Centennial Farms

Top Associated Horses: Corinthian, Chelokee, Vitruvius, Reverberate

2009 Record: (82-15-11-10)

2009 Earnings: $434,765

2009 Win %: 18% In-The-Money %: 43%

Owner(s): Donald V. Little Sr. and Donald V. Little Jr.
Born: Little Sr. was born in Philadelphia, Pa.; Little Jr. was born on Dec. 13, 1960 in Boston, Mass.
Residence: Both live in Ipswich, Mass.
Family: Little Sr.: wife, Judy; son, Donald Jr., daughter, Andrea, four grandchildren ... Little Jr.: wife, Holly; sons, Donald III and James
Professional Background: Little Sr., chairman of Centennial Farms, is an investment banker in Boston ... Little Jr. is president of Centennial Farms ... Both father and son are active members of TOBA ... Little Sr. also is a past president of the United States Polo Association and a master of the Myopia Hunt Club ... Both are avid pliots; Little Sr. was the youngest aircraft commander in the Strategic Air Command
Web site: www.centennialfarms.com
Breeding/Racing Operation: In its 26-year history, Centennial Farms, which forms racing partnerships, has won more than 60 graded stakes and amassed earnings of more than $10 million ... Centennial also consults for clients on broodmare acquisition and stallion management. ... Veterinarian Dr. Stephen Carr and Paula Parsons are part of the acquisition team at sales for racing and breeding, and Parsons breaks the yearlings ... Currently owns 25 horses with trainers Jimmy Jerkens, Michael Matz and Rodney Jenkins ... Added to its Grade 1 stakes wins in 2007 when Corinthian took the Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park ... Trained by Jerkens, Corinthian won the Met Mile by less than a length over Political Force, a horse trained by Jerkens’ father, Hall of Famer H. Allen Jerkens ... “The Met Mile may have been one of our biggest wins ever,” Little Jr. said. “Corinthian ran his eyeballs out and that race is a big one for establishing a horse as a stallion.” ... Corinthian furthered his credentials when he won the inaugural Dirt Mile, the first winner Centennial has had with six Breeders' Cup starters ... Corinthian retired to stud at Gainesway Farm with a 2008 stud fee of $40,000 ... Another recent star for Centennial was G3 winner Chelokee, a half-brother to one of 2007’s leading 2-year-olds, Salute the Sarge, who won the Barbaro Stakes for trainer Michael Matz on the Preakness undercard one year after the race's namesake broke down in that race ... Chelokee retired after injuring a tendon in May of 2008 ... Centennial’s most celebrated moment came in 1993 when Colonial Affair, a $100,000 purchase at the 1991 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale, won the G1 Belmont Stakes under jockey Julie Krone ... “I was so nervous for that race when they loaded the horses in the gate that I left the owners in the box seats and hid behind a pole,” Little Jr. said. “As the race went on I came out bit by bit and started walking back to the seats. By the time they were at the eighth pole, I was back in the middle of the group yelling and cheering.” ... Colonial Affair also won the G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup and G1 Whitney in 1994 ... Owned the champion sprinter Rubiano, who won the 1992 Eclipse Award after capturing the G1 Carter, Westchester, G1 Vosburgh, G1 Forego and G2 Tom Fool Handicaps ... He was third as the 2-1 favorite in the 1992 Bredeers’ Cup Sprint ... “Rubiano and Colonial Affair put us on the map,” Little Jr. said ... Centennial purchased multiple stakes winner King Cugat for $110,000 at the 1998 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale and bankrolled over $700,000 with him ... Centennial spent $1,050,000 for four yearlings at the 2008 Keeneland September yearling sale. ... Other stakes winners include Rebel Yeller, Aptostar, Topicount and Silent Account ... In 2008, the syndicate has been represented by Desert Key, four times second in stakes this year, including his last three appearances, in the G2 Amsterdam, G1 King's Bishop, and Gallant Bob Handicap.