America’s Best Racing
For most people, the name King Ranch brings to mind images of a sprawling western ranch filled with cattle and cowboys. But for fans of Thoroughbred racing, King Ranch brings to mind a different image — the image of one of the most influential and successful racing and breeding operations in the history of the sport.
King Ranch had existed for many years before Robert Kleberg Jr., a grandson of King Ranch founder Richard King, assumed his place at the helm of the operation in 1932. Up until that point, King Ranch had not been involved in the Thoroughbred industry — Quarter-Horses were the breed of choice for ranch work — but in 1934, a well-bred Thoroughbred by the name of Chicaro caught Kleberg’s eye, and the purchase of this stallion marked the start of King Ranch’s foray into the Thoroughbred industry. [READ FULL ARTICLE]