Iron Works Pike, Lexington, Kentucky, United States
Key people
Elizabeth Arden, owner Tom Smith, trainer James W. Smith, trainer Jack H. Skirvin, trainer William Molter, trainer Ike K. Mourar, trainer Edward A. Neloy, trainer Ivan H. Parke, trainer Roy Waldron, trainer
Maine Chance Farm was an American Thoroughbred horse racing stable in Lexington, Kentucky owned by cosmetics tycoon Elizabeth Arden.
Elizabeth Arden raced under the nom de course "Mr. Nightingale" until 1943 when she adopted the name Maine Chance Farm from her health spa in Mount Vernon, Maine. During the nineteen forties and fifties, the Maine Chance Farm racing stable was a major force in American horse racing. Among the stable's many champions and stakes race winners who raced under Arden's cerise, blue and white colors were the colt Star Pilot and the filly, Beaugay, both 1945 American national champions. The Beaugay Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack is named in the filly's honor. That year, Maine Chance Farm was the top money-winning stable in the United States.
In May 1946, a fire at a racetrack in Chicago destroyed twenty-two horses owned by Maine Chance Farm. The stable's two-year-old star colt Jet Pilot survived as he had been shipped to another racetrack. Two future Hall of Famers, trainer Tom Smith and jockey Eric Guerin, worked for Maine Chance Farm and in 1947, Jet Pilot won the Kentucky Derby. In 1948, Ace Admiral won the prestigious Travers Stakes and in 1954 the Maine Chance filly Fascinator won the Kentucky Oaks. In 1960, the farm bred future Hall of Fame colt Gun Bow.
In 1956, Elizabeth Arden acquired the 722-acre (2.92 km2) northern portion of Coldstream Stud on the death of owner E. Dale Shaffer and renamed it Maine Chance Farm. Following Arden's passing in 1966, the farm property became part of the College of Agriculture at the University of Kentucky.
In 2005, the University of Kentucky began the Equine Initiative Project. This project was started by the UK College of Agriculture to develop their Equine Science program into a nationally outstanding program. In 2007, the Maine Chance Farm was being revamped into a Collegiate Equestrian mecha-center, which was expected to feature a breeding program, equestrian center, and equine disease and research center.
MaineChanceFarm was an American Thoroughbred horse racing stable in Lexington, Kentucky owned by cosmetics tycoon Elizabeth Arden. Elizabeth Arden raced...
involved in the sport of Thoroughbred racing for many years. Her stable, MaineChanceFarm (named for her spa), owned – among other stakes winners – the 1947...
cosmetics queen Elizabeth Arden who campaigned her under the name of her MaineChanceFarm. For U.S. Racing Hall of Fame trainer Tom Smith, Beaugay won her first...
spectator area inside the track—offers general admission prices but little chance of seeing much of the race, particularly before the jumbotron installation...
Douglas Dodson James W. Smith MaineChanceFarm 1:13.00 6 furlongs 1947 Jet Pilot 3 Johnny Longden Tom Smith MaineChanceFarm 1:11.60 6 furlongs 1946 Bonnie...
Kentucky Derby. The race took place on May 3, 1958. Winning breeder: Calumet Farm (KY) "Countdown to the Kentucky Derby | Remembering 1958 winner Tim Tam"...
Dixiana Farm 3rd 11 Hampden Job Dean Jessop Richard E. Handlen Foxcatcher Farm 4th 1 Lord Boswell Eddie Arcaro James W. Smith MaineChanceFarm 5th 1C...
women—though it eventually became part of a luxury resort (the original MaineChanceFarm) instead. Marbury died in 1933. Her funeral at St. Patrick's Cathedral...
I. Kelly Sr. Brookfield Farm 1+1⁄16 mi. 1:46.00 $200,000 1957 Jewel's Reward Bill Shoemaker Ivan H. Parke MaineChanceFarm 1+1⁄16 mi. 1:44.20 $190,000...
had learned that Prudery was off her feed. He knew he might have a real chance to win. Initially, the odds on the filly were 1-4, while Rothstein's colt...
Guerin was hired by cosmetics magnate Elizabeth Arden to ride for her MaineChanceFarm. Teamed up with future Hall of Fame trainer Tom Smith, he rode Jet...
successful cosmetics magnate Elizabeth Arden, she would establish MaineChanceFarm three years later and build it into one of the most successful breeding...
compete in the William Penn Stakes. Among them were the likes of MaineChanceFarm, owned by cosmetics magnate Elizabeth Arden, the Wheatley Stable of...
Frank M. McMahon. Later, he advised Elizabeth Arden (1884–1966) of MaineChanceFarm about which horses to purchase, including Star Pilot, Beaugay, Jet...
(1960, 1961) 2 – Gaily Gaily (1989, 1990) Most wins by an owner: 3 – Calumet Farm (1948, 1952, 1959) Most wins by a jockey: 3 – René Douglas (2002, 2003, 2008)...
Wayne Lukas (1982, 1984, 1989, 1990, 2022) Most wins by an owner 6 – Calumet Farm (1943, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1979) Only brothers to both win the Kentucky...
aboard the MaineChanceFarm filly Fascinator. In his only Kentucky Derby appearance, he finished 13th in the 1954 edition aboard the MaineChance colt Black...
In June 2006 a majority interest in the stallion was sold to the MaineChanceFarm and he was exported to South Africa at the end of the year. His major...
Charmer, a daughter of Jet Action, a multiple stakes race winner for MaineChanceFarm. Trained by Larry Robideaux, My Charmer won six of her thirty-two...
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