Hal Price Headley

Beaumont Farm’s Hal Price Headley was perhaps the most influential player in bringing the dream of Keeneland Race Track to existence in 1936, and served as its President from that time until 1951.

The land that became Beaumont Farm was purchased by George Washington Headley in 1880, and handed down to his son, Hal Petit Headley. Hal Price Headley was born in Lexington, Kentucky in 1888 and went on to study at Princeton University before returning to Beaumont Farm following his father’s stroke.

Once his boots were back on the familiar soil of Central Kentucky, Headley went on to immerse himself in the business of Beaumont Farm, establishing Keeneland as a front-runner in the world of thoroughbred horse racing, and serving as the first President of the Thoroughbred Horse Association.

The most notable horses bred by Hal Price Headley include ALCIBIADES, APOGEE, MENOW, and ASKMEKNOW among a total of 88 Grade States winners from 1916 to 1953.

Upon his death in 1962, The Blood-Horse stated: “In all-around mastery of the various aspects of Thoroughbred racing and breeding, Hal Price Headley had no equal among his contemporaries.”  Alice Headley Chandler, his daughter, then inherited 286 acres and four broodmares. From this new beginning came Mill Ridge Farm.

In 2018, he was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame as a Pillar of the Turf.