‘Excellence’ is known as “The quality of doing something outstanding,” and Marvin Katz, George Segal and Brittany Farms have achieved just that - excellence - when it comes to breeding champion Standardbred racehorses over a period of many decades. Now, as Marvin has taken over operations of the incredible Brittany property in Versailles, Kentucky, he plans on continuing that tradition at the highest level.
In late 1985, George Segal purchased champion breeder Bill Shehan’s Clermont Farm, just 25 minutes west of Lexington, and the iconic Brittany Farms was born
With the aid of Gene Riegle, Art Zubrod and Myron Bell, Segal meticulously assembled a top-notch team, both at the farm and on the racing side, that also included bloodstock expert Perry Soderberg and Hall of Fame Driver and conformation expert Trevor Ritchie.
During its near 40 years of operation, Brittany Farms became the gold standard in Standardbred breeding. The list of champions it produced is a long and distinguished one, with standouts including Artsplace, Art Major, Father Patrick, Glidemaster, Life Sign, Manchego and Western Ideal, being just a small sample size of the star power generated.
The operation has produced 31 Breeders Crown winners - the second most in the history of the event - and 47 millionaires, while also holding the distinction of being the first farm in history to have bred the winners of three of harness racing’s premier events in a single year, namely, the Hambletonian, Hambletonian Oaks and The Little Brown Jug.
The farm truly represents the best-of-the-best when it comes to both owning and breeding champions, and holds an unparalleled position in the history of North American Standardbred racing.
With a distinguished legacy of more than four decades in the industry, Toronto’s Marvin Katz is recognized as one of the most accomplished owners and breeders in the history of North American Standardbred racing, after having won practically every important race in the sport - many times doing so on multiple occasions.
Marvin’s first mentor in racing was bloodstock agent Bart Glass, from whom Katz imparted a wealth of knowledge. Perry Soderberg joined the team next, and after Bart’s passing in 2012, both his son, Jimmy Glass, and Bob Brady became, and still remain, imperative members of the operation.
With 16 Breeders Crown titles to his credit as an owner, courtesy of names such as Father Patrick, Tall Dark Stranger, Ariana G (twice), Captaintreacherous, Special Way, American History, Kissin In The Sand and so on, Marvin sits tied for second in most ‘Crown’ trophies won.
Marvin has also won the Metro Pace four times (Simply Business, Captaintreacherous, Artspeak and Tall Dark Stranger), The Hambletonian Oaks four times (Fern, All The Time, Ariana G and Creamy Mimi), the Canadian Trotting Classic three times (Amazing Catch, Father Patrick and Bar Hopping), the Meadowlands Pace three times (Captaintreacherous, Dream Away and Tall Dark Stranger), the Maple Leaf Trot twice (Peaceful Way and Program Speed), the North America Cup twice (Captaintreacherous and Tall Dark Stranger) and so on.
He also won the vaunted Hambletonian, with Muscle Massive, in 2010, and has at least one victory in other Grand Circuit races like the Wellwood Memorial, the Peaceful Way, the Kentucky Futurity (both filly and colt divisions), the Cane Pace, the Jim Doherty, the Peter Haughton, the Shes A Great Lady, the Tattersalls, etc.
Breeding champion Standardbreds is also something that Marvin Katz has successfully accomplished. The breeder or co-breeder of eight millionaires, and 23 who have earned $500,000 or more, names such as Ariana G, Special Way, Its A Love Thing, Greenshoe and All The Time are just a few of the superstars that he has bred.
Katz, along with his former partner Al Libfeld, won the O’Brien Award as the Armstrong Breeder of the Year four times in a five year span (2015, 2016, 2017 & 2019) and was named Equestrian Canada’s overall Breeder of the Year in 2016 as well.
Marvin has bred multiple Breeders Crown and Hambletonian Oaks winners, as well as the winners of races such as the Kentucky Futurity, Zweig Memorial, Fan Hanover, Shes A Great Lady, Elegantimage, Peaceful Way, Jim Doherty Memorial, and Graduate - to name just a few. He also bred Magic Tonight ($1.3 million), the winner of Sweden’s famed Elitlopp in 2015.
Katz also holds the distinction of both breeding and owning full sisters, All The Time and Ariana G, who won the Hambletonian Oaks in back-to-back years (2016 & 2017) - something that is unprecedented in the history of the sport.
With a current broodmare band that numbers well over 60, that he owns in-whole or in-part, and an iconic property in Kentucky, Marvin Katz is very confident that “The best is yet to come.”