|
|
Grave Matters: Woolford Farm, Prairie Village, Kansas
 |
|
Photos by Bill Walker. © Bill Walker 2003; all rights reserved. |
| Top, the Woolford Farm cemetery with the stones marking the graves of Insco and his son Lawrin. Below, left: Insco; right, Lawrin. |
WOOLFORD FARM, Prairie Village, Kansas, was established by Herbert M. Woolf, an owner of a chain of clothing stores in Kansas City, Kansas. Woolf purchased the well-bred minor stakes winner Insco (by *Sir Gallahad III out of a sister to *North Star III) when the horse was 5 years old for just $500. Woolf bred Insco's son Lawrin (1935 out of Margaret Lawrence), who went on to win the Flamingo, Kentucky Derby, and American Invitational 3yo Champion Stakes at 3. Lawrin is the only Kansas-bred Kentucky Derby winner, and was the first Kentucky Derby winner ridden by the great jockey Eddie Arcaro. Lawrin's full sister, the stakes winner Unerring followed in 1936, and the champion filly and Kentucky Oaks winner Inscolassie (1937) was the third full sibling from this match. Insco, who sired 19 stakes winners, died in 1939 and his son Lawrin replaced him at Woolford, but was not as successful. Lawrin died in 1955 and was buried beside his sire. Lawrin's mother, the blue hen Margaret Lawrence died in 1941 at the age of 20, but it's not known if she was buried here as well.
Woolford Farm was sold in 1955 and became a suburban development outside of Kansas City, now known as Prairie Village. According to Bill Walker, who originally posted the Woolford graves on the "Find-a-Grave" website, and who gave us kind permission to use his photos here, "the gravesite is in the cul-de-sac at 59 Le Mans Court, Prairie Village, Johnson County, Kansas, which is just NW of Mission Road & Sommerset, in the housing area behind the library." - A.P. |
| WOOLFORD FARM BURIALS
|
| Stallions |
Insco (c. 1928-1939)
Lawrin (c. 1935-1955)
|
|
|
