By M. Scott Morris

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Keyphrase: racehorses for sale

Note: This was a single-day turnaround because of its timely nature

When buying a thoroughbred racehorse, it’s important to check out the horse farm’s reputation. That’s what Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II did, and it brought her to Kentucky’s Mill Ridge Farm.

The Queen passed away at her home in Scotland on Sept. 8 at the age of 96. The United Kingdom and the world at large lost an iconic head of state who had reigned for more than 70 years.

In addition, the world of horse racing lost a lifelong supporter of the sport as well as a successful participant. According to research in the UK’s Online Betting Guide, the Queen’s horses started 3,441 races and won 566 of them over the course of 35 years.

It’s been widely reported that Elizabeth sat astride her first horse at the age of 3, and her passion for horses never waned. On the day before she turned 96, The Royal Family Twitter page released a photograph of her as she stood between two of her fell ponies, BYBECK KATIE and BYBECK NIGHTINGALE.

It was a passion she shared with the founders of Mill Ridge Farm and Keeneland Race Track. She visited Kentucky in 1984 to present the trophy for the first running of The Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Keeneland Race Track. Two years later, she sent five mares to be bred at Mill Ridge because she respected the speed and durability of American stallions.

Racing Lineages

Anyone looking for racehorses for sale needs to take into account the farm’s reputation. Surely, that’s what Queen Elizabeth did when she put her trust in Mill Ridge.  It takes time to develop the kind of reputation that could attract a monarch’s attention.

Horse racing is an ancient pastime. There’s evidence of Central Asian nomads racing from around 900 BC. Archeological digs have revealed horse racing was a popular sport in the grandest civilizations of antiquity:

Horse racing became a professional sport in the United Kingdom in the 12th century, when English knights brought Arab horses back from the Crusades. The popularity of the sport grew during the reigns of King James I, King Charles II, and Queen Anne.

King George IV started a tradition of a yearly royal procession at Ascot Racecourse in 1825. Breeders with racehorses for sale knew that the most prestigious eyes in the nation were watching their horses run.

When Queen Elizabeth’s father, King George VI, died, she inherited his breeding and racing stock. It’s fair to stay horse racing ran in her. The same is true for the owners of Mill Ridge.

Racehorses for Sale

When Alice Headley Chandler was inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in 2020, it was a proud day, but it wasn’t just her achievement. It reflected generations of devotion to the sport.

In 1880, George Washington Headley purchased Beaumont Farm, which was handed down to his son, Hal Petit Headley. From there, the operation was taken over by Hal Price Headley, who was instrumental in the founding of Keeneland Race Track in 1936.

When on the lookout for racehorses for sale, wins on the race track attract a lot of attention. Hal Price Headley’s most notable horses include:

In all, Headley bred 88 Grand States winners, giving his family’s reputation front-runner status for racing aficionados.

His daughter, Chandler, took over Beaumont Farm in 1962 and continued to build on her family’s winning legacy. She founded Mill Ridge Farm with four mares her father bequeathed to her.

SIR IVOR, descended from ALCIBIADES, won the Epsom Derby in 1968. The horse was eventually sold to the U.S. ambassador to Ireland for $42,000. SIR IVOR put on a grand show for race fans overseas. As a result, Europeans turned their eyes to the United States and Keeneland when they sought racehorses for sale.

Chandler and the Mill Ridge Farm team racked up a string of successes over the years, including:

Mill Ridge Farm has raised or sold seven Breeder’s Cup Winners and 36 Grade 1 winners since 2000.

Fast for Fast’s Sake

According to a story in the Lexington Herald-Leader, “Mill Ridge’s client roster reads like a who’s who of top owners and breeders.”

A BBC documentary, “The Queen’s Racehorses: A Personal View,” showcased one of those clients.

“My philosophy about racing is simple,” Her Majesty said. “I enjoy breeding a horse that is faster than other people’s.”

That philosophy was shared by Chandler as well as her father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. As Kentucky grew into a prime proving ground for breeders with racehorses for sale, it makes sense that someone with the racing lineage of Queen Elizabeth wouldn’t be able to stay away.

What began as a business relationship developed into a friendship over the years. In addition to the Queen’s visits to the United States, Chandler and her husband, Dr. John Chandler, traveled to the Royal Ascot race and met with Her Majesty for tea. It’s no doubt the conversation often turned to who had the fastest racehorses for sale.

The Race Goes On

The news of the Queen’s death has reverberated across the world. She represented many things to many people. The racehorse community lost someone who loved horses as much as they do.

Though the Queen is gone, the race in her honor will go on. Shannon Arvin, president and CEO of Keeneland, said, “The Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) will be even more special this fall as we honor her memory and celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.”

Racing fans, horse lovers, and breeders with racehorses for sale will gather in Kentucky and swap tales about the Queen who, in her bones, knew the value of a fast and durable thoroughbred.

Visit millridge.com to learn more about Mill Ridge Farm and its enduring legacy.