Owner, Breeder Lunsford Dies at 78

Longtime owner, breeder, businessman, philanthropist, and politician Bruce Lunsford died at the age of 78. Lunsford death was first reported on X by radio host Terry Meiners. Lunsford is best known in racing circles as the owner and breeder of multiple grade 1 winner Art Collector, whose achievements include the 2023 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1), and for campaigning grade 1 winner Madcap Escapade. Born in Piner, Ky., Lunsford's life was anything but ordinary. Raised on a tobacco farm, he graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in political science and a minor in accounting, parlaying the latter into a career as a certified public accountant. During that time, he enrolled in law school. He later co-founded healthcare company Vencor, which went on to become Kindred Healthcare. Lunsford was also very generous with his wealth, having donated $1 million to establish the W. Bruce Lunsford Scholars Program in Citizenship and Public Service at the University of Kentucky, where he served as a member of the board of trustees from 1983-87. He also served as a board member for Churchill Downs and the Breeders' Cup, among others. During the administration of Kentucky Gov. John Y. Brown Jr., Lunsford was appointed secretary of commerce. Years later, Lunsford had bigger aspirations in that realm as he pursued the state's highest office. He came in second in the 2007 Democratic primary to eventual Gov. Steve Beshear, the father of current Gov. Andy Beshear. Then, a year later, he was his party's nominee for the United States Senate, going up against incumbent Republican Mitch McConnell. Lunsford told BloodHorse in 2020 that he believed he faced a disadvantage of running the same year as a presidential election. He lost to McConnell by 6%. "I almost had him," Lunsford said of McConnell. He turned his attention to launching his Louisville-based private equity firm Lunsford Capital, as well as his interest in the Thoroughbred industry. Art Collector proved to be Lunsford's masterpiece. A homebred, Art Collector was 11-3-0 from 23 starts of four campaigns, winning or placing in seven graded stakes and earning more than $4 million. Lunsford would receive a list of potential matings from Lane's End director of stallion operations Bernie Sams. One of those matings Sams suggested was pairing another Lunsford homebred, the grade 2 placed Distorted Legacy, with then-Darley America stallion Bernardini. Lunsford told BloodHorse that just as his parents had done for him, Bernardini and Distorted Legacy passed along their best traits to Art Collector. "My mom gave me my values, but my dad gave me my work ethic. And it's pretty good," he said in 2020. "It's like this mating here, you know. Bernardini gives him the turn of foot, and Distorted Legacy gives him the stamina. That's kind of what they did for me." Art Collector was not Lunsford's only on-track success story. He previously made headlines for campaigning millionaire and Ashland Stakes (G1) victress Madcap Escapade; grade 2 winners Stacked Deck and his mare Bel Air Beauty, as well as grade 3 winner Tessa Blue. Lunsford sold Madcap Escapade through Claiborne Farm for $6 million to John Sikura of Hill 'n' Dale Farm at the 2006 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. He often partnered with friends and achieved success. One such example is teaming with Lansdon Robbins on Stacked Deck's sire First Samurai, who won the 2005 Champagne Stakes (G1) and Hopeful Stakes (G1). They also paired up to campaign grade 3 winner Drilling for Oil. Lunsford also co-owned grade 3 winner Admiralty Pier with Hoolie Racing. But going it alone was usually his preference. "Everybody knows the horses, but these (large) partnerships nobody knows the owner, and I'm a guy who valued what E.P. Taylor did. I valued what (William T.) Young did. I valued what Claiborne did," he said. "And so, that probably is the most important thing here. I'm probably much more over the moon because it has been my way, the way I wanted to do it. The horse is basically an extension of me, an extension of my colors and all of that." Memorial service information is not yet available. Byron King contributed to this report.