Dixiana Farm
Encyclopedia
Dixiana Farm, founded in 1877, is an American
Thoroughbred
horse breeding
farm in Lexington, Kentucky
.
soldier in the Civil War
and later Sheriff of Fayette County, Kentucky
, took the breeding world by storm with his two colts Himyar
and Domino
. Thomas, who at the time owned Hira Villa Farm (now part of Mt. Brilliant), added to his land holdings by acquiring Dixiana and naming it after his favorite broodmare, Dixie. Thomas is thought to be one of the first men to make his sole living by breeding and selling stock and his results were immediate.
Himyar was famous for being temperamental yet was steadfast on the track with an illustrious racing career that spanned four years with a second place finish in the Kentucky Derby
to Day Star
in 1878 while still claiming multiple stakes wins at ages 4 and 5. Himyar's toughness and versatility transcended beyond the racetrack into his stallion career with his most notable son, Domino.
Purchased for $3,000 by James R. Keene
, Domino, the colt known as the "brown phenomenon" and "black whirlwind" (in reference to the peculiar color of his coat on any given day) was a horse of extreme speed at short distances. He was undefeated at age 2 and went on to be named Champion Two Year Old and 1893 American Horse of the Year. Although Domino only lived to the age of 6, his achievements at stud were remarkable. Domino, out of Thomas’s mare, Mannie Grey by Himyar, sired 19 named foals, 8 of which went on to become stakes race
winners. Domino was returned to Thomas upon his death and laid to rest at Hira Villa. His headstone reads most appropriately, "Here lies the fleetest of runners the American Turf has ever known, and one of the gamest and most generous of horses."
In 1890 Major Thomas fell on hard times. Due to disappointing sale prices and unsettled debts, Thomas found himself forced to sell the farm named for his beloved mare. Dixiana was sold to Jaco S. Coxey on Nov 23, 1897. The majority of Major Thomas's Dixiana stock, including Himyar for a meager $2,500, was dispersed in Lexington by New York auctioneer William Easton.
, better known as "General Coxey," was an ambitious businessman and labor leader
. He was famous for his "Industrial Army" of unemployed workers, famously regarded as "Coxey's Army
", who marched on Washington D.C. during the Economic Depression
of the 1890s. General Coxey established the Coxey Silica Sand Company that operated as a sand quarry. When his business, among others, began to falter under depressing economic conditions, he went to work on behalf of the ordinary labor worker who Coxey felt needed representation in Washington. Although his many attempts to achieve public office fell short, with perhaps his most notable effort being a run for the presidency of the United States
in 1932, on behalf of the United States Farmer Labor Party
, Coxey continued his plight on behalf of the working class
. Along with his passion for politics, Coxey was also well regarded for being a prosperous horse breeder. It is not certain the exact dates Coxey owned Dixiana, however, it is known to have been a short period of less than two years.
and Highball. Roseben, bred at Dixiana and affectionately known as "The Big Train," stood nearly 18 hands tall. Although not able to capture a win until his three-year-old season, he soon went on to become a sprinting sensation capturing wins under such enormous weights as 147 lb (66.7 kg). Making 111 lifetime starts, Roseben crossed the wire first in nearly half of those starts making his most notable wins in the Toboggan
, Fall
and Carter Handicap
s.
Despite being a distinguished horseman, Thomas's money and personal problems began to accrue rapidly. Carson was no stranger to the headlines of the New York Times. The paper reported not only of his monetary woes, but also of the incident that landed him 10 days in jail for his connection with the death of photographer W. E. Singleton whom Carson shot and killed in 1898. After a few years as owner of Dixiana, Major Carson’s wife took over the business of the farm which ultimately ended in a complete dispersal.
. It is recorded that Carson traded Dixiana to Ben Ali Haggin for a tract of farm land. At this time in history, Dixiana was to become part of Haggin’s prestigious Elmendorf Farm
and for the next seventeen years was used primarily for crops and tobacco. The story of Ben Ali Haggin is one of a frontiersman who began his career as a lawyer after graduating from Centre College
in Danville, KY
, then setting his sights on the West and eventually practicing law in San Francisco during the Gold Rush
. After acquiring Rancho Del Paso
outside of Sacramento
, Haggin ventured into the mining business with sweeping success. In 1880, he established his intentions as a serious horseman by opening a breeding operation at his Rancho Del Paso farm. Soon thereafter, he returned to his native state and purchased Elmendorf in 1897. His imprint on racing and breeding are still felt today through the descendents of his breeding and racing operation.
