A smattering of visits to horse sites throughout the Bluegrass, with doors open to visits once more

Spendthrift

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Lane’s End

I booked the Lane’s End shuttle tour, giving access to parts of the farm I had never seen before. There was an opportunity to pay homage to the great horses associated with the farm interred in the cemetery, and it was touching to see broodmares flanked by daughters they had. The tour also visited the breeding shed, stallions in their pastures, several new foals who were held by handlers while their physical attributes were pointed out, and the same was done at another barn with two yearlings. A.P. Indy’s pasture stood empty, as the farm has not yet found it time to have another horse fill the grand stallion’s domain, and so it fittingly remains a silent tribute to the one who once resided there, and all he meant to Lane’s End.

The surprise that was so casually revealed a mere moment before it occurred was getting to see Zenyatta and her new Candy Ride filly! The filly was quite precocious, and interested in getting acquainted with visitors. She has a lot of presence.

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Keeneland

Given how strict Keeneland has been with protocols about non-essential people being on the grounds, I was not sure visitors would be allowed even after the recently concluded meet ended, which saw War of Will and other top runners continue to excel, as well as set records. So when I happened to see they were taking tour bookings for morning works,, I figured that was the only sanctioned way to get on the grounds as a visitor and I missed being there. Words cannot describe how incredible it felt to drive in and see the serenity of the lush trees spread down the drive and the beautiful landscaping and iconic sycamore tree inside the track grounds. I had missed it.

I later discovered that the tour is not necessary to gain access, the only requirements for now being a temperature scan, answering health questions, and leaving name and reason of visit at the entry checkpoint. Whether access will be allowed for the October meet remains to be seen, and Keeneland did recently announce only those who have recent negative Covid-19 tests will be allowed on the grounds for the upcoming September sale, but I was so grateful to be back on the premises that I was focused on enjoying it now.

The tour guided pointed out that typically (as I had observed in the past), the jockeys in the jockey garden quickly get their painted-on silks and plaques updated when a stakes race gets a new winner. I did take photos of all the jockeys because they were still reflecting last year’s winner. Even when I visited again on my own about 2 weeks after the meet concluded, they still had not been updated. This is not a knock on Keeneland, rather it is one more way of noting that it is an atypical year and things would normally be prioritized are not as important as they once were. And knowing that some companies have delays with production and also that few spectators are on site even without racing, it truly does not seem as necessary to update those.

It was wonderful to be on those grounds, and see running down the track. That was the closest I had come to seeing racing in person all year, and I savored that too.

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Speaking of idyllic tracks, it was recently reported the land Arlington is on may be too valuable for it to be retained as a racecourse. That seems like a travesty. It is easily one of the most beautiful tracks I’ve been to, and I explored all of it I was allowed to, even down to the lowest floor, where I found a delightful collage of horses that ran there hung between two elevators, and there are many such touches throughout the facility that showcase an appreciation for racing and its history, as well as others that add unique elements of elegance. Race dates for 2021 have been applied for, though it is unclear if they actually will be held. America is overrun with shopping malls and residences, and it is a shame that a land’s value, when it is being preserved as a wide open space for the most part as well as an extraordinary nod to history and a showcase for racing, means it must be converted to a greater source of revenue return. Some things should mean more than a chance for a money grab, even in a country where consumerism seems to be king. But if Arlington is to give way to such things, I will savor that I went, even as it will be sad to see it go, and if I can attend once more next year I will.

One more note about Arlington and its place in history, specifically one tied to my favorite racehorse of all time: As the site of Cigar’s sixteenth win in a row, in the Arlington Citation Challenge decades ago, that race call when he won rings in my memory and also showcases how these grand tracks retain echoes of the horses who created memories that linger long past the day they occurred and become part of the lore of the site. What shopping mall or residence can ever claim such a hold on deeply meaningful memories? While it is out of my hands what happens with Arlington and I will not like to see another track go by the wayside if it does, I will always remember one glorious day I spent there and one of the best race calls of Cigar’s career that happened on those grounds: “Sixteen in succession as Cigar assumes the crown of immortality!” I am grateful to have seen both Cigar and Arlington, and it is a jewel of a track for him to have achieved that milestone. And will remain so, in memory if not in physical existence.

...And Meeting a Few New Ones, June 2020

It was a lovely summer day as I drove towards Old Friends, which just recently was able to start welcoming visitors again, providing all health precautions were followed and no visitors had high fevers, checked by thermometer upon arrival. I looked at some scattered gray clouds overhead, but they did not seem numerous enough to bring rain during the tour, which they did not, so they had the perfect effect of tempering the sun’s heat a bit.

I had wanted to go to Old Friends once winter loosened its hold even slightly and to also attend the welcome party for new arrivals Stormy Liberal and Patch, which had been scheduled for April but had to be scuttled like many gatherings this year. As a fairly frequent visitor to Old Friends, to not visit until June was unusual, but naturally this is not a typical year for just about anything.

So it was that as I and the tour guide Tom wandered from pasture to pasture feeding carrots to the retirees and patting those that welcomed it, the visit and seeing these horses’ familiar faces brought a sense of contentment. Old Friends truly is the most fitting name for this farm, but I realized even more how fitting that day, for seeing these horses again (those who had all been there during my last visit) truly was like a reunion with dear friends.

We started with Nicanor. I had only interacted with him perhaps one other time (the visits somewhat blur together when you’ve had a lot) and as I was the only visitor on that tour once he decided to come over for carrots I was sure to get his attention. Naturally, being face-to-face with a full sibling and seeing the similarities in their facial structure and definition, a refinement I realized a while back had come from their dam, I began reminiscing a little about Barbaro. But only for a moment, for this was Nicanor, his own being, and I wanted to savor the time back here with each horse in front of me after the hiatus between visits. But since I never saw Barbaro himself besides on TV, it was special to be in the presence of a sibling with a similar appearance and also reflect on a day I read about him winning a turf race by an incredible fifteen lengths (I think it was the week I was on the way to Maryland for Rachel Alexandra’s Preakness). He seems to have a laid-back temperament and I do enjoy that look he has that their dam passed on to each of them. It gives him a spark of his own, a measure of the spark Barbaro had.

Moving on to Sun King, he took a little more caution than Nicanor. Nicanor is still fairly young, and I didn’t follow Sun King’s sire career, but he may have been a sire longer than Nicanor was and still had those studdish tendencies. Or, he was just a tough horse in general, but either way, I was a little more careful about hand placement while feeding him. Still, since it was just me on the tour, I had more time to reflect out loud about these horses and reminiscing flowed as we stopped by each pasture. I remembered well a day I saw Sun King run at Keeneland years ago and win the Commonwealth Breeders’ Cup, for two reasons. One was that as the most accomplished runner his sire produced, a sire who captivated me through his Triple Crown attempt, I naturally rooted for his best son. And two was a little fun I had with his appearance in the paddock, tied to family memories growing up with my mom listening to her favorite band the Beatles, who have the song Here Comes the Sun King and I thought of that as he walked by me that day, and still did when he came to the fence line to get his carrots. Ide had been right across from him, also a regional sire but one who made more of a mark if I remember correctly. Not that any of that matters when they come to Old Friends, for they are here to live out their lives and get spoiled by carrots and attention and time to be horses and roam paddocks, but as one who has a strong interest in pedigree and progeny and lineages, the thought did crop up from time to time. Plus for the ones who were sires that is part of their life stories. It is remarkable, though, that while many were breeding stallions and merit some level of caution for being territorial about their space and interactions with them having to be on their terms, many of the ones who were sires are remarkably mellow but tour guides always point out which ones to be careful of and of course to anyone who knows horses there is an awareness to never assume they may not nip.

