Frank Taylor

Taylor Made's Foaling Season Starts with Flightline's First Foal

Foaling season is off to a flying start at Taylor Made Farm as they're already up to nearly a dozen foals on the ground. Everything has gone smoothly so far, but a real showstopper came early when they welcomed the first foal by Horse of the Year Flightline. A star-faced bay filly with a bit of chrome on her hind legs, the new arrival is also the first foal out of Grade I winner Juju's Map (Liam's Map). "It's really a blessing to have such a well-bred horse here," said...

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The Road Back: Once Homeless, Mike Lowery Found Purpose at Taylor Made

Stable Recovery is a rehabilitation program in Lexington, Kentucky that provides a safe living environment and a peer-driven, therapeutic community for men in the early stages of recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. Along with going to 12-step meetings and support groups, residents attend the School of Horsemanship at Taylor Made Farm to learn a new vocation in the Thoroughbred industry. The School of Horsemanship is a project that was created by Taylor Made two years ago and has since seen over a 100 men go through the program. Many...

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$300,000 Opioid Abatement Grant to Stable Recovery

Stable Recovery, Inc., a program based in Lexington that provides individuals in early recovery from substance abuse the opportunity to live in a sober and supportive environment while training to become horsemen and horsewomen, received a $300,000 grant from the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission Monday, Oct. 2, the organization said in a release Tuesday. The funding is part of a multi-state settlement with a number of pharmaceutical companies for their roles in facilitating the opioid epidemic. "We are incredibly appreciative of the Commission's decision to trust us with this...

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Letter To The Editor: A Blueprint for Industry Transformation and Resurrecting True Horsemanship

In a time when true horsemanship is increasingly considered a lost art, and our industry faces a barrage of criticism and skepticism, Frank Taylor's Stable Recovery initiative shines as a beacon of what can be accomplished. This program is not just a cutting-edge approach to addiction recovery; it is a call to arms for an industry that needs both positive PR and meaningful solutions to real-world challenges. True Horsemanship: The Heart of Stable Recovery What stands out about Stable Recovery is its focus on horsemanship as a cornerstone of recovery....

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Stable Recovery Looking For Room to Grow in Horse Country

It's an achievement in itself to take something from idea to unqualified success in three years, putting aside the fact that the idea in question is changing hundreds of lives, reuniting families and restoring purpose to people. But Frank Taylor's Stable Recovery--a path back to life for recovering addicts--has done just that. Stable Recovery, which Taylor started with the group's current Director of Addiction Recovery Christian Countzler, is at once halfway house and vocational rehab, providing a 12-step program, meaningful employment, and a new workforce source for the Thoroughbred industry....

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Taylor Selected as KTFMC's Farm Manager of the Year

Frank Taylor of Taylor Made Farm has been selected as the 2023 Ted Bates Farm Manager of the Year, The Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers' Club (KTFMC) announced on Tuesday. His father, Joe Taylor, was honored with the award in 1976. Taylor has served in many roles at Taylor Made Farm, including General Farm Manager, Vice President of Boarding, and Vice President of Sales. He became a partner in the organization in 1982. "I am so grateful that the KTFMC has honored my father with such a prestigious award," Katie Taylor...

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`They've Taught Me To Be Human Again'

No chance. I mean, you just had to take one look at the guy. The tattoos, the words tumbling nervously through gaps in his teeth, the sheer damage he's soaked up. You didn't have to look up his record. It was like he had an invisible ball and chain. So, no, thank you very much for asking, but we don't need any help right now. He could be someone else's problem. No chance? Not even one? That was all Chris Courtney wanted: a single opportunity to break the cycle, a...

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Becky's Joker Continues to Defy Odds with Unconventional Spa Schedule

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--Trainer Gary Contessa believes in Becky's Joker (Practical Joke) and is not going to waver from his against-the-grain approach with the massive 2-year-old filly. On the opening day of the Saratoga season, July 13, Contessa had her make her career debut in the GIII Schuylerville. She won for fun by 3 1/4 lengths at 21-1. According to Equibase, she is just the fifth horse since 1991 to start its career with a graded-stakes victory. After she worked four furlongs in :48.40 seconds on July 26, Contessa said she...

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Stable Recovery Gala Raises $60,000

Stable Recovery, a program based in Lexington that provides individuals in early recovery from substance abuse the  opportunity to live in a sober and supportive environment and to train to become exceptional horsemen and horsewomen, hosted its first Spring Meet Gala at Spy Coast Farm last Saturday. The gala was attended by over 100 people and emceed by Scott Hazelton of FanDuelTV with music provided by Stephen Lynerd Group. A hybrid auction, along with donations, brought in approximately $60,000 for the non-profit. "We wanted to put together an event during...

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Keeneland January Strong and Steady to the Finish

LEXINGTON, KY - In the end, not even Mother Nature could slow down the steady progress of the Keeneland January Horses of Racing Age Sale, which concluded Thursday in Lexington on par with its 2022 renewal despite a short delay to the start of the final session due to tornado warnings in the area. "We've got to be very happy with the way the sale turned out," said Keeneland's Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. "It's been very busy in the barns.  A lot of sellers have been very pleased...

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Walden Racing Gives Fresh Start to An Improbable Team

Kyle Berryman has a lot to look forward to as he opens a new chapter in 2023. He recently celebrated six months of sobriety and, two weeks ago, his boss Will Walden asked him if he would be interested in running the stable's shedrow. "It's just a title, but it's pretty cool," Berryman said after wrapping up a busy morning at Turfway Park. "I only have maybe five months of experience working with horses right now, so I'm still brand new and still learning a lot." He may shrug off...

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$550k Evocative on Top as Late Fireworks Propel Keeneland January to Strong Opener

LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, which began sluggishly Monday morning, built up steam throughout the day and ended with a trio of firework offerings and figures largely in line with the auction's 2022 renewal. "The beginning of the day was definitely slower than we probably expected," said Keeneland's Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. "It was a little sluggish. But as the day went on, it became more promising." At the close of business Monday, 224 head had sold for $16,261,900. The average was...

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