Back to The Shed ~ Historic Gainesway and Hat Trick

The second half of a busy day, finds Lindsay Hunter delivering a mare to Hat Trick. A great read about the history of Gainesway Farm.

 

Gainesway 3/19/13

I’ve been going to Gainesway’s breeding shed since 1980. Back then, before the 4 stall stallion barns (that won an Architectural Design Award ) were built, every morning the mares lined up along the long crushed brick walk waiting to be bred to any one of 38 stallions that stood at stud there.

Across the parking lot was the small private stallion barn of Nelson Bunker Hunt , that housed , among others, Vaguely Noble, Exceller and Youth.
John Gaines first raised his Trotters and Racehorses on land on Tates Creek Road south of Lexington.. Back in Taylor Made days, I took care of Kerry Way, that won the Hambletonian for him, and was the dam of Classical Way, another great trotter.
This was land that had produced the winner of the first Kentucky Derby, Aristides in 1875.
Joe L. Taylor (father of Duncan, Ben , Frank and Mark ) had come to work for John Gaines in 1950. During his 40 year tenure as Gainesways’ Farm Manager, Joe saw six Gainesway stallions lead the World’s Sire List, the American Sire List, and the European Sire List , namely Bold Bidder, Vaguely Noble, Lyphard, Blushing Groom , Riverman and Sharpen Up.
In 1963, the land was sold for development (Gainesway Subdivision ) and John Gaines purchased 500 acres on Paris Pike, from Greentree Farm, across the road from the renowned Spendthrift Farm of Leslie Combs II, including the cemetery of Greentree, where, amongst others is buried Regret , winner of the1915 Kentucky Derby, who died in 1934.
Home to as many as 38 stallions in the early 80’s,Gainesway produced both Standardbred and Thoroughbred Champions.
John Gaines was a pioneer before his time, having the enlightenment to found the Breeders Cup program, and helped develop the Kentucky Horse Park, just up the road on famous Iron Works Pike.
In 1989, Gainesway was sold to South African horseman and vintner, Graham R. Beck and his family, who have continued the Gainesway traditions. Under the watchful and excellent guidance of Michael Hernon and Neil Howard, Antony Beck’s Gainesway continues to uphold it’s world renowned reputation.
Today I am bringing the mare, Moolakaya to the court of Hat Trick, the almost black son of Japanese stallion, Sunday Silence, who was foaled at Claiborne Farm in Paris, right along the pike in Bourbon County. Hat Trick, foaled in Japan out of the Lost Code mare, Tricky Code, ran one of the fastest miles in history, in a blistering 1.32.1( 8 furlongs in 92.1 seconds . That‘s 11.51 seconds a furlong ! ) and is the only champion and Grade 1 stallion in the US by Sunday Silence.
His son, Bright Thought, just this past Saturday, set a new track record in the $150,000 San Luis Rey Stakes, clipping off the one and half miles in a scorching 2.22.72. Like father, like son !

 The mare, Moolakaya, by Alzao, a son of Lyphard who stood at Gainesway, unloads quietly and makes herself comfortable in the deep straw of the teasing stall. In the corner overhead, a speaker issues forth the nickering and squealing of a stallion, designed to get the mare ‘in the mood ‘. Meanwhile, the real teaser hangs his head through the teasing hatch, nibbling on her flank and sniffing her tail. Soon she ‘breaks down’ showing her readiness, and we move into the padded wash stocks.
The breeding shed crew hasn’t changed much in 35 years, Carl Buckner has taken over the head position, since long time Stallion Manager, Marion Gross, passed away. Chico and James are still there, Tommy took over Chico’s position washing the mares a few years back. Andre, also from South Africa (like me ) joined the crew after interning at Taylor Made, maybe 8 or 9 years ago. In the staff room still hangs a framed photo from back in the early 80’s and it shows the shed crew that was working when I first started going to Gainesway. James ,Chico,Carl and of course, Marion Gross , were much younger then !
Kim has accompanied me on this trip, and she is busy snapping photos. We are asked not to take any in the shed, but Carl gives permission to snap some of Hat Trick walking over from the Stallion Barn.
James takes the mare and twitches her up. Carl guides Hat Trick, Chico holds the tail, and it’s all over.
Soon we have Moolakaya back in the trailer and headed home to her waiting foal. Maybe she’ll have another speedster !