Ide was one pasture over from where he had been when I last visited, an incredibly handsome chestnut stallion who always catches my eye, and across from him was Smooth Air, who I had not seen before. I had to laugh a bit at Smooth Air’s throaty nickers as he drew closer to the fence and then popped his head over, almost like he was insisting he never gets treats and was playing a sympathy card with what seemed like a bit of a pleading tone with the low rumble mostly in his throat instead of a full blown whinny. Hard to resist feeding a horse who tries to play the sympathy card even if he is merely revealing he is somewhat of a glutton for carrots! But no matter. Regardless of what their stations in life were before they arrived, it is nice to spoil the horses at Old Friends a little and connect with them, for even in giving them treats you get to learn a bit about their characters.

Touch Gold used to be somewhat near Special Ring and Popcorn Deelites’ paddock but before reaching that one we stopped to see Stormy Liberal. He was easily the most photogenic of the new horses that had arrived since my last visit, and he knew how to pose! A photographer’s dream.

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Other new arrival Patch occupied the paddock that Touch Gold once had and we gave him a few carrots before moving on to Popcorn Deelites and Special Ring, who absolutely does flip his lip if you hold a carrot but don’t yet give it to him. It is amusing and endearing to see this little trick he has. While we stood there, perhaps sparked by seeing what Special Ring does for a carrot, which all the tour guides love to show visitors, Tom launched into a story about a young lady in her late teens by his estimate who showed up to a tour wearing a tank top and when they came to Popcorn Deelites, he may have felt he wasn’t getting carrots fast enough for he grabbed the strap of the young lady’s tank top and pulled it right up. Tom hastened to assure her he didn’t teach the horse that and all I could think (and said) was how embarrassing! And he said she turned bright red. I could imagine.

We moved on to Silver Charm. I had missed him the most, and as the years continue to progress, it means more to see him for not knowing how much longer he may have. That is when the visit began to feel almost like time slowed down, and was timeless. The beautiful day, the way he moved slowly with dignity through his field to the fence, and being in the moment, appreciating the here and now and forgetting all the uncertainty and unusual times in the world fled. There was just this horse, an elder statesman of racing, one who had settled beautifully into a role of racing ambassador, moving through the lush June grasses to be near and take the smaller pieces of carrot dental surgery made it necessary to give him. As we waited for him to make his way to the fence line, I turned to look at Tom as he said something, and noticed a long strand of silvery hair, probably from Silver Charm’s tail, stuck in one of the fence posts and caught in a breeze. I know it sounds like a simple thing, but with all that can be overwhelming in life, it was a moment of being centered to see a strand of horse hair float in the breeze, two elements of nature and evidence of the cycle of life away from technology and endless news cycles is waiting for us and will help us find that calm. I had a brief thought of wanting to have it for my own, remembering a day I groomed Silver Charm but then the horse himself arrived at the fence and the focus shifted to him and I did not remember the strand of hair until later. But it did not matter I didn’t have it. It mattered that I had the time to be there again to see the horse himself.

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Even though Silver Charm was the horse I had missed the most, I think we stayed at his pasture the shortest time (Tom let me decide when I was ready to move on as the only person on the tour). I couldn’t resist looking back once we left as he ambled across the pasture, back to where he had been, where perhaps the choicest grass was at that time, wanting to fill my eyes with another glimpse and maybe then I thought it had not been long enough. But it also was perfect and it didn’t have to be long to be perfect. I was struck anew by how gentlemanly a demeanor Silver Charm has, as he has a great dignity about him and a gentle way of taking carrots, never grabbing or giving cause for concern that he may get overeager or nip. He is particular about being touched on his face, but he is practically gracious in all interactions, including declining face pats. It was a moment of communion without words, to give him those carrots and feel him take them so gently from my palm and in that feel his calm nature radiate outward. Quiet moments like those touch the soul, make you feel grateful to be in the presence of the horse and to get to know them, much as it had last week when Devine Actress came to the fence with her foal close behind and was willing to let me lean against her neck, and I found I drew strength from that, a strength beyond what is within I knew I had been seeking and that horses can help with, with their uncomplicated natures, but unless they are willing you never know what source it will come from.

As we walked through the cemetery across from Silver Charm’s pasture and near Michael Blowen’s house, mostly in silent homage to the horses interred, I saw Blowen in his yard from a distance. I remembered other times visiting and how he loved to come over if he was about when tours were going on and interact with visitors and especially if he happened to see them interacting with Silver Charm, a horse incredibly significant to him. I sensed he wanted to this time, but supposed with current regulations he decided it best to leave the visit to me and Tom, and minimize the number of people interacting. I could imagine he was glad, especially if it remained safe to do so, that visitors were able to return, however. Besides it helping with fundraising, a necessity for a non-profit, he always envisioned the farm as a showcase for the retirees and wanted to share them with fans.

Moving past Silver Charm, after that one look back (he was the only horse I was compelled to look back at), we walked past Alphabet Soup in the barn, with his head peeking out of the cutout in the stall door. I know he wanted carrots but current health regulations in the face of the pandemic prohibit visitors from going in barns. (It certainly makes sense not to go into barns at this time, to keep contact with farm staff minimal, especially in enclosed spaces, but I had thought it was more than farm regulations that dictated this until another farm did allow access to a stallion barn).

Afternoon Deelites had a stall that gave him a view outwards, though, so we did get to pause by him and do more than look from a distance. Wrapping up the tour, we stopped by Einstein, in the large paddock near the barn, separated by the small quarantine pen, which held a horse that had raced the previous week, still wearing racing plates and a halter with what was probably his trainer’s name engraved on it. I don’t recall the horse’s name and Tom had not known who he was.

As we looked at Einstein, another volunteer, John, could not help stopping his golf cart, saying that he had to when he saw people admiring the near-black horse. I have realized over the years while the Old Friends horses all get their moment in the sun on any tour the guides lead, many of them are likely to have specific horses that resonate with them more than any other. Naturally, for the same happens with people we meet. For John, that horse was clearly Einstein and he did come over to try to help with Einstein getting his ears forward for the photos I wanted to get. It was the first time I had seen Einstein out of the barn.

Touch Gold now occupies the paddock War Emblem called home for years, and having been familiar with him being one of the toughest horses they had and how he required a double fence (the only horse on the property that did), and only tour guides and Blowen went in between the two fences to give him carrots and draw him over for photos, it felt odd to see the gate swung open and go between the two fences even knowing a different horse resided there now. As we walked along the fence down to the far corner to meet Touch Gold, my eye roamed over the next pasture, where pale blue skies and fluffy white clouds nestled over a group of geldings enjoying the grass. Such an idyllic scene, just as seeing the pond near the entrance ringed by trees had been upon arrival. I was grateful to be back, first and foremost, which I felt strongly when I saw that pond and then began interacting with the horses, and to have these moments to breathe easy and feel attuned to the land as the horses are when they seek the best spots to roll and graze.

