOLSON PLACES HIS RACING TALES IN THE LARGER CONTEXT OF HISTORY By Maryjean Wall | Photos by Joseph Rey Au
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Spotlight On JAMES C. NICHOLSON
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his surely is a picture worth a thousand words: Sir Paul McCartney holding a copy of James C. Nicholson’s second book, Never Say Die, in an impromptu photo taken backstage when McCartney performed in 2019 in Lexington. And so, with this moment, the Beatles’ little-known connections with Kentucky took still another turn in the Never Say Die saga that never, ever seems to reach an end. Te narrative begins at a Kentucky horse farm in 1951, when a shot of whiskey revived a brandnew foal near death, and the foal grew up to win the 1954 Epsom Derby at 33-1 odds. A woman in Liverpool hawked her jewelry to bet large on this aptly named horse — Never Say Die. Te colt won and the woman collected a huge sum of cash. Her name was Mona Best. She spent her winnings on a Victorian house in Liverpool, turning the basement Jamie Nicholson has written fve books, most recently Racing for America. into a subterranean cofee club for teens that she named the Casbah Cofee Club. Here, thanks to a Kentucky horse, the Beatles got their start. Tey were known then context, situating the sport in the larger world. You couldn’t pick a as the Quarrymen. larger world than the Beatles. Of all the tales waiting to be told, this Nicholson, 43, could not resist turning this story into a book, for one turned out to be amazing. the story was made for him. His grandfather was the Kentuckian Never Say Die was the frst Kentucky-sired winner of England’s prewho saved Never Say Die at birth, giving the whiskey to the foal mier race, a book-worthy achievement on its own, even without addand, supposedly, taking a shot himself because the moment was ex- ing the Beatles to the backstory. But while winning the Epsom Derby is tremely intense. Tis is the kind of tale that Nicholson simply can- a high honor in horsedom, there’s little doubt the Beatles lured readers not turn down, especially if he can spin in some historic landmark to this book. moments. Beatles fans all know the group got its start in the Casbah in So, meet Nicholson, whom nearly everyone calls Jamie: Tall, Mona Best’s basement. But most do not know the aforementioned blonde, highly educated but never forgetting he got through college details. Tey also know nothing about the bit players who connect playing bass guitar in a band, he is among Kentucky’s up-and-com- the origin of the Beatles to the horse, players such as a Muslim spiring authors complementing the Commonwealth’s rich history of itual leader living large on the French Riviera. Neither would they a shining light in the literary world. Nicholson’s genre is primari- know about the connection with the Singer sewing machine. Te ly horse racing — histories grounded in the sport but also rich in story has enough tendrils to start a garden.
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Need attention? Never Say Die, bred by Nicholson’s grandfather John Bell, won the Epsom Derby in 1954.
Pulling all the ofshoots together to make sense of them is Nicholson’s specialty. He’s known by his readers for tracking down every loose fact while choosing which facts will add hef to the story and which to toss. He’s developed this style and technique through fve books, typically giving readers a never-boring history lesson while at the same time telling a riveting story about Toroughbred racing. Te Beatles’ connection to Kentucky led down numerous trails into the horse world. Here’s one: Nicholson tells how the murder of Beatle John Lennon occurred outside a luxury apartment building in New York where Robert Sterling Clark, the owner of Never Say Die, had spent much of his childhood in the family’s apartment. His grandfather, Edward Clark, had fnanced the building. Te loose end involving the group’s so-called Fifh Beatle (only four played in the band) played out in Kentucky, years afer the Beatles’ manager fred Mona’s son, Pete Best, replacing him with Ringo Starr on the drums. Best stayed over an extra day afer playing a gig in Kentucky while touring with Te Pete Best Band. He was eager to take up an invitation to go to Hamburg Place Farm in Lexington to see the stall where Never Say Die’s birth occurred, when Nicholson’s grandfather, John A. Bell III, was renting part of Hamburg from the Madden family. Best wrote the foreword to Nicholson’s book. He described the fond place his family has held for the horse and that “his name has become the war cry of the Best family. To us it means courage, inspiration, and determination.” Surely, someday, more fragments of this tale linking Lexington with Liverpool will come to light. We can only hope — while hoping Nicholson turns any new information into a sequel to Never Say Die. Te saga never seems to end. It’s been thrilling all the way. Nicholson’s grandfather, Bell, was starting in the horse business when Never Say Die came on the scene. Bell soon went from acreage rented
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Spotlight On
ANNE M. EBERHARDT
JAMES C. NICHOLSON
John Bell achieved renown as a breeder and owner of Jonabell Farm.
Nicholson, who has practiced law and taught and now works in his father’s insurance business, writes at night and on the weekends.
at Hamburg Place to founding his own Jonabell Farm with his wife, Jessica. Te years passed, Bell’s reputation in the horse business expanded internationally, and there wasn’t a committee or industry organization he didn’t chair. He was committed to Toroughbred racing and breeding. His descendants and those who married into the family also have been committed to the horse business, with Nicholson, as an author of racing books, joining a list that includes numerous cousins, aunts, and uncles who have modeled their patriarch’s role by working in the horse industry. Nicholson has been the only one in the family to write books although his grandmother, Jessica Bell, wrote copy for TV station WHAS in Louisville. Other family members have been either hands-on with horses or built careers grounded in the Toroughbred industry. Nicholson’s father is Joe Browne Nicholson, an equine insurance executive and owner of Nicholson Insurance Agency, who married a daughter of John A. Bell III,
Jessica, Jamie Nicholson’s mother. Te author’s uncles on his father’s side are household names in horses: Nick Nicholson, retired president of Keeneland, and John Nicholson, former executive director
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HE IS KNOWN BY HIS READERS FOR TRACKING DOWN EVERY LOOSE FACT…
of the Kentucky Horse Park. An aunt on his mother’s side, Benny Bell Williams, founded Te Bell Group, specialists in equine advertising and public relations. An uncle from his mother’s side, Jimmy Bell, is the outgoing president of Darley
America based at the former Jonabell Farm that was renamed Godolphin at Jonabell, home of the Darley Stallions, afer Sheikh Mohammed bought the operation in 2001. A cousin, Gatewood Bell (Jimmy’s son), is vice president of racing at Keeneland. Another cousin, Rhodes Bell, is an equine surgeon. Jamie Nicholson’s mother and aunt, Benny, were co-breeders of 1987 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly winner and divisional champion Epitome. Unless you know these people and the names Bell or Nicholson, you won’t realize that Jamie Nicholson is well connected to the industry’s inner circle. He simply does not ofer this up. He is unassuming, does not drop names, is certainly not an egoist, and has a quiet personality that transforms him into a quick wit whenever humor is called for. Still, in this business where so many have relied on connections, Nicholson remains almost a hidden secret. He is making it on his own without calling in family favors. One of many who have watched his
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Spotlight On JAMES C. NICHOLSON
From left, Maegan; Dell, 4; Jamie; Boone, 8; and Lyle, 5, enjoy family time with their dogs Jasper, Blue, and Lucy.
Maegan and Jamie met after a UK football game in 2007.
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progress closely is his aunt, Benny Bell Williams, who said she appreciates the way Nicholson melds history into his horse stories. “He’s really falling into a rhythm,” she said, in reference to the genre he has been carving out. Nicholson came to this pursuit with a backstory, one full of surprises beyond his family connections to the horse world. An example is the band he and several classmates formed in high school. Te group has been known much of this time as the Barrows. Even afer 18 years the band still plays on, booking out for special events. Nicholson recently added vocalist to
his role as bass guitar player. Here’s another FAQ you might not know unless you know Nicholson: He is an academic — and an attorney as well. At times he’s juggled both professions while also writing books. Te man never sleeps. Nicholson received a doctorate in history in 2010 from the University of Kentucky. Tis led to his frst book, Te Kentucky Derby: How the Run for the Roses Became America’s Premier Sporting Event. Te book was his doctoral dissertation. But do not let that discourage you from reading it. It is actually a fast-paced look at the cultural values refected in
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Spotlight On JAMES C. NICHOLSON
HORSES IN HISTORY PROJECT Four of Nicholson’s fve books have been published by the University Press of Kentucky, the non-proft, scholarly publisher representing all Kentucky state colleges and universities, as well as six private colleges and two major historical societies. In addition to academic works, the University Press publishes books about the history and culture of Kentucky, Appalachia, the Ohio Valley, and the Upper South. After working with Nicholson, University Press asked him to serve as editor of a new book series, Horses in History. The series has published six books over fve years. One hope is that this fairly new series will fll a void in racing literature that has existed since BloodHorse shut down its Eclipse Press. Nicholson described his role as serving as a recruiter and much more for Horses in History, encouraging writers to submit manuscripts and reading manuscripts that turn up on the University Press’ doorstep. The frst book in the series was Taking Shergar, Thoroughbred Racing’s Most Famous Cold Case by Milton C. Toby. Other books include Nicholson’s The Notorious John Morrissey, which tells the story of the bare-knuckled brawler turned Congressman who founded Saratoga Race Course, and Racing for America: the Horse Race of the Century and the Redemption of a Sport. Sir Barton and the Making of the Triple Crown by Jennifer S. Kelly also is among the series of books as is Spectacular Bid, the Last Superhorse of the Twentieth Century by Peter Lee. Two books from the Horses in History bookshelf were semifnalists in the $10,000 Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award: Taking Shergar and Spectacular Bid. This in itself represents a great start for a
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rather new group of books coming from a moderately sized press. All fve of these books have focused on Thoroughbred racing, which seemed a good way to make known the newly established presence of Horses in History. In the future, the University Press series is expected to clear a wider swath through the horse world. According to Brooke Raby, marketing director of University Press, a title set for release in January 2022, Riding to Arms, will take a look at man’s relationship to horses in war. Another book coming next July is from the pen of Mary Perdue and will center on the story of the well-loved Thoroughbred flly Landaluce. Toby is also back at his computer and so is Kelly, both working on new books to add to the Horses in History series. The tentative footprint that Horses in History has left at the door of the book award world should serve as an encouragement to writers who want to base their books on horses. That’s the hope. Raby said the goal is to include works on horses in literature, television, and flm. There’s even room for stories about plow horses, she said, “if told in novel, compelling ways.” University Press believes it has found the perfect series editor in Nicholson. “He knows a lot about horses,” Raby said — a huge plus for a series on horses, “and he’s very clever. It’s more than the story of a horse or a race [for him]. A horse or a race is a lens through which we’re looking at a broader moment in history. Racing for America is the best example of that. It’s about how the horse reveals the larger culture at that moment. He has a great eye for these stories, which makes him a great writer and also a fabulous editor for this series.”