 

Back to The Shed ~ Doing a Double / Spendthrift First

Double Header Part 1 ~ A Visit to Arch Arch Arch

Spendthrift March 19

Up before the chickens this morning, rolled onto Overbrook in the pitch dark, and loaded I’m A Goodlooker by the lights of the trailer, taking her away from her pretty chestnut foal. We snaked through the farm along the tree lined lanes, being careful to stay between the large landscaping rocks strategically placed to discoyurage drivers from getting on the grass. Traffic was sparse at this early morning hour, and we made it around Lexington and up Paris Pike in no time at all.
Destination : Spendthrift Farm. Date for the day : ArchArchArch
Bred similarly to Horse of the Year Blame, ArchArchArch is by, you guessed it , Claiborne stallion Arch, and out of a Woodman mare.(Woodman being by Mr. Prospector, so same cross as Blame ). Fast and courageous, ArchArchArch could lay off the pace and with a steady burst of speed, come from behind , which he did to win the G1 Arkansas Derby, with career earnings of $832,744.
Purchased in 1937, Spendthrift Farm was named by Leslie Combs 11 for the great grandfather of Man O War, who was owned by Comb’s great grandfather,, Daniel Swigert, of Elmendorf Farm, just next door. Combs developed a vast stallion operation, at one time standing 26 stallions at Spendthrift. It was the first Thoroughbred farm to be publicly traded on the stock market, until the crash of the Thoroughbred industry in the early 80’s, which led to it’s demise, and it was sold and parceled out. Leslie Combs died in 1990, but left a legacy and history with Spendthrift that would be hard to emulate today.
B. Wayne Hughes purchased the Spendthrift property in 2004, and with his team of Ken Wilkins, Ned Toffey and Des Dempsey, has turned Spendthrift around with a carefully managed Stallion Roster.

Dawn breaks over the trees, and more vans and trailers roll into the parking area. 10 mares are on the morning sheets, and I’m A Goodlooker is third in line. Drivers stand around the teasing and wash rack area, chatting about yesterdays storm. Coffee is brewing in the observation room, if anyone wants it. Wayne Howard , Breeding Shed Manager, cup of coffee in hand, calls for the first mare.
As soon as my mare enters the shed, I slip around to snap photos of ArchArchArch as he walks from the new Stallion Barn. Behind me is the original horseshoe shaped stallion barn of Leslie Comb’s time, with the bronze of Nashua and groom Clem Brooks and the plaque for Raise A Native in the foreground, by the horse’s graves.
In the tongue and groove paneled breeding shed, mostly covered in protective black foam padding, are still displayed the brass nameplates of Spendthrift racehorses, row upon row, since the 1960’s framed on the walls above the padding.
A new addition to the comfortable observation room, is a computer screen displaying information on all Spendthrift’s current stallions, or if you are outwaiting a slow breeder in the shed, internet access . Yay !
Soon I’m A Goodlooker is bred, and I whisk her back across town to her hungry baby, who waits by the stall door, but jumps back when the mare enters, uncertain if this is really his mother. One quick pull of the milkbar, and he decides she’ll do anyway.

Back to The Shed ~ To First Defence at Juddmonte

Tag along with Lindsay and Kim to deliver a mare to First Defence at Juddmonte Farm.

