What It's Like To Lose a Legend
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
A.P. Indy and groom Asa Haley in December 2018 at Lane's End
The legendary racehorse and sire A.P. Indy, who was born at Lane's End and returned after his racing career to stand at stud and then live out his retirement, died less than two weeks before our visit with stallion manager Billy Sellers for our second installment of Daily Life. Sellers, who oversaw the care of the 1992 Horse of the Year for 28 years, reflects on the loss of Lane's End's signature stallion.
"Well, it's hard to get used to not seeing him. He was such a big part of the farm. In my mind, he made Lane's End. So we all kind of owe A.P. Indy for that. But it wasn't unexpected. We had seen the decline in him. He was having some health problems, and we were trying to address those and hoping maybe he would rebound because he's such a tough horse. And live forever (laughs).
"But, no. It wasn't unexpected. But it was still tough to believe that it had actually happened. That horse was just all class. And just to be around a horse like that for as long as I was, I'm grateful and appreciative.
"His groom, Asa (Haley), took it pretty hard. And his first groom, Kenneth Burress, still night watches here. They each groomed him for about 14 years. That horse only had the two grooms, and those guys did a super job with him. Because when A.P. Indy was a younger horse, he was a handful. Then, as he aged and mellowed, he got more friendly and was friendly with his fans.
"This is a tough business, and sometimes we get hardened to things, but that horse got to everybody when he died. He pulled everybody's heartstrings here.
"A touching thing for everybody is when we read all the kind articles after he died and just relived his career through all that. But it was tough, and it's still tough.
"But it's breeding season and things go on, and we have a barn full of horses here and we hope one of them will be almost as good as A.P. Indy. I don't think there'll be another one.
"His paddock and his stall are empty, and his name plaques are still up. (Who to put in them) will be Mr. Farish's decision."
Read Lenny Shulman's full Daily Life feature in the March 28 print edition of BloodHorse, and view an expanded photo essay by Anne M. Eberhardt at BloodHorse.com/DailyLifeStallionManager.