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Stallion/Stud Print Ads for Faraway Farms
Following are print ads for the stallion/stud services at Faraway Farm in Lexington, Kentucky which featured an image of the Man O’War monument. These were published in the early 1950s as they reference “The Estate of Samuel D. Riddle” who passed away in 1951.
Photos of War Relic and War Admiral are featured along with a shot of the Man O’War monument from afar including the full walkway and trees. Caption reads “Man O’War Statue at Faraway Farm with heads of two of his greatest sons superimposed. WAR RELIC • WAR ADMIRAL • BIG MONEY • SOMALI IIFaraway Farm – Estate of Samuel D. Riddle, Patrick O’Neill, Mgr.”
“Standing below the statue of their grandshire Man o’ War in the usual order are: Br. f. War Admiral-Silver Light; Br. f. War Admiral-Song; Ch. f. Heliopolis-Big Beauty. “Br. f. War Admiral-Silver Light • Br. f. War Admiral-Song • Ch. f. Heliopolis-Big Beauty”
NOTE: This is a rare shot of the statue as viewed from the left side in the uncut grass area. This part would later be turned into a semi-circular paved driveway for guests to visit the monument after the original walkway was closed off and the fields sectioned. That occurred by 1959 as evidenced by aerial photos.
1950s Print Ad featuring photo of WAR ADMIRAL, br. ., 1934, by Man o’ War-Brushp, by Sweep.BIG MONEY • WAR ADMIRAL • SOMALI II • WAR RELICFaraway Farm – Estate of Samuel D. Riddle, Patrick O’Neill, Mgr.
1954 Faraway Farm Stud Print Ad featuring photo of Man O’ War Bronze Heroic by Hazeltine”Faraway Farm, where Man O’ War spent his stud career and where his sons War admiral and War Relic carry on his name in fitting fasion, offers its entire yearling crop in the Saratoga Sales. The blood of Man o’ War in the Faraway Farm yearlings and the blood of Man o’ War suns strong on the race tracks of America.”B. c. War Relic-Rifted Clouds • Br. f. War Admiral-Silver Light • Br. f. War Admiral-Song • Ch. c. Blenheim II-War Damsel • Ch. c. Count Fleet-War Kilt
“For more than half a century fine Thoroughbreds have been raised and sent to the races from Man o’ War Far. The farm, established by Samuel D. Riddle, was originally called Faraway. Here stood Man o’ War himself, and his sons War Admiral and American Flag.”
Scenic South, May 1953 – Volume X, Number 5
Memorial to Man O’ War on Faraway Farm, near Lexington Kentucky
The sights and treasures of Kentucky were the feature in this month’s edition of Scenic South, Scenic South, a travel and pictorial magazine published by the Standard Oil Company. Though not a print ad, per se, this is a nice cover for one of Lexington’s highlight tourist attractions ’50s. At the time of publication, the monument had been in place about 5 years.
On the cover is the bronze statue of Man O’ War atop its marble base at his original gravesite location on Faraway Farm. A cover credit was given to J.W. Spencer of Graphic Arts. However, there is no photo credit listed within the issue. Though similar to other photos. especially the one on this post card #50707 (with photo courtesy of the Louisville Chamber of Commerce), I’ve yet to find an exact match.
1979 Kentucky Official Highway and Parkway Map
Here’s the 1979 Kentucky Official Highway and Parkway Map featuring the Man O’War statue on its cover. Though the monument was relocated to the Kentucky Horse Park in 1977, I have a feeling this photo is from the early days at Faraway Farm. There is no noticeable weathering around the eyes of Big Red and the patina is still bright and shiny. A reverse image search also came up with nothing.
I contacted the Kentucky Transportation Department to ask if they had any copyright information on the photo. They did not. A transportation engineering technologist in their cartography division searched through their archives but ultimately guessed that someone cut the statue out of a print to create the composite image.
The inside flap starts off with a message from the Office of the Governor. Julian Morton Carroll (born April 16, 1931) served as the 54th Governor of Kentucky from 1974 to 1979, succeeding Wendell H. Ford. He also later served in the Kentucky Senate for the 7th district from 2005 to 2020.
SIDE NOTE: Carroll was followed in office by businessman John Young Brown Jr. who famously built Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) into a huge franchise and brought an ABA franchise, The Kentucky Colonels, to the state. He was also married to Phyllis George, the 1971 Miss America and later anchor on CBS’s The NFL Today show.