Fortunately for the Thoroughbred industry, these “bets” include purchasing 250 acres of undeveloped land in Central Kentucky along Old Frankfort Pike and developing it into Three Chimneys Farm, launching a breeding and ownership partnership tied to a pair of classic winners, and initiating protection of the land that sustains the Thoroughbred.
In recognition of that entrepreneurial spirit and his dedication to the Thoroughbred and the Bluegrass, the Thoroughbred Club of America celebrated Robert N. Clay as guest of honor at a well-attended dinner on November 15 at Keeneland. Clay was moved to be included in this exclusive corner of racing history as he recognized the long list of accomplished previous winners who had advanced the sport, starting with Colonel E.R. Bradley as the first to accept this in 1932.
“As a representative of this historical continuum, it is on behalf of our shared commitment to the future of our sport and on behalf of the hundreds of people who have been stewards of the past – and for those of you who will be stewards of the future – that I humbly accept this honor,” Clay said.
A native of Lexington, Clay graduated from William and Mary and then served in the Navy for two years before returning to the Bluegrass State and purchasing the first 100 acres. He and his wife Blythe would establish Three Chimneys in 1972 and it would grow to more than 2,000 acres.
Under the organizational motto “The Idea is Excellence,” the Clays would pursue top horses and top people to the farm. After selling Top Yield Industries, an agricultural fertilizer company for which Clay was president, Clay turned his full attention to horses and in 1985 Three Chimneys added its first stallion, Slew o’ Gold. It would soon add Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew to that roster.
Double classic winners silver charm, Smart Jones Point given, and Big Brown would also be at Three Chimneys, as well as breed-building stallions Dynaformer and Rahy. Saturday night, Clay noted that having the right people on the farm was just as important as having the right horses.
“Our Three Chimneys family – many of whom are here tonight – are our pride and joy and play an important role in our goals and successes,” Clay said. “Warren Buffett said, ‘Get the right people on the bus and in the right seats, and you can go anywhere.’ We definitely had the right people on the bus. I’m so proud of them.
“Four of them are here tonight and have been named Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers of the Year, which is really special. It’s remarkable to have four working for you. Dan Rosenberg, Gary Bush, Sandy Hatfield and Ned Toffey.”
Toffy is currently Managing Director of Spendthrift Farm, which is campaigning for the upcoming Champion 2-Year-Old Male Ted Noffey . Clay joked, “Is it Ned Toffey, or is it Ted Noffey?”
The trio of Mage, Dornoch and Baeza are all out of the Big Brown mare Puca, who was named the 2024 Broodmare of the Year by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association.
“(Robert’s) respect for the horse and dedication to excellence have inspired breeders and owners for generations,” said Barbara Banke of Stonestreet Farm.
In advancing horse racing, Clay has served in numerous industry leadership roles, including president of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and the National Thoroughbred Association. He has held board positions with Breeders’ Cup, Keeneland, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, KTA and the American Horse Council. He is a member of the Jockey Club.
In addition, Clay worked to preserve the beautiful land that caught his attention along Old Frankfort Pike and throughout Central Kentucky. He was the founder and chairman of Bluegrass Land Conservancy and was an early donor of easements to that organization. The effort has protected tens of thousands of acres of farmland throughout Central Kentucky.
“Robert has worked tirelessly for decades to promote farmland conservation in the Bluegrass region through diplomacy and persuasive advocacy mixed with grace and charm,” said Margaret Graves, president of Bluegrass Land Conservancy, in a testimonial. “He has encouraged his neighbors, friends, customers and other landowners in the region to preserve the Bluegrass farmland, the factory floor of the Thoroughbred region.”
In addition to racing, Clay co-founded and chaired the Henry Clay Center, a national effort to promote civil public debate. Mitch McConnell, former United States Senator for Kentucky, recognized this achievement in his testimony.
Robert Clay in Keeneland.
“Robert is committed to making a difference in the community,” McConnell said. “I have had the honor of working with Robert at the Henry Clay Center for Statesmanship, where he promotes Clay’s core principles of compromise and civility. His belief in these values makes him a great leader, and his emulation of Clay in everyday life makes him an even greater person.”
In the spirit of the Clay Center, and continuing the long tradition of offering some thoughts on the Thoroughbred industry during his acceptance, Clay called on opponents of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority to drop their time-consuming lawsuits and come together to move racing forward.
“There is no doubt that no company, no industry, no sport can grow or prosper or simply survive without integrity. That won’t happen. HISA is finally providing the integrity to level the playing field for us and the message: ‘Yes, you can trust our sport.’
“Of course, HISA adjusts for fairness and uniformity, including both financial and reputational implications, but it is imperative that we keep HISA’s fundamental mission alive and well. The spirit of our sport depends on it,” Clay said, noting that fans have always responded positively to the sport’s move to a more national approach. “We take better care of our horses in competition and retirement. We punish the cheaters. We are committed to improving our facilities and racing services. This does not go unnoticed by our fans. Without our fans and their willingness to invest in the competition, we have no lifeline.”
In a fun moment during the evening, which would have been a special thank you to his wife of more than 50 years, Clay brought in retired track announcer Tom Durkin to express appreciation for a long list of people associated with the Clays in a race call style.
“They’re coming to the finish now,” Durkin said in an excited tone on the recorded race call. ‘And look. It’s Blythe, and she flies at the end. What determination and what patience this filly has shown.”
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