Juddmonte 3/15/13

At the reasonable hour of 8 am I loaded the mare to drive just a few miles over to Walnut Hill Rd to picturesque Juddmonte Farm. My friend, Kim Ammeter, armed with the camera, met us in the parking area, intent of snapping a few great photos. The sun was topping the trees and the lighting was dramatic, sort of navy blue and gold.
Juddmonte has three farms in Kentucky and is owned by Prince Khalid Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. Beginning with the purchase of 592 acres of the Bluegrass from the Belair estate in 1977, Juddmonte now spans 2508 acres in Kentucky. Winner of 10 Eclipse Awards, breeder of 65 starters in the Breeders Cup Championships who collectively topped earnings of $7.9 million dollars. Breeder of Frankel, now retired, who was undefeated in 14 races, a product of several generations of carefully selected Juddmonte breeding.
Today the mare has come to the court of young stallion, First Defence, who has already made his mark siring the 2 year old runner, Dundonnell. First Defence is by Taylor Made’s big grey stallion , Unbridled Song, who stands just a few miles down the road, and out of Honest Lady by Seattle Slew, a Juddmonte family mare who is a half sister to Empire Maker, who Juddmonte recently sent to Japan.
Cinnamon Charlie, a daughter of Indian Charlie out of a Cox’s Ridge mare, is a tall, dark mare built like her breeding would predict, a career earner of $65,000 and already the dam of winners. We unload, and she walks up the crushed red brick path to the red brick shed with wide curved mantles like the experienced mare she is.
Longtime buddy, Steve Dotsey, Stallion Manager at Juddmonte, soon arrived with the teaser in hand and the show was set to roll. Another truck and trailer pulled in, from Brookledge , bringing an Airdrie mare to be bred to Mizzen Mast.
The holding stalls are spacious and tall, freshly bedded with a thick mat of pine shavings. Steve’s breeding crew shows up,all donning their safety helmets and padded vests and the mare is quickly teased, washed and prepped. Kim and I stand on the wood deck just inside the breeding area,protected by a paneled wall. Kim has to be on tiptoe to look over the wall to get photos.
First Defence, polished to a rich dark mahogany, saunters in to the shed, disappears into the wash stall and soon reappears, washed and ready to breed. Two jumps, and soon Cinnamon Charlie is happily back in the trailer heading back home.

Back to The Shed ~ Almost Spring at Claiborne

Guest blogger Lindsay Hunter takes a special mare to revisit  War Front, and while we hope every made is successfully bred, we cross our fingers a little tighter for this one.

Sunshine, Daffodils & Claiborne 3.14.13

For a change, the sun was shining brightly this March morning, and wrapped up against the chill, I set off for the barn in high spirits. Looked like a great day to get horses worked outside, even though the footing was just passable. Abby and I got chores done and five out before lunchtime rolled around.
The elegant bay mare that I load for the trip to Paris is a return breeding from a few weeks ago. The dam of a Breeders Cup winner, earner of $652,000, her last foal came in 2008. She herself earned a half million dollars, and so a baby out of her could be worth a pretty penny at the sales, if she could get in foal just one more time. Her coat is short and slick, testament to the good care she is getting in order to accomplish that goal. She shows her age in the leanness of her face, but her good quality is immediately evident to the beholder.
Date for today : A return trip to War Front, champion son of Danzig.
Driving out between the stone fences of Paris Pike, just past the County Line between Fayette and Bourbon Counties, I fall in behind a Sallee van. This far down the pike, at this time of day, there is a good chance it ,too, is headed for Claiborne’s breeding shed. My powerful Ford Turbo diesel could easily pass the van, but, in respect of the unwritten van driver code of ethics, it would be infra dig to race by and beat him to the shed, so I just settle in tandem.
Through the main thoroughfare into Paris, turning right at the Family Dollar’s big red sign, we cruise on out to the stone pillars and the wide tarmac entrance on the left in the curve. Across the narrow one lane bridge bordered by white poles, and into the shaded parking area. Behind the Sallee van, which backs up to the long low gravel dock, I pulled around and reverse carefully into the marked trailer parking. I am third in line.
Soon there are more trucks and trailer coming down the long driveway. They back carefully into the spaces, while another van driver, first time to Claiborne, anxious runs to the shed with his mares’ papers, where John explains you get bred in the order in which you arrive.
Egyptian geese peck in the grass lining the flowing creek, sun sparkling off the little ripples as it drops over the dam. More geese scull through the water at the edges, the swans are nowhere to be seen.
A rustle of activity at the shed and John hollers out for the first mare to come on in.
Jay Brunker from Halcyon Farm and Wayne Martin from Denali chat in the parking lot by their trailers, enjoying the sunshine.
Claiborne’s routine has remained the same for decades. No fancy barns, no opulent entrance, a working farm dedicated to doing things the right way. And it has worked well, proven by the quality racehorses that have their roots at Claiborne, and by the internationally acclaimed stallion rosters that year after year attract mares from all over the world.
Maybe the only things that change are a fresh coat of paint, sunflower yellow, and the personnel, who are often third generation Claiborne employees.
My mare is unconcerned, going through the motions of teasing, prepping and breeding like she has many times before. War Front is quiet and professional, waiting til she is readied by the shed crew, and then breeding her in one smooth jump. She gets an extra dose of semen from the dismount sample, perhaps enough to insure that a pregnancy results this time.
Back down Paris Pike, I’m forced to break hard behind a soccer mom in an electric car, who suddenly decides she can pull out of a side road and beat the trailer but then slows to a crawl. The bane of my driving existence. NNY is on her license plate, and I think “Yeah, she’s a ninny, alright “.
It’s after hours at the farm, and I unload the mare back to her stall. The rest of the mares in her barn are quietly munching their hay, and she is glad to get to her dinner.

