Alice Chandler to be 2005 Honor Guest at TCA

The Thoroughbred Club of America announced Tuesday that Alice Chandler has been elected by its board of directors as Honor Guest for the Club's annual Testimonial Dinner. The event will be held at Keeneland Race Course Nov. 5.

It was a good day for Chandler. Earlier that afternoon, her Mill Ridge Farm consigned the Keeneland September sale record $9.7 million son of Storm Cat.

Chandler, whose career as a Thoroughbred breeder and industry leader has followed the example of her father, Hal Price Headley, has been tapped to receive the honor her father was awarded more than 60 years ago.

Headley, a successful breeder and owner and key mover in establishment of Keeneland's racing and sales, was the Thoroughbred Club's Testimonial Dinner honoree in 1941.

Mrs. Chandler operates Mill Ridge as a full service farm, breeding her own horses and also boarding mares. Stallions standing at Mill Ridge include Gone West, Diesis, and Johar, winner of the John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) in 2003.

Horses foaled and raised at Mill Ridge for clients include 2005 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) Giacomo, 2001 Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male Point Given  , and 2004 2-year-old filly champion Sweet Catomine.

Chandler developed Mill Ridge Farm on part of the Lexington property Headley had owned prior to his death in 1962.

Chandler is a member of The Jockey Club and has served as president of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders. She also has been active in leadership roles with the Kentucky Equine Research Foundation, the national Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Associaton, and the Kentucky Racing Commission. She is a member of the Kentucky Racing Authorities' Equine Drug Testing Council, which recently recommended medication rule changes which are now mandated for the state.