Country Life Farm

Country Life & Merryland Farm - Maryland's oldest commercial Thoroughbred breeding & training facilities. Ask about our racing & breeding partnerships.

[Fasig-Tipton @FasigTiptonCo]

“A little farm from Maryland that picks out a mare, I don’t have any words right now!”

Mike Pons & Christy Holden of @CountryLifeFarm celebrated a remarkable result at the November Sale, selling In It For The Gold, dam of Englishman, for $2,100,000, and her Tiz the Law weanling colt for $300,000.

[Dan Illman @DanIllman_MJC]

Futile Gesture ($23.40) speed-popped them in the $100,000 @FasigTiptonCo Maryland Million Nursery @LaurelPark. Jorge Ruiz aboard for @trombetta_mike. Homebred owned by @stuartmgrant by Friesan Fire (@CountryLifeFarm).
4-9-5-7

[Country Life Farm @CountryLifeFarm]

We can't wait for November! https://t.co/Pei9U5mOOV

[TDN @theTDN]

“She’s got arguably the fastest horse in America as a foal.”

@CountryLifeFarm bought In It for the Gold on a limited budget and ended up with the dam of Englishman. She will be offered in-foal to Into Mischief at @FasigTiptonCo November. @suefinley
https://t.co/0xXnJID3H0

[TDN @theTDN]

“She’s got arguably the fastest horse in America as a foal.”

@CountryLifeFarm bought In It for the Gold on a limited budget and ended up with the dam of Englishman. She will be offered in-foal to Into Mischief at @FasigTiptonCo November. @suefinley
https://t.co/0xXnJID3H0

[The Maryland Jockey Club, Inc. @LaurelPark]

.@CountryLifeFarm is a proud sponsor of the 2026 Maryland Million. Good luck to every horse in this year’s edition, and a little extra to all the runners sired, raised, or trained here at Country Life and Merryland. #FromBeginningToWinning

[Dan Illman @DanIllman_MJC]

Three wins today for @hazlewood1912, as Baru ($5) was a pace-prompting winner of the finale @LaurelPark for trainer Jose Corrales. Bred by @CountryLifeFarm, he's a new 2-year-old winner for Cyberknife (@spendthriftfarm).
2-7-3-4 official.

[Maggie Kimmitt @Maggie_Kimmitt]

This December, I'll celebrate 20 years writing Pensioners On Parade/Next Chapters for @MidAtlanticTB magazine. It’s very meaningful to tell the story of retired stallion Super Ninety Nine, ‘cause it's a really special one.

https://t.co/eZ2XL5GwRJ

[TDN @theTDN]

📣 @spendthriftfarm's Provenance, a graded stakes-placed 3-year-old son of Into Mischief and the first foal out of dual champion mare Monomoy Girl, has been retired from racing and will enter stud for 2027 at @CountryLifeFarm in Bel Air, Maryland.
https://t.co/vYPy3q4k6B

[Dan Illman @DanIllman_MJC]

Taylor Kingsley was aggressive aboard Gallo ($22.60), and they had just enough in the tank to fend off favored Cat Fast in the second @LaurelPark. @MarylandTB by Divining Rod (@CountryLifeFarm) earned second win.
7-5-6

[Dan Illman @DanIllman_MJC]

Start Tappin ($25.80) made his turf debut a winning one in the fifth @LaurelPark. Second-time starter is a @MarylandTB by Divining Rod (@CountryLifeFarm). Jean Briceno up for Miguel Vera.
6-8-10-13

[Dan Illman @DanIllman_MJC]

Country Bumpkin ($3.40) broke a beat slow as usual, tracked three wide under Jose Batista, and wore them down in the stretch for Kieron Magee. A new @MarylandTB winner by Divining Rod (@CountryLifeFarm).
5-4-2-1

[Country Life Farm @CountryLifeFarm]

@TheNYRA @MoheganSun @jose93_ortiz @reredevaux CLF Partnership mare In It For the Gold is the dam of this rising superstar!!!

[NYRA (🌳) @TheNYRA]

An Englishman in New York 🗽

ENGLISHMAN earns his first stakes win in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens Stakes pres. by @MoheganSun under @jose93_ortiz for trainer @reredevaux.

[Dan Illman @DanIllman_MJC]

Professional debut win for 2-year-old Futile Gesture ($5.40) in the second @LaurelPark for Jorge Ruiz, @stuartmgrant, and @trombetta_mike. Rated back to get outside, then re-rallied three wide to post the game score. @MarylandTB by Friesan Fire (@CountryLifeFarm).
4-6-7-2

[Dan Illman @DanIllman_MJC]

Red Spitfire ($3.60) swung widest into the stretch, and grinded his way home to take the fourth @LaurelPark. Two winner today for Jose Vargas. @MarylandTB by Friesan Fire (@CountryLifeFarm).
4-3-7-2 official.

[Country Life Farm @CountryLifeFarm]

@DanIllman_MJC @LaurelPark @MarylandTB 😎It was a Friesan Fire exacta!

[Dan Illman @DanIllman_MJC]

Creed's Vision ($2.20) grabbed the lead from the start under @SanchezMychel, and had no problems in the seventh @LaurelPark for @westpointtbred. Second win for @MarylandTB gelding by Jimmy Creed (@spendthriftfarm) bred by @CountryLifeFarm.
8-3-7 official

[Dan Illman @DanIllman_MJC]

Gallo ($5.20) settled just off the pace, then rallied to graduate in the second @LaurelPark. Raul Mena up for Joanne Shankle. @MarylandTB by Divining Rod (@CountryLifeFarm). Bred by @nadjasrce.
3-6-5-2

[Country Life Farm @CountryLifeFarm]

@DanIllman_MJC @kennycoxracing @MarylandTB @LaurelPark @jockey_jb18 He's hitting his stride!

[Dan Illman @DanIllman_MJC]

It's a natural double for red-hot apprentice rider Jose Vargas after Red Spitfire ($6) stalked and pounced from the outside in the fourth @LaurelPark. @MarylandTB by Friesan Fire (@CountryLifeFarm) earned second win.
8-3-6-4