Back to The Shed ~ Snow Flurry at Darley

Travel along with Lindsay Hunter as she makes another trip back to Darley, this time for a visit to Street Boss.

Snow Flurry at Darley 3.13.13

We’re starting to feel like spring is being kept from us. The daffodils bloom yellow in little pockets along Paris Pike, tucked into the bases of newly constructed stone walls, or sprouting between the cracks of the original Irish built sections in the median . It is midday, and as the sun gloomily struggles to peek through the clouds, big fluffy snowflakes swirl through the air.
I’m off to Darley again, this time for the 1.30 pm breeding session. It has been researched and determined that the stallions’ semen volume and strength decreases by half on every subsequent breeding in the same 24 hour period. Most breeding farms like to give their stallions a four hour break between breedings, Darley has opted for six hours between sessions.
Lots of traffic on New Circle Road, but as we exit onto Versailles Road and turn left onto Man O War, the cars thin out a bit. Turn right on Parkers Mill behind the Airport, and a tight left onto Bowman Mill between Mill Ridge Farm and Darley, swoop down the hill and over the narrow one lane dip, and we’re turning into the breeding shed entrance.
Just four mares are on the afternoon sheet, are there is Joe, wrapped up warm in coveralls and woolly hat, topped off with the Darley blue jacket, coming to take the papers. All the mares are here, and my mare goes in stall #1, She is upset, pushy, leaving her first foal for the first time, and she paces the stall, letting the teaser know that she is on edge. He nibbles and licks, cajoling her gently into showing her readiness to be bred. A good teaser is indispensable, and worth his weight in gold. The veterinarian has declared it optimum time, but taking a mare away from home and her foal, can change her demeanor. Slowly she settles down, but the decision to have the teaser ‘jump’ her prior to breeding, is made by Joe.
The teaser, muddy from a roll in the paddock, is already suited up for the job, and Joe takes him into the shed to test the mare’s reaction. She does fine, and they send for the stallion.
Yesterday it was Street Cry I came to visit, today it is Street Boss, his fastest son.
A chestnut, well made with a strong sloping shoulder and big length of hip, Street Boss saunters into the shed. I am up in the observation room, which with it’s heater running wide open ,is considerably warmer than down in the breeding area.. The two wide plate glass windows allow a view of the breeding. Street Boss is a little unsure of this fidgety mare, and they decide to give her a little tranquilizer to relax her. He sniffs her tail, still undecided.
With encouragement from his handler, he agrees to breed the mare. It’s a little like “you can take a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink “, but Street Boss consents to play along, and the pretty chestnut mare is covered. An extra dose from the dismount sample, tail bandage removed, and we are headed for the trailer. Anxiously she loads up, perhaps realizing that I will whisk her home to her foal. Reunited back at the farm , the foal circles suspiciously to check that it really is her mother, and then latches on hungrily to the milk bar, frothy white milk dripping from her whiskery lips. The mare settles immediately, and drops her head to the hay.
Pulling back onto Paris Pike, it is still blowing snow, and I look for the yellow daffodils that promise springs isn’t too many days ahead.

