Claiborne Farm is athoroughbredhorse breeding operation nearParis, Kentucky. It was established in 1910 byArthur B. Hancock, owner ofEllerslie Stud inAlbemarle County,Virginia, and has been operated by members of his family ever since.^[1]

• Arthur B. Hancock (1875–1957)
• Arthur B. "Bull" Hancock, Jr. (1910–1972)
• Seth W. Hancock (b. 1949)

Arthur B. Hancock III (b. 1943) owns Stone Farm, a breeding operation nearby.

Arthur B. Hancock imported breeding stock from Europe that made Claiborne Farm an international leader in breeding, sales, and racing. He bredVigil, the 1923Preakness Stakes winner. Among his famous sires wasSir Gallahad, purchased from France, who was the leading sire in 1930, 1933, 1934, and 1940 and who sired 1930U.S. Triple Crown winnerGallant Fox. Claiborne Farm was part of a 1936 consortium that importedBlenheim from England and in 1944 purchasedPrincequillo, who became the leading U.S. sire for 1957 and 1958.

Claiborne Farm won theEclipse Award for Outstanding Breeder in 1979 and again in 1984. It has been visited twice byQueen Elizabeth II of theUnited Kingdom, who owned racehorses herself. The farm was home to all the major horses owned by thePhipps family, includingOrb, the2013 Kentucky Derby winner.Secretariat was syndicated by Seth Hancock for breeding purposes and stood at stud at Claiborne Farm from the conclusion of his racing career at the end of 1973 until his death in 1989.

Racing historianEdward L. Bowen considers Claiborne Farm one of the most influential American breeding operations, due to the many breeders who benefited from its horses and the length of time that influence has lasted.^[2]

In 1973 theKeeneland Association honored Claiborne Farm with itsMark of Distinction for their contribution to Keeneland and the Thoroughbred industry.^[3]

Some of the horses buried at Claiborne Farm are:

• Ambiorix (1946–1975) – Leading sire 1961
• Blenheim (1927–1958)
• Bold Ruler (1954–1971) – Leading sire 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1973
• Buckpasser (1963–1978)
• Double Jay (1944–1972)
• Gallant Fox (1927–1954)
• Gamely (1964–1975)
• Hoist The Flag (1968–1980)
• Johnstown (1936–1950)
• Mr. Prospector (1970–1999) – Leading sire 1987, 1988
• Nasrullah (1940–1959) – Leading sire 1955, 1956, 1959, 1960, 1962
• Nijinsky II (1967–1992)
• Princequillo (1940–1964) – Leading sire 1957, 1958
• Pulpit (1994–2012)
• Riva Ridge (1969–1985)
• Round Table (1954–1987) – Leading sire 1972
• Secretariat (1970–1989)
• Swale (1981–1984)
• War Cloud (1915–1923)

Some of the horses buried at Claiborne's Marchmont Farm division:

• Ack Ack (1966–1990)
• Chatterton (1919–1933) – Leading sire 1932
• Forli (1963–1988)
• Christmas Past (1979–2008),American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly (1982)
• Conquistador Cielo (1979–2002)
• Damascus (1964–1995)
• Danzig (1977–2006) – Leading sire 1991, 1992, 1993
• Easy Goer (1986–1994)
• Moccasin (1963–1986)
• Ruffian (1972–1975), – Originally buried atBelmont Park, remains relocated to Claiborne in 2023
• Sir Gallahad III (1920–1949) – Leading sire 1930, 1933, 1934, 1940
• Sir Ivor (1965–1995)
• Tom Rolfe (1962–1989)
• Unbridled (1987–2001)

Stallions standing at Claiborne Farm as of the 2023 breeding season include:

• Blame: A son of Arch who famously won the 2010Breeders' Cup Classic over Zenyatta, as well as winning an Eclipse Award. He commands a stud fee of $25,000.
• Catholic Boy: A son of More Than Ready who won theTravers Stakes in 2018, he commands a fee of $25,000.
• Demarchelier: Won his first 3 races including Gr.IIIPennine Ridge Stakes. He commands a stud fee of $5,000.
• First Samurai: A multiple Gr.I winning juvenile son ofGiant's Causeway, he commands a stud fee of $7,500.
• Lea: A son of Fist Samurai and grandson of champion sireGalileo, the Gr.I winner commands a stud fee of $5,000.
• Mastery: A son of Candy Ride, won four of four races, including 3 stakes races of which one was the Gr.ILos Alamitos Futurity. He commands a stud fee of $7,500.
• Runhappy: The son ofSuper Saver, Eclipse Champion sprinter andHorse of the Year finalist commands a stud fee of $15,000.
• Silver State: The Gr.I winning son of champion sireHard Spun commands a stud fee of $20,000.
• War Front: The world's top sire of turf juveniles and son ofDanzig, he commands the highest stud fee at Claiborne Farm- $100,000.
• War Of Will: Son of War Front, winner of two Gr.I's including ThePreakness Stakes in 2019, commands a stud fee of $25,000.^[4]

Notes

Further reading

• Miller, Haven (Spring 2002)."UK Ag Grad Among World's Top Thoroughbred Breeders".The Ag Magazine.Lexington:University of Kentucky College of Agriculture.
• Oakford, Glenye Cain (July 31, 2010)."Claiborne at 100"(PDF).Daily Racing Form.New York: Daily Racing Form LLC. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on March 14, 2012.
• Patton, Janet (July 28, 2012)."At fabled Claiborne Farm, yearling training is kindergarten for horses".Lexington Herald-Leader.Lexington:The McClatchy Company.

• Official website

38°11′25.5″N84°14′42.3″W / 38.190417°N 84.245083°W /38.190417; -84.245083

• American racehorse owners and breeders
• Buildings and structures in Bourbon County, Kentucky
• Eclipse Award winners
• Breeders of Kentucky Derby winners
• Breeders of Preakness Stakes winners
• Breeders of Belmont Stakes winners
• Owners of Kentucky Derby winners
• Owners of Preakness Stakes winners
• Owners of Belmont Stakes winners
• Hancock family
• Horse farms in Kentucky
• 1910 establishments in Kentucky

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