NEWS
Case Clay
Posted: Thursday, June 24, 2010 11:02 AM
CASE CLAY
Bill Denver/Equi-Photo
Three Chimneys Farm
It would have been odd if Case Clay had not ended up in the Thoroughbred industry.
The son of Three Chimneys Farm founder Robert Clay grew up immersed in the sport from the time he was a youngster, so it was only natural that he would eventually return home to run one of the nation’s most successful breeding operations.
Case Clay, however, took a circuitous route to his current position as president of the pristine Central Kentucky farm.
“In 2001, I was working for the Hyatt Corp.’s in-house advertising agency for their retirement communities,” said Clay, 36. “At the time, I was reading about small, boutique advertising firms that were getting acquired by big advertising conglomerates for a lot of money. I thought that I would start my own boutique firm with the goal of selling it to a big firm.
“Since I didn’t know anything about starting a company and my father did, I called him and asked if we could dedicate some time to discussing how to start a company. We talked each Saturday morning for a year. Just about every example he gave—whether on purpose or not—was about Three Chimneys and the horse business. The more we discussed it, the more interested I became in the idea of becoming involved in the family business.”
Clay did have some practical experience besides childhood talk around the dinner table and working on his parents’ farm in the summertime when he returned to Three Chimneys. He held positions with the Irish National Stud and Arrowfield Stud overseas before returning to take over at Three Chimneys.
Clay said he is excited about the possibility of change to strengthen and revitalize the industry.
“I’m enthusiastic about it,” he said. “There are two main things we need to get past or around. First, 38 different racing jurisdictions—we need only one. Second, the ‘new guard’ versus ‘old guard’ way of thinking.”
Date of birth: August 4, 1973
Birthplace: Lexington
Residence: Versailles, Kentucky
Title: President
Company: Three Chimneys Farm
Education: Bachelor of Arts in economics, DePauw University
Family: Married, three children
Career: Positions with Hyatt Corp., Ernst & Young, Arlington Park, Irish National Stud, and Arrowfield Stud prior to return to Kentucky to work at Three Chimneys Farm
Favorite horse: Dynaformer
What book are you currently reading? The Big Short, by Michael Lewis
Last movie you saw at the theater: The Hurt Locker
Outside interests: Skiing
Personal motto: “Every day is a blessing.”
Best advice someone gave you: “It takes years to build a reputation and only seconds to lose it.”
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