Industry pioneer Gaines dies

Breeders' Cup founder John Gaines, who developed Gainesway Farm into one of

the world leading stud farms and played a key role in building the Kentucky

Horse Park, died Friday in Lexington, Kentucky. He was 76.

Gaines was born in 1928 and followed his grandfather, Thomas P. Gaines, and father,

Clarence Gaines, into the Standardbred industry, winning the Hambletonian twice in

1966-67, but he always had an interest in Thoroughbreds. He established the

Thoroughbred division of Gainesway in 1962

and built it into one of the most respected breeding operations in the 1970s and

80s, standing such noted stallions as Lyphard, Blushing Groom (Fr), *Vaguely

Noble, Riverman, Icecapade, Broad Brush, Irish River (Fr), Apalachee and Bold

Bidder. He also bred such notables as Halo and three-time champion Tosmah.

Gaines sold Gainesway Farm to Graham Beck in 1989 but remained involved in

the industry with John R. Gaines Thoroughbreds. He was awarded an Eclipse Award

of Merit in 1984. Gaines proposed the idea for building the Kentucky Horse Park

to the Kentucky General Assembly in the late 1960s and was instrumental toward

the park's opening in 1978. He served as director of the Kentucky Horse Park,

Breeders' Cup and many other organizations during his lifetime.

He hired the late Joe Taylor, who served as farm manager at Gainesway for

many years before founding Taylor Made Farm with his sons.

Gaines and his wife, Joan, were heavily involved in philanthropy pursuits,

arts and sciences, and the Catholic church. He was elected to the Kentucky

Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992.

In 1982, Gaines proposed the idea for a lucrative, one-day event of

championship races that would help define the sport. Two years later, the

Breeders' Cup was launched.