Brutus Clay III remembers being told stories about how people viewed his father as "a big deal." Yet, Catesby Clay, the longtime Runnymede Farm chairman, never carried himself that way. He always saw all people as equals no matter their station in life.
That's only part of the legacy Brutus Clay hopes carries on for generations to come after his father died Sept. 29 at the age of 101.
"He was born into a life where he was given a lot opportunities, but he very much wanted to be a good steward with that, and he was really committed to helping people and living out his faith. And the example that he's given his eight children and 15 grandchildren will live on," Brutus Clay, current farm chairman and CEO, said of his father.
Clay died peacefully in his sleep in a room beneath the one in which he was born. Runnymede was founded by Clay's grandfather Colonel Ezekiel Clay.
"Pops had lived an incredibly full, gratifying life and really couldn't script his ending any better at 101," said Brutus Clay. "So, it's sad but he's in a better place. He's with the Lord."
Brutus Clay said that despite his father being in a slow decline in recent years, he would say his father was in the home stretch. But added the race was at Belmont Park, known for its long home stretch.
Runnymede President Romain Malhouitre said in a statement, "Mr. Clay's passion for the Thoroughbred business and Runnymede Farm was unconditional. He has led the farm for multiple decades and prepared us for this transition. Our program always been guided by his beliefs and will continue to do so. He shared this love for our sport with his wife; Mrs. Clay, his children and grandchildren. We look forward to carry on with his vision with the leadership of his son Brutus Clay and the entire family."
Focal Points
Catesby Clay lived his life with three priorities that guided his every decision: Faith. Family. Farm.
He was a humble servant who believed in giving back to others.
A lifelong Catholic, Clay was a member of the Church of Annunciation in Paris, Ky., where he served as a lector, high school religion teacher, server, and minister of communion. He was also generous with numerous Catholic causes and missions locally and internationally from Africa to Asia. He and his wife Elizabeth "Biz" received the Sister Fran Moore Award in 2011 in honor of their support and generosity to Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Lexington.
Clay also served on the board of the Hope Center in Lexington and contributed to Big Brothers and the Paris Food Bank.
"He lived his faith and he stayed true to that, even when he was helping people or doing whatever, he made sure he stayed true to it," said Brutus Clay.
Additionally, Catesby Clay served on the board of directors for The Lexington School from 1974-1985 and was a member of the board of regents with Georgetown University, from which he graduated.
Up and Running
The youngest of six children born to Brutus Junius Clay and Agnes McEvoy Clay, Catesby Clay took over running the farm from his grandfather in the 1950s. During this time, Catesby Clay emphasized breeding, building from a small broodmare band.
He saw results quickly, earning his first stakes winner with Mems, who won the Joe Smith Stakes. It was the first of 70 stakes victories for Catesby Clay either alone or in partnership.
Clay was a staunch proponent of international connections, having bred and raised horses from numerous countries. Under his stewardship, the farm produced multiple graded stakes winners as well as a champion in Japan (Agnes Digital).
He also had three horses finish in the money in the Kentucky Derby (G1): Partez in 1981, Wild Gale in 1992, and Tejano Run in 1995.
Clay served on the Kentucky Racing Commission from 1955-1959 and was on the board of directors of Churchill Downs from 1953-1998. He received the Honored Guest award from the Thoroughbred Club of America in 2009 in recognition of his life's work in the Thoroughbred industry.
That same year he turned over the reins of the farm to his son, Brutus.
"He's a really tough act to follow with the example that he gave, but the good news is you couldn't have had a better father, and I'm incredibly grateful for that. ... He used his gifts to the best that he could for a greater purpose," the younger Clay said. "Horses were incredibly enriching for him as well. He loved the farm. He loved the sport, he loved the animals, he loved the land, and I dare say that kept him, kept his mind, and kept him going for another decade. So grateful for that as well."
Catesby Clay also served as president and chairman of the board of Kentucky River Coal and he was inducted into the Kentucky Coal Hall of Fame.
While Catesby Clay's professional accomplishments and community service efforts may have been well known, his son shared another side of his father's personality.
"He would tell a joke, and it would be moderately funny, but he would start laughing so loud, he took so much pleasure in it, and laughter is contagious, so that everyone else would be laughing because he was having so much fun," he said.
Catesby Clay's sense of humor, humility, and patience weren't reserved for just his family. He expressed gratitude—not just for all that he had in his life, but appreciation for all that others did with theirs.
"The thing about him was he had such gratitude," Brutus Clay said. "Even when in life, the roles switch, where he was declining and the baton was being passed, by example, I was learning from him by how he had such gratitude for the wonderful caregivers that we had that allowed him to stay at home with my mother and live out another eight years at the farm."
He is survived by his wife, eight children, and 15 grandchildren. Visitation will be Oct. 3 from 4-7 p.m. at the Runnymede House with a funeral mass scheduled the next day at the Church of the Annunciation in Paris, Ky., at 10 a.m.
