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Grave Matters: Juddmonte Farm -Myrtlewood, Lexington, Kentucky
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Photos by Barbara Livingston and Liz Martiniak. ©Liz Martiniak 2003; ©Barbara Livingston 2003; all rights reserved. |
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Left: Frizeur's grave site;
Right--Top: Frizeur's grave
Middle: Show Jumper Royal Brigade's grave
Bottom: Saddlebred Stonewall Imperial's grave
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JUDDMONTE FARM is a relatively new farm with a cemetery at the main division, and a more historic one at the Myrtlewood Division. The Myrtlewood Division encompassed what was Brownell Combs' Belair Farm through the early part of the 1900s. Combs acquired the imported mare *FRIZEUR from John Madden, for whom she had produced the stakes winner Black Curl (1924 by Friar Rock). For Combs, she produced 3 additional stakes winners, Pairbypair (1929 by Noah), Crowning Glory (1930 by Black Toney), and Myrtlewood (1932 by Blue Larkspur).
MYRTLEWOOD (who is buried at Spendthrift Farm) was an outstanding sprinter, one of the fastest of her era, and retired back to Belair Farm to become an extremely successful broodmare. Her best runners were the fillies Miss Dogwood (by Bull Dog), winner of the Kentucky Oaks, and the champion two-year-old filly Durazna (by Bull Lea). Miss Dogwood was acquired by Combs' nephew Leslie Combs, and became a foundation mare for his Spendthrift Farm (she is the dam of Gold Digger, and granddam of Mr. Prospector). Another Myrtlewood daughter, Crepe Myrtle, produced the champion filly Myrtle Charm and sire Jet Jewel (sire of champion Jewel's Reward). Myrtle Charm is the third dam of Seattle Slew.
There are 2 other non-racing Thoroughbred burials at the Myrtlewood division. One is for the jumper ROYAL BRIGADE, whose headstone proclaims his to have been a champion show hunter. The other is for STONEWALL IMPERIAL, the 4-time 5-gaited World Champion American Saddlebred. -AP |
| JUDDMONTE FARM BURIALS (Myrtlewood Division)
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| Thoroughbred Broodmare | Show Jumper | Saddlebred |
| Frizeur (f. 1916) | Royal Brigade (1964-1984) | Stonewall Imperial(1953-1967) |
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