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Horseracing Icon Harry Mangurian Jr Dies - 10-26-08
October 26 - The American horse racing industry has lost one of its greatest supporters after 82-year-old Harry Mangurian Jr - a renowned racehorse owner, breeder and founder of Mockingbird Farm - passed away last Sunday in Fort Lauderdale, Florida after a long battle with leukemia.
Born and bred in Rochester, New York, it soon became clear that Harry Mangurian had a nose for business after he headed up and continued to expand his family's furniture retail business in Rochester, upon his return from time spent overseas during the Second World War where he had been enlisted in the Navy.
The enterprising Mangurian then went on to head up various other business enterprises including Drexel Investments (a real estate / construction firm); Southeastern Jet Corporation (a jet charter company) and the First National Bank of Rochester. But it wasn't until 1966 that he bought his first thoroughbred race horse.
Just four years later in 1970 Mangurian bought 300 acres of Tartan Farms property in Ocala, Florida and started a breeding farm called Mockingbird Farm. Over the years he grew Mockingbird Farm to around 1,100 acres and with it a reputation as one of the country's foremost racehorse breeding establishments.
Over the years Mockingbird Farm has been home to some of America's best known stallions including Valid Expectations, Diablo, Valid Appeal, End Sweep, Storm Creek, Rizzi and many more. It was also responsible for over 150 stakes winners including the talented 1992 Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Gilded Time.
Mangurian also had a hand in the success of Gr 1 winners Swept Overboard, Nany's Sweep, Miss Iron Smoke, Dark Ending and Exciting Story. As such it was no surprise when he was named Florida Breeder of the Year an impressive six times and was the recipient of the Eclipse Award of Merit in 2001.
In 2002 Mangurian sold Mockingbird Farm to Eugene Melnyk who renamed it Winding Oaks. He will be remembered as a gentleman, a horseman, a husband and a father. On horseracing he was quoted as saying: 'Of all my business endeavors, breeding and racing thoroughbred horses has been the most challenging.'
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