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Spendthrift Farm Breaks Ground On B. Wayne Hughes Visitors Center

Spendthrift Farm has broken ground on a new 8,000 square-foot tourism facility that will be named the B. Wayne Hughes Visitors Center in honor of its late founder.

“We take it on as our responsibility now to continue to build on the vision Wayne had for Spendthrift and the sport of horse racing,” said Eric Gustavson, owner of Spendthrift and son-and-law to the late B. Wayne Hughes. “It's only fitting to name the new visitors center after him because it largely represents his love for the industry and desire to share it with people. That's what we look forward to doing.”

Scheduled to open spring or summer of 2022, the B. Wayne Hughes Visitors Center will be located in the heart of the historic farm, directly between Spendthrift's stallion complex and main office. The facility will become the focal point for Spendthrift's plans to enhance tourism and experience opportunities for horse racing fans and the general public.

The two-story visitors center will contain a trophy room, gift shop, and entertainment & office space, and will include such features as a life-size statue of the late Malibu Moon at the entrance, Authentic's 2020 Kentucky Derby trophy and blanket of roses, Beholder's Breeders' Cup & Eclipse Award trophies, Into Mischief artifacts, a famous horses memorial and interactive history elements throughout.

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Half-Sister to Into Mischief Dies in Saratoga Training Accident

The unraced 3-year-old filly America's Joy (American Pharoah), a half-sister to Into Mischief (Harlan's Holiday), Beholder (Henny Hughes) and Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy), out of the 2016 Broodmare of the year Leslie's Lady suffered a fatal injury Sunday morning during a workout at Saratoga, according to Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm.

Pope purchased the filly for a record $8.2 million at the 2019 Keeneland September sale.

The news was a severe blow to her connections, who were anxiously awaiting the debut of a filly who appeared to have unlimited potential.

Trainer Todd Pletcher sent her out for what was supposed to be her last workout before beginning her career early next month at Belmont. Pletcher told Pope that America's Joy went down just after the work had been concluded and that by the time he reached her she was dead. It appears, Pope said, that the filly fractured her left front sesamoid, which caused her to fall and break her neck.

“She brought a lot of joy to everybody's life,” Pope said. “She was just a perfect horse in every way. She was so sweet and so kind. She was just such a classy, classy horse. I'm sorry that the racing world will never get to see all of the accomplishments she was about to make on the track and as a mama. May she rest in peace.”

Pope said that the filly was given some time off as a 2-year-old because of some growing issues. She had her first work for Pletcher July 5 and had a steady stream of works leading into Sunday's, which clockers recorded as a half-mile breeze in :47.80 over the main track. In an indication of what Pletcher thought of America's Joy, he had, on at least two occasions, sent her out to work in company with 2020 GI Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Happy Saver (Super Saver).

“She took to training early and right away did everything great,” Pope said. “We brought her along slowly and then sent her to Todd. He was very excited about her. He was working her with graded stakes horses because she was just playing with other horses. She could even outwork the stakes horses.”

America's Joy was consigned by her breeder, Clarkland Farm. Sheikh Mohammed of Godolphin and B. Wayne Hughes of Spendthrift Farm were also bidding on the filly, but Pope prevailed.

“You can't fault her,” she told the TDN after the Keeneland purchase. “She's perfectly balanced, she's gorgeous, she's not too big, not too small. Obviously, we're hoping that Beholder hits it as a broodmare. She certainly has tremendous value should she not get to the races for whatever reason. Like everything else, it's a big gamble; fingers crossed, lots of prayers and wish us well.”

Leslie's Lady was pensioned from breeding duties this spring. She has also produced a 2-year-old filly by Not This Time and a yearling filly by Kantharos.

“There are a lot of people to whom I'd like to express my gratitude for having taken such good care of her,” Pope said. “There's Todd Quast, Lynda and her crew at Whisper Hill Farm. There's Lee and his crew at Whisper Hill Training Center and Dr. Greg Bonen Clark. I'd like to thank Fred Mitchell and Clarkland Farm, Todd Pletcher and her fan club.”

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Unraced $8.2 Million Daughter Of Leslie’s Lady Dies At Saratoga

America's Joy, an unraced filly by Triple Crown winner American Pharoah out of Leslie's Lady, died from injuries sustained during a workout Sunday morning at Saratoga Race Course, reports the Daily Racing Form.

The filly fractured a sesamoid in her left foreleg and injured her neck when she fell; she later succumbed to those injuries, per trainer Todd Pletcher.

Her exercise rider, Humberto Zamora, was uninjured.

The 3-year-old filly was owned by Mandy Pope, who purchased her at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $8.2 million, making her the highest-priced filly and the fourth highest-priced yearling in Keeneland's September sale history.

Her dam Leslie's Lady also foaled UAE Derby winner Mendelssohn, champion mare Beholder, and leading North American sire Into Mischief. America's Joy was set to debut on closing day at Saratoga.

Statement from Breeders’ Cup on the Passing of B. Wayne Hughes

“We were very saddened to learn of the passing of B. Wayne Hughes, who has left an indelible impact and legacy on our sport as a breeder, owner, and industry innovator for the past 20 years. Foremost of his many achievements was his restoration of Spendthrift Farm to its grandeur and success as an internationally preeminent breeding operation, led by such prolific stallions as Malibu Moon and Into Mischief.

Moreover, Mr. Hughes believed that breeders were the 'backbone of our industry,' and created programs that re-established the owner/breeder relationship, such as 'Share The Upside,' designed to bonus the breeder with a vested interest in a stallion. Among his many triumphs in racing, Mr. Hughes won six Breeders' Cup races, highlighted by the great mare Beholder, who won three of them and was the recipient of four Eclipse Awards. Mr. Hughes also served us proudly as an innovator on our Board of Directors.

In recent years, Mr. Hughes developed the MyRacehorse ownership program, which offered everyday fans the chance to experience owning a piece of a racehorse through the online purchase of micro-shares, including 2020 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic winner Authentic. We express our deepest sympathies to his wife Patricia, his extended family, and all those who are a part of the Spendthrift team.”

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