who in 1900 was the largest shareholder of the American Tobacco Company
. His fortune was passed down to his son and in 1918, James Cox Brady was considered to be one of the thirty richest Americans. He purchased Dixiana from Ben Ali Haggin in 1925 and spent a substantial amount of money to renovate the farm. Brady only held onto the farm for three years before passing away. However, during his time at Dixiana he possessed a successful racing operation.
of Detroit and his wife Sarah, purchased Dixiana, (which at the time was approximately 900 acres) for $240,000. Dixiana remained intact until 1947, when Fisher sold about half of the acreage to Royce G. Martin, who then launched Woodvale Stud. That property was resold several times and later became Domino Stud. Fisher, along with his brother Fred and Uncle Albert, founded the Fisher Body Company
which produced auto bodies for companies such as Cadillac
and Ford
. In 1919, General Motors
purchased Fisher Body Company for a reported 27 million dollars.
The accomplishments of Charles Fisher in the auto industry
spilled over into his Thoroughbred and Saddlebred pursuits. The list of runners produced during the Fisher era is long and distinguished, including the great Mata Hari
, winner of the Arlington Lassie Stakes, the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes
, the Illinois Derby
and Illinois Oaks. In addition, she was named both American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly of 1933 and American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly of 1934. Other stakes winners included: Sweep All, Cee Tee, Sirocco, Amber Light (1943 Louisiana Derby
), Spy Song
(Arlington Futurity
, Vosburgh Handicap), Star Reward and Sub Fleet (2nd in 1952 Ky Derby). Spy Song, a son of Mata Hari, was brilliant at sprinting distances, breaking his maiden at 4 ½ furlongs by 12 lengths and setting a new track record in the process. It comes as no surprise as Balladier, sire of Spy Song, was a Domino-line standard bearer
. Though finishing second in the Kentucky Derby to Assault
, he was most efficient at shorter distances. In total, Spy Song won 15 of 36 starts, consistent and fast.
woman. In 1986 she was awarded the honors of being the first saddle horse rider inducted into the National Horse Show Hall of Fame and in 1998 was also inducted into the Kentucky Hall of Fame. During this time, Dixiana Farm was home to five gaited champion Beau Woolf. Perhaps Mary Fisher's most important role came towards the end of her father's life (1963) when she took over the management of Dixiana. The farm continued to prosper and continued to produce great runners such as Red Cross, Fulvous and Fulcrum (Breeders' Futurity Stakes 1957). In 1986 Dixiana was once again sold after a legacy of 58 years within the Fisher family.
at that year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale
. Dixiana was also home to other champions such as Fly So Free
, Champion 2-year-old male of 1990, who was broken and prepped there as well as 1997 Epsom Derby
winner Benny the Dip
.
businessman and current owner William J. Shively. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association
(TOBA), based in Lexington, Kentucky. At the time he purchased Dixiana, Mr. Shively was the owner of Tomoka Hills Farm in Florida which produced Florida Older Horse of the Year and Sprint Champion Benny the Bull
and also Elk Hill Farm which is adjacent to Dixiana. William Shively in partnership with Diane Waldron and Leah Killingsworth purchased and campaigned sprinter Personal First, a son of the later Personal Hope whose most noted win came in the Gr. 3 Amsterdam at Saratoga in 2000. In 2006 Mr. Shively purchased Woodlynn farm (later renamed to Woodland farm) in Lexington which is perhaps most noted for producing G1 winner and sire More Than Ready. Woodlynn is currently the primary location of the farms yearlings while Dixiana is home to the farms broodmare band.
In May 2009, Mr. Shively purchased Domino Stud, the half of the original Dixiana Farm that was sold off in 1947, from the widow of owner Kenneth Jones who died at the age of 90 in October 2008. For the first time in more than 60 years, the historic Dixiana Farm is now restored to its original acreage under one owner.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Thoroughbred
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...
horse breeding
Horse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
farm in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
.
Barak G. Thomas
Formerly known as Hamilton Stud, Dixiana, owned by Barak G. Thomas, a ConfederateConfederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
soldier in the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and later Sheriff of Fayette County, Kentucky
Fayette County, Kentucky
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 295,083 in the 2010 Census. Its territory, population and government are coextensive with the city of Lexington, which also serves as county seat....