the Derby. Nicholson writes that the Derby has long served as a mirror for tastes and values. By suggesting that cultural tastes and values made the Derby, Nicholson disputes the long-held notion that one man, Col. Matt Winn, single-handedly lifed up the Derby and enhanced the popularity of the race. Tis was groundbreaking work. Edward L. Bowen, a racing historian who has written 23 books, singled out Nicholson’s Derby book as his favorite. “I’ve ofen pondered if I ever were asked to explain just what made the
“HIS ABILITY, HIS DESIRE TO RELATE RACING SPECIFICS INTO THE LARGER SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC PICTURE, HE’S REALLY GOOD AT IT.” — EDWARD L. BOWEN, OF NICHOLSON
Derby the Derby, I don’t know if I could do it,” Bowen said. “He did a wonderful job. As I read that book I thought, he’s really hitting some things that I didn’t know about or didn’t think about.” Along with many others among Nicholson’s readers, Bowen also admires the writer’s ability to weave the larger context of history seamlessly into his horse racing stories. Tis has become Nicholson’s trademark, the launching place of a genre
In addition to writing, Nicholson is editor of University Press of Kentucky’s Horses in History series.
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Spotlight On JAMES C. NICHOLSON
he has been carving out more solidly with each new book. “His ability, his desire to relate racing specifcs into the larger social and economic picture, he’s really good at it,” Bowen said. Nicholson’s way of linking horse racing to larger historical developments comes naturally and not only by way of his doctorate. He also teaches history at the university level, flling a role as a parttime instructor at UK and, more recently, Bluegrass Community and Technical College. He has taught classes while simultaneously working as an attorney for seven years, and, of course, while also writing books.
Although he has not settled on a topic for his sixth book, it’s only a matter of time before Nicholson’s next literary project is under way.
He no longer is practicing law, having transitioned to his father’s insurance business for the time being. We should tell you, however, that Nicholson can handle any of these professions with ease and sometimes engage in them simultaneously. Tis is an amazing work ethic that began to reveal itself while he was writing his doctoral dissertation — during the summer months while also attending law school the remainder of the year. Meanwhile, he fnds time for family life. Somewhere in the midst of all these professional pursuits he met and married Maegan Ford, and they now have two boys and a girl. Nicholson and Maegan met at a mutual friend’s party the night Kentucky beat LSU in October 2007. He hustled over to that party directly afer playing with the Barrows at the 10th reunion of his high school graduating class, held at Spindletop Hall. Turned out that Meagan is no stranger to horses: Her father is not-to-be-confused-with-former-U.S.President Gerald Ford. (He is in banking in Texas and is owner of Diamond A Farm in Versailles.)
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Te natural question to ask is when in the world does Nicholson fnd the time to research and write fve books while doing everything else. “He writes at night and on weekends,” said Maegan, and you’ll understand why he needs nighttime for quiet time. You’ll understand afer seeing the couple’s three happy children whirl about the house in the company of three large dogs and a big gray cat spinning circles around everyone. Teirs is a joyful houseful. One boy was losing a tooth but not complaining, engaged as he was with the dogs. We should all have a dose of this family’s happy place. Nicholson has not decided on a topic for his sixth book. Rest assured there will be a book No. 6 and many more because this author lives to write. Tis is not to say that writing is an easy life. Not at all. New York Times sports columnist Red Smith used to say that a writer sits down to work — and sweats blood. Oscar Wilde reportedly said, “I was working on the proof of my poems all morning and took out a comma…in the afernoon — well, I put it back in.” Writers don’t let their readers see them sweat but they do, with each new blank computer screen in front of them. Te gif resulting from their toil, their sweat, is the stories they tell. Nicholson has now given us, his readers, fve amazing gifs that are quite diferent from the traditional horse biographies. His most recent, Racing for America, is a page-turner that takes a look at a major 1920s scandal. Tis was the wealthy oilman Harry Sinclair bilking the government out of millions of barrels of oil belonging to the United States. If you ever wanted to understand the Teapot Dome Scandal (because textbooks never did a good job explaining it), read Racing for America. Nicholson will make you understand this cautionary tale while you’re also enjoying the read. In the same book you’ll learn about a fascinating international matchup of two Toroughbreds at Belmont Park: Zev, representing the United States, and Papyrus, from England. If you’ve never heard of these two horses, that’s OK. Time passes, great matchups on the track recede in memory, and a race that was greatly anticipated at one time eventually gets lost in the pantheon of great races now forgotten. Nonetheless, we should make ourselves aware of this race, for it occurred just as the United States had emerged as the world’s leading power in a universe greatly altered by World War I. Te United States has never been the same since. Nicholson’s trademark custom of giving his readers historical background to accompany the stories of horse racing has indeed brought a new dimension to the genre. It’s worth remembering that events make the horse and the people who engage with the horse. Tis makes a better tale worth telling, and more writers are beginning to spin their horse stories to follow Nicholson’s lead. Tink of the Beatles and Never Say Die, when a lot more than one woman’s money was riding on the fortunes of this horse. KM
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Putting the
HORSE FIRST Archie and Michelle St George build a reputation for skilled, hands-on horsemanship By Lenny Shulman Photos by Amy Lanigan
The St Georges and their daughter, Eliza, are putting down roots at their Brookstone Farm near Paris, Kentucky.
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Marette Farrell well remembers Archie St George from their local pony club in Ireland some three decades ago. Farrell, then a teen, was assisting with some of the younger members. “Archie had the most beautiful pony in the world, and he would let the other kids sit behind him. He was so sweet.” In a bow to the importance of frst impressions, Farrell, today one of the most respected bloodstock agents working the Toroughbred world, steers clients to St George Sales to sell stock, sends horses to St George’s farm for boarding and prep, and buys horses from the St George consignment.
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The St Georges bought Brookstone Farm fve years ago, and they offer boarding, sales prep, and lay-up and broodmare services.
Long-standing ties aside, Farrell would not engage in any of the above activities if it were not for the excellence Archie and Michelle St George display in each aspect of horsemanship at their Brookstone Farm on Paris Pike between Lexington and Bourbon County. It has been just a decade since the St Georges decided to go out on their own and only fve years since they bought 300 fertile, treelined acres of what was once part of neighboring Stoneleigh Farm. It has been a quick ascent for the husband-and-wife team, whose reputation for always doing right by the horse has brought
Putting the
‘‘
WE WERE VERY LUCKY IN THE BEGINNING TO HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD SUPPORT.” — Archie St George
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HORSE FIRST
signifcant word-of-mouth business their way and whose track record is already dotted with signifcant runners that have come of the farm and/or out of their weanling and yearling consignments at all the major sales. Fast growth is made easier by a frm foundation. Michelle grew up in Pennsylvania riding hunter/jumpers before going to work at Rick and Dixie Abbott’s Charlton Farm, for which she showed horses at the Timonium sales and groomed them at the farm. She eventually got to Lexington, which made an indelible impression on her. “It’s probably the same story for everybody who loves horses and comes to Kentucky,” she noted. “When you’re fying into Lexington and look out the window at the farms, you get that feeling like you were born to be here.” Six years of grooming and showing horses while at Gainesway led to a farm-managing gig at Eaton Sales. Along the way, she was introduced to her future husband, whose parents bred national hunt and steeplechase horses in Ireland and who spent most of his formative years in a saddle. Archie, who credits Edward O’Grady and Flash Conroy for his early horse education, came to the States to work two summers while in college, and apparently Kentucky made the same impression on him as it did on Michelle. “I came over on a one-year visa and ended up staying for…well, I’m still here, 20 years later,” Archie said, laughing. Trough his 20s, Archie worked with yearlings and broodmares also for Eaton Sales both at the farm and at auctions. “I was fortunate because I saw everything, from $5 million yearlings to $2,000 yearlings. I met a lot of wonderful people, buyers from all over the spectrum. We were leading consignors back then, and it gave me a great grounding.” Afer working his way up to minority partner, St George split from Eaton, and he and Michelle set up shop on 90 leased acres of legendary Overbrook Farm, taking their frst consignment to market in 2010. Within a year, they had attracted clients, some of whom had known them during the Eaton
years. Others came from a group of friends with whom the St Georges were pinhooking. “We were lucky in the beginning to have some really good support,” Archie said. “Dell Ridge Farm has been a huge supporter. Brookstown Farm. We picked up Dan Hayden from Sugar Maple Farm in New York, which has been huge for us. Roger O’Callaghan of Tally-Ho Stud in Ireland pinhooks with us; he’s been a friend since childhood. Bryant and Joan Prentice have sent top-class mares here and have been key to our success. Lee Mauberret from Louisiana is a great partner in our mares.” Des Ryan, who manages Dell Ridge for the Justice family and is one of the most respected horsemen in the Bluegrass, was quick to come onboard, sending the farm’s quality crops of yearlings to sell with the St Georges. “I like dealing with them because they are straightforward, and you’re not having to go through several people to talk with who’s in charge,” Ryan said. “Tey are very handson, and I trust their feedback and opinions. Tey’re very good with their appraisal of yearlings; they know what the buyers are looking for. Tey know all ends of the business and are very good at communicating. Plus, they’re nice people to deal with. It works well for us.” Selling horses that graduate to stellar
ADAM COGLIANESE/NYRA
From left, notable horses the St Georges have sold include Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Hootenanny, Cigar Mile winner True Timber, and grade 1 stakes winner Zipessa, whom the couple consigned three different times.
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Putting the
HORSE FIRST careers on the racetrack also works well for the St Georges. At the 2013 Keeneland September sale, Archie and Michelle consigned several fancy-looking yearlings to Book 1, but one lesser light turned out to be the star. “Te best story is Hootenanny,” said Archie. “Nobody paid much attention to him … as a yearling, but Gatewood Bell picked him out for Wesley Ward for one bid over his reserve, at $75,000. He was the cheapest-priced yearling we sold that year in Book 1.” Hootenanny one season later added
A gently weathered barn blends into the farm’s pastoral landscape.
the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot and then scooted home to take the grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. True Timber came out of the St George Sales consignment and sold to Calumet Farm as a weanling for $170,000. Te son of Mineshaf won the 2020 Cigar Mile and banked more than $1.2 million for his career. Cairo Prince was sold by the St Georges as a short yearling at Keeneland for $200,000 and became a multiple grade 2 winner and a stallion.
The St Georges credit Richard Gayosso with helping them run a smooth operation.
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Te City Zip mare Zipessa has a special place in the St Georges’ hearts because they sold her on three separate occasions. Marette Farrell bought her as a yearling for $67,000, a savvy buy considering Zipessa won the 2017 First Lady Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland and earned nearly $800,000 at the track. St George Sales sold her outside the ring for $800,000 to SF Bloodstock, which bred her to Medaglia d’Oro and then auctioned her of through the St Georges for $1.25 million at the 2018 Keeneland November sale. “She is the highest-priced horse we ever sold,” said Archie, “and Richard Gayosso, who has been with us since Eaton, took her through the ring each time. Zipessa was a big part of our family by the end of it.” In 2019, the St Georges sold a Unifed weanling colt at Keeneland November for $77,000. Named Roger McQueen, he won the 2021 Ellis Park Juvenile Stakes. One of the biggest challenges facing St George Sales might well be confusion over its name. To answer Shakespeare’s pointed question, there is plenty to the St George moniker in the horse racing world. Soundalike St. George Stable bred and campaigns current distaf star Letruska, although that operation began in Mexico as San Jorge Stable. Ian Banwell, the co-breeder of Improbable, does business as St. George Farm. It is no wonder that when Archie attended his frst auctioneers’ meeting under his new banner, Keeneland announcer Kurt Becker
Putting the
HORSE FIRST asked, “Why did you call it St George Sales?” Perplexed, Archie didn’t respond, until the question was repeated to him. “So I told him, ‘Kurt, it’s my second name.’ ” “I don’t mind people confusing us with St. George Stable and St. George Farm,” he continued. “We get a lot of free publicity.” Tey also consign a healthy number of horses, with their largest brace numbering some 70-strong for the Keeneland September auction. Tey ofer about half that number in the November and January mixed sales. Te yearlings consigned by St George Sales travel a variety of paths to the auction ring. Some
come from the young broodmare band being assembled by Archie and Michelle. Others go directly to the sale grounds from the farms on which they were raised. Still others come to Brookstone by May of their yearling season to be prepped by the St Georges. Tey take pride in being familiar with all the charges in their care. “It’s a process that starts at the beginning of the year when we look at them and start determining which sale they’re best suited for,” said Archie. Added Michelle, “Most everyone we work with is local or in Ocala. We don’t have horses coming in that we don’t know. We see the yearlings, and we have established working relationships with the people we sell for. Tey know what they’re doing, and we trust their judgment.” Te St Georges, who give much credit to Gayosso as well as Caitlin Courtney (the granddaughter of legendary horseman Robert Courtney Sr.) for keeping things running smoothly at Brookstone, don’t seek to grow any larger than the current numbers they manage. “To me, we’re a good size,” said Ar-
chie. “Our biggest group will be from 1520 yearlings per session [in September]. Tat’s a nice number. We get a good barn and have enough horses to attract trafc.” And they’ve attracted all the major buyers to their barn through the years. Archie, who says his bedside manner at the barn is to let buyers look over a horse without his interference, admits to some stress during the process, which he tries to alleviate by chewing gum. Afer Sheikh Mohammed examined a St George horse a couple of years ago, Darley president Jimmy Bell approached Archie. “Do you need a new jaw?” he asked. Godolphin, WinStar, Centennial, SF Bloodstock, and Starlight Racing are just some of the major players to have bought horses from the St Georges. “I give [Starlight’s] Jack Wolf a bottle of vodka for every horse he buys of us,” Archie said. “Last year he went in on half a horse, and I had to pour out half the bottle before giving it to him. He didn’t care much for that.” Several of the consignment’s Book 1 horses come courtesy of Joan and Bryant Prentice.
The St Georges have assembled a young broodmare band that produces some of their eventual sales yearlings. Early in the season the couple begin the process of pointing yearlings to specifc sales.
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Putting the
HORSE FIRST “Tey have up to 10 top-class mares here at the farm, and we sell their progeny,” Archie noted. “Two years ago, we sold the sale-topper at Saratoga for them—a $950,000 American Pharoah. Tey have been key to our success.” Said Bryant Prentice, “I selected the St Georges afer a thorough search, because of their extensive knowledge and their hands-on, day-to-day involvement with the horses.” A few years back, Mauberret had a broodmare whose brother won a graded stakes, and he knew she needed to go from Louisiana to Kentucky. He asked two unrelated acquaintances in the horse business to recommend a place to board her. Both came back with the same answer: Brookstone. “I knew right then Archie and Michelle were the people I needed to go with,” Mauberret noted. “Michelle does an outstanding job with the mares and foals, and Archie is great getting them to the sale as yearlings. Tey are very caring and always put the horse frst, which is most important. We own mares and babies in partnership, we pinhook together, and I couldn’t be any happier. Tey’re wonderful people and we’ve had tremendous success.” Mauberret sent his broodmare Here Music to the St Georges, and they raised her daughter Wicked Lick, a homebred graded stakes-placed earner of $230,000 who ran in the Kentucky Oaks. Farrell has paid the St Georges the ultimate compliment by sending clients of
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Clients praise the hands-on care their horses receive at Broookstone Farm. Michelle is known for her expertise with mares and foals and Archie for his talent with sales prep. Staff including Lisandro Gayosso, top, and Jesus Martinez, right, contribute to the farm’s success.
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Putting the
HORSE FIRST hers, such as David Anderson, to Brookstone for their horses’ well-being. “Te way Archie and Michelle prep horses is unbelievable,” Farrell said. “Tey always seem to hit the target right on the day; the horses look their best when they need to. I really appreciate that their program brings out the best path for each horse. Michelle is a tremendous horsewoman. Archie knows pedigrees and what’s going on in the business. People are comfortable with him because he’s a tremendous communicator. Tey are
The black Labrador Tulip keeps an eye on things.
genuine; they understand what people are thinking or feeling; and that is important for getting along in our imperfect world.” Dan Hayden, who manages New York’s Sugar Maple Farm and owns EKQ Stables, sings a similar tune of praise for the St Georges.
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At home, talk among the St Georges tends to focus on horses.
“Michelle does great getting my mares bred, and they do a fantastic job prepping yearlings. Tey are so professional. Te service is second to none, and I trust them 100%.” Dinner-table discussion at Brookstone ofen runs to the farm’s young broodmare band and fguring out which stallions best ft each. Caught up in the fow is 6-year-old Eliza, who has a mare of her own and has taken enthusiastically to riding ponies. “We’ve tried our best not to press her into the horses, and she seems to truly enjoy what we do,” Michelle said. “She wants to be a part of it; watches the mares foal. I made her ask 10 diferent times for riding lessons, and she really enjoys it. She doesn’t know that, behind her back, we absolutely love that she’s gotten into it.” Archie acknowledges the previous generation of Irish expatriates who paved the path for their countrymen to thrive in the horse industry around Lexington. Gerry Dilger was one who helped St George along the way, and Archie is paying that kindness back. For the past two summers, Gerry’s son Joseph Dilger has worked for the St Georges, including trips to Saratoga to work the sales there. He was joined
last summer by Bernie Sams Jr., whose father is stallion seasons and bloodstock manager at Claiborne Farm. “Tey brought fresh air and had everybody on the farm laughing. Tey’re so young; we haven’t broken their spirits yet,” joked Archie, before turning serious. “People gave me an opportunity at a young age, taking the time to teach me something, and we should do the same.” If the St Georges can pass along their enthusiasm for horses and the horse business, they will have done their part in moving the industry forward. “I get a thrill out of selling any horse,” noted Archie. “Sometimes you’re happy to get $20,000 for one because of circumstances, or you’re fortunate enough to get a lot for one. Ten to watch them go on and hopefully become racehorses…We love what we do. Sometimes it’s hard, but it’s the American dream.” Asked about their hobbies, Archie admits to playing golf badly, and Michelle hopes to get back into riding more, especially with Eliza. But spare time doesn’t seem as important as their vocation. “Luckily, we love what we do, so we’re doing our hobby for a living,” Michelle said. “We’re very fortunate in that.” KM
EMBRACING
KEENELAND SETS THE PACE IN THE THOROUGHBRED 56
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KEENELAND/PHOTOS BY Z
In 2006 Keeneland became the frst race course to use Trakus, an intricate video system that tracks every horse in a race in real time. It was one of the latest in an impressive string of innovations stretching back to Keeneland’s beginnings in 1936.
INNOVATION
INDUSTRY FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN RACING AND SALES By William Bowden KEENELAND.COM
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Eighty-fve years ago — on Sunday, October 11, 1936 — more than 15,000 people ventured out the Versailles Pike into the bluegrass countryside surrounding Lexington, curious to get their frst look at the new Keeneland racetrack. At the open house, held four days prior to the track’s inaugural race meet, the star attraction was a state-of-the-art totalisator, designed especially for Keeneland by the American Totalisator Company. Te electromechanical wagering machine, faster and more accurate than the manual system of fguring odds and payofs, was the frst of its kind at a Kentucky track.
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MATT ANDERSON
E
KEENELAND LIBRARY
Workmen install wiring for the totalisator in the recesses of the grandstand on the eve of Keeneland’s opening.
