Maplehurst Stock Farm

03/22/2026

𝐌𝐚𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐚𝐲 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞

In 1898, a Paris, Kentucky horseman named Warren Adams Bacon Jr. paid $2,600 at the W.L. Simmons estate dispersal sale for a 20-year-old blue roan stallion named Jay Bird. It was arguably the best $2,600 ever spent in the history of harness racing.

Jay Bird, registration number 5060, had been foaled in 1878 at Ash Grove Farm in Lexington — the property now known as Darby Dan Farm. Sired by George Wilkes out of a Mambrino Star mare named Lady Frank, he had already proven himself as a racehorse, winning The Kentucky Stakes at The Red Mile in 1880 as a two-year-old. Retired to the breeding shed at Ash Grove, he had sired over 70 standard performers — approaching the mark set by his own sire George Wilkes — before Bacon brought him to Maplehurst Stock Farm east of Paris.

What happened next cemented Jay Bird's place in harness racing history.

Under Bacon's management at Maplehurst, Jay Bird became the 14th Century Sire in the history of the sport — a title awarded when a stallion's offspring reach 100 standard performers. More remarkably, he became the first Century Sire in history to sire another Century Sire. His son Allerton went on to become the first Double Century Sire, ultimately producing 230+ standard performers. The slogan Bacon coined for his stallion — "It is always a Jay Bird" — turned out to be prophetic in ways that echo through harness racing to this day.

Jay Bird's influence on the modern sport is staggering. Some of these records may have since been broken — but time and again it has been descendants of Jay Bird breaking other descendants of Jay Bird's records. At last record, all ten winners of the Triple Crown for Pacers trace lineage to him. The fastest three-year-old pacer ever recorded, Confederate, traces to Jay Bird. The fastest trotter ever, Homicide Hunter, traces to Jay Bird. The highest-earning and fastest standardbred in history, Bulldog Hanover, traces to Jay Bird. An estimated 69% of all current Living Hall of Fame horses carry his blood.

From 1898 to his death on December 18, 1906, Jay Bird earned $37,000 in stud fees alone at Maplehurst — an extraordinary sum that represented more than 2.5 times what Bacon had paid for the entire farm: an eight-room house, three horse barns, several outbuildings, and 117 acres of Bluegrass, purchased for $14,680. And that figure captures only the stud fees. Bacon also homebred and sold or raced Jay Bird's offspring, which added considerably to the returns on his original $2,600 investment. The December 26, 1906 issue of American Horse Breeder — the Christmas issue published just eight days after Jay Bird's death — devoted its cover to him, bearing the simple caption: "Jay Bird, Foaled 1878. Died December 18, 1906."

Bacon buried Jay Bird between two pastures at Maplehurst and marked the grave with a marble headstone reading:

𝐽𝐴𝑌 𝐵𝐼𝑅𝐷 5060 𝐴 𝐶𝐸𝑁𝑇𝑈𝑅𝑌 𝑆𝐼𝑅𝐸 1878 — 1906 𝐼𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑙𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑎 𝐽𝑎𝑦 𝐵𝑖𝑟𝑑

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐭

Warren Adams Bacon Jr. was born June 7, 1867 in Paris, Kentucky, the son of Warren Adams Bacon Sr., who had made his own remarkable journey — leaving Massachusetts in the 1840s, coming to Kentucky as a schoolteacher, and building a prosperous life in Bourbon County. The elder Bacon's journey from New England to the Bluegrass was a common enough story for the era, but the family he established in Paris would leave a lasting mark on the region's racing history.

Bacon Jr. worked at a Paris seed company alongside his brother James, but his true passion was trotting horses. He raced on the Grand Circuit including at Lexington, and when the opportunity came to purchase Jay Bird at the Simmons dispersal sale in 1898 — partnering initially with Paris attorney John Brennan before buying Brennan out — he seized it. The Maplehurst Stock Farm name and brand were established, and Bacon proved himself not only a capable horseman but a shrewd marketer, running national print advertisements with the Jay Bird photograph and the now-famous slogan.

The personal artifacts that survive from this period tell their own story. A Victorian occupational shaving mug, manufactured for Bacon by the E. Berninghaus & Co. barber supply house of Cincinnati — one of the largest such firms in the country — bears his name in gilt lettering and depicts a gray horse standing by a stable. Berninghaus imported European porcelain blanks and decorated them to order; occupational mugs were a status symbol of the era, kept by barbers on personal racks for their regular customers. The gray horse on Bacon's mug almost certainly represents Jay Bird — the stallion's distinctive blue roan coat, the timeline of ownership, and Bacon's well-documented instinct for branding all point to a deliberate choice rather than a catalog image.

