The breeding of Thoroughbreds at Castleton Lyons—better known as Castleton Farm—is a tradition that dates back to George Washington’s presidency. Since politician John Breckinridge purchased the land in the heart of Kentucky horse country in 1793, it has passed through five subsequent owners and grown to encompass nearly a thousand acres, a Greek Revival mansion, sixteen horse barns, a stone tower, a covered bridge, and an equine cemetery. And all of it is up for auction on October 28, just ahead of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Keeneland on October 30.
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It was Breckinridge’s daughter and her family who built the 1840s mansion that stands today. Castleton then passed to financier James Keene, who purchased 1896 Derby winner Ben Brush as a stallion and helped cement the farm’s reputation in the horse racing world. Breeders David and Sam Look took over the estate next, and then came the automobile heiress Frances Dodge and her husband, Frederick Van Lennep. Finally, in 2001, Ryanair’s late cofounder, Tony Ryan, bought it for $14 million, and it remains with his family today…