Woodburn Stud was an American horse breeding farm located in Woodford County,

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...

about ten miles (16 km) from the city of Lexington. It was established in the 18th century as an original

land grant A land grant is a gift of real estate—land or its use privileges—made by a government or other authority as an incentive, means of enabling works, or as a reward for services to an individual, especially in return for military service. Grants ...

property of General Hugh Mercer to whom it had been granted for his military services during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

. Robert Alexander (1767–1841), a Scottish immigrant, came to

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

from Scotland in 1786. Around 1790 he purchased the Mercer estate in Kentucky. Under the guidance of his son, Robert A. Alexander, during the 19th century, Woodburn Stud became the birthplace of Kentucky's

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are ...

industry.

History

Robert A. Alexander was the first to establish a systematic design method for horse breeding. Woodburn Stud was home to the stallion Lexington (1850–1875), America's leading sire for sixteen years. Lexington sired numerous champions and winners of major races including, Duke of Magenta,

and

Preakness Preakness may refer to: * The Preakness or Preakness Stakes, an American flat thoroughbred horse race held in Baltimore, Maryland * Preakness (horse), an American thoroughbred racehorse from Preakness Stables * Preakness, New Jersey, a section of W ...

, for whom the

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held on Armed Forces Day which is also the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs () o ...

is named. Woodburn breeding yielded 18 winners of U.S. Triple Crown race winners and other major winners including Lexington's grandson Foxhall. Some of the notable Thoroughbreds buried at Woodburn farm include Asteroid (1861–1886),

Planet A planet is a large, rounded astronomical body that is neither a star nor its remnant. The best available theory of planet formation is the nebular hypothesis, which posits that an interstellar cloud collapses out of a nebula to create a you ...

(c. 1855-1875), and

Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal A ...

(1858–1879), a son of the English Triple Crown winner, West Australian Although Lexington's success as a sire made Woodburn Stud near synonymous with

flat racing Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic pr ...

Thoroughbreds, in fact during the mid to late 19th century, Woodburn was where the

Standardbred horse The Standardbred is an American horse breed best known for its ability in harness racing, where members of the breed compete at either a trot or pace. Developed in North America, the Standardbred is recognized worldwide, and the breed can trace i ...

originated and the farm was best known for these trotting horses for harness racing. After the death of Robert A. Alexander in December 1867, the operation prospered under his brother Alexander John "A.J." Alexander. But after A.J.'s death in 1902, it went into decline. Not long into the 20th century, the farm was no longer in the horse business and had been converted to

cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ma ...

land. In 1867, A.J. Alexander bred

who would be purchased by Milton H. Sanford and for whom the

is named. The American Classic Race winners bred by the Alexanders' Woodburn Stud are: * Kentucky Derby (4): **

Baden-Baden Baden-Baden () is a spa town in the state of Baden-Württemberg, south-western Germany, at the north-western border of the Black Forest mountain range on the small river Oos, ten kilometres (six miles) east of the Rhine, the border with Fra ...

(1877) ** Fonso (1880) ** Joe Cotton (1885) ** Chant (1894) *

(4): ** Tom Ochiltree (1875) **

Shirley Shirley may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Shirley'' (novel), an 1849 novel by Charlotte Brontë * ''Shirley'' (1922 film), a British silent film * ''Shirley'' (2020 film), an American film * ''Shirley'' (album), a 1961 album by Shirley Bas ...

(1876) ** Duke of Magenta (1878) ** Grenada (1880) * Belmont Stakes (10): ** General Duke (1868) **

Kingfisher Kingfishers are a family, the Alcedinidae, of small to medium-sized, brightly colored birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species found in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Oceania, ...

(1870) **

Harry Bassett Harry Bassett (1868–1878) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse, winner of the 1871 Belmont Stakes and an outstanding racehorse of the 19th century. He also won a number of other stakes races, and was named the Champion male of his age grou ...

(1871) ** Joe Daniels (1872) **

Springbok The springbok (''Antidorcas marsupialis'') is a medium-sized antelope found mainly in south and southwest Africa. The sole member of the genus ''Antidorcas'', this bovid was first described by the German zoologist Eberhard August Wilhelm ...

(1873) ** Duke of Magenta (1878) **

Spendthrift A spendthrift (also profligate or prodigal) is someone who is extravagant and recklessly wasteful with money, often to a point where the spending climbs well beyond his or her means. "Spendthrift" derives from an obsolete sense of the word "thrift" ...

(1879) ** Grenada (1880) ** Burlington (1890) **

Patron Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings, popes, and the wealthy have provided to artists su ...

