Thoroughbred racing/Central Kentucky losing a horse farm legend

Date sort Score sort
scbatz33

scbatz33

No Vacancy, Belfry Full
11 Years
Jan 23, 2009
7,000
33
251
South GA
I don't know how many of you know who WT Young was or what an incredible influence Overbrook Farm has been to the industry, but I worked there a few years back and it's an utter tragedy that the son, Bill Young, Jr. has decided to sell off the horses and close the doors on his father's legacy. Some really fine horses have come from this farm and the legendary Broodmare sire, Storm Cat, has stood there for 21 years!!!

What I wouldn't give to be able to go to Keeneland in November and buy a mare or two......Where is that winning powerball ticket when you need it??
 
The son never had the interest the elder Young had. It is such a shame, but Im not surprised one bit. I expected it once Storm Cat was pensioned. Its a very expensive endeavor, and once Storm Cat was done, they had no real income.
 
When I saw that he was only being used fro semen collection for quarter horse racing, I figured it wouldn't take long for the kids to see the "money train" was heading out of town. I was there when he was still $500,000 a service. I saw a couple years ago they dropped it to $300,000. Plus with the loss of Carson City - who was an amazing sire if you wanted a filly who'd run - It shouldn't be a total surprise, but yet.....

I was reading the article in the Bloodhorse today and was so sad to see this paragraph..... "Overbrook horses going through the Keeneland auction ring during later sales include Golden Attraction, who has been bred to Oasis Dream; Surfside(who I helped to foal in '02), who has been bred to Giant's Causeway, and her weanling Giant's causeway filly; and 1994 champion 2-year old filly Flanders(by Seeking the Gold) (who I also helped foal in '02), who is in foal to Bernardinin, and her Bernardinin weanling filly, which is half sister to Surfside."

Both Surfside and Flanders are AMAZING horses.
 
Very amazing horses.

I had to read your paragraph twice...Golden Attraction in foal to Oasis Dream? I had to look up who that is. Does that mean she's in Europe?

Shame they are selling the mares in one of the worst markets for mares that Ive ever seen. Plus so many of the really elite mares are older. I hope they all get good homes.
 
What I wouldn't give to be part of that industry again. I lived in Lexington, and went to UK so that I could work in the Thoroughbred business. This is very sad news indeed... I know wonderful old Mr. Gaines put his business in several capable hands to lessen the chance of this happening. How truly sad to watch the passing of such a legend-
Thanks for posting this. I feel a million miles away from the bluegrass these days, though I still have great friends in the business...
 
I guess so unless Juddmonte ships him over here. It's very likely the mare was sent over there. I know the daughter was a trainer in Europe - France mostly if I recall correctly.
 
Quote:
when did you attend UK? I was Ag Econ prior to working at Overbrook.

Oh, and I love Wyoming. Jackson Hole is amazing.
 
Last edited:
I lived and worked in Lexington from 1988 until 1994 - then went back for several years to run a shed row at Keeneland or work for British Bloodstock for a long time before and after. Right in the middle of that stint, I took a few sememsters off of school to go work for Alec (and Martine and Crickette) Head in Deauville France prepping and showing yearlings as their head showman, then working out layups on their farm in Normandy.

Funny thing is that I started to study Equine Management at UK, and found that the education I was getting on the farms far surpassed anything I could get at UK, so I studied Arts Administration instead.

I'm a screenwriter and filmmaker now... sure am a looong way away from that life (though my last screenplay was about the Godolphin Arabian - look for it from Paramount
wink.png
)
 
I found that going to school helped with the technical stuff. Of course, I worked with a gal from New Zealand who was mad as a wet hen when she found out that her 20 years of working in New zealand, England, France and of course the US didn't get her any further a head of me knowledge wise (or pay, for that matter). We are the same age and it burned her to no end all those years she spent grooming and exercising for real jerks around the globe and I learned about the same in 3 years of college and about 1/4 of actual farm life.

I worked for a gal back in the early 90s who was a trainer and her husband a vet for Bill Sangster. That was a very interesting experience. Of course I did some time at Rood & Riddle and then foaling at Overbrook. Last job was for Xalapa Farm outside of Paris(ky not France!!) I was there when they were filming Seabiscuit. That was kind of cool to watch. The scene where he's running across the bridge and through the field was filmed where I was working.

I would love to luck into some money to attend the sales this fall. I know the market isn't great but I doubt any of those mares are gonna go cheap. We have a TB mare who we are gonna breed next year to a Juvenile stallion here in PA. She's nothing flashy, but she's a solid horse and so is he - hopefully it will be as good a match as the nicking says it will be!
 
Last edited:
Did I hear that part of Xalapa was for sale or lease or something?

I used to preview Yearlings on the farms before Keeneland sales with a bloodstock agent by the name of Joss Collins... those beautiful stone barns were always my favorite stop.
I knew the family that owned it... heaven help me if I can conjure their names... tip of my tongue...

I'm with you - If only finances would kick into high gear...
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom