Woolford Farms Horse Cemetery

About the Cemetery

Herbert M. Woolf was born on 11 Oct 1880 in Kansas City, MO. Herbert's father and uncle founded the prosperous Woolf Brothers Men's Stores in Kansas City, and Herbert followed in the family business.

Herbert had a great love of horses, and established Woolford Farms where he raised and stabled thoroughbred horses. Woolford Farm was located in what is now Prairie Village, Kansas, close to the Missouri state line. The stables were located at 80th Street and Mission Road.

In 1932, Woolf hired Ben Allyn Jones as a trainer for Woolford Farm. In 1933, Woolf bought 5-year-old Insco for $500 and bred him to Margaret Lawrence to produce Lawrin in 1935. Trained by Ben Jones, Lawrin went on to win the Flaming, Kentucky Derby, and American Invitational 3-year-old Champion Stakes and is the only Kansas-bred Kentucky Derby winner.

Lawrin was a big cooper-brown three-year-old. He was trained by Ben Jones and ridden by 23-year-old Eddie Arcaro, when they won the 64th running of the Kentucky Derby, finishing in 2 minutes and 4 4/5 seconds. Lawrin lived to be 20 and when he died. He, his sire Insco, and his son Historian were buried beneath the Lawrin monument at Woolford Farm.

In 1939, trainer Ben Jones went on to work for Warren Wright Sr at Calumet Farms and trained 5 more Kentucky Derby winners. Woolford Farm was sold in 1955 and is now a gated housing community. Herbert Woolf died on 22 Sep 1964.