We wrapped the tour up at the cemetery near the visitors’ center. I had not been in it before, but had a friend request a photo of Noor’s gravesite, moved there from a training center. The beautifully landscaped site also had Springsteel (a horse of yesteryear), Skip Away, and Old Friends residents Hidden Lake and Charismatic interred within. I paused by each gravestone, reflecting on those horses. Since I had never gone into that cemetery before, I did not realize Springsteel had his photo on his gravestone in an oval. I had never seen that on any horse’s gravestone before, and it was a nice touch to honor him. I did ask Tom before we left what the distinction was between this cemetery and the one near Blowen’s house that contained most of the remains of the Old Friends residents. He said that, while the other one had champions, this one was considered a champions’ graveyard.

I thought, though I hope he has many good days ahead of him still, that this is probably going to be Silver Charm’s spot when the time comes, But it was not time to think of that yet, and I let the thought float away on the lovely day. I am not sure if I will return this summer. Even though I was the only one on the tour that time, it was still interaction with people I don’t normally cross paths with, and there is the possibility from work I could have picked up the virus and not know it yet, and I don’t want to pass it on to others much as I don’t want to contract it myself. But in general, in this unprecedented time, given that they are outdoors and distancing is easier and groups are smaller, I feel that horse farm visits are one of the safer recreational activities that can be done currently.

June 2020

Setting out for Mill Ridge recently, one of the farms that is a member of Horse Country and recently reopened to visitors with new protocols in place, I was struck anew by how lovely these drives are through farm country. Just as these horse farms have had restrictions in place like many businesses, so have many individuals seen a different landscape in a figurative sense in their daily lives. I had been one of those, mostly staying close to home except for work, grocery store runs and time outside. Finally expanding beyond that horizon made the drive to Mill Ridge and the scenery along the way resonate even more. There was one other aspect that struck me, too, as I passed Keeneland shortly before arrival at the farm. Naturally, in a typical year by June I would have been at Keeneland a multitude of times, soaking in their spring race meet and all the top horses it attracts. I had pushed it out of my mind, when April came and went without the meet, but driving by for the first time in months, pushed it to the forefront again. It was a fresh realization of how odd it felt not to have been on the grounds since January, and that was only incredibly briefly, as I had been dealing with another pressing issue at the time that precluded time to look at standout horses in the sale as I usually would.

However, that thought only lasted a moment. While this pandemic is by no means behind us, with a little bit of normality returning (even though I am not willing to spend time in places like restaurants or movie theaters yet), what was an option to visit lay before me and that was my focus, for I love to visit the local farms and interact with their horses. Horse time is a boon to the soul, as is time outside.

Passing the airport and turning down a rural road, the trees formed a lush green canopy overhead. I love that about these rural roads in this area, and have since my first visit here. It has never left me how serene such a drive is, like going through a natural cathedral and all the serenity that evokes, and for not having seen these sights in so long, it felt like the first time experiencing this.

Arriving at Mill Ridge, I was given a bag of carrots to feed the horses along the drive through the farm. Social distancing and masks for the duration of the tour were the order of the day, as in many places. I have become a little used to the dance that is social distancing for it being mandated and strictly enforced in my workplace, and it is definitely easier to do in an outdoor setting than in a workplace indoors. The only other nod there to current events was that going into barns was not allowed, but fields were full of mares and foals, so there were plenty of horses to visit.

The first stop was to a field with two mares and foals, one pair being Devine Actress and her foal of this year, a full brother to Oscar Performance. Both foals were sprawled out in the grass, sleeping. Though the grass was pretty short, neither foal was visible until I stood on a rung of the fence and just saw a bit of each foal barely discernible until the tour guide, Hannah, woke Devine Actress’ foal up and led the mare to the fence for carrots and attention, with her foal close behind. Just as with seeing the canopy the trees formed overhead on my drive resonating deeper for longer away from such things than usual, so did the time in the presence of a horse and getting to pat her and breathe in that rich horsey scent that most horse aficionados understand is one of the best scents in the world and entirely unique. Not to dwell on this, but for reasons that included but also went beyond the uncertainty of navigating life in pandemic times and concerns about that, it had not been an easy year. As Devine Actress came to the fence line, after I fed her a few carrots and then began to pat her neck, I leaned into her solid bulk for just a moment, savoring the time in a horse’s presence again. Being near her, having that interaction, even breathing in her scent, did feel therapeutic for what it represented of how life still goes on in the midst of uncertainty, and the natural rhythm of life is ongoing.

At Mill Ridge, the foals were born, the mares grazed, Oscar Performance rested in his stall, the buttercups bloomed in the pastures, nestled among the grass…. The seasons unfurled as they always did, both with blossoming of flowers and lushness of other growth, and with the usual cadence of life at a breeding farm, with summer being a time for new foals to continue to grow, for nurturance of the foals to be born next year… and that was good to see. Even though masks were the order of the day, here with the focus on horses, it is easier than at work to escape thoughts of the pandemic. Feels like it is usually at the forefront of thought at work, given the strict emphasis on new protocols and monitoring to ensure enforcement.

After Devine Actress, we visited a field with a lovely American Pharoah filly, still so young she was a little shy about human interaction, but she peeked sweetly at me through the fence, a face of innocence. That same day I saw her, thousands of miles away, her sire came so tantalizingly close to having a Royal Ascot winner from his first crop, now three-year-olds. In fact, Monarch of Egypt (who ended up having to settle for second place in the Jersey Stakes that day), had been not only American Pharoah’s first runner but also was his first winner, both occuring in the same race last year. Looking him up to confirm that he had in fact been American Pharoah’s first runner and winner, I discovered an article written shortly after the colt’s first win that mentioned he was already being considered for Royal Ascot at the right time. That was interesting to discover in light of his near-triumph as he did indeed run at Royal Ascot. Even though that attempt was not victorious, it truly was one where his talent still shone. Monarch of Egypt ended up just being narrowly run down by a fast-closing opponent in the final strides, and it was clear he was still giving his all. Even though not a victory, that is still a plus in American Pharoah’s column as a sire, particularly as he is such a young sire, giving him time to still have a Royal Ascot winner should any future connections of his runners take that path. And it would be intriguing to see Monarch of Egypt attempt a Royal Ascot victory again next year, should he keep training well, and see if he can capture that which just eluded him this time.

Given my interest in pedigrees, and American Pharoah’s sire line tracing back to Unbridled (the first Derby winner I remember), I had been following his progeny since they were foaled in his first crop, and photographing those I could at farms and sales, to keep track of in case they became well-known runners. Naturally, that meant I had to photograph this filly at Mill Ridge. Even if she doesn’t become a top runner (but given her sire’s track record, she likely has a better than average chance), it will stay with me seeing her endearing face peek through the fence and getting to spend a little time with her.

