Sahadi, Owner of Cardiff Stud Farm, Dies at 91

Fred Sahadi, who built several iterations of Cardiff Stud Farm in California and co-founded the Barretts Equine Sales Company in the state, died June 4 at age 91. His daughter, former trainer Jenine Sahadi, posted the notice on X, ending her tribute to her father with "what a remarkable life."

Fred Sahadi's influence could be felt in almost every facet of the California racing and breeding industry. He developed one of the state's top breeding farms in the Santa Ynez Valley and then decided to build a bigger and better one from scratch. He found land north of that location in Creston near Paso Robles in the mid-1980s, well before that area became inundated with wineries.

Along the way, Sahadi stood some of the leading stallions in the state, including Gummo , Flying Paster , Desert Wine , Skywalker , and Free House . Cardiff was a leading consignor to sales throughout California and the country, and then in 1989 Sahadi partnered with the Los Angeles County Fair Association to create Barretts. For nearly three decades, the sales company held major auctions in a facility on the fair property, with barns and a sales arena that Sahadi built to the same high standards as his palatial farm.

Those barns continue in use today by Fasig-Tipton at its annual California yearling sale and by the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association at its Winter Mixed Sale. The arena has been converted into The Derby Room, a popular off-track simulcast facility.

Born in Los Angeles on March 7, 1935, Sahadi took great pride in his home state. His education included obtaining an undergraduate degree at UCLA and a law degree from USC, and he became a builder and operator of homes and offices throughout California. Sahadi's major architectural projects included the Pruneyard Shopping Center in Campbell, Calif. Sahadi bought that property in 1968 and completed the mixed-use development, which included two attached high-rise buildings, in 1970. Sahadi's other projects included several hotels and apartment buildings, as well as Fleur du Lac Estates on the west shore of Lake Tahoe.

Sahadi was especially proud of the first-class facility he built in Creston.

"I was born and bred in this part of the world," he said shortly after the farm opened. "I think that the toughest racing in the world—day and day out, bar none—is on the Southern California circuit."

Sahadi felt that horses competing in Southern California could make good stallions. Flying Paster proved the epitome of that philosophy.

The 1978 California-bred Horse of the Year and champion 2-year-old male, Flying Paster won such races as the Santa Anita Derby (G1), Hollywood Derby (G1), San Antonio Stakes (G1), and Del Mar Futurity (G2). He had the bad luck to come along in the same year as Spectacular Bid and could never beat that runner. But Flying Paster became a millionaire before standing his entire stud career at Cardiff, first in the Santa Ynez Valley and then in Creston. He developed into a leading California sire, producing such runners as the $1.8-million earner Flying Continental.

Sahadi once said he first became interested in racing at age 12, but shied away from direct involvement until he could afford it. He bought 20 acres in Los Gatos, Calif., and attended a yearling sale at Keeneland in 1972, buying a son of Advocator—Give Or Take, by Swaps, for $65,000. Though Sahadi sold him at a loss for $55,000 at the 1973 CTBA March 2-year-old sale, the colt, named Agitate , went on to win four stakes, including the 1974 Hollywood Derby and California Derby (G2). Agitate finished third in the Kentucky Derby (G1) behind the winner Cannonade.

He moved his operation to Creston in large part to have more room to raise horses. He bought 1,200 acres and built four magnificent barns with copper cupolas and inside wood paneling.

Horses bred by Cardiff Stud Farm over the years included Shywing, sold by Cardiff for $1 million and a five-time stakes winner. Cardiff owned such runners as multiple graded winners King Pellinore and Caucusus, both trained by Charlie Whittingham.

In later years, the Cardiff operation moved to acreage in nearby Atascadero, and "Jeopardy" host and owner-breeder Alex Trebek owned the Creston property for several years. Sahadi's son Stephen (whose middle name gave Barretts its title) managed the Atascadero edition of Cardiff.

The fair association, rebranded as Fairplex, bought out Sahadi's interest in Barretts in 2002. By then, Barretts had established several records, including a North American juvenile sale record of $2 million, bid for Morocco in 1999. Barretts sale graduates included Unbridled's Song and Brocco, both winners of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).

Sahadi's daughter Jenine, meanwhile, was establishing herself as a top trainer. Her charges included Lit de Justice  and Elmhurst , winners of the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), as well as Santa Anita Derby winner The Deputy  and Eddie Read Handicap (G1T) winner Fastness .

In addition to Jenine and Stephen, Fred Sahadi is survived by his wife, Helen; adult children Christine and Scott; and grandchildren Lexi, Ashley, Kensie, and Bear.