, took the breeding world by storm with his two colts Himyar
Himyar (horse)
Himyar was an American Thoroughbred racehorse that was the sire of 1898 Kentucky Derby winner Plaudit and Domino, the grandsire of Colin and Peter Pan...
and Domino
Domino (horse)
Domino was a 19th-century American thoroughbred race horse.-Background:A dark brown, almost black*, colt, Domino was sired by Himyar out of the mare Mannie Gray.Sam Hildreth writes in his book, "The Spell of the Turf" that he looked black was actually a deep chestnut. Himyar was out of speed...
. Thomas, who at the time owned Hira Villa Farm (now part of Mt. Brilliant), added to his land holdings by acquiring Dixiana and naming it after his favorite broodmare, Dixie. Thomas is thought to be one of the first men to make his sole living by breeding and selling stock and his results were immediate.
Himyar was famous for being temperamental yet was steadfast on the track with an illustrious racing career that spanned four years with a second place finish in the Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
to Day Star
Day Star
Day Star was the winner of the 4th annual Kentucky Derby held at Churchill Downs on May 21, 1878. He was a chestnut colt that was foaled in Kentucky and was sired by Star Davis...
in 1878 while still claiming multiple stakes wins at ages 4 and 5. Himyar's toughness and versatility transcended beyond the racetrack into his stallion career with his most notable son, Domino.
Purchased for $3,000 by James R. Keene
James R. Keene
James Robert Keene was a Wall Street stock broker and a major thoroughbred race horse owner and breeder.-Biography:He was born in London, England in 1838. He was fourteen years of age when his family emigrated to the United States in 1852...
, Domino, the colt known as the "brown phenomenon" and "black whirlwind" (in reference to the peculiar color of his coat on any given day) was a horse of extreme speed at short distances. He was undefeated at age 2 and went on to be named Champion Two Year Old and 1893 American Horse of the Year. Although Domino only lived to the age of 6, his achievements at stud were remarkable. Domino, out of Thomas’s mare, Mannie Grey by Himyar, sired 19 named foals, 8 of which went on to become stakes race
Graded stakes race
A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...
winners. Domino was returned to Thomas upon his death and laid to rest at Hira Villa. His headstone reads most appropriately, "Here lies the fleetest of runners the American Turf has ever known, and one of the gamest and most generous of horses."
In 1890 Major Thomas fell on hard times. Due to disappointing sale prices and unsettled debts, Thomas found himself forced to sell the farm named for his beloved mare. Dixiana was sold to Jaco S. Coxey on Nov 23, 1897. The majority of Major Thomas's Dixiana stock, including Himyar for a meager $2,500, was dispersed in Lexington by New York auctioneer William Easton.
Jaco S. Coxey
Jacob Sechler CoxeyJacob S. Coxey Sr.
Jacob Sechler Coxey, Sr. sometimes known as General Coxey of Massillon, Ohio, was an American politician, who ran for elective office several times in Ohio. He twice led Coxey's Army in 1894 and 1914, consisting of a group of unemployed men that he led on marches from Massillon, Ohio to...
, better known as "General Coxey," was an ambitious businessman and labor leader
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
. He was famous for his "Industrial Army" of unemployed workers, famously regarded as "Coxey's Army
Coxey's Army
Coxey's Army was a protest march by unemployed workers from the United States, led by the populist Jacob Coxey. They marched on Washington D.C. in 1894, the second year of a four-year economic depression that was the worst in United States history to that time. Officially named the Army of the...
", who marched on Washington D.C. during the Economic Depression
Recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction, a general slowdown in economic activity. During recessions, many macroeconomic indicators vary in a similar way...
of the 1890s. General Coxey established the Coxey Silica Sand Company that operated as a sand quarry. When his business, among others, began to falter under depressing economic conditions, he went to work on behalf of the ordinary labor worker who Coxey felt needed representation in Washington. Although his many attempts to achieve public office fell short, with perhaps his most notable effort being a run for the presidency of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
in 1932, on behalf of the United States Farmer Labor Party
Farmer-Labor Party
The first modern Farmer–Labor Party in the United States emerged in Minnesota in 1918. Economic dislocation caused by American entry into World War I put agricultural prices and workers' wages into imbalance with rapidly escalating retail prices during the war years, and farmers and workers sought...
, Coxey continued his plight on behalf of the working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
. Along with his passion for politics, Coxey was also well regarded for being a prosperous horse breeder. It is not certain the exact dates Coxey owned Dixiana, however, it is known to have been a short period of less than two years.
