The farm was Calumet Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, one of the most prestigious Thoroughbred racing farms in the world. Before he could say a word, Kathy Lundy Jones, Calumet’s insurance agent, said in a panicked rush, Alydar has broken his leg. Still, he must have felt a certain dread as he picked up the phone. Dixon was just getting into bed when he was startled by the phone ringing, shrilly piercing the silence of the bedroom.ĭixon, a veteran equine insurance adjuster, had gotten late-night calls before, but they were always a surprise. Any call this late in the evening could only be bad news. The phone next to Tom Dixon’s bed was quiet, as it should have been at 10:20 p.m. Drawing on interviews conducted with more than twenty-five key witnesses, Kray reveals insider-only details and, in order to discover the truth about the death of this magnificent horse, embarks on a major investigation-one that leads to an unexpected and startling conclusion. Kray weaves together shocking testimony and key evidence from the trials, featuring dramatic photos taken the night of the incident. Throughout, animal rights attorney and author Fred M. Told with the taut pacing of a legal thriller, Broken investigates Alydar's death, the $41.5 million insurance payout, and the stain it left on the sport of horse racing. One part true-crime investigation, one part evocative history of the adrenaline-filled days of horse racing's golden age, Broken follows Alydar's rise to fame and then dives into the sordid details of the crime and trial that came to define his legacy. What he found-a grievously injured horse with no discernible cause-jump-started one of the biggest mysteries to ever hit the horse racing world. Although nothing seemed out of the ordinary, an inexplicable hunch led Stone to check on Alydar. Alton Stone, filling in for the regular night watchman, completed his rounds at the barn. It was a cool, quiet evening at Calumet Farm, where the most valuable racehorses-including the prolific stallion Alydar-had settled into their stalls for the evening. An investigation ensued, but the real story has never been told…until now. Taken as a whole, the album offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives of men of means and the world of thoroughbred horse breeding at the end of the 19th century.One fateful winter night, a famous racehorse mysteriously broke his leg while alone in his stall. Tipped in at the rear pastedown is a menu for dinner held in honor of August Belmont (according to the notes, "tendered by prominent breeders and owners of race horses in Kentucky") at Navarre Cafe, Lexington, KY, May 5th, 1896. The photographs show the Kentucky Association Track, many horses and their handlers, the men and their hosts, a visit to Mammoth cave (train and station, a young boy selling flowers, the men in their caving gear), and a few scenes from the rail journey to and from Kentucky. Enright (Elmendorf Farm), as well as several private gentleman's clubs. Over the course of the week the men spent time at Belmont's farm (Nursery Stud) and the farms of notable breeders James R. Their host was another Harvard alumnus, August Belmont, Jr., a financier and prominent breeder of race horses (most notably Man O'War) who would go on to found Belmont Park in New York. Potter-all but the last of whom graduated from Harvard in the 1870s. Only a few are captioned, but there is a handwritten title page, as well as an itinerary listing all the week's activities at the rear. 81 photos, about half measuring 4.5 x 6 inches, the rest mainly 3.25 x 4 inches, a few smaller. Original photograph album (9.25" x 11.5", black cloth) documenting a visit by five friends to Lexington, Kentucky to tour thoroughbred horse farms, see the races, and visit Mammoth Cave. ![]() Trip to Kentucky and Visit at the Nursery Stud, Lexington including also a journey to Louisville to see the Kentucky Derby and an interesting exploration of the Mammoth Cave, and other points of interest in the Blue Grass region.
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