Back to The Shed ~ Daybreak at Darley

On the way to the Breeding Shed with Guest Blogger Lindsay Hunter


Daybreak at Darley 3.12.13

With the time change, the Corgis and I were rolling out at 5am in the pitch dark to get to the farm to hitch to the trailer and be at the pick up destination by 6.30. The red and yellow clearance lights on the sides of gooseneck seemed like bright sparks in the dark, and the mare loaded easily when I flicked on the interior lighting. We set off for Darley, meeting very little traffic along the way, me and Garth Brooks pounding out “Ain’t Goin ’Down til the Sun Comes Up “ on the steering wheel.
As I pulled up to the wrought iron gate with brass spires along the top, and watched it slowly open, I could see trailer lights pulling up over the rock lined drive to the breeding shed, so I knew I wasn’t first in line.
The mare in the trailer was a maiden, going to be bred for the first time, She stood quiet and well behaved, ready for her date with Street Cry. Stud fee : $150,000.
Sitting in the big parking apron, I had a good view of the Darley acres in two directions. One by one I watched the stall lights flick on in the barns over toward Military Pike. Head lights and tail lights wove their way along tentacles of blacktop that linked the barns to the main areas . People came and went, day crew arriving to set the day’s routine in motion, night watchmen heading home after a long shift foaling mares or checking on their precious charges.
Soon the breeding shed came alive too, and more vans slowly rolled over the hill, carrying mares ready to be bred.
Joe, with his usual cheerful greeting, collected envelopes containing the required shed forms, clean culture slips and any pertinent instructions for each mare. He tells me to bring the mare to holding stall # 2, and she unloads quietly, with all the class and composure of a good mare twice her age.
Street Cry by European sire Machiavellian and out of Helen Street (GB) is the sire of the incomparable Zenyatta, whose earnings of over $7 million dollars in 19 wins, defeated only in her last start, making her a household name and crowd favorite with her own fan club. Street Cry has sired 13 G1 winners, including Street Sense, (winner of $4,383,200 ) Shocking ($3,953,726 ) , Street Boss, Desert Party, and numerous others.
No stranger to the winner’s circle, Street Cry won the Dubai World Cup, and the Stephen Foster Handicap, with a 3 rd in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile at two. Now he also shuttles to Australia for the Southern Hemisphere breeding season.
The mare is just as sensible in the wash stocks and lets Joe wrap her tail in the flesh colored gauze bandage favored in the breeding sheds. On into the shed, and Phillip takes charge, carefully positioning her as Street Cry walks down from the closest stallion barn. Four men are positioned around her, one on the head, one on the tail, two ready to steady the stallion if needed. Darley’s vet hovers close by, ready to take the dismount (semen ) sample in a little white cup and read it under the microscope
By now it is daylight and an early morning chill pervades the waiting area, the rubber lined floor wet from a fresh disinfecting spray. Soon the big doors slide apart and the mare is handed off to me and we make our way out into the cold sunshine and load back in the trailer.
As I drive back along Man O War Blvd, now humming with rush hour commuters, I wonder if we have just created another champion runner ?

Back to The Shed ~ A Visit with Mineshaft and a Look Back with Lindsay

Guest Blogger Lindsay Hunter delivers a mare to Mineshaft and recalls how she developed "horse fever"