The totalisator board is placed on a truck en route to its installation on the track.
Tus, Keeneland demonstrated its commitment to innovation even before the frst set of thundering hooves made their way down the newly graded homestretch. Racing fans were assured from the outset that their racetrack would be strictly up to date. Since then, Keeneland has continued to lead the Toroughbred industry by introducing innovative approaches and technology in many areas of racing and sales. In addition to its impressive list of “frsts” in North America, the nation, and Kentucky (see sidebar),
KEENELAND LIBRARY/MEADORS
KEENELAND LIBRARY
EMBRACING INNOVATION
Keeneland installed an aluminium rail in 1949. A young William T. (Buddy) Bishop, later a Keeneland trustee, got a close-up look.
it has joined other major tracks as an early adopter of cutting-edge improvements, such as photo fnish camera capability. In every case, enhancing the experience for racegoers and sales participants and providing the best and safest venue for riders and horses have been the guiding principles. “Keeneland is the bellwether, the track the industry looks to whenever new technology is on the horizon,” said G. D. Hieronymus, director of broadcast services from 2000–2021. “We’ve always been willing to test the waters and move forward to the betterment of the industry.” Trough 85 years of excellence and innovation, Keeneland has also remained true to the idealistic vision of its founders, who saw the track as upholding the “fne traditions of Toroughbred racing,” by ofering racing at its highest level in an atmosphere of true sportsmanship. “All of us who went to work at Keeneland were given traditions that had been set years before,” said Bill Greely, president of the racetrack from 1986–2000. “We honored those traditions but also felt it was our responsibility to try to improve on them.”
CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT An innovative spirit has touched virtually every area of Keeneland over the years, from purely physical changes, such as the installation of an aluminum running rail, to the more conceptual improvements in horse and rider safety protocols and sales operations. Innovations in and around the racetrack itself continued just four years afer the inaugural meet, when in 1940 Keeneland became an early adopter of the partitioned and fully enclosed electric
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BLOODHORSE LIBRARY
From the outset Keeneland Race Course set the standard for being up to date.
The partitioned and fully enclosed electric starting gate ensured an orderly start to races.
starting gate. Overnight, the revolutionary invention changed what ofen was an unruly getaway into an orderly, clean, fair start. At the other end of the race, sophisticated photo fnish camera equipment was installed in 1946, taking the guesswork out of determining the outcome. In 1949 an aluminum inside running rail replaced the original wooden rail. Tis was a frst in the nation for Keeneland and was followed by another such distinction in 1961 when the track turned on its new Visumatic Timer. Tis electronic device takes the error out of manual clocking by throwing a beam of light across the track that, when horses break the beam, records fractions and fnal times for posting on the tote board. Te addition of the Fontana Safety Rail in 1983 provided a wider top and protective covering that enhanced rider and horse safety
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EMBRACING INNOVATION
A 2016 innovation, the Mawsafe Turf Rail improves safety in turf races.
KEENELAND’S FIRSTS
KEENELAND LIBRARY
FIRST IN NORTH AMERICA 2008 Simulcast in high-defnition
Keeneland installed aluminum boxes in 1953, replacing the original wooden structures.
in the event of a fall. “If a jockey fell of, their welfare hitting on a fat surface versus bending around a thin rail was much improved,” Greely said. A similar innovation is seen on Keeneland’s 7½-furlong turf course, opened in 1985 as the frst such in Kentucky. Te Mawsafe Turf Rail, installed in 2016, is fexible enough to absorb the impact of a horse and rider and allow for a safe recovery back onto the course. Back on the main track, a signifcant innovation was the installation of 27,500 interlocking EcoRain drainage cells in 2014 under the inside rail and along the outer rail through the straights and chutes, greatly facilitating the track’s drying-out process. Te entire underground system is designed to collect and discharge water away from the track, which is key to maintaining a consistent racing surface. Tat was but one example of Keeneland’s commitment to unique
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FIRST IN THE NATION 1949 Aluminum inside rail 1961 Visumatic Timer 1996 Repository of X-rays 2004 Polytrack training track 2006 Trakus video race technology 2021 Safety video surveillance of horses
FIRST IN KENTUCKY 1936 Totalisator wagering system 1979 AmTote 300 Series Totalisator System 1985 Turf course 2016 Mawsafe Turf Rail EARLY ADOPTER 1940 Enclosed electric starting gate 1946 Photo fnish equipment 1983 Fontana Safety Rail 2006 Polytrack main track
design elements and to the best practices approach to caring for its dirt track, turf course, and training track. Te track maintenance team works closely year-round with Dr. Mick Peterson, director of the University of Kentucky’s Ag Equine Programs and cofounder of the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory. Keeneland shares its knowledge on advanced technology and research with tracks across the country to promote safety and consistency.
A DAY AT THE RACES A highlight of the innovations that have enhanced fan experience at Keeneland was the 1979 installation of the AmTote 300 Series Totalisator System, also known as ABC (All Betting and Cashing) Mutuels. Instead of bettors’ having to move from window to window for specifc denominations, type of wager, and cashing in, ABC allowed fans to buy and cash tickets in any amount and type at any window.
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EMBRACING INNOVATION
COADY PHOTOGRAPHY
Again, Keeneland was in the forefront of racing as the frst track in Kentucky — and just the fourth in the nation — to adopt this technology. “Te AmTote 300 System was a great convenience for the bettor and a major change in the way racing did business all over the country,” said Jim Williams, director of publicity and communications from 1971–2009. “We were one of the frst tracks to commit to it.” In 2006 Keeneland was the frst track in the nation to begin using Trakus, an intricate video system that tracks every horse in a race in real time. It uses electrodes placed in the horses’ saddlecloths and antennas located around the track to collect data on the position of every horse at every point in the race. Tat information is shown next to, and concurrent with, the live video of the race appearing on the tote board’s giant screen and on TV monitors throughout the facility. It can appear as colored and numbered tiles, and as animated horses. Tus, fans can easily fol-
The Trakus system makes it easier for racegoers to follow horses’ progress.
low the progress of their favorite horse. Trakus can also be accessed via mobile devices. More video sophistication came in 2008 when Keeneland began broadcasting live race coverage and limited simulcasts in high defnition, a frst among tracks in North America. Te system became a seven-time winner of the Toroughbred Racing Association’s annual International Simulcast Award. “Our responsibility is to the player to provide graphics that are easy to read and compelling images of the horses and racing participants,” said then-director of broadcast services Hieronymus. “We wanted to raise the look of Keeneland and have a signal out there that draws your eye.” In 2016 Keeneland became the frst host of a Breeders’ Cup to support the simulcast of the event through its own production facilities, a further testament to the capabilities of the system.
DANIELLE DONHAM/UK
SAFETY FIRST
Keeneland is collaborating with the University of Kentucky on track safety measures.
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Innovations in safety standards and veterinary protocols strengthen Keeneland’s commitment to protecting those Toroughbreds that train and race at Keeneland. Fans might not ever see these activities, but the results of these behind-the-scenes strategies further enhance the stellar performance of the horses come race time. Just this past spring Keeneland became the frst racetrack in the nation to begin using a network of video cameras on both the main track and training course that capture live footage of horses training and racing. Dr. Stuart Brown, vice president of equine safety, and Dr. George Mundy, racing safety ofcer, monitor the videos to
ANNE M. EBERHARDT
EMBRACING INNOVATION
Keeneland began offering high-defnition simulcasting in 2008. Right, Drs. George Mundy, seated, and Stuart Brown use video technology to monitor horses training and racing.
evaluate horses for safety purposes. “Our goal is to connect every horse on our grounds with a trainer or horseman and an attending veterinarian,” Brown said. “We want to marry our quantitative knowledge about horse care with the qualitative aspect we derive from observing the horses on video, then have conversations about their well-being.” In addition, the initiation of mandatory veterinary inspections prior to workouts and race entry, along with enhanced medical reporting for trainers and attending veterinarians, has also raised the level of safety.
A BETTER AUCTION As home to the largest and most prominent Toroughbred auction house in the world, Keeneland has introduced many innovations that have greatly improved the sales experience for sellers and buyers. Two groundbreaking changes have had major impacts on sales. One was the decision in the early 1980s to split all consignments into carefully graded levels by quality of the horse. Tus, a buyer would see all horses of a certain level from all consignors come
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through the sales pavilion concurrently. “Tis has allowed buyers to make more efcient use of their time during the multiday sales,” said Rogers Beasley, director of sales from 1982–2001. “It helped drive the September yearling sale to the largest in the world.” Te second innovation was the creation of a repository, frst made available at the 1996 July yearling sale, that houses digital images and medical records online of horses cataloged in the sale. Consignors submit images of their horses, including X-ray images of all four legs as well as videoscopes of endoscopic throat examinations, prior to the auction, giving potential buyers and their veterinarians the opportunity to judge a horse before deciding whether to bid. Tis was a frst in the industry for Keeneland and has since been adopted by other sales companies. “When I came up with this repository idea, I thought it might help teach buyers what they could live with, what could be fxed arthroscopically, and so on,” Beasley said. “A lot of horses overcome these problems.” Geofrey Russell succeeded Beasley as director of sales (later serving as director of sales operations) in 2001 and saw the repos-
KEENELAND PHHOTO
KEENELAND PHOTOS/PHOTOS BY Z
Veterinarians can review digital images and medical records of sale horses in the repository.
itory mature from a flm collection into a fully digitized service. “We started of with X-ray flm in a double-wide trailer in the car park and now have a digital repository available to veterinarians 24-7 on the internet,” he said.
A TRADITION OF INNOVATION Tradition and innovation come together in the Keeneland Library, which preserves images and stories from Keeneland’s and racing’s past while modernizing its operations through digitization and online access. Te facility received the 2002 Special Eclipse Award for its contributions to the Toroughbred industry. Te reference library has digitized about 300,000 pages (out of 11 million) of one of the oldest and most noted publications in the industry, Daily Racing Form. Tis vast print archive, beginning with 1896 issues, was given to Keeneland by the publisher in 2000 and continues to grow today. In 2009 the brilliant caricature artist Pierre “Peb” Bellocq donated a collection of his art that appeared in the Form over the years. Keeneland is the only repository in the industry of this valuable text and art resource.