Thomas J. Carson
Sometime between 1889 and 1890, Dixiana passed from the hands of Coxey to Major Thomas J. Carson. Carson, also a well-respected thoroughbred breeder, produced such champions as the great sprinters RosebenRoseben
Roseben was an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame race horse who grew to such an enormous size he was known as "The Big Train." Because of his great size, he was slow to mature but when he finally got moving in his fourth, fifth and sixth years of racing, he began to be called the greatest...
and Highball. Roseben, bred at Dixiana and affectionately known as "The Big Train," stood nearly 18 hands tall. Although not able to capture a win until his three-year-old season, he soon went on to become a sprinting sensation capturing wins under such enormous weights as 147 lb (66.7 kg). Making 111 lifetime starts, Roseben crossed the wire first in nearly half of those starts making his most notable wins in the Toboggan
Toboggan Handicap
The Toboggan Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the first week of March at Aqueduct Race Track in Queens, New York. Open to horses aged three and older, the Grade III event is contested over at a distance of six furlongs on the dirt and offers a purse of $100,000 ...
, Fall
Fall Highweight Handicap
The Fall Highweight Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually near the end of November at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. Currently run at a distance of 6 furlongs , it is open to horses three years of age and older. The race is a real test for speed and strength in that...
and Carter Handicap
Carter Handicap
The Carter Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early April at Aqueduct Racetrack. Open to horses three-years-old and up, it is raced over a distance of seven furlongs....
s.
Despite being a distinguished horseman, Thomas's money and personal problems began to accrue rapidly. Carson was no stranger to the headlines of the New York Times. The paper reported not only of his monetary woes, but also of the incident that landed him 10 days in jail for his connection with the death of photographer W. E. Singleton whom Carson shot and killed in 1898. After a few years as owner of Dixiana, Major Carson’s wife took over the business of the farm which ultimately ended in a complete dispersal.
James Ben Ali Haggin
In 1909 Dixiana Farm was once again under new ownership, acquired by Kentucky-born entrepreneur James Ben Ali HagginJames Ben Ali Haggin
James Ben Ali Haggin was an Turkish Americanattorney, rancher, investor and a major owner/breeder in the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing...
. It is recorded that Carson traded Dixiana to Ben Ali Haggin for a tract of farm land. At this time in history, Dixiana was to become part of Haggin’s prestigious Elmendorf Farm
Elmendorf Farm
Elmendorf Farm is a Kentucky Thoroughbred horse farm in Fayette County, Kentucky, and has been involved with horse racing since the early 19th century...
and for the next seventeen years was used primarily for crops and tobacco. The story of Ben Ali Haggin is one of a frontiersman who began his career as a lawyer after graduating from Centre College
Centre College
Centre College is a private liberal arts college in Danville, Kentucky, USA, a community of approximately 16,000 in Boyle County south of Lexington, KY. Centre is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution. Centre was founded by Presbyterian leaders, with whom it maintains a loose...
in Danville, KY
Danville, Kentucky
Danville is a city in and the county seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 16,218 at the 2010 census.Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Boyle and Lincoln counties....
, then setting his sights on the West and eventually practicing law in San Francisco during the Gold Rush
The Gold Rush
The Gold Rush is a 1925 silent film comedy written, produced, directed by, and starring Charlie Chaplin in his Little Tramp role. The film also stars Georgia Hale, Mack Swain, Tom Murray, Henry Bergman, Malcolm Waite....
. After acquiring Rancho Del Paso
Rancho Del Paso
Rancho Del Paso was a Mexican land grant in present day Sacramento County, California given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Eliab Grimes. The grant extended along the north bank of the American River and was bounded roughly by today’s Northgate Boulevard, Manzanita Avenue, and Elkhorn...
outside of Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
, Haggin ventured into the mining business with sweeping success. In 1880, he established his intentions as a serious horseman by opening a breeding operation at his Rancho Del Paso farm. Soon thereafter, he returned to his native state and purchased Elmendorf in 1897. His imprint on racing and breeding are still felt today through the descendents of his breeding and racing operation.
