Bloodstock and sales agent Jacob West will be joining Claiborne Farm as its stallion seasons and bloodstock manager starting in October, the farm announced May 8.
"We are ecstatic to have Jacob join our team at Claiborne early this fall," said Claiborne president Walker Hancock. "He brings a wealth of industry knowledge, sales expertise and will be a huge asset recruiting new stallions, selling seasons, and helping clients manage their bloodstock portfolios."
West said he and Hancock have gotten to be close friends over the last five years and discussions about him taking over the management of stallion seasons and bloodstock at Claiborne got serious about a month ago. Essentially, West got an offer he could not refuse.
"I was not born into this industry, so for the Hancock family to see me as someone to help them continue their tradition is something I take very seriously," he said. "The opportunity to work for the most iconic farm in our industry was something I could not turn down."
West, a native of Paducah, Ky., graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in economics. Having entered the job market during the Great Recession, West exited college with a job as an assistant baseball coach at a Lexington high school. He hated the job and was encouraged to pursue his real passion.
That advice took him into the Thoroughbred industry where he started at ground level, first serving as a groom in Taylor Made Farm's broodmare division. From there, he ascended to barn foreman, divisional yearling manager, and then buyer account manager. During his tenure at Taylor Made, West managed all aspects of his clients' investment portfolios, including public and private acquisitions, breeding, and racing management. He also honed his eye for identifying potentially gifted horses at sales.
"All of my horsemanship and schooling have come from what Mark Taylor taught me," West told BloodHorse in an earlier interview. "He honed into my brain that you have to develop your own eye. I would stare at these horses and watch them walk and I would try to figure out what the commonalities were—their necks, their hips, balance, walk. ... what is it about them that made them so good?
"Finally, after figuring out what Mark was telling me, it just hit me. All good horses do X, Y, and Z. That's the approach I've taken when I have to go find horses. Does this horse look like what all the stallions look like in Central Kentucky? Does this horse have 'it'?"
West joined Three Chimneys Farm in 2016 as director of bloodstock services, a new division created to expand the farm's commercial reach for its growing customer base. He then served as vice president of bloodstock for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners before launching his own business called West Bloodstock in 2017. West also at this time was appointed the United States representative for the Goffs Group sales company.
In 2021 West formed the Highgate Sales consignment outfit with partner Jill Gordon to service clients at public auction. West said Gordon will assume full control of Highgate after the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
As for West Bloodstock, West will continue to serve his existing clients while fulfilling his role at Claiborne. His clients include high-profile owners Robert and Lawana Low, Brad Grady, and most recently Repole Stable and St. Elias.
Claiborne's longtime stallion seasons and bloodstock manager Bernie Sams will remain on staff to help West transition into his new role and in the meantime explore other opportunities.