The account ledgers from Geo. Alexander & Co. Bankers of Paris, Kentucky — bearing Bacon's name on the cover in his own handwriting — survive from 1905 through 1909, covering the final years of Jay Bird's life at Maplehurst and the aftermath of his death.

𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗝𝗮𝘆 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝗱

Bacon sold Maplehurst Farm on January 22, 1913 to John Sauer and relocated his operation. By 1914 he had settled nine miles west of Demopolis, Alabama, near the small community of Gallion in Marengo County, where he built a training track on the property and also worked horses at Selma, fifty miles east.

It was in Alabama that Bacon campaigned his most notable post-Jay Bird racehorse: Peter Billiken, whose best recorded mile was 2:04. The tack trunk that traveled with Peter Billiken by railway from track to track — a standard practice of the era for horses competing on the Grand Circuit — survives in remarkable condition. A substantial wooden chest painted dark green, it bears the horse's name and best time in bold painted lettering: PETER BILLIKEN. 2:13¼.

But the world was changing in ways that no horseman could outrun. As the automobile displaced the horse-drawn buggy across America, the market for trotting horses collapsed from two directions at once. Horses that didn't make the grade for racing had always found ready buyers as fast buggy horses — a reliable secondary market that helped support breeding operations large and small. That market evaporated almost overnight. At the same time, public interest in harness racing itself waned as the automobile captured the American imagination. Bacon transitioned his Alabama operation from horses to dairy cattle, a pragmatic pivot that sustained the farm but marked the end of the Bacon family's chapter in harness racing history. He was out of the horse business entirely by 1922.

Jay Bird's international legacy also deserves mention. His grandson Locanda — son of the great Allerton — was sold by Bacon to Russia, where he contributed to the development of the Russian Trotter breed. That breed did not persist beyond 1949, but for a time, Jay Bird's blood was literally shaping equine breeding on another continent.

Bacon died on August 26, 1939 in Gallion, Alabama.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲𝘀

Warren Adams Bacon III was born September 3, 1914 in Gallion, Alabama — the only child of Warren Jr. and his third wife, Aileen Liver Bacon. He grew up on the Alabama property his father had established, lived his entire life in the Gallion-Demopolis area, worked as a meat inspector for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and died on September 10, 2009 at the age of 95. He is buried at St. Andrew's Cemetery in Gallion.

Warren Adams Bacon IV was born June 17, 1947 in Gallion — the grandson of the man who had built Maplehurst and made Jay Bird famous. He grew up on the family dairy farm, went on to Auburn University to study zoology, genetics and paleontology, earned a master's degree in molecular biophysics from Florida State, and then — in the tradition of the family's willingness to go where opportunity led — left graduate school and joined the circus. Literally. He became a founding member of the Big Apple Circus, performed as a trapeze artist and human cannonball, and spent decades teaching circus arts. When asked once to describe himself in a single sentence, he said without hesitation: "I am an overeducated redneck cowboy, who left graduate school and joined the circus."

Warren IV never visited Maplehurst. He gave his blessing for the farm name to be used and expressed genuine happiness that the property had found owners who understood its history — but he never made the trip to Paris, Kentucky to stand where his grandfather had stood, or to see the headstone that marks where Jay Bird is buried.

He passed away on August 22, 2025 in the home that his grandfather had built, and that his father lived his entire life in. His funeral was held on March 20, 2026 at St. Andrew's Church in Gallion, Alabama — the same community where his grandfather had relocated more than a century before, where his father had lived his entire life, and where the Bacon family story in the American South had quietly continued while the world forgot Maplehurst.

Soil from Maplehurst Stock Farm was placed in Warren's grave. He couldn't come to Maplehurst, so we brought a little bit of Maplehurst to him.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲

Among Warren IV's final wishes was that his dear friend and heir Jessica Hentoff find a good home for the family's artifacts — and especially for Peter Billiken's tack trunk.

