During their racing years, Dan and Ada Rice established a significant second estate in the heart of Kentucky’s Bluegrass. Often referred to as the Lexington Danada Farm, this property was both a commercial breeding operation and a genteel country retreat for the Rices.
Acquisition of Idle Hour Farm Land: In 1947, the Rices seized an opportunity to buy land from the dispersal of Colonel E.R. Bradley’s famed Idle Hour Stock Farm. Idle Hour, once home to champions like Bimelech and Black Gold, was being sold off after Bradley’s death. Dan and Ada purchased an initial 193 acres on Old Frankfort Pike, just outside Lexington. This location was prime horse country – their new neighbors included John Galbreath’s Darby Dan Farm (Galbreath would go on to win the Derby in 1963 and ’67). Over time, the Rices expanded the Kentucky farm to 387 acres through two additional land purchases.
They named this farm Danada as well, hence occasionally one hears “Lexington Danada” to distinguish it from “Wheaton Danada”. After acquiring the farm, Dan and Ada retooled it to serve as a broodmare and foaling farm. The idea was that mares could foal and raise their young on Kentucky’s rich limestone soil (believed to strengthen horses) and enjoy milder winters, while the yearlings could then be sent to Illinois for race training once they were old enough. This two-state strategy is common among top thoroughbred owners.
Facilities and Management: The Lexington Danada estate featured rolling pastures enclosed by white fences, a training track (one mile in length, according to some references, though a half-mile track was also mentioned on-site), and all the infrastructure of a working stud farm: breeding sheds, stallion barns, foaling stalls, and ample housing for farm staff. The main residence on the Lexington farm was a two-story colonial-style house, modest by mansion standards but elegant. It had a symmetrical facade with five windows across the front above the door, in classic Kentucky horse farm tradition. Little is documented about its interior, but it presumably had the charm of a Southern country home. That house still stands today on the property, with later additions made by subsequent owners after the Rices sold the farm. The fact that it stands indicates that while under Rice ownership, it probably served as a secondary home or an estate manager’s house, Dan and Ada themselves often stayed at Lexington’s Campbell House or other accommodations when visiting, as Ada still primarily lived in Illinois.
Day-to-day operations at the Lexington Danada Farm were overseen by professional farm managers. Notably, Howard Endicott managed the Kentucky farm’s stallions, mares, and foals for about 20 years. Endicott was highly respected and his stewardship resulted in an impressive breeding record for Danada: the farm bred 64 stakes winners of over 70 stakes races, with 15 of those stakes winners earning over $100,000 each (a notable benchmark at mid-century). Under Endicott, the farm became known for quality bloodstock.
Stallions at Lexington Danada: The Rices stood some prominent stallions at their Kentucky farm:
- Olympia – one of the greatest sires mid-century, who spent his entire stud career at Danada. Olympia sired numerous champions, including 1958 Kentucky Derby winner Tim Tam’s dam (TT was a Calumet horse, but Olympia’s influence was widespread). Having Olympia was a feather in Danada’s cap; he was syndicated and attracted mares from all over.
- King of the Tudors – a stallion the Rices syndicated (perhaps an imported English-bred) who stood at Danada.
- Homebreds turned Stallions: By the early 1970s, as the Rices wound down racing, they had retained their best colts to stud. These included Lucky Debonair, Advocator, Pia Star, and Delta Judge, all standing at Lexington Danada by 1975. This assemblage of stallions was impressive: a Derby winner, a Derby runner-up, and two other Grade I winners. They drew breeders looking for classic bloodlines. However, after Dan’s death in 1975, Ada decided to liquidate the breeding stock. In November 1975, a confidential auction was held at Fasig-Tipton’s Lexington office offering those stallions to select buyers. Lucky Debonair and Pia Star sold (to interests who syndicated them, one going to South America), while Delta Judge and Advocator did not meet reserve and were later syndicated by Ada in private deals. The stallion dispersal essentially marked the end of Danada Farm as a breeding operation.
Legacy in Lexington: The Rices’ presence in Kentucky was respectful and productive. They weren’t Kentucky natives, but they integrated well into the Bluegrass horse community. Dan joined the Thoroughbred Club of America in Lexington and Ada was a familiar face at Keeneland sales and the races at Churchill Downs and Saratoga when their horses ran there. They also employed local Kentucky horsemen: for example, Olin Gentry (the famed Bloodstock agent and farm manager who managed Idle Hour for Col. Bradley) briefly managed Danada Farm during its early years, which indicates the caliber of expertise the Rices hired.
The first crop of foals born at Lexington Danada in 1948 yielded Pet Bully among others, as mentioned, who was a big earner. Many other Danada-bred foals were sold at yearling sales, spreading the Danada influence. One such was a filly named Two Lea (not to be confused with Calumet’s famous Two Lea) or others like Rare Rice, etc., that appear in records of Danada sales.
After Ada’s death in 1977, the Lexington farm was sold off (if not already in 1976). The property passed through a couple of owners; by the 2000s it was known as Alada Farm, and more recently part of it is called Darby Dan (Rice Road division) or by a new name. The colonial house remains, and the land is still used for horse breeding by private breeders – a nice continuity of purpose.
An interesting postscript: In 2015, a historical marker was placed on Old Frankfort Pike noting that farm as the birthplace of Lucky Debonair, tying it into Kentucky Derby history. Thus, even if the name Danada isn’t commonly used in Kentucky today, the achievements that occurred on that land (breeding a Derby winner, etc.) are part of Kentucky’s rich Thoroughbred heritage.
