Walker Hancock

LEXINGTON, KY - With some 75 horses still to go through the ring, the 2022 Fasig-Tipton October Yearlings Sale overtook its record gross set just last year and, by the close of business Thursday, 1,100 yearlings had grossed $55,426,500. The 2021 gross was $52,607,500 for 1,153 yearlings sold. Also surpassing records set last year were the average of $50,388 and the median of $25,000. The previous marks were $45,627 and $22,000, respectively. "Another remarkable sale concluded tonight," said Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning. "You are always thrilled when you set records...

Following the passing of world-renowned international stallion More Than Ready this summer, four of his sons now stand in Kentucky in the hopes of carrying the torch for their accomplished sire. Among them, Catholic Boy holds the distinction of earning Grade I victories on two surfaces. After collecting six graded wins over his three-year racing campaign, Catholic Boy launched his stud career at Claiborne Farm in 2020. The farm's Walker Hancock said that the $2.1 million earner, who is out a daughter of productive broodmare sire Bernardini, has all the...

Barbara Banke (Stonestreet Farms), Walker Hancock (Claiborne Farm), Gray Lyster (Ashview Farm), and Elliott Walden (WinStar Farm) were each elected by the Breeders' Cup Members to serve a four-year term on Breeders' Cup's Board of Directors, Breeders' Cup announced Thursday. Banke, Hancock, and Walden were re-elected as Directors. Lyster, who was elected a Breeders' Cup Member in 2020, has been involved in the equine industry for his entire life. His family operates Ashview Farm. Lyster is a breeder, owner, farm operator, and consignor. He co-bred Breeders' Cup Champion Runhappy, and...

In the first episode of the TDN's new video series 'Catching Up with Katie,' host Katie Petrunyak sat down with the University of Kentucky's starting quarterback Will Levis and Claiborne Farm's Walker Hancock at Wallace Station Deli and Bakery outside of Lexington to discuss the N.I.L. (Name, Image, and Likeness) deal between Levis and Claiborne stallion War of Will (War Front). The partnership was announced early last month and is the first of its kind for any collegiate student-athlete with a Thoroughbred syndicate. [Elite_video_player id="2" html5videos_hd="https://player.vimeo.com/progressive_redirect/playback/709670997/rendition/540p/file.mp4?loc=external&signature=d99ce348f7d43f5e6c9f920d0521574d659d3e2254c9e2161218981a2d67dabc" html5videos_videoThumbnails_jpg="" html5videos_title="Catching Up with...

Flatter (A.P. Indy--Praise, by Mr. Prospector), a successful stallion at Claiborne Farm for nearly two decades, was euthanized May 9 at the age of 23 due to the infirmities of old age, Claiborne announced Tuesday. The bay was a second-generation homebred for Claiborne and Adele Dilschneider and a full-brother to GSW and successful sire Congrats. "Flatter was the kind of sire you'd like to have 10 of," said Claiborne's Bernie Sams. "He was solid and consistent year in and year out. He started at the bottom and worked his way...

The syndicate that owns MGISW War of Will (War Front), who stands at Claiborne Farm and whose first foals are arriving this year, has entered into a partnership agreement with the University of Kentucky (UK)'s starting quarterback Will Levis. The agreement, which was announced by Sports Management Company Athlete Advantage, is an N.I.L. (Name, Image, and Likeness) deal. "Will Levis loves racing," said Claiborne's Walker Hancock. "He came out to the farm two weeks ago and he met War of Will. We filmed a commercial and that will be airing...

Jill Gordon and Jacob West have launched Highgate Sales, a new sales company which will make its debut at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale in February. Highgate Sales will offer consignments at breeding stock, yearling, and horses of racing age sales, as well as offering appraisals, private purchases and sales, and portfolio management services. Gordon formerly worked at Claiborne Farm as the Sales and Client Relations Manager for 3 1/2 years after a three-year stint at Warrendale Sales. In her role at Claiborne, she oversaw all aspects of the...

According to Walker Hancock, Silver State (Hard Spun - Supreme, by Empire Maker) has been an easy sell as breeders have stopped by Claiborne Farm in the past few weeks to see the new, Grade I-winning arrival. "Everyone who has come to see him has absolutely loved him," Hancock reported. "They can't get enough of him. We've even sold shares to him just with people who have come out to see him. The comments we get are that people didn't realize how big he is. He's 16'3 and is dappled...

The sales action moves across town Wednesday with bidding on the first session of Keeneland November starting at 1 p.m. The 10-day auction, which runs through Nov. 19, opens with a single-session Book 1 comprised of 229 mares and weanlings, five of which were late supplements. The sale has five books in total and the last half of the final day will be dedicated to 285 Horses of Racing Age. "We have a lot of optimism," said Cormac Breathnach, Keeneland's Director of Sales. "We had an electric atmosphere starting in...

He really had to earn his stripes, his farm resorting to pretty desperate measures to keep him in the game as his early books dwindled along with his fee. But he has long since vindicated (as well as virtually trademarked) that farm's management style, evolving into one of the great stallions of our time--a status on which he set a formal seal last weekend with his 100th stakes winner. And his name is... Into Mischief. Or is it? Hang on a minute. Syllable for syllable, you can say exactly the...

Brant Laue has been re-elected as chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association Board of Trustees, TOBA announced Wednesday. Also joining Laue on the Board of Trustees to serve three-year terms as new members are Barbara Banke, Carrie Brogden and Tim Cohen. Re-elected to three-year terms were current trustees Greg Bensel, Robert Edwards Jr., Tanya Gunther and Walker Hancock. "I thank the trustees for their support," Laue said. "Racing has fared well through the pandemic and some positive trends are continuing in 2021, but the pandemic has created new...

The Kentucky Thoroughbred Association (KTA) and Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders (KTOB) elected officers and members of the Board of Directors. The officers of KTA/KTOB serve two-year terms and are voted on by members of the KTA/KTOB Board of Directors. Members of the KTA/KTOB Board of Directors serve three-year terms and are elected by the full membership of the organization. Elected KTA/KTOB Officers for 2021: President, KTA/KTOB: Joseph Seitz, Director of Sales, Brookdale Farm Vice-President, KTA: Walker Hancock, President, Claiborne Farm. Vice-President, KTOB: Natanya Nieman, D.V.M., Resident Veterinarian, WinStar Farm...