The collection that survives is remarkable in its completeness. The trunk itself. The W.A. Bacon Jr. bank ledgers from Geo. Alexander & Co. The occupational shaving mug. What appear to be original driving goggles from the harness racing era. Newspaper clippings spanning decades of Bacon family history in Bourbon County. Photographs including a portrait of Warren Jr. as an adult and a photograph of Warren III as an infant.

These objects did not end up in an archive or a museum. They came back to Maplehurst — to the farm where Jay Bird is buried, where the headstone now stands restored and upright, where a standardbred descendant of Jay Bird named Lislea Harry was brought as the farm's first equine resident.

𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘢 𝘑𝘢𝘺 𝘉𝘪𝘳𝘥.

03/22/2026

Maplehurst Stock Farm is saddened to share the passing of Warren Adams Bacon IV, grandson of W.A. Bacon Jr., who owned Maplehurst and the legendary Century Sire Jay Bird in the early 1900s.

Warren gave us his blessing to carry forward the Maplehurst name, and we are forever grateful. He was laid to rest on Friday in Gallion, Alabama, with soil from Maplehurst placed in his grave.

During one of our phone conversations, I asked Warren to describe himself in one sentence. Warren — who held a master's degree in molecular biophysics — said without hesitation: "I am an overeducated redneck cowboy, who left graduate school and joined the circus."

Rest easy, Warren.

05/04/2025

Today, on Star Wars Day, May the 4th, we’re celebrating two special birthdays at Maplehurst Stock Farm! 🥳🐎 Our beloved HappyBirthdayBaby, born in 2010, and her son Fred, by Take Charge Indy, born in 2011, are galloping into another year of greatness! 🎂✨ Fun fact: HBB is also the dam of Bold and Bossy at Old Friends, who will celebrate her 6th birthday in two days on May 6—be sure to send her birthday wishes too! 🌟 Join us in wishing this terrific trio a birthday full of treats and love! ❤️ Happy Birthday HappyBirthdayBaby and HappyBirthdayBaby's babies!!

10/24/2024

Life on the farm means surprises—like when Jebronicus stopped mid-graze to watch a deer sprint past! 🦌 Moments like these are why we love . 💚

04/20/2024

12/06/2023

Jay Bird - A Century Sire and Harness Racing Legend

AN IRREFUTABLE LEGACY FORGED IN THE KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS

In 1878, a legend was born on W.L. Simmons' Ash Grove Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. Jay Bird, a striking blue roan c**t, entered the world, destined to become one of harness racing's most enduring icons. Sired by the great George Wilkes, a son of the incomparable Hambletonian, and born to Lady Frank, a Mambrino Star mare, Jay Bird's pedigree was a testament to his racing lineage.

1878 - 1880: THE EARLY BEGINNINGS OF A HARNESS RACING PIONEER

Jay Bird's formative years were spent in the lush pastures of Ash Grove Farm, now a part of Darby Dan Farm, in Lexington, Kentucky. Here, among his peers, he began to reveal his raw talent and boundless potential. What set him apart was not just his remarkable racing prowess but also his striking steel gray coat, a feature that made him stand out. In 1880, Jay Bird's journey to harness racing greatness began when he secured victory in The Kentucky Stakes. At the time, it was a race for 2-year-olds, later transitioning to The Lexington Stakes for that age group, while The Kentucky Stakes would become the race for 3-year-olds beginning the following year. These races were held at The Red Mile in Lexington, the location of all Kentucky Trotting Horse Breeders Association sponsored stakes races.

1881 - 1906: THE MAKING OF A CENTURY SIRE

At the conclusion of his racing career, Jay Bird retired to the breeding shed at Ash Grove. It was here that Jay Bird's endurance as a sire began to manifest. During his time at Ash Grove, he sired over 70 standard performers, closely approaching the mark of 77, achieved by his sire, George Wilkes, already an impressive mark for that time. In 1898, after W.L. Simmons' passing, Jay Bird found a new home with Warren Adams Bacon, Jr., who, along with his partner John Brennan, acquired Jay Bird for $2,600 at the estate dispersal sale, with Bacon soon thereafter buying Brennan out. Under Bacon's ownership, Jay Bird became associated with his Maplehurst Stock Farm in Paris, Kentucky, where his enduring legacy truly took root. Bacon would popularize the phrase, "It is always a Jay Bird," using it as a slogan in print advertisements found in magazines and newspapers across the nation. It was during his time at Maplehurst that Jay Bird would achieve the prestigious title of Century Sire, awarded exclusively to sires whose offspring would attain or exceed one hundred standard performers. Jay Bird would be the fourteenth to join the esteemed Century Sire list. Notably, thanks to the mighty Allerton, Jay Bird became the first Century Sire in history to sire another Century Sire, with Allerton becoming the first Double Century Sire. Jay Bird would spend the remainder of his days at Maplehurst, where his impact on harness racing became undeniable, and his legend was immortalized.

