Thoroughbred racing lost one of its most energetic evangelists on June 21 when owner and occasional breeder Glenn Stone Bromagen died at his home at Ashbrook Ranch near Versailles, United States of America. . He is 90 years old.
Born in Sharpsburg, Ky., Bromagen was exposed to horse racing in the informal bush races that ran around rural Kentucky. He grew up in the cattle business, and after serving in the Air Force and graduating from the University of Kentucky, he went to work in Chicago with the Union Stock Yards for Armor and Co. In the late 1960s, he joined the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. as a cattle broker and shortly after co-founding the brokerage firm Rufenacht, Bromagen and Hertz became the largest cattle futures trading company.
Bromagen’s time in Chicago also included regular visits to Arlington International Racecourse (then Arlington Park), where he honed his skills as a disabled athlete. Also in the late 1960s, he had an itch when he became the owner of a racehorse.
“You know this game, once you enjoy it a little bit, you won’t be able to help yourself and early enough in his life and career for him to be able to grow steadily and play the game. pretty hard-working,” said his son Glenn “Bo”. Bromagen II.
Glenn Bromagen raced his first ranked winner in August 1974 with coach Tommy Kelley when Tappahannock won the Pucker Up Stakes (G3) at Arlington. They will score another graded win later that year with Mr. Door in Clark Handicap (G3) at Churchill Downs. Soon, the stables enjoyed regular early-game success with Marafting, who won the Oil Capitol (G3T) handicap at Hawthorne Racecourse in 1978, and Man’s Man, who won the Donn handicap. 1978 (G2). In 1980, he and coach Glynn “Tee Red” Bernis made their debut in the Kentucky Derby (G1) against Tonka Wakhan, who finished 10th.
Bromagen took all the losses in stride and quickly looked ahead for the next race. He’ll have plenty of wins to celebrate, including Discovery Handicap (G2) and Omaha Gold Cup (G3) winner Tricky Creek, who also finished third in the 1989 Blue Grass Stakes (G1). Clever Trick’s pony was the first-ranked bet winner for the long and successful partnership developed between Bromagen and trainer George “Rusty” Arnold II. The trainer picked Tricky Creek from the 1987 Keeneland September Sale for $41,000 and the foal went on to earn $873,288.
“You know, my dad worked with many coaches over the years…but he really found his man in Rusty in the mid-’80s,” says Bo Bromagen. “He respected his riding ability and they soon became successful together, but what he admired most about Rusty was how honest he was. He played it straight and told it as it was. It was developed into a friendship that lasted 40 years.”
In 1982, Bromagen acquired the Central Kentucky ranch that became Ashbrook and moved the family there in 1984.
Sandi and Glenn Bromagen celebrate Concrete Rose’s win in the 2019 Edgewood Stakes at Churchill Downs
By the early 1990s, Bromagen was temporarily out of the race. His children, Ashley, Bo and Tyler, are busy with a variety of activities and travel, so racing has fallen behind. It was also around this time that Arnold moved his stables to New York and while Bromagen was loyal to his trainer, he most enjoyed being at the track while his horses were running.
Bromagen and Arnold remained in touch for the next 10 years. In 2007, Bromagen discovered that Arnold was back in Kentucky and they immediately went to buy horses. With the help of agent David Ingordo, Bromagen purchased a Macho Uno colt for $75,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ 2-year-old Children’s Show and became a Level 1 winner. Evil style , who captured Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity (G1). Bromagen and Arnold started right where they left off and went on to campaign for Central Bank winner Ashland Stakes (G1) Do not Cry and graded multi-stakes winners and tier 1 winners Concrete Rose .
Arnold said of Bromagen: “They don’t make them like him anymore. “He’s really good to your barn. He’s good to your help. He’s good to you. If he has a pawn ready for a big race, he’s all for it but he never pressures or forces you to be big. The race. He just loves the action and loves to watch his horses run.”
Bo Bromagen said, while his father competes, it is the atmosphere at the racetrack that he loves the most and is most excited to share with friends.
“He likes to bet on his horses and he loves to win, but it’s an overall success. He’ll buy tickets for the groom, the walker and the jogger,” he said. “He takes people to the racecourse with him to share his horse riding experience and he’s just an evangelist in that respect. He’ll try to convert people who don’t like racing into racing fans. car and I think he’s transformed quite a bit.”
Bromagen said looking back on his father’s life, he is most proud of what he has achieved from a humble upbringing in Sharpsburg, where he shared a one-bedroom home with his mother and six siblings. his sister.
“What he’s done with his life and then to play this game at the highest level and succeed is something we are all incredibly proud of,” he said.
In addition to his children, Bromagen is survived by his wife, Sandi, who was once attached to racehorses. The family will hold a visitation service at 10 a.m. on June 25 at Pisgah Presbyterian Church, at 710 Pisgah Pike, with a visitation service starting at 11:15 a.m. Instead of flowers, donations can be made to the Memorial Fund Memorial of Glenn S. Bromagen Sharpsburg at Bluegrass Community Foundation, 499 E. High St, #112, Lexington, KY 40507.