After that, we visited the largest field of mares and foals. I had nearly run out of carrots by then, indulging in a lot of spoiling of the mares, so I made my way to one gray mare and her foal standing in the shade of a tree. Those foals were the oldest of the current year’s crop, so they were not shy about interactions like the younger ones in other pastures had been. The gray mare was perfectly content just to be scratched behind her ear and along her neck, not minding that I didn’t have carrots. (There had been an earlier tour that day, so they still had a chance at getting carrots that day, anyway). There is a simple yet meaningful pleasure in connecting with a horse by finding a spot where they enjoy being scratched. It is beautiful to get away from the overly digitally connected world and away from screens, and have connection that does not involve either. And know how the horse appreciates that, and it feels like a small moment of service. Altruism.

The tour wrapped in front of Oscar Performance’s stall. He stays in overnight. I love the unique layout of the Mill Ridge stallion barns, each their own individual units, which made Oscar Performance seem strongly like a king of his domain. He practically is, being the only breeding stallion at the farm, but the layout of the stallion barns contributes to that impression.

He came to the front of the stall for a little interaction, but was in dozing mood and shortly afterwards wandered off to the center of the spacious stall to relax further. Hannah spoke about the books of mares he had covered so far, and how well-received he has been to this point.

Returning to the breeding shed, which has a gift shop beside it, Hannah mentioned that the farm teaser is named Option. That was a bit comical to both of us, and a fitting name for a teaser, given that he does help assess if a breeding will go forward or not.

Driving outside of the farm, I went slowly as protocol dictates on every farm, but also to savor the views of the rolling fields as far as the eye could see. Savoring the moment, once more, of having the opportunity to return to more of what I love to experience.

It is hard not to miss attending live racing, but for now I will soak in farm visits, realizing they are less of an infection risk than even being at work is, both for being held outdoors but also for not involving mass gatherings. I did still have to sign a waiver releasing Mill Ridge and Horse Country from liability if I conracted Covid-19 from the visit (as I did when visiting my dentist recently for a checkup), but as my grandmother has said recently, there is no way to eliminate all risk. I am not going to live my life this year with no regard for being a potential contagion point or others being some, and I have been quite cautious about social interactions to the point of not having any for months in person, but I don’t want to isolate from everything that makes life beautiful this year, and horse farm visits seem like one of the safest options beyond visiting parks and soaking in nature that way to experience that.

Faith and hope in Begum was also reflective of what this visit meant, how you can find them in unusual or trying circumstances. Hannah said 99% of people would have put Begum down when she was born and they discovered her eyes never developed, and no one was sure how a horse without eyes would manage life. But Alice Chandler was determined that Begum get her chance to live, as she was healthy in every way even though she had 100% developed as expected. When Begum was a foal, they put a bell on her dam and left the grass taller in the pasture everywhere but around the perimeter, so Begum always knew where the fence was, and Chandler’s willingness to give Begum a chance to live her life was rewarded when she became the ancestress of an illustrious line. And I can’t help but think, knowing what I have heard and read of Chandler and how she grew up with the Thoroughbred industry ingrained in her from generations of her family raising Thoroughbreds and learning from her father about it as his near-shadow on the farm, that any horsewoman would have seen the value (beyond even money, but perhaps in contributions to the breed) in a horse and giving her the chance to live out her life and inherent potential. It also is reflective in a sense of how Chandler’s father left her a portion of Beaumont Farm farthest away from sites of future development, knowing raising horses would be her aim, and the distinction of how she approached this more with an eye to the future as her relatives had done, than with an eye to breeding for sales. Mill Ridge still gives the feel of being that type of place, through successive generations that helm it since Chandler, as her son and grandson have taken the roles of stewards of that legacy and adding their own pages to its storied history, with the addition of Oscar Performance as a stallion being the newest chapter.

Bull Dog’s gravestone stands in a pastoral setting on the ground of Carnahan House. This house was once the grand residence in the center of Coldstream Farm, which grew as its success did by acquiring land of other nearby farms, including McGrathiana Farm, where the winner of the first Kentucky Derby, Aristides, was bred.

McGrathiana was purchased later by C.B. Shaffer, along with a nearby farm called Coldstream. Shaffer gave the name Coldstream to all the holdings that made up the farm he purchased. He was also the owner of the farm when the house that would later be called Carnahan House, after the University of Kentucky purchased the property, was built.

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It is likely Bull Dog’s stone was moved to its present location but not his remains. Still, it was awe-inspiring to stand before this homage to him and reflect upon what he contributed to the Thoroughbred breed.

According to Avalyn Hunter’s American Classic Pedigrees website, Bull Dog had a strong opportunity at stud due to his full brother Sir Gallahad III’s success as a sire. Of course, Bull Dog sired the incomparable Bull Lea, and that alone would be enough to ensure his name lived on. He earned standings in the top tier of the sire rankings numerous times, and also was a top broodmare sire later in his stud career.

Interestingly, Bull Lea became one of only four stallions to sire three Kentucky Derby winners, with his sire’s full brother Sir Gallahad III being one of the others.

In addition to Aristides, over the years and varying ownership, other top horses came from this land surrounding the last remnant, the grand home referenced above, of when it was devoted to raising horses. Hindoo, Jet Pilot, Myrtle Charm, and of course Bull Dog were some of the most notable horses that were bred and raised on the property, whether it was called McGrathiana, Coldstream, or Maine Chance Farm at the time those horses were bred.

Returning to the grounds of Carnahan House a week later, on May Day, fields surrounding what had been McGrathiana Farm, where Aristides was bred and raised, were beginning to be awash in yellow flowers. The older trees on the land immediately surrounding the house had sprouted leaves.

The surroundings were lovely and appreciation grew that so much of this land had been left undeveloped. As I first walked the grounds of Carnahan House, I wondered if broodmares had once roamed those fields while their foals played, and I could almost see it in my mind’s eye, even though the trees seemed old enough to have been on the grounds since it was a farm and therefore had been unlikely to be a pasture. Still, in a city that grows in leaps and bounds and overtook many sites that had once been on the outskirts of Lexington, I liked seeing this land remain mostly untouched.

I had also been curious if I could find Rose Leaves’ grave site and a few others of horses that once had lived at Coldstream Stud, but I also saw another source that said Bull Dog’s grave site had been moved and it was not clear if his remains also had.

I realized that must be the case, since the website I had consulted to try to find his grave site had an inaccurate location, and perhaps Rose Leaves’ grave site is no longer marked. If it is, it would likely be too difficult to find.

However, I drove around a little more and came across a historical marker denoting that I was standing in the midst of the land where Aristides had been raised. Many times in the past as I drove by that site, knowing it was the general vicinity of where he once lived, I had wondered how it looked when he was a resident. As it turns out, except for the road running through the land, and a business nearby, it is not that hard to envision how it may have been in that era, for it is mostly open land. Another nearby marker mentioned that Cane Run Creek had run through the property then as now. And what stood out to me, standing there, was how lovely and great it was to see a site that was a haven for birds and probably a few types of aquatic life, even near a heavily-traveled road in Lexington. There was a deep serenity in the flowing water and the bird songs, and I loved the coincidental discovery of the site where Aristides had once lived, for all the time I had wondered about it.

