Winner’s Circle

1953 Kentucky Derby Winner

Foaled at Hermitage Farm in 1950, DARK STAR would be the long shot choice in the 1953 Kentucky Derby at 25-1.

The smart money was on undefeated NATIVE DANCER, a fan favorite, at odds of 3-5. The two dueled neck to neck
down the stretch to the finish. DARK STAR won by a nose – the only horse to ever defeat the future Hall of Famer NATIVE DANCER – in what is described as the biggest upset in Kentucky Derby history.

1985 World Record High-Priced Yearling – $13,100,000

Bred in Kentucky and a half-brother to 1977 Triple Crown Champion SEATTLE SLEW, the brown son of NIJINSKY was sent to the Keeneland Selected Yearling Sale in July 1985. Intense bidding on behalf of major breeders drove this colt’s selling price to the World Record $13.1M – equivalent to just over $38M today. SEATTLE DANCER debuted under Vincent O’Brien’s direction in Ireland as a 3YO, winning the G2 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial and G3 Gallinule S. that year. In 1988, SEATTLE DANCER retired to Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Versailles, Kentucky, before relocating to their facility in Ireland, followed by study duty in Japan and Germany. His World Record as the Most Expensive Yearling ever purchased at public auction still stands today.

2017 Champion 3YO Male

Born after the Kentucky Derby in 2014, WEST COAST was overlooked as a yearling at the Keeneland September Sale and thought to be a late developer at the races. WEST COAST’s first start came in the spring of his 3YO year in California. He tried at Kentucky Derby entry points in the G3 Stonestreet Lexington S., finishing 2nd in just his third career start but was not part of that year’s Kentucky Derby starting gate. Following that 2nd place finish, WEST COAST strung together 5 consecutive wins, including the G1 Travers S., G1 Pennsylvania Derby, G3 Los Alamitos Derby, and Easy Goer S. His impressive win by 7 ¼ lengths in the G1 Pennsylvania Derby following his 3 ¼ length victory in the G1 Travers just a month earlier solidified his candidacy as Champion 3YO Male. WEST COAST retired a Champion with earnings of $5.8M. He is one of the only Champions out of a Champion – his dam being Champion 2YO Filly CARESSING, a previous resident of Hermitage Farm.

USA Team Winner

Steve Wilson is a four-time USEF Advanced Pairs Combined Driving National Champion. Wilson has competed and trained in Combined Driving for over a decade, winning his first National Championship in 2015. Steve was selected as a team member to represent the United States in the FEI World Driving Championship for Pair of Horses in 2017 and 2019, the only U.S. competitor to compete at both events. Steve is the founder of the Hermitage Classic, which hosts the USEF Pair Horse Driving National Championship. Wilson is the co-owner of Hermitage Farm with his wife Laura Lee Brown.

2015, 2017, and 2018 USEF Horse of the Year

Favory Franky (aka Franky) has been a member of Team Hermitage since 2013. Franky’s specialty is Cones, often coming to competitions to provide a solid partner for the final phase. He competed in the 2015 and 2017 National Pair Horse Championships, and partnered with Endorro for the Cones phase of the 2017 Pair Horse World Driving Championships.