Library Director Becky Ryder has her own take on what tradition means at Keeneland. “We have never strayed from our mission, which is to ofer racing at its highest level with good purses, to improve the plant, and give back to the community.” Many things go into the perception of Keeneland as a traditional racetrack, perhaps beginning with its pastoral setting, acknowledged as among the most beautiful in the Toroughbred industry. Te look and feel of the place are remarkable and evocative of racing’s past. “Te magic of Keeneland is in its setting and the facility itself,” Russell said. “Anyone who comes out and views the grounds is impressed with the timelessness of it. Renovations have always preserved that look and atmosphere.” Embracing carefully considered innovations has allowed Keeneland to be one of the truly modern, progressive racetracks in the nation while holding fast to its traditional values and ambience. Like picking a daily double, that’s a tough combination to pull of, but through 85 years Keeneland has done just that. KM
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BIRD THAT ‘BUILT
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America’ By Jacalyn Carfagno Photos by Kirk Schlea
heritage
Rediscovered, turkeys played an important role in the country’s days
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Mac Stone holds a Narragansett turkey, one of several breeds of heritage turkeys Elmwood Stock Farm raises.
ac Stone loves his heritage turkeys but when all is said and done he’s glad Benjamin Franklin failed in his bid to make them the national bird. “Because then we wouldn’t be able to eat them.” Like Stone himself, hundreds of his Elmwood Stock Farm customers love eating their heritage turkeys. Tey enjoy the white meat that Cook’s Illustrated describes as “so rich in favor it tastes like dark meat” and dark meat reviewers compare to pulled pork. Tat rich, organic meat combined with the long history of these turkeys with the most American of family holidays, Tanksgiving, has created a demand for them. Each November, Stone said, they ship “north of 300” dressed birds overnight “to all corners of the continental U.S.” He says it might be counterintuitive but eating animals is one of the best ways — perhaps the only good way — to preserve heritage breeds. Many breeds of cattle, sheep, and other meat animals as well as turkeys were lef aside afer World War II as people migrated away from farms, and larger, more industrial operations replaced family farms in producing meat. Tose factory-like operations needed a predictable, standardized product. Te gene pool dwindled as animals were bred to meet production requirements, and heritage turkeys were among those lef behind. As the century waned, these
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BIRD THAT ‘BUILT
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implications of spraying chemicals on the food they were growing while depleting the soil they relied on, they began to research organic farming methods. Not long afer, the family began the lengthy process of converting to farming in concert with the land, seasons, weeds, pests, and predators, building up the soils rather than adding fertilizer. Tey began letting sheep, cows, chickens, and pigs graze in rotation on felds to eat the diferent grasses and showy birds strutted at some county fairs but were weeds, scarf up bugs, and, of course, leave organrarely seen on Tanksgiving tables. ic manure behind. In 2000 Elmwood signed on to Tat was the situation as the U.S. Bicententhe Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s organic nial approached in 1976. Around that time Old program. Sturbridge Village and Plimoth Plantation began Since then Elmwood’s organic vegetables, eggs, looking for early breeds to exhibit at Bicentenand meats have developed a loyal following in CenWE SPEND A LOT nial events only to discover it was very hard to tral Kentucky, with an extensive CSA (communifnd them. Tat sounded an alarm and led to the ty-supported agriculture) network and a regular OF TIME WITH founding of an organization, now known as the presence at farmers’ markets. THEM.” Livestock Conservancy, to locate and preserve A few years before the Conservancy called, once common breeds. Elmwood had begun raising Broad Breasted Near the beginning of this century, the conserWhites, the dominant commercial breed, organi— MAC STONE, vancy began to focus on heritage turkeys. Lookcally. When the call came about helping preserve OF ELMWOOD'S ing for farmers that would be willing to breed the heritage breeds, Stone was willing to try it — on HERITAGE TURKEYS and raise these quirky, colorful, and tasty birds, it one condition. “We’re not in the zoo business, but called Elmwood. if you let us eat them, we’ll raise lots,” he said. And Tere was good reason for the conservancy to reach out to that’s how the frst few heritage turkeys, only three or four breeding Elmwood. Members of the Bell family — Stone is married to Anne pairs, came to Elmwood Farm. Bell — have been farming their land near Georgetown for six genJeannette Beranger of the Livestock Conservancy said there erations. As the demand for organic foods began to take hold in were barely a thousand breeding heritage turkeys in the counthe 1990s, Anne and her brother, John, fnished their educations try when they frst counted them but that’s now grown to more and travels and returned to the family farm. Concerned about the than 12,000. Elmwood has played a signifcant role in that revival,
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The turkey coops sit on wheels and are moved weekly to allow the grasses to renew and to give the turkeys access to fresh, clean grass and bugs. A system of two electrifed mesh fences surrounds the coops, keeping predators away from the birds.
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BIRD THAT ‘BUILT
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America’ maintaining a breeding fock of about 50 hens and a dozen toms in addition to those it raises and sells each year. Beranger says it’s now fairly easy to fnd farms that will grow out young turkeys (called poults) but it’s not so easy to fnd places like Elmwood and people like Stone who will care for the breeding fock through the winter, nurse the eggs along in an incubator (four weeks), and nurture the young chicks until they are big enough to live outside (another three to four weeks). Once they’ve reached that stage, she said, it takes 28 weeks to grow a heritage turkey out to eating size, compared with 18 weeks for a commercial turkey and eight weeks for a chicken. “It’s really expensive.” “We spend a lot of time with them,” Stone acknowledged. Once they can live outside, the turkeys are moved every week to give them access to new bugs and new grass, and then there are “a lot of nights lying awake, hearing the dogs bark, and coming out in the middle of the night,” to see if coyotes, raccoons, or foxes might have designs on the turkeys. It’s those extra weeks on pastureland that allow the hyperactive heritage turkeys to put on weight and develop the fat under their skin that makes them so tasty.
Heritage turkeys breed naturally and produce fertilized eggs in the spring.
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Elmwood Stock Farm welcomes customers to its on-site store where they can buy organic farm-raised produce, meat, and eggs.
Elmwood’s largest heritage turkeys — toms that weigh 17 to 20 pounds — are priced at $289 this year; the smaller eight to nine pound birds cost $159. Stone said they decided those are the prices where maintaining a breeding fock and raising organic heritage turkeys makes economic sense for Elmwood. If the market won’t support that, they’ll raise fewer until they reach “the equilibrium of people who are willing to pay what we want to go through the hassle and the stress of raising them.” As much trouble as they can be, the heritage turkeys have become Stone’s favorite farm animal. Te four breeds they have — Royal Palm, Gray Slate, Bourbon Red, and Narragansett — are colorful, smart, sociable, and always in motion (“if they’d stand still, they’d gain weight faster,” Stone moans.) If he gobbles to them they gobble back. But when a stranger comes near, they start making a diferent noise. Te toms swell up, their heads take on a bluish tinge, and the red in their wattles becomes more vivid, almost fourescent. Still, they are pretty pacifc creatures, Stone said. Occasionally during mating season there will be a little dust-up, but generally turkeys “don’t get mean like geese or swans.” He thinks they’d make great
Narragansett turkeys are a historic breed unique to America.
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BIRD THAT ‘BUILT
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America’ Heritage turkeys are social animals with a group instinct for self-preservation. Wild turkeys sometimes visit but only one of Stone’s fock has been tempted away.
Sam Hatch loads organic feed that Stone places in a feeder. Bottom, a Royal Palm female, left, feeds next to a Bourbon Red turkey.
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pets or “yard ornaments” for other farms “because they are so loyal.” Tey can fy but they don’t fy away. In the early years when the small fock roosted in a barn over the winter, the birds established a routine. “Every morning they would drop down and make their loop around the house and over to the other feld, back over to here, and make a circuit before putting themselves to bed at night. And then the next morning they’d make the same loop,” Stone said, “kind of checking out their territory.” Heritage turkeys are oddly similar to another animal nurtured in the Bluegrass, Toroughbred horses. Te rich limestone-fed soils that give horses strong bones are great for turkeys and other livestock, Stone said, because “the quality of the soil makes the quality of the pastures just phenomenal and it imparts that favor.” Like Toroughbreds, heritage turkeys must be the product of a live breeding, not artifcial insemination. (Broad Breasted Whites have been developed to have so much white meat that they are top-heavy and incapable of breeding naturally. So they can be organic, but they can never be heritage. “If it wasn’t for artifcial insemination, we would have no Butterball turkeys,” Beranger said.) Turkeys are social animals, too, with a
pecking order and the group instinct for self-preservation. “If a hawk or owl were to fy over,” Stone said, “one of them will chirp and they’ll all just be stock still. By defnition as a fock they’re looking 360 degrees,” scanning the sky for the predator that will send them inside. “Tey’re really smart.” And breeding them is both an art and a science. Beranger said breeders select for things like “heart girth” — the width of the chest — which “gives you an idea of their capacity for heart and respiratory systems,” the ability to gain weight and fll out well, a fat back (“a curvy back makes for a really awful table bird”), and strong legs so that they can support their weight and breed properly. Still, despite all this human interaction, the heritage breeds retain many characteristics of the wild turkeys that lurk in their genes. Tey breed only in the spring so the poults will have time to grow out and survive an outdoor winter, as they’d have to in the wild. Stone said they also have a strong roosting instinct, something essential if there are no pens, dogs, or humans to protect them from predators on the ground. It’s not uncommon that focks of wild turkeys will come visit their cousins at Elmwood. Although the domesticated birds don’t leave to join
them these days, it wasn’t always so. In the early years when the fock was much smaller, one joined the wild turkeys, never to return. It’s those wild turkey genes that, in part, make it important to preserve heritage breeds, Beranger said. A Virginia Tech study found “they have genes that are nonexistent in commercial birds” and a more robust immune system. Tat may not be important today, she said, but if a disease sweeps through the commercial mono-cultural fock, those hardy genes could be crucial to saving the industry. Preserving heritage turkeys is also important because they represent a key part of our cultural heritage, as Benjamin Franklin realized over 200 years ago. “We don’t want to forget that if it weren’t for these animals, people wouldn’t have survived,” Beranger said. “Tese are the breeds that built America.” KM
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BERNHEIM ARBORETUM AND RESEARCH FOREST INVITES VISITORS TO CONNECT WITH NATURE ON ITS 16,137 ACRES Story and photos by Rena Baer
Left, a canopy of trees displays a burst of fall colors.