• 

• 

I also loved that it was on May Day I discovered this, blooming flowers cropping up on the land, a harbinger of spring that the day marks.

Before leaving the grounds of Carnahan House, I also looked inside of what had once been a grand home and it was still evident on the outside how it had though it had fallen into some disrepair and disuse.

With another attempt to locate the grave sites of horses besides Bull Dog, I found what appeared to be another grave stone. If it was, it was inscription-side down, and yet still confirmed what I had begun to suspect, given that Bull Dog’s gravestone was no longer where a website I had consulted mentioned it as being, and also since it had been moved, it was likely the other gravestones had too.

It is too difficult to identify if this stone I found is that of Rose Leaves, Etoile Filante, or Reaping Reward, yet it seems likely it is one of those. While it has not been left standing in a place of honor like Bull Dog’s, it still reclines in a peaceful site beneath a tree that had honeysuckle flowers growing alongside and stretching down towards the gravestone.

One other interesting note about this property, as its historic reign continued in the racing world, part of Coldstream Stud later became Maine Chance Farm. Part of the property retains that name, with another part being a research farm, both part of the University of Kentucky’s holdings, along with the nearby Coldstream property. As one who appreciates racing history deeply, it always stood out to me that there was a significance to getting to be on the Maine Chance property to take classes while enrolled in the University of Kentucky’s Equine Science and Management degree, with their resident horse herd, and later to work on the research farm and go past that part of the property on the way to work.

One of the barns on the Maine Chance property was one I could envision just as it would have been when Elizabeth Arden Graham’s horses resided there. The university still raises Thoroughbreds on-site, with the foals being handled by students through their yearling year to learn everything about raising a young horse and sales prep. It also stood out that where a training track had once been left a path evident near the entrance, traces of what once had been, much as Carnahan House, Aristides’ birthplace, and Bull Dog’s gravestone have their own stories to tell of the enduring significance this land gave rise to in the racing industry.

References:
http://www.gardenstogables.com/the-uncertain-fate-of-carnahan-house-at-coldstream-farm/

https://www.paulickreport.com/news/ray-s-paddock/kentucky-farm-time-capsule-maine-chance-farm/

https://explorekyhistory.ky.gov/items/show/319

http://www.americanclassicpedigrees.com/bull-dog-fr.html

It felt odd, like for many who love racing, to see this day dawn knowing it was not synonymous with Derby Day. Even knowing in advance it was going to be that way, ever since the horse racing bug bit me, meant it was hard to shake that notion. It was strange indeed to go to sleep the evening before and know that it would be another day, no early trip to Louisville in the cards to witness another day of the pageantry, anticipation, and excitement unfold. However, hopefully that will happen in September, with enthusiasts in attendance.

Since there would be no Derby Day this year on the first Saturday in May, I had turned to Steve Haskin’s book, Tales of the Triple Crown, reading the chapter on Monarchos before calling it a night, and then finding a different book to focus on something besides wistfulness at missing the Derby.

The chapter on Monarchos brought a lot of memories flooding back, and even with as many Derby winners as I’ve seen who used that victory as a springboard to even greater things in the overall trajectory of their careers, it hit me for the first time that Monarchos may well be the winner I identify with most strongly for sentimental reasons, and a large part of that is some of his story is intertwined with family memories. That means even more when one has lived away from family for years.

Besides the memories associated with family regarding Monarchos, there were two other aspects that drove that strong resonance of his Derby win and his life in the years to come. One was pedigree. Studying pedigrees has fascinated me since I was quite young, as a child watching racing on TV and taking notes about what broadcasters mentioned about horses’ sires and dams, and spreading from there to dive into lineages and how they could lead to excellence, whether it was one top horse from a particular sire and dam or a long string of notable descendants from a family branch.

Where pedigree strongly tied in with Monarchos was from the presence in his family line of Majestic Prince in the fourth generation. Though he won the Derby ten years before I was born, photos of him sparked my imagination and drew me to him in a way that words cannot explain. It was enough that he seemed like an epitome of what a top Thoroughbred should be. That one little link, tenuous as it was based only on photographs, meant Maria’s Mon was a horse I followed avidly during his race career, and when his son Monarchos showed promise, I was all in on him for the Derby.

I was still living in Tennessee, so I had no access to betting other than online but I believed in Monarchos so strongly I set up an online wagering account to bet on him to win the Derby. (Side note: betting does not have a big pull for me, so to set up that account and only ever use it to bet Monarchos was significant). Even that little memory is tied to family, as I was sitting in my grandmother’s home and placed the bet through her computer. Funny thing is, I had no idea how to withdraw the money from the online account when he did win but it didn’t matter. I was elated he got the victory and it was a special memory that the first time I ever bet the Derby, the horse I chose won. I didn’t ever bother to figure out how to withdraw the winnings, because what mattered was he won, but I did make sure to buy a large photo of him at the wire in the Derby.

While Monarchos did not repeat his Derby success (having sustained an injury, the Haskin book reminded me, that likely compromised his chances at winning again going forward and then led to his retirement not long after the Derby), he always meant a lot to me for fulfilling the promise of his family line, going back to a horse I wasn’t even alive to witness and adding another Derby triumph to that male line.

When I visited Kentucky for the first time the year after the gray colt’s Derby win, I went to as many horse farms as I could. Claiborne was tops on the list, to pay tribute to Secretariat with a rose for his gravesite on my mom’s behalf, as he had been her favorite horse, and to see Monarchos.

I got a photo with him, his coat still the dark gray of a young horse and still not looking like he was far removed from being in racing trim, even as he had nearly completed his first year at stud.

The following year, I moved to Kentucky, spurred by the visits to all the farms and how it felt like where I should be. That is where a second family memory, besides how strongly I remember being in in my grandmother’s house betting Monarchos (with the associated sense of what she means in my life, from being there in her home), came into effect. My mom came to visit and I made one farm appointment for her visit. I felt she needed to go to Claiborne herself, to see where Secretariat had lived and now lay at rest, and I also wanted her to meet Monarchos. I got a photo of her with him to add to the one of me with him the previous year. That is the only time my mom has been to any horse farms here, and the only famed horse I have a photo of her with.

Since I was in Kentucky every year of Monarchos’ retirement, and lived here for all but one, there were more opportunities to build memories with him.

I had two more moments in his presence before he passed, after the earliest days of his retirement.

One was when he moved from Claiborne, and I happened to be with a friend who took a detour by the farm where he resided, and sure enough we saw him grazing in a paddock. It stood out to just happen to drive by and see him there, for even in a place with a multitude of Derby winners, to see them grazing from the road is not common. And of course I loved that the winner was Monarchos. I don’t even think that friend realized his significance to me when she went by to try to spot him. Was purely serendipity, feeling even more special for that aspect.