James Cox Brady
James Cox Brady, a famous traction magnate from New York was next in line to take over the ownership of Dixiana and restore it back to its famous thoroughbred nursery status. James Brady was the son of millionaire Anthony N. BradyAnthony N. Brady
Anthony Nicholas Brady was an American businessman born in Lille, France who emigrated to Troy, New York in 1857. Settling in Albany, New York he was first employed by a local barber and at age 19 went into business for himself, opening a tea store that he soon expanded with other outlets...
who in 1900 was the largest shareholder of the American Tobacco Company
American Tobacco Company
The American Tobacco Company was a tobacco company founded in 1890 by J. B. Duke through a merger between a number of U.S. tobacco manufacturers including Allen and Ginter and Goodwin & Company...
. His fortune was passed down to his son and in 1918, James Cox Brady was considered to be one of the thirty richest Americans. He purchased Dixiana from Ben Ali Haggin in 1925 and spent a substantial amount of money to renovate the farm. Brady only held onto the farm for three years before passing away. However, during his time at Dixiana he possessed a successful racing operation.
Charles T. Fisher
After the death of James C. Brady, Dixiana was soon to become one of the foremost racing, breeding and show horse operations in history. The success the farm once enjoyed under its founder Major Barak G. Thomas was soon to replicate itself, only on a much larger scale. In 1928, Charles T. FisherCharles T. Fisher
Charles Thomas Fisher was a Catholic American businessman and an automotive pioneer.Born in Norwalk, Ohio, Charles was the second son of Lawrence and Margaret Fisher. The family would grow to include seven boys and four girls...
of Detroit and his wife Sarah, purchased Dixiana, (which at the time was approximately 900 acres) for $240,000. Dixiana remained intact until 1947, when Fisher sold about half of the acreage to Royce G. Martin, who then launched Woodvale Stud. That property was resold several times and later became Domino Stud. Fisher, along with his brother Fred and Uncle Albert, founded the Fisher Body Company
Fisher Body
Fisher Body is an automobile coachbuilder founded by the Fisher brothers in 1908 in Detroit, Michigan; it is now an operating division of General Motors Company...
which produced auto bodies for companies such as Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
and Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
. In 1919, General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
purchased Fisher Body Company for a reported 27 million dollars.
The accomplishments of Charles Fisher in the auto industry
Automaker
The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important economic sectors by revenue....
spilled over into his Thoroughbred and Saddlebred pursuits. The list of runners produced during the Fisher era is long and distinguished, including the great Mata Hari
Mata Hari (horse)
Mata Hari was an American Champion Thoroughbred filly racehorse bred and owned by Charles T. Fisher, a Detroit automobile body manufacturer who raced under the Dixiana Stable banner named for his Dixiana Farm in Lexington, Kentucky....
, winner of the Arlington Lassie Stakes, the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes
Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes
The Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the last week of November at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky...
, the Illinois Derby
Illinois Derby
The Illinois Derby is a race for Thoroughbred horses held in early April each year. First run in 1923, the Derby takes place at Hawthorne Race Course located in Stickney/Cicero, Illinois, just west of Chicago...
and Illinois Oaks. In addition, she was named both American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly of 1933 and American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly of 1934. Other stakes winners included: Sweep All, Cee Tee, Sirocco, Amber Light (1943 Louisiana Derby
Louisiana Derby
The Louisiana Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. Usually run in early March, the race is open to horses, age three, willing to race 11/8 miles on the dirt. A Grade II event, it currently offers a purse of...
), Spy Song
Spy Song
Spy Song was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He was sired by 1934 American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt Balladier and out of two-time Champion filly, Mata Hari...
(Arlington Futurity
Arlington-Washington Futurity Stakes
The Arlington-Washington Futurity Stakes is a Grade III flat horse race for Thoroughbred two-year-olds. It is raced over a distance of 8 furlongs, or one mile, on Polytrack synthetic dirt at Arlington Park, Arlington Heights, Illinois every fall and currently offers a purse of $150,000.It was run...
, Vosburgh Handicap), Star Reward and Sub Fleet (2nd in 1952 Ky Derby). Spy Song, a son of Mata Hari, was brilliant at sprinting distances, breaking his maiden at 4 ½ furlongs by 12 lengths and setting a new track record in the process. It comes as no surprise as Balladier, sire of Spy Song, was a Domino-line standard bearer
Standard-bearer
A standard-bearer is a person who bears an emblem called an ensign or standard, i.e. either a type of flag or an inflexible but mobile image, which is used as a formal, visual symbol of a state, prince, military unit, etc.This can either be an occasional duty, often seen as an honour , or a...
. Though finishing second in the Kentucky Derby to Assault
Assault (horse)
Assault was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse who won the U.S. Triple Crown in 1946.-Early life:...