DECEMBER 18, 1906: A FAREWELL TO A LEGEND

On December 18, 1906, Jay Bird passed away, but his legacy was far from over; it was only just beginning. News of Jay Bird's passing made the front pages of racing magazines and newspaper sports sections across the country. His final stallion ad, printed a week after his death in the Christmas 1906 issue of American Horse Breeder magazine, appeared to foreshadow that his influence would live on. His resting place at Maplehurst Stock Farm was marked by a marble headstone, bearing his epitaph, the slogan made famous by Bacon: "JAY BIRD, 5060, A CENTURY SIRE, 1878 - 1906, It is always a Jay Bird."

Bacon disclosed, in an interview reported in The Bourbon News, that Jay Bird had amassed $37,000 in stud fees from the time of Bacon's purchase in 1898 until the stallion's death in 1906. This amount did not include the sales of homebred offspring sired by Jay Bird, surely an equally lucrative sum. To provide some perspective, Bacon had acquired Maplehurst Farm, which included an eight-room house, three horse barns, several outbuildings, and 117 acres of the richest soil in the Bluegrass, for just $14,680 only a few short years earlier.

DESCENDANTS OF JAY BIRD: AN UNMATCHED LEGACY

While Allerton is certainly the most well-known son of Jay Bird, other sons such as Alconda Jay, Eagle Bird, Jaymore, The Tramp, and Jay Hawker also contributed to their sire's lineage in their own right, many of which also live on today. The premature death of the promising stallion Jay Hawker, who died at the age of only 8, left the question of what might have been had he lived longer. Another Allerton perhaps? We can only imagine. A grandson of Jay Bird, Locanda, a son of Allerton, was sold to Russia, where he played a crucial role in the development of the Russian Trotter breed, although it ultimately did not persist beyond 1949.

Jay Bird's profound influence on harness racing extends beyond his own achievements. He left an indelible mark on the sport, with his lineage, descending from Hambletonian, serving as a foundation for many notable names in harness racing history. His impact on the sport is immeasurable, with a lineage that stretches from Allerton to Billy Direct, Tar Heel, Bret Hanover, Meadow Skipper, Niatross, Cam Fella, No Nukes, and beyond, shaping the sport for nearly a century and a half since his birth and more than a century since his passing.

Notably, all ten winners of the Triple Crown for Pacers, the fastest 3-year-old pacer ever, Confederate, the fastest trotter ever, Homicide Hunter, and the highest-earning and fastest standardbred in history, Bulldog Hanover, all trace their lineage back to Jay Bird. A remarkable 69% of all current members of the Living Hall of Fame - Horses and 30% of all current members of the Hall of Immortals - Horses can also trace their heritage to Jay Bird.

Imagine Jay Bird, a stallion who lived over a century ago. He is a pivotal character in the story of today's standardbred horses. If Jay Bird had never existed, it's not just about one missing horse; it's about a ripple effect. The genetic roles he played in his descendants' heritage would be taken up by a cast of new stallions. Each of these replacements would bring their unique traits, creating a much different genetic landscape from the one we see today. So, Jay Bird's absence isn't just a gap in history; it's a rewrite of genetic destiny, shaping the standardbred lineage in ways we can't fully predict.

As the thread of Jay Bird's bloodline continues to weave through the tapestry of future champions, the sport of harness racing remains indebted to this remarkable Century Sire. His legacy endures not only in the records and victories of his descendants but also in the hearts and minds of those who cherish the rich history and tradition of harness racing. Jay Bird's story is one of greatness, perseverance, and an everlasting influence that continues to resonate through the sport to this day.