In 2013, I connected with a group of people who came from multiple states to look at putting together a partnership for a racehorse, starting from scratch with breeding a mare to the stallion they were avid fans of. Since I had admired this stallion too as a racehorse, the idea was appealing to me and I joined in their activities that weekend. While the group ultimately was revealed not to be one I wanted to join in the partnership with, I will never forget the weekend they came to Lexington and all I got to be part of by considering joining their group. They had garnered some degree of national attention for how they followed the stallion they wanted to have the foal from, and this opened doors to experiences I likely would not have had otherwise. They knew about aspects of these horses I didn’t, and one of the people in the group happened to know that Monarchos’ groom was willing to have his charge “autograph” the book about him, Horse of a Different Color.

With a recommendation of an independent bookseller that sold the book, I went to be sure I had my copy in hand the day we visited Monarchos.

It was the longest amount of time I had spent in his presence, and it stood out what a rapport he shared with his groom, and how he had a patient mellow temperament as everyone in the group lined up to have their books “autographed” and get photos with him.

I had no idea what it meant to have a horse autograph a book. I never would have known of such a thing if this group didn’t happen to know about it.

When we all gathered that morning to see Monarchos, we opened the book to the first page, before the title page, and the groom had Monarchos stand on them long enough to leave a firm hoof imprint. In return, the group brought him a case of Guinness, I think. Some type of beer that was his favorite to thank him for doing that for all of us.

It shone how much Monarchos mattered to him, and how glad he was to share him with us.

While I was looking for the book I wanted to read to think of things besides missing the Derby on its usual day, that is when I came across this book Monarchos autographed, and also discovered a sizable amount of either his mane or tail hair, don’t recall which, that the groom had given us. It was a poignant and touching find, for I did not recall we had also been given some of Monarchos’ hair, and I treasure that link to the first Derby winner I ever bet on and that I was lucky enough to have such moments with and to receive that gift from on behalf of his groom.

After the autographs, Monarchos was turned out to his pasture and the group gathered to watch him romp and roll in the mud. Naturally, given his age, his coat had lightened tremendously and the careful grooming job was obscured in no time. Even that was enjoyable, though, to see him being a horse, enjoying free time, and his groom was content to stand and watch with us, further revealing what this horse meant to him on a personal level.

That is the beauty of racing and the horses we get introduced to through it, even from a distance in living rooms as we watch them run on TV in states that have no racing or places to bet, and then we get to know who they are and find that comes to matter even more than money bet or accolades earned. It is the personal connection, and in Monarchos’ case that he is one of the few horses I have shared with family members.

So while there are Derby winners who went on to achieve more than Monarchos did, the sum of what he meant as an individual cannot be quantified by that alone. Today he was the first Derby winner that came to mind as this day began, and for that I now realize he likely will always be the most significant from the standpoint of grabbing my imagination like Majestic Prince did and having that luster always remain.

Serena’s Song turned 28 April 4, her true age matching her official birth date. Yet in most other ways one would expect age to catch up to a horse, it largely hasn’t with her.

It was a treat to see about half an hour devoted to a celebration of her through a video made by Denali Stud, where the star mare was given as many peppermints as she wanted, and a few nibbles of a cake made by Sarah Fishback, which spelled out “Serena” in carrots and had numerical candles for her age nestled into the oats. The care that went into making the cake, and the people that gathered to celebrate her in the video, was emblematic of how she means the world to Denali.

Craig and Conrad Bandoroff largely narrated, in turn, walking viewers through Serena’s storied life. They mentioned her first race, restricted to maidens, and while she didn’t win it, they said she must have been in high esteem at her barn since she was in stakes company in her second start, and broke her maiden in her third try.

“She did what horses don’t do, with 38 starts, 11 Grade 1’s, and beat the boys on several occasions.”
Conrad Bandoroff described her running in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies against champion Flanders, and how she was barely beaten, and that it reminded him of Alydar and Affirmed.

He went on to say that she had been a front runner in the Derby, and led for over a mile, before going on to win the Haskell against colts.

They joked that D. Wayne Lukas could be thanked for her loving peppermints, to such an extent that it is good horses can’t colic on the candy!

Conrad Bandoroff also said he had a friendship with Mr. and Mrs. Lewis that evolved into a business relationship, and when Serena’s Song retired the Lewises decided to send her to Denali. Bandoroff told them he could keep her in a small pasture “like an animal in a zoo” or let her be a horse, in a pasture with buddies, and the Lewises were adamant they let her be a horse. She arrived at Denali on December 9^th, 1996, and Bandoroff remembered looking at her legs when she arrived and you’d have thought she’d never run a race, let alone 38. She was the leading money earner for distaffers when she retired.

He also said, while Serena had to be good to have the foals she had, there were still decisions to be made about stallions she was sent to, and her broodmare career was right up there with what he is most proud of professionally.

“She is the definition of a blue hen mare, with 6 stakes winners. She helped us grow, with 6 seven figure plus offspring, and we are indebted to her in many ways. She is responsible for a lot of the infrastructure at Denali.”

She was also incredibly special to Craig Bandoroff, who came up with the tagline “Queen of Denali Stud.” The Bandoroffs, father and son, joked that there was probably not a horse in Kentucky who had more halters made, and every year they donate 5 or 6 to make money for charities. Given their admiration for her, it is also wonderful to see all her fans want to visit and how admired she is by multitudes of people. As her stewards, they enjoy sharing her with people who want to visit.

I feel blessed to have visited her several times myself. The first time stood out because until then I didn’t realize they even welcomed visitors, expecting mares to be off-limits due to broodmare duties as most (understandably) are. And hearing from the feature celebrating this birthday that she is considered the Queen of Denali, fittingly, it meshed precisely with a sense she had of her own greatness and how I truly got a sense of being in the presence of royalty. I was that much in awe at meeting her. I am grateful to Denali for being so accommodating over the years to all who admire her, and sharing this celebration of her during a time when visits have to be on hiatus.

I did laugh a little that they mentioned she is still quite stubborn and feisty, which was evident during the video, and that none of her daughters are. But if Serena was not stubborn and feisty who knows if she would have been as tough on the track as she was? I admire that certainty of self, that assuredness and sense of who they are, and Rachel showed it too when she refused to yield in the Haskell. It is inspiring.

Conrad Bandoroff said she is currently doing really well, and has special shoes for her comfort. She spends most of her time outside with her buddies, coming in to be groomed and in cases of inclement weather. She did look incredible, and it was wonderful to see her, and hear the memories of those who have known her best over the years, and how they sent my own memories cascading of her prowess on the track, how I loved watching her run, and even better getting to be acquainted with her myself.

I also love that her legacy not only lives now, in how grand she looks and how she is celebrated by all who want to visit her, but also will be for generations to come, through her daughters and their progeny, and all the promise inherent in Honor Code and his progeny carrying on the line with the distinction worthy of his illustrious granddam.

A toast to the wonderful Serena’s Song!

Today would have been the opening day of Keeneland’s spring meet, an annual highlight not only in Lexington but throughout the racing world.

It also became one of the race meets that had to give way to a new reality, and Keeneland has always been concerned about the community they operate in, giving back in every way possible, and this mission was highlighted again in them canceling the meet entirely, citing that even after considering every safeguard that could be taken, they could not guarantee the horses’ grooms would be able to stay healthy even with limited attendance and no spectators, had racing been held.

I recently learned that, while many places have had to close their doors as Keeneland has shuttered the meet that would have begun today, to my surprise the Horse Park is still allowing visitors free of charge provided they do not attempt to feed the horses and maintain a safe distance from other people on the grounds.

