McKathan Moving On Following Tragic Death of Brother

It's tough when someone experiences the loss of a sibling or business partner, but it's doubly tough when they are one and the same.

No one knows this better than Kevin McKathan whose brother and partner, J.B., died suddenly of an apparent heart attack Feb. 3 at age 53.

Sons of the iconic Florida horseman Luke McKatchan, J.B. and Kevin established their own identity through the McKathan Bros. operation. They found early success helping identify future racing prospects on behalf of Bob Baffert, the eventual Hall of Famer who transitioned to training Thoroughbreds after a successful career as a champion Quarter Horse trainer.

"We had been together since he was born," Kevin McKathan said the morning of March 11 outside Barn 6 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales complex while awaiting buyers to look at the horses consigned to the upcoming March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. "He was my brother since before he was my business partner."

Among the horses purchased and trained by the McKathans were Silver Charm, Real Quiet, Captain Steve, and Silverbulletday. The pair also played an integral part in the success of Pioneerof the Nile , Eclipse Award winner Forever Unbridled, and Triple Crown winner American Pharoah .

Now, after the funeral and memorials have passed, Kevin continues to deal with the tragedy, all the while maintaining the McKathan Bros. training and sales operation.

"J.B.'s passing was horrible," McKathan said. "The hardest part was that it was so unexpected—blindsided. It's always bad but when someone is sick, you have time to prepare and get ready. We breezed 100 horses at the farm Saturday morning (Feb. 2) and in the clockers' stand it felt like any other day. He was fine—joking, laughing, and figuring out what we were going to do next.

"By Sunday morning, he was gone."

Displaying a kind of stoicism instilled in the McKathan children, Kevin balances the continued struggles following the loss of his brother with the understanding that it falls on him to maintain the operation. The heavy workload is helping divert from the grief of his loss.

"Work definitely helps because we have so much going on. We do what we do and that's how we move forward," McKathan said. "We've got everything scheduled and know where we were going, and we're just carrying it out."

Under the McKathan Bros. business model, Kevin was the partner who traveled and handled the sales aspect of the business, while J.B. stayed at home, managed the farm, and oversaw the training operation.

Operating jointly, the brothers had a balance that worked, sharing their observations and conclusions about the business with each other. 

"When I made a decision, it was made with the back of my mind of whether I was going to get a 'you're a dumb***' from him or a 'yeah, that's what we should have done.'"

Even in death, J.B. McKathan is an ever-present factor in Kevin's decision-making.

"Decisions I make now, I make thinking of what J.B. would have wanted to do," McKathan said.

With the demands of the upcoming 2-year-old sale season coupled with the day-to-day farm operations, McKathan has leaned upon long-time McKathan Bros. associate Chris Alexander.

"Chris, who has been an integral part of what we do, has really stepped up," McKathan said. "He's been a godsend. He's handling J.B.'s part of the farm and then comes to the sale. He keeps everything moving."

McKathan said with his brother's passing so close to the March sale, the horses in the consignment are a reflection of his brother's work.

"These horses are a direct link to him," McKathan said. "He's real proud of all of them. Everything has gone pretty smooth so we'll see how it works out."