, he was most efficient at shorter distances. In total, Spy Song won 15 of 36 starts, consistent and fast.
Mary V. Fisher
Dixiana, during the 1930s, also enjoyed prosperity and notoriety as a saddle horse farm. Charles and Sarah's daughter Mary V. Fisher was an accomplished gated horse showHorse show
A Horse show is a judged exhibition of horses and ponies. Many different horse breeds and equestrian disciplines hold competitions worldwide, from local to the international levels. Most horse shows run from one to three days, sometimes longer for major, all-breed events or national and...
woman. In 1986 she was awarded the honors of being the first saddle horse rider inducted into the National Horse Show Hall of Fame and in 1998 was also inducted into the Kentucky Hall of Fame. During this time, Dixiana Farm was home to five gaited champion Beau Woolf. Perhaps Mary Fisher's most important role came towards the end of her father's life (1963) when she took over the management of Dixiana. The farm continued to prosper and continued to produce great runners such as Red Cross, Fulvous and Fulcrum (Breeders' Futurity Stakes 1957). In 1986 Dixiana was once again sold after a legacy of 58 years within the Fisher family.
Mary Lou Wibel
Mary Lou Wibel, a business woman from Tennessee, purchased Dixiana for $5,953,400 and with partner Bruce Kline, also farm manager, soon turned the farm into a successful commercial breeding and boarding operation. During the late 80’s and 90’s, Dixiana was 300 acres (1.2 km²) with another 265 acres (1.1 km²) on lease. It was home to legendary stallions such as Mr. Greeley and Fly Till Dawn. In 1999 the farm made its mark in the sales ring by selling a record priced $3.9 million dollar colt by Kris S.Kris S.
Kris S. was an American Thoroughbred race horse who is best known as a highly successful sire. He was a son of the 1972 Epsom Derby winner Roberto who was a sire of international influence descending from the Hail to Reason branch of the Nearco sire line...
at that year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale
Keeneland Sales
The Keeneland Sales is an American Thoroughbred auction house in Lexington, Kentucky founded in 1935 as a nonprofit racing/auction entity on 147 acres of farmland west of Lexington, which had been owned by Jack O. Keene...
. Dixiana was also home to other champions such as Fly So Free
Fly So Free
Fly So Free was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. A grandson of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Damascus, Fly So Free was owned by New York City Broadway theatre producer and music publishing company owner Tommy Valando and his wife Elizabeth.In 1990, Fly So Free capped off a...
, Champion 2-year-old male of 1990, who was broken and prepped there as well as 1997 Epsom Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
winner Benny the Dip
Benny the Dip
Benny the Dip was an American-bred and British-trained Thoroughbred race horse, winner of the Epsom Derby in 1997 by a short head from the future St Leger winner Silver Patriarch....
.
William J. Shively
In 2002 Mary Wibel put Dixiana Farm on the market to be passed on once again. After her ownership of nearly 20 years the farm was purchased in 2004 by Gainesville, FloridaGainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
businessman and current owner William J. Shively. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association
Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association
The American Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association based in Lexington, Kentucky is a trade organization for Thoroughbred racehorse owners and breeders...
(TOBA), based in Lexington, Kentucky. At the time he purchased Dixiana, Mr. Shively was the owner of Tomoka Hills Farm in Florida which produced Florida Older Horse of the Year and Sprint Champion Benny the Bull
Benny the Bull
Benny the Bull, commonly known as Benny, is the mascot of the Chicago Bulls, a role he has filled since 1969.-Biography:For more than 40 years, Benny the Bull has been entertaining Chicago Bulls fans, first at Chicago Stadium , and then at the United Center...
and also Elk Hill Farm which is adjacent to Dixiana. William Shively in partnership with Diane Waldron and Leah Killingsworth purchased and campaigned sprinter Personal First, a son of the later Personal Hope whose most noted win came in the Gr. 3 Amsterdam at Saratoga in 2000. In 2006 Mr. Shively purchased Woodlynn farm (later renamed to Woodland farm) in Lexington which is perhaps most noted for producing G1 winner and sire More Than Ready. Woodlynn is currently the primary location of the farms yearlings while Dixiana is home to the farms broodmare band.
In May 2009, Mr. Shively purchased Domino Stud, the half of the original Dixiana Farm that was sold off in 1947, from the widow of owner Kenneth Jones who died at the age of 90 in October 2008. For the first time in more than 60 years, the historic Dixiana Farm is now restored to its original acreage under one owner.