Gainsborough Farm history

Hanover would go on to be one of the greatest runners of his era, retiring in 1889 with 32 wins and record career earnings of $118,887.

Other notable thoroughbreds resulting from this partnership include Ben Brush, winner of the 1896 Kentucky Derby.

By acknowledging that Dubai could not prosper on a diminishing oil reserve, the Maktoums set out more than 20 years ago to diversify the economy and become the financial capital of the United Arab Emirates, a federation of seven sheikdoms that won independence from Britain in 1971.

Ben Brush appears in the pedigrees of 48 of the last 50 Derby winners, including every Derby winner from 1972 onward.

Since 1980, the sheiks have spent more than a half-billion dollars at the summer yearling sale at Keeneland in nearby Lexington to lay the foundation for their racing empire.

Invasor is owned by Sheik Hamdan, who is also a big-money spender at the sales and who has had a farm here since 1985.

Godolphin, created in 1992, is based in Dubai to take advantage of a temperate winter climate and a state-of-the-art training center in preparing to compete in the most prestigious races around the world.

Fantastic Light won last year's $2 million Turf and the mare Hatoof ran second in the same race in 1994.

Since 1995, he or his brothers — Sheik Hamdan and the late Sheik Maktoum — have been at or near the top of the owners’ standings in England with Godolphin stables.

From then until 1997, when Sheikh Mohammed made the purchase, the strong tradition of raising top thoroughbreds continued at Raceland, with farm graduates that include Kentucky Derby winners Swale and Ferdinand and the outstanding filly Ruffian.