2020 Eclipse Awards: Spendthrift Farm, My Racehorse, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables

B. Wayne Hughes purchased the historic Spendthrift Farm property in 2004 and started off with one stallion. Hughes, 87, has now written his own chapters of history and innovation at Spendthrift, which will stand 23 stallions in Kentucky in 2021, including the nation’s record-setting leading sire, Into Mischief, and his son Authentic, winner of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve and the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic. Spendthrift also is involved in regional stallions and has expanded to an Australian division.

Spendthrift purchased the majority interest in Authentic earlier this year, and, along with Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables, partnered in the colt with Michael Behrens’s MyRacehorse, which sells micro shares in horses to provide an ownership experience with no continuing expenses. Allowing many newcomers to the sport to come along on the ride with Authentic was in keeping with the spirit of innovation for Hughes, who has often expressed his desire to grow racing.

Hughes has both incentivized breeding to his stallions and rewarded breeders with innovative breeding programs such as “Share the Upside” and “Breed Secure,” which have changed breeding across Kentucky as they have been adopted or modified by other prominent operations.

:: Full list of 2020 Eclipse Awards finalists, including profile stories

Although Authentic has been retired, Spendthrift will look forward to campaigning champion Monomoy Girl in 2021 after purchasing her for $9.5 million in November at Fasig-Tipton. The farm has been lauded for its sportsmanship and intent to return her to the track for a 6-year-old campaign.