Alydar, never the bride, always the bridesmaid, it seemed when it came to Thoroughbred racing. But still, he was a star. Running against his arch rival Affirmed where he ran second to the 1978 Triple Crown winner in 7 of 10 meetings, Alydar captured as much if not more than attention for his precocious nature and stunning good looks.
Alydar captured as much if not more than attention for his precocious nature and stunning good looks.
Those good looks and that spirited nature made him especially attractive to Thoroughbred mare owners who wanted to cash in on the bloodlines that came from his royal breeding, a son of Raise A Native and grandson of the “Gray Ghost,” Native Dancer, Alydar was turning into the cash flow that owner J.T. Lundy needed to keep the storied Calumet Farms on the Thoroughbred industry map and he in a lifestyle to which he had grown accustomed.
That all ended in November 1990 when Alydar was discovered in his stall with a shattered leg. What happened after that still drums up questions for those involved.
Crimes Against Nature talks to Dr. Larry Bramlage, the surgeon who operated on Alydar, as well as former Kentucky Thoroughbred Association Executive Director David Switzer about what happened and the status of the famed Calumet Farms today.
Listen to The Death of Alydar: Part One
Listen to The Death of Alydar: Part Two
Background Materials
CALUMET FARM, INC. 91-51414 Bankruptcy Document One
Calumet Farm, Inc 91-51414 Bankruptcy Document Two
Click on images for source.
