JoAnn Hayden

David and JoAnn Hayden's Dark Hollow Farm came away victorious in three of the four classes at the 90th annual Maryland Horse Breeders Association's Yearling Show held Sunday at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium. Dark Hollow Farm's colt by The Factor, co-bred and owned with Ellen Charles of Hillwood Stable, was awarded the grand champion trophy by this year's judge, longtime bloodstock agent Rick Abbot. The Haydens have now won 19 classes (solely or in partnership), since 1989 with grand champions in 2009 and 2014. A total of 59...

After the venerable and influential news show 60 Minutes aired a piece on horse racing last week, people within the industry were understandably upset. The story was ugly, filled with graphic and grisly coverage of horses breaking down, and portrayed racing as a sport where drugs, corruption and horse fatalities had reached the point of being out of control. "Horse racing is an industry where extremely devoted people labor because of one common thing: we all love horses, especially thoroughbred horses," Denali Stud's Craig Bandoroff wrote to 60 Minutes. "That...

Editor's note: After 60 Minutes aired a segment called "Horse Racing Reform?" on its Sunday night broadcast, Dark Hollow Farm's JoAnn Hayden posted a letter she had written to 60 Minutes on her Facebook page and urging friends and racing industry members to do the same. She writes: "I have always felt proud and grateful to be part of Maryland's thoroughbred racing community. Over the past 50+ years my circle of friends, employees, trainers, and colleagues have been exemplary humans who have provided the best care for my horses and...