KENTUCKY TOURISM PHOTO
Above, the Big Prairie is Bernheim’s centerpiece.
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Visiting Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest is like walking into a Claude Monet exhibit. Shades of light and color fll the landscape. Prairies of thistle, goldenrod, and milkweed give way to dense, leafy forest that climbs up knobs and descends into hollows. Streams meander into lakes and ponds that teem with life: Turtles soak in the sun on fallen tree limbs; electric-blue dragonfies survey their surroundings from atop cattails and reeds; and frogs keep vigil on lily pads, looking for their next mark.
Bernheim, located between Shepherdsville and Bardstown, is a 16,000-acre wonderland of biodiversity that was a gif lef in trust by its namesake, Isaac Wolfe Bernheim. A German immigrant who moved to the U.S. in 1867, he made his fortune by starting a whiskey distillery in Kentucky. His success led to the desire to give back. With the gif of Bernheim Forest, he wanted not only to thank the people of his new homeland but also provide a place where they could connect with two of his passions — art and nature (see sidebar).
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KENTUCKY TOURISM PHOTO
V Above, streams and lakes abound at the arboretum, providing a welcoming environment for turtles, left, and other wildlife.
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KENTUCKY TOURISM PHOTOS
Gif to Kentucky
The 6,000-square-foot Visitor Center is made from reclaimed and sustainably harvested woods and is designed to blend in with the surrounding forest. It contains a green roof, which produces oxygen and absorbs rainwater. Above right, a bridge near the center invites visitors to explore.
Bernheim contains 40 miles of trails, including bike paths.
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“He was an environmentalist before environmentalists were really a thing,” said Amy Landon, Bernheim’s head of communications and marketing. “He recognized natural spaces needed protection, even in 1929, before people were thinking that way.” Today, more than a half million visitors beneft from his vision and can connect with nature in the multitude of ways Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest ofers to people of all ages and capacities, regardless of their ability to pay (though a $10 donation is suggested upon entry). Tese donations help support the forest, along with myriad other private donations. No public money is or has been used, even for the acquisition of additional acreage. Forty miles of trails, including bike paths, traverse Bernheim, which is divided into an arboretum, and a natural forest area. Te most popular is the 2.1-mile Forest Giants Trail in the arboretum. Tis scenic route leads to a family of three whimsical giants that look as if Maurice Sendak (author and illustrator of Where the Wild Tings Are) breached the Monet exhibit, but they are the clever creation of former rapper turned
visual artist Tomas Dambo of Copenhagen. Using recycled wood from the region, Dambo created this fairy-tale family afer frst visiting Bernheim for inspiration and to choose where each would be located. Teir installation was part of the forest’s 90th anniversary celebration in 2019 and will stay until at least 2022. Little Nis is the frst giant visitors will encounter on the trail, as he stares from the shoreline into Olmsted Pond. In the early hours of the day, visitors can see that he is staring at his refection in the placid water. Te trail proceeds across Big Prairie. On the other side, in a wooded area, is “his mother,” Mama Loumari. She leans against a tree trunk, hands on her pregnant belly, a thoughtful expression etched on her shaded face. Farther along the trail are two footbridges that lead to Little Elina, who sits in a feld next to Lake Nevin, forming rocks into the shape of a feather. “Te giants doubled our attendance in 2019 before COVID,” said Landon. “We had visitors from every single state and 25 other countries. Te giants have really brought the magic alive for many families. Tey get to follow this fairy tale through the forest and also see that art and nature have a reciprocal relationship.” On the Forest Giants Trail, visitors traverse Big Prairie, the centerpiece of Bernheim. Te prairie is a year-round haven for ground-nesting birds, and as hikers wander through this golden meadowland, they’ll see them almost magically take fight from the brush and hear their sweet sounds. In the summer and early fall, migratory birds, such as goldfnches, and butterfies fit among the purple thistle, providing extra dabs of bright color to the prairie palette. Te Forest Giants Trail also crosses two swamps where the water provides a mirror image of the surrounding forest so perfect that it’s tough to tell where the trees end and the swamp begins. Te swamps are also a favorite turtle hangout, and when not catching rays, they can be seen gliding through the
Bernheim is home to dragonfies, birds such as the goldfnch, Monarch butterfies, and green frogs.
water and surfacing every few minutes for a requisite breath of air. Te turnaround point is Lake Nevin unless hikers want to keep going and enjoy some quiet lakeside scenery on the 1.3-mile trail that loops around it, aptly named Lake Nevin Loop. For more serious hikers — or those who prefer the forest knobs and hollows to the meadows — Bernheim ofers several trails of Forest Hill Drive. Tey range from the easy quarter-mile Overalls Loop to the diffcult 13.75-mile Millennium Trail, for experienced hikers only as it includes several steep slopes, creek and road crossings, and rough terrain. A majority of the other trails
in this area, though, are easy or moderate and don’t require a big-time commitment. Of Forest Hill Drive is another innovative art experience on the 1.2-mile Cull Hollow Loop. At the trailhead, 2020 artist-in-residence Lucy Azubuike of Frankfort, Kentucky, has artistically arranged several photos that document natural shapes and fgures found in the trees along the trail. Visitors can conduct their own scavenger hunt by looking for these shapes and fgures as they hike. With a modern-day twist, visitors can scan a QR code that will indicate the areas on the trail they can fnd the corresponding natural works of art. Hikers are also encouraged to share their own images
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BERNHEIM ARBORETUM AND RESEARCH FOREST PHOTOS
Gif to Kentucky
Issac Wolfe Bernheim bought the initial 14,000 acres that would become the arboretum in 1928. The land required rehabilitation before it opened to the public in 1950. A photo from the 1960s shows a group of boys exploring a trail.
REMARKABLE GENEROSITY
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f Isaac Wolfe Bernheim could see what Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest has become today, “he would be astonished,” said Patricia “Wren” Smith, interpretive programs manager, who has worked there for 20 years. “So much of what he envisioned has come to pass,” she continued. “Even in the world we live in today, which he probably never could have imagined, this place still has so much of his spirit and forward thinking.” Bernheim was born in Schmieheim, Germany, a small village that borders the Black Forest. He left at age 16 to work in Mannheim and then Frankfurt, a journey that took him along the beautiful Rhine River Valley every time he went home. He immigrated to the United States in 1867 as an 18-year-old, but a job promised to him in New York City fell through. He wound up in eastern Pennsylvania, peddling household goods along the backroads through the Lehigh River Gorge and along the Susquehanna River. He later moved to Paducah, Kentucky, where he spent years selling and promoting bourbon in the surrounding rural region that included Tennessee and Missouri. When he moved to Louisville, helping the city become a major center of distilling, his travels took him to the Limestone Springs Distillery, where his bourbon, I. W. Harper, was distilled and near where the entrance to Bernheim Forest now sits. As his success grew, so did his philan-
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thropic deeds. A prominent member of the Jewish community, Bernheim helped fund the frst library at the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, the frst home of theYoung Men’s Hebrew Association, and an addition at Jewish Hospital in Louisville. As a supporter of the arts, particularly sculpture, he also fnanced two statues in the U.S. Capitol (the only two that have been privately funded) and two in Louisville. In addition, when he returned home to Germany and saw his village had no running water, he donated the money to build the town’s frst plumbing system. But most notable among his many philanthropic acts was the donation of Bernheim Forest, in trust, to the people of Kentucky. He bought the initial 14,000 acres in 1928.The land had been heavily used for mining, logging, and farming and required several years of rehabilitation as the Frederick Law Olmsted design frm began work on a major site plan in 1931. Bernheim Forest opened to the public in 1950, fve years after Bernheim died. Before his death, Bernheim laid out in a letter to the board of trustees his goals for the forest, which included the following: • No discussion of religion or politics, no trading or traffcking … • No distinction will be shown between rich or poor, white or colored. • … a tall steel pole rearing its top far from the ground, and from it will foat the American Flag, to be the center at intervals of patriotic gatherings, especially of chil-
dren, who will be retold the story of liberty. • To all I send the invitation to come … to re-create their lives in the enjoyment of nature … in the park which I have dedicated to the use of the people, and which I hope will be kept forever free. • My vision embraces an edifce, beautiful in design, which will rise at some carefully selected spot within the area. It may be made of marble or of native stone … Within it there will be an art gallery …Therein there will be busts in bronze of men and women whose names have risen to places of distinctive honor in Kentucky — a lasting and ever-present inspiration to the youths who gaze upon their faces. “Bernheim believed nature and art elevated the human spirit regardless of race or economic status,” said Smith. “He was a visionary, and his life was such an incredible example of paying it forward. “That spirit is still here.” “....I have expressed my intention that said property ... be held in trust ... and said fourteen thousand (14,000) acres be used for a park, for an arboretum, and, under certain conditions, for a museum, all of which are to be developed and forever maintained ... for the people of Kentucky, and their friends, as a place to further their love of the beautiful in nature and in art, and in kindred cultural subjects, and for educational purposes, and as a means of strengthening their love and devotion to their state and country.” — I.W. Bernheim
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Gif to Kentucky on social media with the hashtag #onemilliontrees. If visitors get hungry with all that exploration, Isaac’s Café is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tursday through Sunday. Te café serves sandwiches, dessert, and cofee and, when possible, uses produce grown 200 feet outside its door in the Edible Garden. Te four-acre garden was built using a regenerative design that employs rain water harvested in barrels, cisterns, and ponds for irrigation, along with solar panels for energy needs. A monarch way station in the garden attracts a multitude of these butterfies while a lily pond in the garden is home to myriad frogs not much bigger than a thumb. Purple martin houses provide shelter to these communal birds that nest in colonies and sing their loudest songs early in the morning. A set of large chimes nearby adds to the garden’s gentle music. Nearby the garden is another recent art installment, the 25-foot-tall Spirit Nest. Built with harvested eucalyptus, an invasive species in California removed as part of native habitat restoration projects, the nest also contains fallen ash, oak, hickory, black locust, and cedar plank stairs. Te stairs allow kids and adults to climb to the center of the nest for a bird’s eye view of nature. Several log stumps sit at its base, also making it an engaging space for children
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On the Forest Giants Trail, visitors will encounter, clockwise from above, Little Nis, Little Elina, and Mama Loumari.