It sounded like a perfect way to mark what would have been a day to revel in the racing tradition if this had been a year like any other.

It still seems surreal at times to see businesses dark as I drive to and from work, to see traffic so light, and so it was to see many more stalls than usual empty at the Horse Park and the grounds nearly empty and silent.

But one thing that has come forth from all of this, is hearing bird songs, seeing the sun rise and set, the trees and flowers erupt in spring beauty and it sends the heart soaring.

This is not to make light of what is happening around the world, of the suffering or sorrow this pandemic has brought to many lives.

But there is still hope and joy to be found, and it is to be found in the places where we can remain safe and still enjoy the beauty of this world.

The Horse Park was a perfect place to visit to find all those things, and to also reflect on what horses can mean to people.

When there is uncertainty in the world, we still can step outside, where the air is clear and worry will not intrude if we focus on what is around. In fact, appreciation for this and finding a place where there is a chance not to be concerned about such things seemed to heighten my focus.

I seemed to see the statue of Secretariat near the Horse Park’s visitor center as though it were the first time. I noticed the fire in his stance, his open mouth, every line captured and showing a grand horse, the epitome of racing fit, and even the chain that was clipped to his bridle seemed as real as if it were not cast in bronze but was in fact the true object. And it was even more fitting to pause and appreciate how his essence was fully captured in that statue, for a few days ago it was the fiftieth anniversary of his foaling.

Walking on to what I had planned to be my first stop before Secretariat’s statue caught my eye freshly, was Cigar’s resting place. I even saw the link between him and Secretariat, for the latter was the horse of my mom’s lifetime, one that another could never compare to, and Cigar fills the same role for me.

As I reflected on what Cigar had meant to me (and that he would have reached his thirtieth birthday on April 18), and caught the sweet scent of the white flowers that flanked the small statue that was also him through-and-through, I was filled with joy at the thought of him. It rose in me unexpectedly and I was glad to feel it.

Once it had been hard to stand near that pasture, knowing I would never again see the bay horse with the unique blaze, but what matters, now that time has ebbed away grief, is that he lived and I was fortunate to get to be in his presence. And that is where the joy came from, and what a grand legacy to leave.

Nearby, Funny Cide and Point Given grazed, in side by side pastures. I took a few moments to watch them both. Simple pleasures again. The peace of bird song. The calm and stillness of being in the presence of horses. The appreciation for Point Given that rippled through me as I reflected on his racing career.

I paused again by Secretariat’s statue on the way out to read the inscriptions on the stones all around it. It is moving to read what these horses meant to people. They do give us hope and joy and peace that stays with us, as well as thrills from their racing days. And sometimes thrills of a different kind, like getting to know them one-on-one.

While we are adjusting to a new normal, the rhythm of the days and seasons are the same and nature is a peaceful respite. It was not the day it would have been with top horses racing for glory at the showcase that is Keeneland, but it was still good. And that is what I seek now, to mind the guidelines for staying well and find the peace in the midst of uncertainty. It is there to find for those who know where to look, and I am grateful the Horse Park is such a place.

When as a horse as influential as Empire Maker passes suddenly, as he did at the age of 20 on January 18, it is natural to reflect on all he achieved and to wonder what may have been. It is natural to feel shock and grief, to feel perhaps he was gone too soon even at 20, particularly since it had not been long since he was returned to the U.S. for sire duties.

Yet I think our time is preordained and nothing will intervene to alter that when we are meant to go. This does not mean I don’t feel the loss.

When I first moved to Kentucky, it was to follow a dream horses just like that can ignite in people. And he was so royally bred, I thought if any horse deserved to win one of the three-year-old classics in the history of those races, it was him. So I was elated when he prevailed on a rainy day at Belmont Park, the denial of the popular blue-collar horse Funny Cide’s Triple Crown notwithstanding. I had nothing against Funny Cide but that certainty Empire Maker belonged among the elite winners of a Triple Crown race was that strong. I had only lived in Kentucky for a few months by the time he won the Belmont in 2003, but when he retired to Juddmonte, I made sure to go see him. It was visiting the horse farms the year before I moved there and getting to see all these horses in the flesh that I had only watched on TV that sold me on moving, as well as the desire to be professionally involved.

I also had another reason for being an ardent follower of Empire Maker. It was about pedigree, too, as was my thought that he deserved to win at least one Triple Crown race. His sire Unbridled was the first Derby winner I remember, watching on TV in Tennessee, which was the closest I could get to horse racing in that state.

Then I began tracking Empire Maker’s progeny. I went to Keeneland specifically to see one of his first runners myself. I didn’t want to waste any opportunities to visit these horses or see their progeny race now that I lived in a state where that was possible. And he had so many good runners, they sprung to the top of the list of favorite horses in years they raced. Mushka. Acoma. In Lingerie. Pioneerof the Nile. I was so devoted a follower of his progeny, and Mushka had particularly captivated me, that I remember standing at the rail of the paddock at Keeneland one day ankle deep in pooled rain water to see her before she made her way to the track. Like I said, I didn’t want to miss an opportunity now that I lived where it was easier than ever to see these horses.

I was a little shocked Empire Maker was sold to Japan, especially since he had been such a product of Juddmonte breeding, and did feel it was premature. When Royal Delta burst through to such prominence, that notion was reinforced. However, I read a Thoroughbred Daily News article since his passing that indicates he was likely not a good match for Juddmonte’s primarily turf-oriented mares. The decision is not my concern and I will never castigate an owner for sending his horse overseas because no matter how much I admire and feel a connection to a particular horse, I don’t lose sight as I have seen can be the case that a connection does not equal a say in how he is managed. It seems to go without saying that is not realistic, but there are many who seem to have difficulty grasping that.

Because I love the Unbridled line as I do, Pioneerof the Nile was my Derby pick in his year and I was elated to see him take the lead, though it was only that briefly, for the short amount of time it took to run by my section of the grandstand.

Naturally, it was incredible not only to finally see a Triple Crown winner in my lifetime in 2015, but that he descended from Empire Maker, living up even more to the billing in his stud advertisements when he was at Juddmonte, which his own progeny had also proved: Destined.

If ever a horse was destined, it was he. To be a great runner. A great sire. A top-notch grandsire.

And it is exciting to see the success he has had with his first U.S. crop since returning from Japan, and to see how not only Pioneerof the Nile achieved excellent results as a sire, but also that his grandson American Pharoah has been off to a rousing start.

I will follow these new U.S. crops of his just as avidly as I did the first, and I am on board all the way with Eight Rings, having placed my first Derby future wager on him and on one of Pharoah’s sons, just as I made sure to place a bet on Empire Maker when he was entered in the Derby, though it was a long wait in a drivethrough betting line at Keeneland. It mattered. Not for potential money won, but almost to register my strong belief in him in an official sense.

Yes, it sad that he is gone. But what a gift it was he came back and that he had time to produce additional crops in this country and that the first one is already proving he has not lost a step as an influential sire. I do believe it was his time and thinking of him with gratitude for all he gave to the sport and the breed is to honor him best.