11/29/2023

🌟 Dive into the art of embroidery and horse farm fashion with us! 🐎✨ Watch as we craft our signature Maplehurst and Mane Characters logos onto T-shirts, polo shirts, and ball caps right here in-house. 🧢👕 Join the equine style revolution! 🌈🏇

🎨 Explore the intersection of fashion and passion for horses, rescues, and embroidery. Learn about our unique process and dedication to creating quality apparel that showcases our love for these majestic creatures. 🎥✂️

👉 Whether you're a horse enthusiast, a rescue supporter, or just love stylish apparel, this video is for you! 🤩 Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share with fellow horse lovers. 💌🐴

🌈

11/28/2023

When we moved from Massachusetts to Kentucky in 2019, our goal was to be closer to the horse racing center of the world. We chose Paris, KY specifically to reside near the peaceful resting place of Secretariat. We came here with an idea and a dream: to raise fine Thoroughbred racehorses and, equally importantly, if not more so, to establish a nonprofit dedicated to equine welfare for horses of all breeds.

Little did we anticipate that a new park honoring the legacy of Secretariat would be announced in our new hometown, less than four years after moving here. We are beyond grateful to share that we have become sponsors of this park. It's a dream come true to see our names forever etched on the same plaque as Secretariat's jockey, Mr. Ron Turcotte, adorning the back wall of the park.

Additionally, we never imagined having a tree with our farm's name beautifully engraved on a plaque in front of our very own tree in Secretariat Park, standing proudly next to a tree with a similar plaque bearing Mr. Turcotte's name. Yet, here we are.

This humbling experience is something we will never take for granted, as it is a rare occurrence where real life has proven to be even more extraordinary than we had ever imagined.

11/27/2023

🌾 Just another day at the "Maplehurst Stock Farm Wildlife Sanctuary" 🦌🏇 Our 28-acre field seems to be THE hotspot for aspiring hoofed residents! 🤣 Apparently, word has spread among the deer community that we're not just horsing around with our love for animals. 🦌❤️🐴

Who needs a job when you can have a full-time gig being adorable and grazing in our safe haven? 🌳🦌 Horses, deer, rabbits, turkeys, and maybe a squirrel or two—we've got room for everyone! 🌿

🍁

11/24/2023

Charlie loves his Jolly Ball! 😊

10/23/2023

🎉 Big News: 🎉 Mane Characters is officially launching as a 501(c)(3) organization!

We’re more than just an equine rescue. We identify as an equine “reserve.” Our vision goes beyond simple rescue – we tailor our approach to cater to the unique needs of each horse. Whether it’s through rescue, rehabilitation, re-training, re-homing, or providing a peaceful retirement at our farm, we’re committed to giving every horse the best care possible.

Thank you for believing in and supporting our mission. Your trust fuels our journey, and together, we can make an even greater impact.

Join us as we pour love, support, and compassion into the lives of the incredible horses we serve. 🐴❤️🌟

06/08/2023

🌳🐴 Honoring Jay Bird: Announcing Jay Bird Grove at Maplehurst Stock Farm 🐎🌳

We have a special announcement to make, dear friends. Today, we pay tribute to the remarkable legacy of Jay Bird, the beloved Standardbred Sire who left an indelible mark on our hearts. Resting peacefully between two pastures at Maplehurst Stock Farm, Jay Bird's presence continues to inspire and captivate us.

Born in 1878 at W.L. Simmons' Ash Grove Farm in Lexington, KY, Jay Bird possessed an extraordinary lineage and unrivaled talent, talent which he would undeniably pass on to his descendants for generations. In 1898, his journey led him to the embrace of Maplehurst Stock Farm, where then owner W.A. Bacon Jr. recognized his greatness and welcomed him as a cherished member of the farm's family.

As we remember and honor Jay Bird's extraordinary life, we are delighted to unveil Jay Bird Grove at Maplehurst Stock Farm. This serene pathway, nestled between the very same pastures he once graced, also pays homage to his birthplace at Ash Grove Farm. Jay Bird Grove at Maplehurst Stock Farm stands as a symbol of his enduring spirit and the legacy he left behind.

Today, we have marked this hallowed ground with a custom sign, graciously gifted to us by an anonymous donor. This sign will forever bear the name "Jay Bird Grove," a testament to the impact Jay Bird made on Maplehurst Stock Farm and the harness racing world.

Join us as we celebrate the life and memory of Jay Bird, a magnificent stallion whose contributions to Standardbred racing will forever be cherished. Let us walk through Jay Bird Grove at Maplehurst Stock Farm, guided by his spirit and inspired by his greatness.

Jay Bird's slogan in life, his epitaph at death, and the continued dominance of his descendants in harness racing over a century later all affirm this enduring truth: "It is always a Jay Bird."