Lifelong horseman John Greathouse Jr., who helped drive decades of success at the highest level for his family-owned and -operated Glencrest Farm near Midway, Ky., died June 10. He was 82.
Greathouse had been wrestling with health issues for several months, but suffered the biggest setback after undergoing emergency surgery for a bleeding ulcer, according to his son, John Greathouse III.
John III said he will be forever grateful for the high-quality, free education he got from his father, who he said possessed an extraordinary God-given ability for spying talent and potential in a young horse many others would pass over.
He recalled being in Fasig-Tipton's barn area during the 2010 The July Sale looking at a May filly by Giacomo with his father. John III said he remembered the yearling as being not particularly impressive.
"We looked at this filly maybe six times and each time he asked me, 'Do you see it?,'" John III said. "I had been looking at horses with him for several years by then, and I just didn't see it in this one. She was a late foal, and I didn't even think she belonged in the sale. But he was determined to buy her and told me the whole time, 'This one is going to be OK.'"
John Jr. bought the filly for $45,000 and eventually sent her to trainer Todd Pletcher. She grew up to be Disposablepleasure, a multiple graded stakes winner who won the 2011 Demoiselle Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack and was runner-up in the 2012 Mother Goose Stakes (G1) and Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2). She earned $535,460 as a racehorse and then was sold for $600,000 as a broodmare.
"He could deal with some things that other people could not. A little back at the knee did not bother him," John III recalled. "Nowadays, people want them to be cookie-cutter and some don't even get to the point to consider the pedigree. For my dad, pedigree was everything and then the physical."
Glencrest Farm was started by John W. Greathouse and later operated by John Greathouse Jr. along with his brothers: David, Allen, and Edward. Since 1982, the farm has bred 69 black-type winners that include 25 graded/group winners. Their top horses bred include grade 1 winners Adieu, Dream Empress, Keen Ice , Pike Place Dancer, Roamin Rachel, Wavering Monarch, and Zoftig.
As an owner, Glencrest campaigned another 25 black-type winners, which include 12 graded stakes winners that were not homebreds. Excluding homebreds, its stable's grade 1 winners also included Devil May Care, Honey Ryder, and Panty Raid.
John Jr. picked Honey Ryder (Lasting Approval—Cuando Quiere, by Affirmed) out of the 2002 Wimborne Farm dispersal for $70,000 as a yearling. She went on to win more than $2.78 million and captured the 2005 E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1T) and 2006 Flower Bowl Invitational Handicap (G1T) among her eight graded stakes victories. Honey Ryder was named Kentucky's champion grass mare for 2005 and 2006.
John Jr. and John III together bought Devil May Care (Malibu Moon—Kelli's Ransom, by Red Ransom) for $110,000 out of the 2008 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She went on to win the Frizette Stakes (G1) at 2 and took the Bonnie Miss Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park by 2 3/4 lengths in her second start at 3. Instead of contesting the Kentucky Oaks (G1), Glencrest took a chance in the 2010 Kentucky Derby (G1) where she was unplaced. Devil May Care found redemption by winning the Mother Goose Stakes (G1) and the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1). Also trained by Pletcher, she earned $724,000.
About his relationship with Pletcher, John Jr. told BloodHorse in 2010 that he liked that they did not need to have a lot of conversations about his horses. He trusted the trainer implicitly to always make the right choices.
"I don't need a conversation with him every day; sometimes that can be a detriment. The conversation I want to have with Todd is do we need to stop or can we keep going," he said.
Pletcher said he will remember Greathouse as a knowledgeable owner who truly loved and cared for his horses.
"You saw that with Honey Ryder. He had a hard time parting with her when it came time to sell her as a broodmare," the trainer said. "And, he was an excellent judge and put together a heck of a roster of racehorses without a huge budget. He was a fun guy to train for, who was very knowledgeable about racing and studied it hard but, at the same time, let you do your job."
Glencrest also stood homebred stallion Wavering Monarch, who is the sire of multiple grade 1 winner Maria's Mon, who became the sire of 2001 Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos. The farm also stood grade 1-placed, multiple stakes winner Clever Trick, who sired three graded stakes winners for the farm.
John III said his father loved the challenge of breeding a good horse and had been active in picking stallions for the farm's mares until about 10 years ago.
"I would continue to bounce ideas off of him," he said. "My dad was big on breeding out the flaws in your mare. You had to know your stallions and the broodmare sires. We would go to look at foals and he would ask me, 'Does it look the way it is supposed to look?'"
Apart from his passion for horses, John Greathouse Jr. was remembered for his charismatic personality and his loyalty to the people around him.
"He could be a bit tough sometimes, but he had a heart of gold," John III said. "If he liked you, he would do anything for you. I've had a 100 texts today from people who loved him and respected him. I am looking forward to having his celebration of life and hearing some new stories and even some of the ones I haven't heard for a while. He will be missed, for sure."
