Thoroughbred Horses
Around the time of his marriage, Elisha Warfield began racing and breeding Thoroughbreds and in 1809 was one of the founding members of the Lexington Jockey Club. In 1821 he made the decision to pursue his passion for Thoroughbreds on a full-time basis. In 1826, he was one of the founders of the Kentucky Association which would build a horse racetrack on land adjacent to Warfield's farm property. Known as The Meadows, Elisha Warfield's stud farm was located on Winchester Pike on the Northeast side of Lexington and was where he bred the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame Thoroughbred, Lexington. Foaled at The Meadows on March 29, 1850, and originally named Darley, the colt was very successful on the racetrack, winning six of his seven starts. However, as a stallion he became one of the greatest in American history. Between 1861 and 1878 he was the Leading sire in North America a record sixteen times, of which fourteen were consecutive years. As of 2008, Lexington's record remains intact.
A brother of Lexington attorney, Benjamin Warfield, they were part of the group that founded Lexington Cemetery in 1849 and is where Elisha Warfield was buried following his 1859 death at his Lexington home. The Meadows stud farm was eventually sold with portions of the property parceled off. Prominent Kentucky horseman Daniel Swigert owned the stud for a time until putting it up for sale in August 1888. Real estate developers acquired the property in 1945 and today it is home to The Meadows sub-division.
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Famous quotes containing the words thoroughbred and/or horses:
“There can be no two opinions as to what a highbrow is. He is the man or woman of thoroughbred intelligence who rides his mind at a gallop across country in pursuit of an idea.”
—Virginia Woolf (1882–1941)
“Come, dear children, let us away;
Down and away below!
Now my brothers call from the bay,
Now the great winds shoreward blow,
Now the salt tides seaward flow;
Now the wild white horses play,
Champ and chafe and toss in the spray.”
—Matthew Arnold (1822–1888)