NEWS
Kitty Taylor
Posted: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 11:48 AM
KITTY TAYLOR
Courtesy of Warrendale Sales
Warrendale Sales
Kitty Taylor started out riding hunters as a child, switched over to three-day event horses in college, and because of Secretariat’s influence, transitioned to Thoroughbreds after college.
“The year Secretariat won the Triple Crown I can honestly say it was the first time I became aware of horse racing,” said Taylor, now one of the industry’s leading consignors through her Warrendale Sales. “He was amazing to watch and inspirational to me.”
Taylor has owned and operated Lexington-based Warrendale Sales since 2001. Warrendale has grown steadily over the years and in 2009 was North America’s sixth-leading seller of yearlings with 144 sold for $10,069,500. That year Warrendale was the tenth-leading weanling seller with 36 sold for $1,280,800 and ranked 12th in broodmare sales with 47 sold for $3,052,400. Warrendale consigned the sale topper at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July sale of selected yearlings in 2008 and ’09.
Taylor’s advice for anyone interested in a career with Thoroughbreds is to become well-versed in as many aspects of the industry as possible.
“Have a good business/finance background as well as solid horsemanship skills,” Taylor said. “I believe a lot of young people today get into our industry without having paid their dues, so to speak. You need to know how to lead a horse, handle a horse, and understand the animal itself. And you need to be prepared to outwork your competition.
“Be smart, be fair, and be honest. Find a mentor and when the time comes, become a mentor.”
Date of birth: July 23, 1957
Birthplace: Frankfurt, Germany
Residence: Lexington
Title: Owner, operator
Company: Warrendale Sales
Education: Bachelor of Science, William Woods College
Family: Divorced, two children
Career: Director of sales at Vinery for eight years in 1990s; worked at fall yearling sales for Lee Eaton and Tyson-Gilpin; managed family farm in Tappahannock, Virginia
Favorite horse: Secretariat
What book are you currently reading? Animals Make Us Human: Creating the Best Life for Animals, by Temple Grandin
Favorite TV shows: “Meet the Press,” “Dancing with the Stars”
Biggest professional achievement: “Making it as a top-five consignor last September at Keeneland [yearling sale] and making Warrendale Sales a top-ten consignor in 2010.”
Biggest personal achievement: “My two children.”
Outside interests: Gardening, riding, reading a good book, watching son’s Little League baseball team
Personal motto: “As my father always says before he hangs up the phone, ‘Persevere.’ ”
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