Lanes End Lately & Bitten by the Bug 3/ 4/13

Athough the breeding season is yet young, most of the busier sheds have been holding evening breeding sessions, and Lanes End is no exception. But tonight there are just two mares to be bred, and I thought if I arrived just a little earlier that the 7 pm appointment, my chances of being first in line and getting the mare bred early were greatly increased.. I knew I was in luck when the night security opened the Stallion Entrance gate from his golf cart, and I cruised along the curving road and into the deserted parking area. Backed the Featherlite into my favorite spot by the ramp, and set off to find out what was happening in the shed.
David, suited up in his khaki coveralls and protective veterinary sterile gloves, met me in the aisle way, as John was off for the evening, and said I could bring in the mare.
The mare in question was returning for a rebreed, having not ovulated her follicle that she was bred on a few days earlier. At this time of year, with fluctuating temperatures and erratic teasing cycles, it’s not unusual to have a mare that you thought was just right for breeding, and the vet doesn’t want to delay any longer based on what he’s feeling on her ovaries, to hold the follicle and not ovulate as expected. As busy as the popular stallions are, sometimes you can get her back to the stallion, sometimes not.
But today she was lucky and Mineshaft was available.
The buckskin teaser reaching his head through the hatch to ‘talk’ to her caught her unawares, and she snorted in surprise, flaring her big nostrils and tossing her head. But she soon came around to his way of thinking, and David had me bring her to the wash stocks.
Tail wrapped and squeaky clean, Asa came to take her to the breeding area. Lanes End’s breeding crew now wears green protective vests and safety approved helmets, just like riders do, in case of a glancing blow from a hoof or a sudden swing of a head. Two plunging horses can be hazardous to life and limb, and working the breeding sheds, dealing with unfamiliar mares that might not respond as predicted, is every bit as challenging as being on the back of a racehorse.
Mineshaft minced along the red rubber brick pathway from the stallion barn, well in hand but eager to breed his evening mare. Neck arching, dark coat gleaming from much grooming and polishing, he was quite a sight to see. The crew set the mare up quickly, protective leather pad on her neck to afford the stallion a place to grab onto while straddling the mare, puffy leather boots on her hind feet , to protect him in the event of a well aimed kick from a cantankerous mare.
But she was ready for breeding and well behaved, and within no time I was headed out the doors and walking the crushed brick path back to the loading ramp.
On the drive home from Midway, I reflected on how I, a suburban -raised girl, from Cape Town, South Africa, could have a job with advantages that many horse crazy kids only dream about - visiting these world class stallions at some of the worlds’ most prestigious Thoroughbred breeding farms in the Horse Capital of the World.

Bitten by the Bug
I did not come from a ’horsey ’ family. I have photos of both my parents riding horses, but they were by no stretch of the imagination ’horse people “.
I think I must have gotten bit by the ’horse bug ’ on a visit to friends whose daughter, Carol, had a horse . I was quite little, but from then on, I was fascinated by horses. I drew pictures, I read horse stories and books about horses. I hung out at the beach with the beach ponies, offering to lead or brush or whatever I could, in the hope that maybe the old man in charge would let me crawl up in the saddle and see the world from a different perspective, salty mane blowing in my face.
For both my eighth and ninth birthdays, I spent two glorious weeks visiting family friends who had a riding stable, who fox hunted , played polo, and had grown children that evented. I was assigned a pony for my stay and given the opportunity to indulge all my horse related dreams, taking part in lessons, trail rides through the country, tagging along at horse shows, and burying my nose deep in the horse’s neck, inhaling that unique aroma peculiar to horses. If I was bitten by a bug, it had now become a full blown case of horse addictiveness. I’ve never recovered.
Riding lessons, Pony Club, riding Thoroughbreds in bush track races, learning to show at area shows, jumping, dressage, moving on to saddle seat and Five Gaited Saddlebreds. I couldn’t get enough.
My parents were supportive, but not involved, and I jumped at the opportunity to ride other peoples horses, since I couldn’t have my own. I rode a lot of horses, from school ponies to high priced show horses, and I learned a great deal from them all.
For many years I rode a wonderful palomino Arabian stallion, and competed as a Hunter, and as an Arabian, with my favorite class being the Farm Horse Class. Gaeton Gold, brilliant golden coat with pure white mane and tail, was frequently called for the red ribbon (for first place in SA ) after demonstrating his ability to stand ground tied while I walked a circle around him cracking a stock whip, weaved him through poles at the canter, cracking the whip on each side, and stopping to gather up a lamb, riding one handed and manouvering through obstacles. It was fun, and we were good at it !
I set my sights on getting a job in the States and working for a top Saddlebred trainer that would take me on. Along the way, I earned my British Horse Society Instructors Certificate in England at the Moat House Academy in Kent, where Princess Anne had been a pupil also.
Stepping off the plane in Kentucky on the first day of the State Fair and the World Championship Horse Show (for Saddlebreds ) a suitcase in either hand , I knew this was where I was meant to be, although it was a little scary at the time.
Although I just planned to stay for one year, a series of events soon changed that, and now forty years later, I’m still here. But that’s a story for another day.