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KENTUCKY TOURISM PHOTO
Gif to Kentucky
In addition to exploring the natural world, visitors to Bernheim Arboretum can take advantage of a range of programs and workshops.
to sit and hear stories. Created by internationally renowned artist Jayson Fann of Big Sur, California, the Spirit Nest is part of his efort to get young people excited by nature and understand their role as stewards. “Te inclusion of arts, like the giants and the Spirit Nest, brings people and families out who might not have ventured to Bernheim before,” said Patricia “Wren” Smith, interpretive programs manager at Bernheim. “And we’ve kept a lot of those people, which is a great thing.” Spirit Nest is part of the Playcosystem, a new 10-acre natural playground that encourages unstructured activity and contains fve acres of forest for children to roam and play. Using mostly natural objects instead of playground equipment, the main area provides opportunities for digging, balancing, and climbing ropes and poles. Te idea is unstructured play that requires imagination, initiative, and the chance to connect with nature.
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The 25-foot-tall Spirit Nest invites children to climb to its center for a bird’s eye view of nature.
Bernheim also ofers plenty of opportunities to preserve and understand the natural world. In addition to housing a nature center and an education center, Bernheim also conducts many programs open to the public, although COVID-19 has changed how some of those look. For example, this year’s BugFest was both in-person and online. It included interviews with bugs (well, volunteers dressed in self-fashioned bug costumes), which can be found on Bernheim’s YouTube channel. It also included a visit from amateur entomologist Kevin Wiener (host of the Facebook page “All Bugs Go to Kevin,” which features photos of bugs from around the world) and an insect safari at Bernheim. “We are creating opportunities for kids and their families to poke around; you know, lif up rocks and see what’s underneath,” said Smith. “Tey can also look for crawdads in the creek or search for turtles along the boardwalk. It’s not just the giants; it’s all the little things, too.” KM
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Sweet CENTENNIAL
Ruth Hunt Candy Company celebrates 100 years of deliciousness By Patti Nickell Photos by Rick Samuels
At Ruth Hunt Candies, old favorites can be found alongside popular new confections such as these “chocolate bombs.” KEENELAND.COM
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When Ruth Hunt was a young Mt. Sterling socialite, she delighted in serving her creamy homemade candy to members of her bridge club. As much as she delighted in making it, they delighted in eating it. So much so that one member fnally suggested that Hunt take her recipe for the chocolate bonbons and go into business, as the candy would probably “sell very well.” Tat proved to be the understatement of the actual century. Tis year marks the 100th anniversary of the company that gave the world a whole new meaning to the concept of Blue Monday.
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Top, Blue Mondays get a chocolate “bath” before they are placed in their familiar packaging.
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Sweet CENTENNIAL
While today the Ruth Hunt Candy Company has its headquarters in an impressive candy cane pink (naturally) pueblo-style building at 550 Maysville Road in Mt. Sterling, its beginnings were more humble. For the frst 10 years she was in business, Hunt toiled away in her basement, turning out meltaways, caramels, bourbon-less bourbon balls (more on this later), and Blue Mondays — pulled cream coated in bittersweet chocolate — that became her signature confection. As the story goes, Hunt couldn’t come up with a ftting name for her newly minted concoction until a local minister solved the problem for her. He was said to have remarked that he always came by the shop to purchase a sweet treat to cure his blue Monday. Tus, a legend was born. Hunt has been dead for more than half a century, but the legend lives on. Today, her image is featured on everything from candy boxes and tins to kitchen magnets and mouse pads, and that is only because current owner Larry Kezele ordered them for the centennial anniversary. “Ruth was very modest and never wanted her image on anything,” said Kezele, who bought the business in 1988, “but we felt that a century of success had earned her some facial recognition.”
Sweet history
Top, Larry Kezele bought Ruth Hunt Candies in 1988 and in 2016 brought in partner Tobby Moore, above.
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From a Mt. Sterling bridge club sweet to a White House presidential treat (both Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon had her candy delivered to the Oval Ofce) is quite a journey. But Ruth Hunt and those who carried on her tradition were up to the task. “Ruth was a no-nonsense taskmaster,” said 83-yearold Monda Lee Martin, the only current employee who worked for the company when Hunt was there. “She was wonderful to those who took their jobs seriously,” recalled Martin, “but she had no trouble telling slackers to get their coats and leave.”
Sweet CENTENNIAL
Martin was 16 years old when she started working on the assembly line, and she laughs at the inevitable question. “Yes, it was a bit like the ‘I Love Lucy’ episode,” she acknowledged. “Once in a while we would hear some of the girls on the line start yelling and then see them frantically grabbing for the candies and stufng them in their aprons before they could get away.” While that scene might have been comedy gold, Ruth Hunt’s early years were at times more likely to be classifed as drama and even tragedy. In 1935, a fre destroyed her factory, but Hunt remained undaunted. One day afer the fre and with the sky visible through the charred roof, she was back making candy. In 1939 tragedy struck again. Hunt’s husband, William, who had lef his own successful creamery business to partner with his wife, suddenly passed away. Realizing that she needed help, Hunt summoned her daughter, Emily, back from Virginia where she was attending college to help her with the business. Being a dutiful daughter and Hunt’s only child, Emily worked hard to fll her mother’s formidable shoes. Tough she had never made a piece of candy in her life, Emily was credited with a signifcant product change. “It was Emily who frst had the idea of infusing the chocolate bon bons with a shot of bourbon,” Kezele said with a laugh. “Her mother was a teetotaler and wouldn’t have dreamed of such a thing.” Afer Hunt’s death at the age of 74 in 1966, Emily remained a faithful steward of her mother’s vision for another two decades until deciding to sell the business and enjoy her golden years. She found a buyer in Kezele, who purchased the company in 1988, following a career as the
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Monda Lee Martin, who worked with founder Ruth Hunt, returned to the company at Kezele’s urging after a decades-long retirement.
Lexington Urban County Government’s director of feet maintenance. More comfortable with widgets and winches than with a Willy Wonka world, Kezele acknowledged some trepidation initially, as he soon realized how much work he would have to do to bring the candy company into the 21st century. He quickly settled into his new role, however, and set about modernizing the company. His frst step was to combine the factory and the store, which had been operating separately, into one facility in the current location. “Ruth Hunt hated change and we had some work to do to bring production into
today’s mechanized era,” he said. Kezele put a modern spin on everything but the recipes, which he wisely decided to leave intact. In 2016 he took on a partner, Tobby Moore, a Morehead State University graduate, and described by Kezele as a “technical whiz.” It seems both men were marketing whizzes as well, and Ruth Hunt candies soon became the ofcial candy of Woodford Reserve Distillery, and it’s their bourbon that gives the bourbon balls such a kick. Te distillery joined a long list of the candy company’s fans, which ranged from Hollywood icon Rosemary Clooney to Bluegrass icon Ouita Michel. Clooney
LEXINGTON | LOUISVILLE bluegrasshospitality.com
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RUTH HUNT CANDY COMPANY PHOTOS
Clockwise from top, the old Ruth Hunt factory; founder Ruth Hunt; a soldier receiving a box of chocolates; Hunt’s daughter Emily Peck
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loved the candy so much that she had it shipped to her in California, and Michel is such a fan that she uses it in all her recipes that call for chocolate, from chocolate chip cookies to bourbon chocolate pie. Michel said she has modeled her own 20-year career as an entrepreneurial restaurateur afer Hunt’s dedication to having the best product possible. “Ruth Hunt accomplished something that is very difcult to do,” said Michel, “and that was to establish a legacy business that has lasted for a century. “In doing so, she was a special gif to me in my own career.” Ruth Hunt was a special gif to Michel, but someone else proved a special gif to Kezele. He coaxed Monda Lee Martin out of her decades-long retirement. “Since her children were all grown, I asked her to come back to the business,” says Kezele. She did in 1989, and for 32 years has continued to work on the production line — although thanks to Kezele’s modernization, she doesn’t have to worry about any more Lucy and Ethel mishaps. Even from an octagenarian, Martin’s enthusiasm is like that of a kid in a candy shop. “I love it. I’d rather be here than anywhere,” she said.
From left, the making of Blue Mondays involves several steps, starting with cooking the cream that will become the center, pulling the cooled cream, and then forming the bars that lastly will get dipped in chocolate.
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Celebrating a century of confections As it did for most other businesses, 2020 brought challenges to the Ruth Hunt Candy Company. A post ofce located inside the store allowed it to remain open as an essential business, but sales plummeted and the owners were forced to suspend their popular factory tours. (Kezele said the company plans to resume them post-pandemic.) Kezele and Moore were determined that 2021, the company’s centennial, was going to be better. Tey continue to sell 70-80 varieties of candy, all of which are available yearround, with the Blue Monday and bourbon balls unsurprisingly being the most popular. “We’ll make 3,500 Blue Mondays and 22,000 bourbon balls a day,” he said. If that sounds like a busy workday, consider the Christmas season, the company’s busiest time. “We don’t make that many more Blue Mondays, which have a long shelf life, but we sell more during the holidays,” said Kezele. Bourbon balls are a diferent story. “Our bourbon ball production goes up to about 450,000 during November and December,” he said. Additionally, they add several specialties to the usual repertoire: cinnamon jelly and a candy pudding. According to Kezele, the pudding is similar to a fruitcake made with the traditional fruits but mixed with a fondant, pecans, and coconut, dipped in dark chocolate and decorated. It’s safe to say that’s one fruitcake that won’t be passed from household to household.