I think of this too because I just lost my feline companion of thirteen years the day after Empire Maker’s passing. He let me know it was his time and as hard as it is to adjust to life without him, echoing what everyone at Gainesway has said about Empire Maker, the gift was his presence and he had the time he was meant to have. And what a blessing it is to know these animals who touch our lives so profoundly that in equal measure we feel gratitude for who they were and sorrow that they could not stay with us longer.

I will never forget how amazing it was to see Empire Maker again at Gainesway, all those years later. It was like the first time and left a strong indelible impression. He exuded class and that impression has stayed with me. I last saw him a few months ago in November, and I especially treasure the day that I saw him, Pioneerof the Nile, and American Pharoah all in the same month during open houses and got a photo with them all. Now that two of those three are gone, that means even more. I am certain, as Chris McGrath eulogized in the aforementioned TDN article that Empire Maker has assured his legacy and name will live on in pedigrees and memories and even though I was in his presence only a few times those impressions will stay with me too. Even in a region full of top-notch stallions, his class and demeanor seemed to put him in a rare realm.

Source:

McGrath, Chris. “An Empire That Will Survive Its Maker’s Loss.” Thoroughbred Daily News, January 20, 2020.

On an early morning in late October, champion mare Beholder and her trainer Richard Mandella stood quietly in a saddling stall in the serene hush of Keeneland. Only a small group of onlookers were on hand as she schooled prior to her anticipated attempt at the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Classic. Mandella stood with her as her rider moved her from stall to stall, turning to the media present to say with a smile that he didn’t know which stall she’d start from so he was having her stand in all of them. His bond with Beholder was evident, and it felt like a privilege to witness. This is one reason mornings at the track can be so special. Details like that which get lost in the busy spectacle of the racing hours are easy to take in and absorb.

While Beholder did not start in the Classic, that moment lingered in my memory as a taste of what the first Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland still made it possible to see, especially before American Pharoah arrived and the crowds in the morning grew exponentially. It was also my most enduring memory of her until the morning Spendthrift hosted a chance to meet her in retirement four years after that day at Keeneland, which also marked my first opportunity to get to know her temperament and interact with her.

It was a serene drive in the early morning, down Iron Works Pike where trees formed a green tunnel overhead, echoed along the drive to the farm office once through the Spendthrift Farm gates. It did seem reminiscent, too, of that quiet morning when she schooled at Keeneland.

The visit began in the grand farm office, a former home, which now hosts offices and displays racing trophies, as most farm offices do, as well as Beholder’s framed Pacific Classic saddle cloth. “It’s clean because she was in front the whole way,” Autry Graham, Spendthrift’s assistant marketing director who led the tour that day, said. Indeed she was, in an 8 ½ length romp that left no doubt who the best horse in the race was that day, and also indicated overall how good she is.

Beholder today lives in the broodmare barn, stabled across from the gray mare Coup de Coeur, who she is closely bonded to among the field of six or so other mares they are turned out with.

Before Beholder was turned out for the day, I got to feed her carrots. The v-shaped bars in the front of her stall were removed and she immediately came over and put her head through. She has a presence and a look in her eye, the look of a great horse,that made me pause for a moment and just soak that in and then start feeding her carrots.

She has such a laid-back personality, which seemed evident as I saw her school several years ago, that 30 people were present the first time she foaled—a farm manager, an assistant farm manager, a broodmare manager, and so on, and many of them even brought their kids—and it never fazed Beholder at all. Whatever her first foal may become (and he has already shown a tendency to be feisty, which could bode well for a competitive fire on the racetrack, noted by Graham), I think those kids may have quite a story to tell someday of seeing the great mare’s first foal come into the world.

After a few carrots, Coup de Coeur was led out of her stall and hesitated on the pavement, reluctant to go on without Beholder in sight. And then Beholder was brought out. She is captivating to see. She carries herself like she knows she is a multiple champion. Yet many have seen that the greats know they have that “something” that sets them apart. It does show in their eyes too, and that may be what captivated me the most. The sun highlighted the dapples in her coat, making her look even more dazzling. She couldn’t have a more fitting name. It is said beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but she may be one of the loveliest horses I have seen and it is hard to imagine it is just because I am the beholder and that most wouldn’t concur.

She tried to make a beeline for the grass, much more intent upon it than Coup de Coeur was. “She is all about her grass!” Graham laughed.

When turned out in the pasture, she and Coup de Coeur grazed head to head, their bond evident, before wandering off to join the other mares in about the center of the pasture.

Gas Station Sushi was also in the pasture and entertained a notion of coming up to the fence for some of the carrots that remained. While she didn’t come up for interaction, her coming closer offered the chance to get a few photos of her. I remembered her from racing at Keeneland and all the attention she garnered for her name, but had never had a good look at her until then to realize how photogenic she is.

On the visit, Beholder was described as a dream as a broodmare so far, getting in foal on one cover each of the three times she’s been bred, and foaling twice so far quite close to her actual due date and at easier times of the day to attend than the middle of the night or wee hours of the morning. Spendthrift also tends to support the stallions they stand to a large extent with the mares that reside on the farm, so Beholder’s foals have represented some of the only ones they have by the stallions she has been bred to. “I’m curious to see what her War Front (appearing to be a filly, due in February next year) looks like because we don’t have any of those. So far, her foals have looked like her in the head and had the body type of their sires,” Graham said.

Richard Mandella and Gary Stevens have paid visits to Beholder in retirement too. Richard Mandella doesn’t come that often because it is emotional for him. “One time he came to visit, and Beholder was out eating grass. She wouldn’t even look up and he was a bit disappointed. Then he pulled a peppermint from his pocket and that was the key to getting her to leave her grass! She even somewhat weans her foals by herself because they get in the way of her grass eating!” Graham said.

This visit was all Horse Country aspired to provide in the way of experiences when they were launched, getting to meet the stars once followed on the track, as well as telling the story of the land and enhancing visitors’ connections to the farm and horses.

To the end of further providing experiences that resonate like the Beholder meeting, Spendthrift is going to open up their onsite training track to visits starting at 5:30 in the morning next spring, and also the breeding shed for a morning’s session, since most farms are not doing that.

They also are looking into options for aftercare, with 8 retired mares currently living on the farm. It brings to mind how Mill Ridge Farm offered a very extensive tour of the property, visiting multiple areas, including interacting with the older mares retired from broodmare duties, which Stonestreet also does on one of their tours. If those older mares are one day part of the group that can be visited, that would be quite memorable too, and for those horses they have ownership in that may still be suited to other careers, they are considering whether New Vocations will be the route they want to take for placement for them.

It is gratifying to see the success Horse Country has become, and how it does allow these farms to expand their tours and provide even greater access to visitors, as Spendthrift plans to do with training and breeding shed tours, success that has also seen WinStar add tours of their mare and foal division and Claiborne do the same, areas that had rarely been open to visitors. I also applaud the farms for making the commitment, while operating their business, to opening the doors regularly and welcoming people. Graham noted that they are fans of the great horses that reside on the farm too, and no doubt that helps drive the willingness to let others see these horses who captivated them on the track. It always makes for a memorable occasion.