(1892)

Airdrie Stud

Today the Woodburn name is long gone but the horse breeding business was revived in 1972 as Airdrie Stud Inc. which now operates on , much of which is part of the original Woodburn Stud lands. Airdrie Stud, Inc. is owned by former Kentucky Governor

Brereton Jones Brereton Chandler Jones (born June 27, 1939) is an American politician from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. From 1987 to 1991, he served as the 50th lieutenant governor of Kentucky and from 1991 to 1995, he was the state's 58th governor. He now ...

and his wife Libby. Mrs. Jones is a descendant of the Alexander family. In 2000, the Airdrie-bred filly

Caressing Physical intimacy is sensual proximity or touching. It is an act or reaction, such as an expression of feelings (including close friendship, platonic love, romantic love or sexual attraction), between people. Examples of physical intimacy ...

won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Stallions at Airdrie Stud

As of 2017, Airdrie currently stands eight stallions, including- *Cairo Prince: From the first crop of his sire

Pioneerof the Nile the Nile (May 5, 2006 – March 18, 2019) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who came second in the 2009 Kentucky Derby and sired the 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, as well as 2016 Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Classic Empire. Ba ...

, Cairo Prince became the early favorite for the 2014 Kentucky Derby after his impressive wins in the Gr.II Nashua Stakes and Gr.III

Holy Bull Stakes The Holy Bull Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three year old horses run over the distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt, held annually in January at Gulfstream Park, Hallandale Beach, Florida. The event c ...

. His suffered an injury in his sophomore year, ending his career. He commands a stud fee of $15,000. *Creative Cause: A standout son of

Giant's Causeway The Giant's Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic fissure eruption. It is located in County Antrim on the north coast of Northern Ireland, about three miles (5 km) northeast of ...

, Creative Cause won several graded stakes races, including the Gr.I

FrontRunner Stakes The American Pharoah Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually near the end of September during the fall meet at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. A Grade I event, it is open to two-year-old horses and is held at a distanc ...

, Gr.II

Best Pal Stakes The Best Pal Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-olds over a distance of six furlongs on the dirt track scheduled annually in August at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. The event currently carries a purse o ...

, and Gr.II San Felipe Stakes, while also placing in the Gr.I

Del Mar Futurity The Del Mar Futurity is a seven-furlong American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. A Grade I event since 2007, the race is open to two-year-old horses and offers a purse of $300,000. In 1971, it w ...

, Gr.I

Breeders' Cup Juvenile The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings raced on dirt. It is held annually in late October or early November at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup W ...

, Gr.I

Santa Anita Derby The Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is currently run at a distance of miles on the dirt and carries a purse of $400,000. It is one ...

, Gr.II

San Vicente Stakes The San Vicente Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race run annually at Santa Anita Park. A Grade II event, the race is open to three-year-old horses willing to race seven furlongs on the dirt and currently carries a purse of $200,000. Hist ...

, and Gr.I

. He was also fifth in the 2012 Kentucky Derby and defeated every horse he ran against at least once. A full brother to graded stakes winner Destin, he commands a stud fee of $15,000. *Include: A Gr.I winning son of

Broad Brush Broad Brush (April 16, 1983 – May 15, 2009) was an American thoroughbred racehorse foaled in Maryland. He was by the Hall of Fame stallion Ack Ack out of the Hoist The Flag mare Hay Patcher. Bred and owned by Robert E. Meyerhoff and traine ...

and sire of multiple graded stakes winners, he commands a stud fee of $10,000. *Istan: A globetrotting son of

Gone West Gone West (March 10, 1984 – September 7, 2009) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred by William O. Reed, he was a son of the influential sire Mr. Prospector. His dam, Secrettame, was a daughter of 1973 U.S. Triple Crown winner Secret ...

, Istan won two graded stakes races and several ungraded. He commands a stud fee of $5,000. *Majesticperfection: A Gr.I winning son of Harlan's Holiday, he commands a stud fee of $15,000. *Mark Valeski: A multiple graded stakes winner of Proud Citizen, his stud fee is private. *Summer Front: A son of top sire War Front, he was an undefeated stakes winner as a juvenile and commands a stud fee of $10,000. *Upstart: His sire Flatter's best juvenile son, he won the Funny Cide Stakes, Gr.II Holy Bull Stakes and Gr.III Razorback Handicap throughout his career. A millionaire, he commands a stud fee of $10,000.

References

Bibliography

External links

Official website of Airdrie Stud
{{coord, 38, 08, 24, N, 84, 44, 24, W, display=title American racehorse owners and breeders Horse farms in Kentucky Buildings and structures in Woodford County, Kentucky 18th-century establishments in Kentucky