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In addition to chocolates, Ruth Hunt makes lollipops and soft candies.
Special packaging acknowledges Ruth Hunt’s 100th anniversary.
As for the centennial celebration, it kicked of with a documentary, “History of Sweetness: 100 Years of Ruth Hunt Candy,” by flmmaker Steven Middleton, which aired on KET this summer. It might not have screened in Sundance or Cannes, but the documentary did open to enthusiastic audiences at the Mt. Sterling drive-in in August and was also shown at the Small Town America Festival at the Mt. Sterling Arts Center. Gov. Andy Beshear and Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton have both honored Hunt as a Kentucky icon. Commemorative candy tins with Ruth’s face on them will doubtless become collectibles. Tose who knew her claim all of this fuss would probably make the famously modest founder uncomfortable. Still, a true icon cannot escape her renown, even a century afer she frst came onto the scene. Today, Ruth Hunt candies continue to be shipped to customers in all 50 states, as well as to Canada, Mexico, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. In explaining Hunt’s enduring appeal, perhaps Michel says it best: “Ruth Hunt is an iconic brand for Kentucky. With an impeccable product, great recipes, consistency in preparation, and dedication to quality, the company will no doubt be satisfying chocoholics for another 100 years.” KM
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Making a Dif Difference ference FAYETTE ALLIANCE
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The Fayette Alliance seeks to preserve farmland while advocating for sustainable urban growth.
FRIENDSof FARMLAND Fayette Alliance Advocates for Smart Land Use in Lexington’s Urban and Rural Corridors
ANNE M. EBERHARDT
By Robin Roenker
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W
hile undeniably beautiful and iconic, Fayette County’s famed horse farms aren’t valuable merely for their scenery or even for their key role in the Toroughbred industry.
Brittany Roethemeier heads the Fayette Alliance.
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MARK MAHAN/MAHAN MULTIMEDIA
Tese farms — and Fayette County agriculture as a whole — are also crucial economic engines for the region, helping fuel the city’s economy and improving the quality of life for all citizens here. Understanding the farms’ deep importance, Fayette Alliance — a nonproft land-use advocacy group celebrating its 15th anniversary this year — was founded to preserve and protect Fayette County’s farmland while advocating for smart, sustainable
©Jennifer Sutton of Jennifer Dai Photography
A special thanks to the 2021 sponsors of Evening in the Gardens and the Bluegrass International Cup beneftting Fayette Alliance and the UK Markey Cancer Foundation. Secure your sponsorhip spot for 2022 today by emailing info@fayettealliance.com.
Making a Difference FAYETTE ALLIANCE
growth within Lexington’s urban center. “Fayette Alliance was really born out of this desire to ensure that Lexington grows in a responsible and sustainable way,” said Brittany Roethemeier, the group’s executive director. “And that means connecting our vibrant city with our beautiful and productive farmland. It’s the balance between the two that’s so critical to our future.”
Preserving what makes Lexington unique
ANNE M. EBERHARDT PHOTOS
Fayette Alliance was founded in 2006 by several citizens — including Don Robinson of Winter Quarter Farm, Greg Goodman of Mt. Brilliant Farm, John Phillips of Darby Dan Farm, Jimmy Bell with Godolphin, Helen Alexander of Middlebrook Farm, and others — who were concerned about plans for a proposed large-scale subdivision development on a horse farm along the Russell Cave Road corridor. At a time when local government leaders and planning commission members were facing mounting pressure from certain Don Robinson, a founder of the Fayette Alliance, says the quality sectors to expand land use in the county for housing, farm of life in Lexington “is pretty extraordinary.” preservation advocates felt the need to band together in the form of Fayette Alliance. Tey hoped that by using a unifed voice informed by a data-driven approach to smart land use, they could help educate citizens and county leadership alike about the value of agriculture to the area and get a seat at the table of the decision makers. “I got really compelled by how we treat farmland in Fayette County. I recognized agriculture as our signature economic driver — and that the farms also drive tourism here and are why people want to live here,” said Robinson, a former member of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government’s Planning Commission who helped found Fayette Alliance and still serves on its foundation’s board of directors. “Everyone agreed that the quality of life in Lexington is pretty extraordinary. You can travel from the center of downtown to a horse Greg Goodman, with wife Becky, is another alliance cofounder who understands a vibrant urban center is key to protecting farmland. farm in the countryside within 15
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PHOTOS BY Z
The protection of horse farms from urban development initially galvanized Fayette Alliance founders, but the mission changed to include all farmland.
minutes here, which is unique nationwide, really,” Robinson said. “The Thoroughbred industry employs thousands of people at all levels and allows for beautiful nature to characterize the region as its brand,” agreed Chauncey Morris, a Fayette Alliance board member and executive director of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders (KTA/KTOB). But while a large part of Fayette Alliance’s initial mission was — and remains —farmland preservation, it has expanded over its 15 years of operation to include advocacy for all agricultural operations in the county as well as “smart growth” for the city’s inner urban core. “We may have started by talking about [preserving] horse farms, but our mission quickly changed to include all agriculture as we educated ourselves,” said Greg Goodman, a Fayette Alliance board member and founder. “And, eventually, we figured out that the better downtown is, the less people are going to come and tear up the farms. So, it’s ended up that we’ve worked on more things that are inside the urban service area than outside.”
“FAYETTE ALLIANCE WAS FORMED TO BE AN ONGOING ADVOCATE FOR HOW WE GROW.” — DON ROBINSON, COFOUNDER
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SILVESTRI REAL ESTATE PHOTO
FAYETTE ALLIANCE
Developing urban Lexington in a way that benefts the community is a key objective.
Roethemeier agreed: “What began as a focus on protecting and promoting land for equine purposes and agricultural industries turned into this more holistic focus on not only our farmland, but the other side of the coin — how best to grow and develop the city to meet our needs as a community.” Roethemeier says helping decision makers understand the economics of the local agriculture industry has been a “turning point.”
Since its founding, Fayette Alliance has worked diligently to proactively inform local planning and zoning policy with research-based data on the value of agriculture as well as sustainable land use. Fayette Alliance’s work, in Roethemeier’s words, is “diferent but complementary” to the land conservation work being done by the Bluegrass Land Conservancy (BLC), a local nonproft land trust, and the Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) Program, a conservation program launched in 2000 that is overseen by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government’s Rural Land Management Board. “Te work of the BLC and the PDR Program laid the foundation for a more comprehensive approach to smart land-use policy and advocacy around those issues, which is how Fayette
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MARK MAHAN/MAHAN MULTIMEDIA
Encouraging smart growth to benefit everyone
John Backer, CFO, Pin Oak Stud Ashley Backer, Community Volunteer and BGCF Fundholder
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Making a Difference
THE MALICOTES PHOTOS
FAYETTE ALLIANCE
Above and opposite, an Evening in the Garden and the Keeneland Bluegrass International Cup, both held at Mt. Brilliant Farm, are important fundraisers for the alliance.
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Alliance came to be,” Roethemeier said. While the three programs might have a similar broad goal — farmland conservation — their specifc approach to preserving farmland is diferent. “Our advocacy and educational programming around that work is what diferentiates us, but we all work together toward a responsible and sustainable future for Lexington-Fayette County and Central Kentucky overall,” said Roethemeier. For its part, Fayette Alliance focuses on a three-pronged approach: prioritizing public education, research, and public policy advocacy about responsible land use. Trough partnerships with researchers at the University of Kentucky’s College of Agriculture, for example, Fayette Alliance has helped fund studies that illustrate agriculture’s key role in the economy of the region. “Agriculture has a $2.3 billion economic impact on an annual basis here in Lexington,” said Roethemeier. “Even more tangibly, one in 12 jobs in Lexington is
supported by agriculture. And helping policy makers and decision makers understand the economics of our local agriculture industry — that farms aren’t just beautiful unused greenspace — has really been a turning point for us.” Since 2006 the group has helped usher in more than 130 major local land-use policies through advocacy with the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government and its Planning Commission, according to Roethemeier. “Planning and zoning policy shapes the way we live, work, and play in our community,” she said. “Our goal from the beginning was to create an organized presence to impact and inform conversation and decisions around those issues. And our track record shows we’ve been extremely successful in doing so.” Fayette Alliance has also funded research by nationally recognized urban planning frms to better understand existing areas for development within Lexington’s urban core. One study by Lord Aeck Sargent found that Lexington currently has more than 17,000
acres of vacant or underutilized land within its urban services boundary with the opportunity for development. With that knowledge in hand, “we can then advocate for policies that work to maximize this land and promote a responsible use of our resources,” Roethemeier said. “We’ve never been anti-development,” agreed Goodman. In its work, Fayette Alliance has partnered with groups such as the Coalition for a Livable Lexington, CivicLex, Fayette County Farm Bureau, KTA/KTOB, Seedleaf, the Fayette County Neighborhood Council, Black Soil, and others, to promote the development of and funding for afordable housing, improved access to public transportation, investment in local infrastructure, urban agriculture, local election education, and other essential services within the city’s urban center. To help educate residents about smart growth, the group hosts a free four-week educational program called Grow Smart Academy, which ofers workshops on economic development, environmental sus-
tainability, afordable housing, addressing infrastructure challenges, and the way all of these issues are related to land-use policy. During local election years they also host candidate forums, compile candidate questionnaires, and do more to educate community members about where their local candidates stand on important land-use issues that impact Lexington residents’ daily lives. “Fayette Alliance was formed to be an ongoing advocate for how we are going to grow,” said Robinson. “We know we will grow. But how do we grow? Let’s be intelligent about it. Let’s be data-driven, and let’s consider the needs of the community.” “We are dedicated to achieving sustainable and equitable growth here in Lexington,” agreed Roethemeier. “Trough our work, we have found that preserving our unique and productive farmland, advancing innovative development, and improving our community infrastructure are all interrelated. All of these goals are essential to our collective success as a community.” KM
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