Calumet Farm

Calumet Farm. . , Devil's red trim on crisp white buildings, green roofs, and miles of curving white board fences: unmistakably Calumet. This farm dominated the 20th century equine industry as a breeding and racing powerhouse., William Monroe Wright, founder of the Calumet Baking Powder Company, established Calumet Farm in 1924 for his Standardbreds (trotters), making it one of the finest harness racing farms in the country. His son, Warren Wright inherited the farm in 1931, and with his wife Lucille, spent the next 19 years transforming Calumet into the flagship farm of the Thoroughbred racing and breeding industry. After Warren's death, Lucille remarried and maintained Calumet's authority in the industry. The skills of legendary trainer Ben Jones and manager Jimmy Jones, his son, complimented the owners' astute guidance. Together, the foursome kept Calumet at the top of the world's Thoroughbred establishments for decades., Calumet Horses Won The Kentucky Derby a record eight times, the Triple Crown twice, and the Filly's Triple Crown three times. Calumet was the Leading Money-Winning Owner an even dozen years, the first farm to top over $1, million in annual winnings (by a longshot at $1.4 million), and raised eleven horses honored in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame. 1930s Calumet aerial (KR), It's an unsurpassed cumulative record. , Triple Crown Winners , Whirlaway (1941) . Citation (1948) , Filly Triple Crown Winners , Wistful (1949) . Real Delight (1952) . Davon Dale (1979) , Kentucky Derby Winners , Whirlaway (1941) . Pensive (1944) . Citation (1948) . Ponder (1949) . Hill Gail (1952) . Iron Liege (1957) . Tim Tam (1958) . Forward Pass (1968) , National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame , Alydar . Armed . Bewitch . Citation . Coaltown . Davona Dale . Real Delight . Twlight Year . Two Lea . Tim Tam . Whirlaway , Whirlaway liked to "run all over the track". His exasperated trainer, B.A. Jones devised this one-eye blinker (shown at left), to help the colt focus. The invention worked, and Whirlaway went on to win the Triple Crown., It's Unlikley That Any Farm Will Ever Best Or Equal Calumet's Record, for industry conditions might never again favor one stable - regardless of the supreme quality "of its horses. And Here's Why: The number of Thoroughbred foals registered catch year in North America varies with the auction market, which fluctuates, with the economy. In 1947, near the apex of Calumet's reign, 7,705 thoroughbred foals were registered. By 1990, the crop totaled over 44,000. Although about half that number of new foals now arrive annually, the sheer numbers and tremendous increase in competition put the odds against a single stable's ability to dominate racing as Calumet once did., For Calumet in the future, It can only add to its impressive and unbeatable record.