Thornton honored in Kentucky

The longtime manager of Airdrie Stud, Tim Thornton, has been named Kentucky Farm Manager of the Year for 2005.

The Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers Club's selection committee, headed by Ted Bates of Bates Farm, bestowed the award, which it grants annually to a manager who has shown "hard work and dedication" in a career. The club will honor Thornton at its annual dinner-dance on Dec. 2 in Lexington.

Thornton started at Airdrie near Midway, Ky., in 1988 as the farm's general manager, the position he holds today. The son of Threave Main Stud owner Carter Thornton, the younger Thornton oversees daily operations at Airdrie's four divisions.

"Tim is a great choice because of his down-to-earth style, his success at Airdrie, and his leadership roles through the years in organizations such as the KTFMC and the Thoroughbred Club," said Ken Wilkins, president of the farm managers' group.