Magdalena Farm
Developed to Keep Horses Mentally Happier, Stronger, and Physically Sounder
McPeek purchased the property in 2006, and renamed it Magdalena Farm in honor of 19th century matriarch, Magdalena Weber Shely. He transformed it into a facility designed to work with horses from conception to the race track.
Barns: With 5 barns and over 60 large stalls, Magdalena Farm has facilities capable of housing horses from foaling on.
Turn Out: With 23 turnout paddocks and fields, Magdalena Farm can offer mares and foals large lush fields and also provide your young horse or race horse with daily paddock turn out after training.
Turf Gallop Magdalena Farm has a world class 1½ miles long and 100 feet wide grass gallop. The gallop has been cut and graded for safety and excellent footing. With the help of expert advice from Dr. AJ Powell of the University of Kentucky, and Dr. Todd Bunnell of SePro Corporation, the course has been seeded with the highest quality grasses. There are sections of Riviera Bermuda and Ultimate Fescue that give a choice of the type of grass used for training each day. The Riviera Bermuda was sewn at 100 pounds per acre and the Ultimate Fescue at 400 pounds per acre, giving the course a high grass density to cushion impact during training . The course has two steady inclines designed to strengthen heart, lungs and muscles. We have the option of training either left or right-handed in order to change the routine and develop muscles on both sides of the body equally.
- • 115 acres
- • 23 fields and paddocks
- • 115 acres
- • 23 fields and paddocks
- • Eurocizer
- • 1½ mile turf gallop
Farm History
With an illustrious history that dates back to the Revolutionary War, this rich land has been home to many famous Thoroughbreds, including home to Kentucky Derby winners Mystik Dan (2024) and Tomy Lee (1959), 2024 Horse of the Year and Champion Three Year old Thorpedo Anna, Champion filly Swiss Skydiver and three-time Horse of the Year Devil Diver.
This land boasts as much historical relevance in the development of the Thoroughbred industry as any other. Even more historically relevant is that its founder, David Shely, had the vision to improve the performance, lineage, and pedigree of Kentucky mares by importing English bred and raced stallions for the purpose of offering them to the public for mating. Shely’s first import, Crawler, was the first publicly advertised stallion “for season”. Crawler stood stud on this property in the spring of 1810 with documentation in the
March 13, 1810 “Kentucky Gazette” newspaper (pic below).
In the late 1780’s Captain David Shely was deeded this land by a grant for his service in the Revolutionary War. He relocated from Fredricksburg, Virginia, with wife Mary Hurst. He was head of the Episcopal Society, Henry Clay also belonged, and their first meetings were said to be held on this farm.
For generations, the land passed down through the Shely family. On the north side hill overlooking what is now the turf course is the Shely family cemetery. Buried there are David Shely’s son, John, and his wife Magdalena Weber Shely, a woman we consider the Matriarch of the farm for over 40 years. Magdalena married John when she was only 15 years old and died during the Civil War. Also in the plot are her parents, George and Sarah Stogdell Weber and several of her children and grandchildren. This farm is named in her honor.
In the 1940s the farm was developed to be used exclusively as a Thoroughbred stallion operation, known as “The Stallion Station”, one of the first commercial Thoroughbred businesses. The Stallion Station was home to notable horses such as TOMY LEE (1959 Kentucky Derby Winner, VENETIAN WAY (1960 Kentucky Derby Winner), SASSAFRAS (FR) (1970 French Derby Winner), and DEVIL DIVER (1943 and 1944 Horse of the Year). Many are buried on the farm.
The mothers of both SEATTLE SLEW and SILVER CHARM were conceived in what is now the “Breeding Shed Apartment”. Previously, this was the “breeding” room for stallions and mares where many of the most relevant Thoroughbred bloodlines began.
The farm was next purchased in 1979 by the duPont family calling it Pillar Stud. In 1994, the west side of the property sold to Marshall Naify and renamed 505 Farm. The property was then divided and auctioned in three tracts in the early 2000s.
The property was sold multiple times, leaving it in disrepair. In 2006, Kenny McPeek acquired and refurbished the middle tract. Issues with water, electricity and infrastructure, took several years to bring it back to a respectable condition, naming it Magdalena Farm. It is now a Champion and Grade 1 Stakes training facility. McPeek has developed from this location winners of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and many other graded stakes winners. Brass Name Plates in the office represent our stakes winners.
