Arthur Hancock III, founder and owner of Stone Farm, a horse farm nestled in the rich Bluegrass country of Paris, Kentucky, has lived a remarkable life. He shares many of his personal stories in his recently published book, Dark Horses: A Memoir of Redemption.
Hancock was raised at Claiborne Farm in Bourbon County, founded by his grandfather, Arthur Boyd Hancock Sr. He learned his work ethic from his father, Arthur “Bull” Hancock Jr. To his father’s chagrin, Arthur, as a youngster, showed a strong inclination toward music, first picking up the ukulele and then the guitar. He went on to write songs recorded by Willie Nelson, Ray Price, Bobby Osborne and Grandpa Jones.
His memoir is also a redemption story, detailing his emergence from a volatile struggle with alcohol and his ouster from his “birthright” at Claiborne Farm, only to later found Stone Farm, which produced three Kentucky Derby winners: Gato del Sol (1982), Sunday Silence (1989), and Fusaichi Pegasus (2000).
Along the way, he found love with his wife, Staci; hosted Queen Elizabeth II at Stone Farm; and weathered a gambling mishap involving former Governor John Y. Brown that inadvertently drew FBI attention during investigations of what would become known as “The Bluegrass Conspiracy.” He relates how the late Anita Madden, famed for her extravagant Kentucky Derby parties, predicted a couple of his Derby wins. The book is rife with mentions of horse industry insiders and details of the horse trade. A highlight is his recounting of the fierce 1989 rivalry between his Sunday Silence and Claiborne-bred Easy Goer.
Today, Stone Farm remains a powerhouse in Thoroughbred racing. “This year we raised two fillies that are favorites for the Kentucky Oaks,” Hancock said. “One is Quietside, owned by John Ed Anthony, which just won the Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn. The other we raised for chef Bobby Flay. Her name is Tenma, and she just won the Santa Anita Oaks.”
Hancock has kept music in his life. In the early 2000s, he returned to the music studio and recorded two albums, Sunday Silence and Time, with bluegrass and country musicians including Peter Rowan, J.D. Crowe, and Sam Bush. The Hancock family occasionally hosts private bluegrass jamborees on their farm, where Hancock sometimes gets onstage to join the music making.
Business Lexington spoke with Hancock about his book, the horse industry, and his music.
What motivated you to write your memoirs?
I’ve got grandchildren, and I wanted to put my memories down. The story about Sunday Silence is an interesting one, and a lot of people over the years have said I should write something about it. It took me nearly five years to finish, mainly because I’ve been running the farm. I decided to share my struggle with alcohol and the spiritual experiences that helped me turn my life around. The feedback has been incredibly moving.
Can you talk about your family and how those lessons shaped your approach to breeding Thoroughbreds?
When Gato del Sol won the Derby, I dedicated that win to my dad, who taught me a lot of things. He learned everything from his father, who also learned from his father, who was a good horseman and had a farm in Virginia. I had the benefit of all their wisdom passed on to me, and hopefully I got a bit of my own along the way. But, no matter what you do in life, you’ve got to have the blessing of luck. I’ve been fortunate in that regard.
How prevalent is belief in luck, omens, and signs in horse racing?
Some people embrace omens; others call them coincidences. I believe it’s best to keep your eyes open and pay attention to the universe. I speak to some of that in the book. I’ve lived on a farm all my life, and the idea is to stay attuned, watch nature, and don’t discount anything.
Penelope Miller
Arthur Hanock III with Roadster, a Stone Farm-bred colt, at Churchill Downs before the 2019 Kentucky Derby.
Your book details Thoroughbred breeding, including your family’s early embrace of introducing new bloodlines. Can you elaborate?
My grandfather imported horses from England, including Blenheim and others. Daddy followed that and imported Nasrullah, who was one of the greatest foundation sires in America. Nasrullah sired Bold Ruler, and Bold Ruler sired Secretariat. Daddy also studied genetics at Princeton, where he observed inbred flies. He said all they did was sit around all day, but he noticed that the ones that were outcrossed had more vigor. We applied the same principle to horses, and it’s worked.
To what do you attribute Stone Farm’s success?
We’ve had a lot of good people working here over the years. I also learned from my father and grandfather the importance of good land. We’re farmers, and the crop we raise is Thoroughbreds. You can’t raise a good horse on bad land or water. The land out here is rolling and has great big trees. My grandfather always said large trees are a sign of good land, because the roots run deep into the ground and can withstand a storm. If you raise horses on bad land, you’re not going to get good bones or size, and you’re not going to be able to raise an athlete. We’ve made great big fields out here on about 2,200 acres, and that can make the difference in winning — the horses go a long way running, playing, and grazing. I also don’t want to give them water with chemicals in it — just good well water. We’re producing good horses.
Matt Wooley/EquiSport Photos
What are some highlights of your musical career?
I would visit my grandmother every summer in Nashville, and she would take me to the Grand Ole Opry. She had seats on the second row, and I saw Hank Williams twice and Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys. The whole thing was wonderful. There’s a video on YouTube of Waylon Jennings and me singing “Good Hearted Woman.” I also heard Dolly Parton record her first album. Fred Foster discovered her. I played several of my songs for Fred in Nashville, and he signed me to Monument Records for three records, and we got to be friends. Kris Kristofferson also came by. He’d written three new songs, and he played them for me on his guitar. I was to choose one to record for myself. Fred said, “Arthur, I believe I’d record ‘Help Me Make It Through the Night.’” I said, “Fred, I don’t need anyone to help me make it through the night.” Well, it became one of the biggest songs ever. If I’d had a hit record with that, God knows what might have happened. I wouldn’t have won the Derby — I’d probably be dead, because I drank too much in those years. I would have gone fully into music, had it not been for the horses.
To purchase a copy of Dark Horses: A Memoir of Redemption, visit arthurhancock.com or select local retailers.