After surprisingly selling his Gracefield Farm near Lexington in May of this year, Ben Walden has agreed to purchase a new farm in Kentucky with plans of making it the last farm he buys.
The new 235-acre farm is located in southern Woodford County. Walden plans to keep about 20 of his best broodmares on the new property.
“I am really excited about it, and it is a beautiful farm,” said Walden, who added he currently has about 56 broodmares and plans to offer some during the November and January mixed sales. “I want this to be my last farm.”
Walden said he is scheduled to close on the property Oct. 15 but would like to move the date up to mid-September. “I’ve already had my fencing and barn guys out there and we are ready to go,” he said. “It is about 70% developed already.”
The farm, previously owned by the Webb family, was named Valhalla and Walden plans to return it to its original name, Paul’s Mill.
The 310-acre Gracefield Farm, which Walden will keep until the end of the year, was purchased by Robert and Lisa Louire, the owners of Spy Coast Farm in New York and another farm near Wellington, Fla. The Louires are involved with Show Horses and were interested in Gracefield due to its proximity to the Kentucky Horse Park, which will host the 2010 World Equestrian Games.
“Gracefield is not a farm I wanted to sell, but I am a business man,” Walden said. “The lovely couple who bought it are excited about the World Equestrian Games and it was a price I could not turn down.”
Walden, a son of late Kentucky breeder Ben Walden Sr. and brother of WinStar Farm vice president Elliott Walden, bred and sold 2007 Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I) and Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Corinthian in partnership with longtime partner Hargus Sexton.
