Claiborne Farm is a

thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

horse breeding Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given Horse breed, breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired chara ...

operation near

Paris, Kentucky Paris is a home rule-class city in Bourbon County, Kentucky, and the county seat. It lies northeast of Lexington on the Stoner Fork of the Licking River. It is part of the Lexington–Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2020, it ha ...

. It was established in 1910 by Arthur B. Hancock, owner of Ellerslie Stud in Albemarle County,

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

, and has been operated by members of his family ever since.

Owners

* Arthur B. Hancock (1875–1957) * Arthur B. "Bull" Hancock, Jr. (1910–1972) * Seth W. Hancock (b. 1949) Arthur B. Hancock III (b. 1943) owns Stone Farm, a breeding operation nearby. Arthur B. Hancock imported breeding stock from Europe that made Claiborne Farm an international leader in breeding, sales, and racing. He bred Vigil, the 1923

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually on Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland (except in 2026 when it will move to Laurel Park (race track), Laurel Park dur ...

winner. Among his famous sires was

Sir Gallahad Sir Gallahad (1920–1949) was a French Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse and an important Horse breeding, sire in the United States. Racing career Racing at age two in France for his British breeder/owner, Jefferson Davis Cohn, Sir Gallahad ...

, purchased from France, who was the leading sire in 1930, 1933, 1934, and 1940 and who sired 1930 U.S. Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox. Claiborne Farm was part of a 1936 consortium that imported Blenheim from England and in 1944 purchased Princequillo, who became the leading U.S. sire for 1957 and 1958. Claiborne Farm won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Breeder in 1979 and again in 1984. It has been visited twice by

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

of the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, who owned racehorses herself. The farm was home to all the major horses owned by the Phipps family, including Orb, the 2013 Kentucky Derby winner. Secretariat was syndicated by Seth Hancock for breeding purposes and stood at stud at Claiborne Farm from the conclusion of his racing career at the end of 1973 until his death in 1989. Racing historian Edward L. Bowen considers Claiborne Farm one of the most influential American breeding operations, due to the many breeders who benefited from its horses and the length of time that influence has lasted. In 1973 the Keeneland Association honored Claiborne Farm with its Mark of Distinction for their contribution to Keeneland and the Thoroughbred industry.

Cemetery

Some of the horses buried at Claiborne Farm are: * Ambiorix (1946–1975) – Leading sire 1961 * Blenheim (1927–1958) *

Bold Ruler Bold Ruler (April 6, 1954 – July 12, 1971) was an American Thoroughbred National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame racehorse who was the 1957 American Horse of the Year, Horse of the Year. This following a three-year-old campaign t ...

(1954–1971), Leading sire 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967. 1968, 1969, 1973 *

Buckpasser Buckpasser (1963– March 6, 1978) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a ...

(1963–1978) * Double Jay (1944–1972) * Gallant Fox (1927–1954) * Gamely (1964–1975) * Hoist The Flag (1968–1980) * Johnstown (1936–1950) * Mr. Prospector (1970–1999), Leading sire 1987, 1988 * Nasrullah (1940–1959), Leading sire 1955, 1956, 1959, 1960, 1962 * Nijinsky II (1967–1992) * Princequillo (1940–1964), Leading sire 1957, 1958 *

Pulpit A pulpit is a raised stand for preachers in a Christian church. The origin of the word is the Latin ''pulpitum'' (platform or staging). The traditional pulpit is raised well above the surrounding floor for audibility and visibility, accesse ...

(1994–2012) * Riva Ridge (1969–1985) *

Round Table The Round Table (; ; ; ) is King Arthur's famed table (furniture), table in the Arthurian legend, around which he and his knights congregate. As its name suggests, it has no head, implying that everyone who sits there has equal status, unlike co ...

(1954–1987), Leading sire 1972 * Secretariat (1970–1989) * Swale (1981–1984) * War Cloud (1915–1923) Some of the horses buried at Claiborne's Marchmont Farm division: * Ack Ack (1966–1990) * Chatterton (1919–1933), Leading sire 1932 * Forli (1963–1988) * Christmas Past (1979–2008), American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly (1982) * Conquistador Cielo (1979–2002) *

Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...

(1964–1995) * Danzig (1977–2006), Leading sire (1991, 1992, 1993) * Easy Goer (1986–1994) * Moccasin (1963–1986) * Ruffian (1972–1975), Originally buried at

Belmont Park Belmont Park is a thoroughbred racing, thoroughbred horse racetrack in Elmont, New York, just east of New York City limits best known for hosting the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the American Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United Stat ...

, remains relocated to Claiborne in 2023 * Sir Gallahad III (1920–1949), Leading sire 1930, 1933, 1934, 1940 * Sir Ivor (1965–1995) * Tom Rolfe (1962–1989) * Unbridled (1987–2001)

Stallions

Stallions standing at Claiborne Farm as of the 2023 breeding season include: * Blame: A son of Arch who famously won the 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic over Zenyatta, as well as winning an Eclipse Award. He commands a stud fee of $25,000. * Catholic Boy: A son of More Than Ready who won the

Travers Stakes The Travers Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. It is nicknamed the "Midsummer Derby" and is the third-ranked race for American three-year-olds accor ...

in 2018, he commands a fee of $25,000. *Demarchelier: Won his first 3 races including Gr.III Pennine Ridge Stakes. He commands a stud fee of $5,000. * First Samurai: A multiple Gr.I winning juvenile son of

Giant's Causeway The Giant's Causeway () is an area of approximately 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcano, volcanic fissure eruption, part of the North Atlantic Igneous Province active in the region during the Paleogene period. ...

, he commands a stud fee of $7,500. *Lea: A son of Fist Samurai and grandson of champion sire

Galileo Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de' Galilei (15 February 1564 – 8 January 1642), commonly referred to as Galileo Galilei ( , , ) or mononymously as Galileo, was an Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer, sometimes described as a poly ...

, the Gr.I winner commands a stud fee of $5,000. * Mastery: A son of Candy Ride, won four of four races, including 3 stakes races of which one was the Gr.I Los Alamitos Futurity. He commands a stud fee of $7,500. * Runhappy: The son of Super Saver, Eclipse Champion sprinter and Horse of the Year finalist commands a stud fee of $15,000. *Silver State: The Gr.I winning son of champion sire

Hard Spun Hard Spun (foaled May 10, 2004 near Malvern, Pennsylvania) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse that finished second in the 2007 Kentucky Derby. Background Hard Spun is a bay horse with a white star standing 16.2 hands high. He is from one ...

commands a stud fee of $20,000. * War Front: The world's top sire of turf juveniles and son of Danzig, he commands the highest stud fee at Claiborne Farm- $100,000. * War Of Will: Son of War Front, winner of two Gr.I's including The

in 2019, commands a stud fee of $25,000.

References

;Notes ;Further reading * * *

External links

* {{coord, 38, 11, 25.5, N, 84, 14, 42.3, W, region:US-KY_type:landmark , display=title American racehorse owners and breeders Buildings and structures in Bourbon County, Kentucky Eclipse Award winners Breeders of Kentucky Derby winners Breeders of Preakness Stakes winners Breeders of Belmont Stakes winners Owners of Kentucky Derby winners Owners of Preakness Stakes winners Owners of Belmont Stakes winners Hancock family Horse farms in Kentucky 1910 establishments in Kentucky