NEWS
Clay celebrates life
in Thoroughbred breeding
Posted: Monday, November 16, 2009 4:04 PM
by Frank Angst
On a night Catesby Woodford Clay most assuredly celebrated a life in the Thoroughbred industry—more than once breaking into song—the 86-year-old Runnymede Farm owner also challenged industry leaders to look forward and encouraged friends to stick through tough times.
The Thoroughbred Club of America named Clay its Honor Guest at its 78th testimonial dinner on Sunday at Keeneland Race Course. Clay delivered a rousing speech that brought laughter, applause, and even a rallying cry from the 225 people in attendance.
A fired-up Clay pointed out that the Standardbred industry once thrived in Kentucky until other states began to offer more lucrative breeding incentives that the Bluegrass State failed to match. Clay, the owner of Kentucky’s oldest continually active Thoroughbred farm, encouraged current Kentucky politicians to not make the same mistake.
This year the Kentucky House of Representatives approved a bill to allow video lottery terminals at state tracks in a move that would have improved purses and breeder funds. But the bill failed to advance in the state Senate.
“Currently, our Thoroughbred business has been losing ground as other states allow expanded gambling at racetracks, funding Thoroughbred breeding incentive programs with the revenue. What would happen if we go the way of the Standardbreds?” Clay asked. “Kentucky’s trademark worldwide and its leading cash crop is the Thoroughbred horse. Do you think tourists will be attracted by cattle grazing in Kentucky pastures?”
At that point an audience member shouted, “Tell them Catesby, tell them!”
“Or worse, bulldozing one of our greatest resources, our land,” Clay said.
While noting the tough times for Kentucky, the industry, and the overall economy, Clay still looked forward. Wearing a tuxedo that actually looked comfortable, Clay met with nearly every guest before the dinner and was introduced by his son Rev. Catesby Woodford Clay Jr., who noted his father’s passion for poring over sales catalogs to find undervalued broodmares.
The elder Clay said racing needs to continue to target new technology.
“Racing has all the components to be part of the ongoing technological revolution,” he said. “Not so long ago, it was unimaginable that we could sit in our homes and punch up bets on racing around the world through our computers. Yet now this is commonplace, and there is more that can and will be done to deliver racing to the public at large and to the next generations of fans.”
Clay, who rose to President and Board Chairman of the Kentucky River Coal Company, has donated millions of dollars to charities within the industry and beyond the industry. He called on owners and breeders to be sensitive to the needs of people who care for Thoroughbreds at farms and in training.
Under the watch of Clay and his wife, Elizabeth “Biz” Clay, Runnymede has bred more than 50 stakes winners, including 20 graded stakes winners, five Grade 1 winners, and a champion. Clay brought the crowd to laughter on several occasions, as he talked about the joys of breeding, racing, and selling horses.
Moving away from his script, Clay talked directly with trainer Kenny McPeek, who trained 1995 Kentucky Derby (G1) runner-up Tejano Run. Bred by Runnymede and Clay, Tejano Run was purchased for $20,000 by Roy Monroe at the 1993 Keeneland September yearling sale.
“He bought Tejano Run for $20,000 and the horse made a million dollars,” Clay said while shrugging at the bargain for the Grade 2 winner who earned $1,166,842. “But in fairness, we have sold some horses for grand sums who didn’t run at all.”
While Clay prefers to be humble, the accomplishments of the Runnymede breeding operation are long. He is the co-breeder of Japan’s 2001 champion older horse Agnes Digital, who earned $8,095,160. Clay or Runnymede also are the breeders or co-breeders of two other Derby placers in Wild Gale, third in 1993; and Partez, third in 1981; 1970 Kentucky Oaks winner Lady Vi-E; 1973 Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) winner Angle Light; 2008 Metropolitan Handicap (G1) winner Divine Park; 2003 Matron Stakes (G1) winner Marylebone; 2005 Illinois Derby (G2) winner Greeley’s Galaxy; and this year’s Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (G2) winner Awesome Gem.
Clay credited Martin O’Dowd, who has worked as Runnymede’s manager for 24 years, and many of his partners, particularly Peter Callahan, co-breeder of Agnes Digital. Clay said Sunday’s honor was especially meaningful because his stepfather, Senator Johnson Camden, was the fifth person to be named Honor Guest by TCA in 1936.
“Now again, we are certainly in troubled times,” Clay said. “But just as Runnymede has endured over its 142 years, I have every confidence that our industry will regain its stride and re-emerge with resilience and strength.”
Frank Angst is senior writer for Thoroughbred Times
To read the transcript of Clay’s speech, click here.
To read testimonials from the dinner, click here.
