The Land Report

Texas 2016

The Magazine of the American Landowner is an essential guide for investors, landowners, and those interested in buying or selling land. The award-winning quarterly is known for its annual survey of America's largest landowners, The Land Report 100.

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88 The LandReport | T E X A S 2 0 1 6 LANDREPORT.COM Dawn Play, and Ciencia won the Selima at Laurel, Coaching Club American Oaks, and the Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park. A chestnut son of Bold Venture, out of Igual, was born at King Ranch in 1943. His name was Assault. The ranch's Thorough- bred program was about to reach its zenith. During his three-year-old campaign, the Club-Footed Comet became the first, and to this day the only, Texas-bred runner to win Thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown. In 1950, Assault's half-brother, Middleground, just missed pulling off the same feat. He did, however, win the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes. When Bob Kleberg died in 1974, his granddaughter Helen "Helencita" Alexander stepped in to manage the Thoroughbred stable. Only 24, she'd spent much of her life at her grandfather's side, learning the business of breeding, training, and racing Thoroughbreds. "Like a lot of young people, I had strong opinions, but not much experience," she says. "Early on, my grandfather recognized my interest and passion. He saw that I knew all about pedigrees, so whenever people gathered to make decisions about the Thoroughbred operation, he made sure I was there to listen and put in my two cents." Helencita quickly realized that Thorough- bred breeding and racing could be prohibi- tively expensive. To increase cash flow, she offered a few yearlings for sale. Several fetched considerable prices. "Even though we'd done pretty well, we still weren't able to put a lot of money back into the business," Helencita says. "I felt we needed a bigger investment if we were going to continue to be successful, but the family wasn't that interested in Thoroughbreds." In 1988, King Ranch sold most of its racing Thoroughbreds, but Helencita never lost her passion. She established Middlebrook Farm in Lexington and has served on the Breeders' COURTESY KING RANCH ARCHIVES, KING RANCH, INC., KINGSVILLE, TEXAS Tio Kleberg pilots two-time NCHA Open World Champion Mr. San Peppy at the Frijol Camp at Norias.

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