By Sue Finley
Hundreds of Thoroughbred industry participants from all over the country turned out for the celebration of the life of Bill Graves at the Fasig-Tipton pavilion Monday. Graves, a longtime Fasig-Tipton senior vice president, died May 30 at the age of 70. Attendees listened to more than a half-dozen eulogies, including many from Graves's Fasig-Tipton coworkers. Terence Collier served as the host for the event. He recounted how he met Graves when both were in their early 20s and how they came to work together when Graves joined the company in 1992 at the invitation of then-owner John Hettinger.
“In rode Bill,” said Collier, “our shining knight in heavily starched jeans and expensive cowboy boots to reorganize our selected-sales yearling process. It was a new beginning.”
Collier noted that at Graves's first Saratoga sale in 1992, there were 22 consignors and 165 yearlings.
“By 2017, Bill's imprint on Saratoga in August produced record sales of nearly $70 million,” said Collier. “Not bad for a skinny kid from Lynchburg, Virginia.”
Walt Robertson, one of Graves's closest friends for the past 25 years, was next to speak, and he said, “He will be sorely missed, by each and every person in this room, but how lucky are we all to have Bill Graves as a friend and a big part of our lives?”
Like Collier, he gave Graves credit for shaping Fasig-Tipton and turning it around, gaining the respect of the entire Thoroughbred community. “As with many things that he has been involved with, Bill has left this company and the community far better than he found it,” said an emotional Robertson.
Graves's son Brian said, “What a touching tribute to my father this gathering of people truly is. Since my father's passing, I have received countless messages from friends and family. Superlatives such as mentor, friend, gentleman, impeccable horseman, great man, class, and legend have been used. I knew at a very young age how special my father was. I have always wanted to be by his side. We didn't have much money growing up, but I felt like the richest kid in the world. My dad could just make you feel like that.”
Fasig-Tipton President and CEO Boyd Browning delivered his eulogy in a series of letters to Graves, thanking him for teaching him about conformation, for always thinking of the safety of the horse, for his attention to detail, his loyalty and support. Most poignantly, Browning thanked him for being kind to Browning's own late father, a frequent visitor to Fasig-Tipton, who Browning said would often get so caught up chatting with Graves in his office that he would forget to visit his own son. “Sorry, I didn't have time to see you today,” the senior Browning would tell his son as he was on his way home. “I was busy hanging out with the boys.”
Mike Levy recounted his long friendship with Graves, and told stories about their travels fishing, golfing and going to horse sales, and about Bill's delight in being mistaken for Richard Gere by a woman on a plane. He concluded with a story about how Graves had watched him give copious instructions to a jockey riding one of the horses they owned together.
Levy recalled his friend saying, “Michael. Let me explain something to you. That jockey doesn't speak a word of English, and he didn't understand what you said. And even if he did, he ain't going to listen to you.” Levy answered, “Billy, what should I have said?” Graves answered, “Simple, son. Just tell him to hurry home.”
“Hurry home, Billy,” Levy concluded. “It was one hell of a ride.”
All of the speakers told humorous tales about Graves, about practical jokes played by him and on him, about his storytelling and often-told jokes, about his smile and enthusiasm. “I thought this was going to be one of the toughest days of my life,” said Collier as the service wound down. “It has turned out to be one of the most uplifting days of my life.”
Watch the service below.
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