Tracy Farmer

2009 Record: (58-8-13-10)

2009 Earnings: $361,349

2009 Win %: 13% In-The-Money %: 53%

Born: Jan. 30, 1939, in Jackson County, Ky.
Residence: Shadowlawn Farm near Midway, Ky.
Family: wife Carol and two sons
Professional Background: Owns automobile dealerships and is involved in banking and commercial real estate development and building management ... In 2000, Farmer donated $2 million to the University of Kentucky for creation of the Tracy Farmer Center for the Environment to address environmental challenges that face Kentucky and surrounding regions ... Was on the University of Kentucky board of trustees for 12 years ... Served as chairman of the Kentucky Democratic Party in 1981 ... Was Public Protection and Regulation Cabinet Secretary under former Kentucky Governor John Y. Brown Jr. ... Former chairman of Begley Co., a Kentucky-based chain of drugstores ... Member of The Jockey Club and serves on the boards of Breeders' Cup Ltd. and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. ... Received the 2006 W.T. Young Humanitarian Award sponsored by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders. Farmer was honored as a person in the industry “who recognizes and promotes the human endeavor.” … Joined with other prominent horsemen to form Concerned Citizens for Saratoga in August 2007, which announced its support of the New York Racing Association's bid to keep the franchise operating Aqueduct, Belmont and Saratoga ... In September 2007, it was announced that NYRA had been selected and would retain the franchise
Breeding/Racing Operation: Bought 135-acre Shadowlawn Farm in 1993 for $1.6 million … Main residence was a setting for TV mini-series “Bluegrass” … Has about 30 horses in training with Nick Zito, Tom Amoss, Graham Motion, Rick Violette and Andrew McKeever … "I have a lot of good owners but I'm very fortunate to train for him," Zito told David Grening of Daily Racing Form. "I like people that are the same when they win and the same when they lose. One time (Farmer) flew up from Kentucky, we ran a favorite at Belmont, and he didn't win. He said, 'Nick, it won't be the last time we lose'" ... Has 20 broodmares at his Shadowlawn Farm, which is managed by Three Chimneys Farm ... Farmer bought grade 1 winner Albert the Great for $85,000 at the 1998 Keeneland September yearling sale. Carol Farmer named horse for Albert Clay, who bred the colt and is the father of Robert Clay. The son of Go for Gin won the Jockey Club Gold Cup in 2001, then Farmer donated 5 percent of Albert the Great’s third-place earnings in the Breeders’ Cup Classic to the New York Heroes Fund ... Raced 1997 champion handicap mare Hidden Lake in partnership with Robert Clay ... Bought 2005 Whitney Handicap winner Commentator for $135,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July select yearling sale in 2001 ... After being forced to miss the 2006 Breeders' Cup with an injury, Commentator ran seventh in the 2007 Sprint … Came back to win the 2008 Whitney Handicap (G1) three years after his first victory in the race and followed that up with a 14-length victory in the Massachusetts Handicap ... Farmer bred and raced multiple graded stakes winner Sir Shackleton, who set track records at Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs in 2006 ... Bought multiple stakes winner Sun King as a yearling for $400,000 at the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale in 2003. By Charismatic, Sun King became Farmer's first Kentucky Derby starter in 2005 and finished 15th. He won the 2006 Commonwealth Breeders' Cup Stakes at Keeneland and continued to race in 2007, finishing second in the Woodward and fourth in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. ... Farmer's Breeders’ Cup starters to date have been Albert the Great (fourth, 2000 Classic; third, 2001 Classic), Sun King (third, 2004 Juvenile; ninth, 2005 Classic, and 10th 2006 Classic), Sir Shackleton (eighth, 2005 Classic), and Commentator (seventh, 2007 Sprint).