It is still very hard for us to realize that it happened.  Last September, before we even had the chance to check out the Thoroughbred Times website for the day we heard they had closed.  We were shocked as we heard that the Thoroughbred Times had declared bankruptcy and would never produce another magazine.  We went to their website and yes, Thoroughbred Times was stuck on the same day.  We keep going back to the website, not quite sure what we think will happen – maybe it was a joke? Maybe someone will buy it and continue to give horse racing fans the Thoroughbred Times? Not likely!

We can still look up stories on the website but who knows how long we will be able to do that.  Many years Kentucky Derby Tours would pass by the The Thoroughbred Times offices as we drove in downtown Lexington.

In just one week, on Monday, January 14, 2013 at 10 AM, Halfhill Auctions in Lexington, Kentucky will start a five day online auction for 27 lots of the Thoroughbred Times property.  The 27 lots include: selling the “intellectual property including: Databases, name, website, copyrights, trademarks.”  They will also sell original caricature sketches by Peb, an extensive equine library, digital & hard copy photographs, and IT equipment.

To give you an idea of the lots –

Lot # 1 is the Equine Library which consisting of titles that date back to the 1700’s. A sample of collections in the Library include: Daily Racing Form Chart Book, The Blood Horse Weekly, Stallion Register, The American Racing Manual, American Stud Book, General Stud Book, Racing in America, New York Sportsman, The Horseman, Live Stock Record, Thoroughbred Record, Turf Register, The Standard Dairy, Racing Calender.

Lot # 2 is the name “Thoroughbred Times”, the website www.thoroughbredtimes.com , all Trademarks (Thoroughbred Times Books; Around the Tracks & Design; Bloodstock Topics; Breeder of the Week; Jockey of the Week; News Line & Design; Owner of the Week; Pedigree Profile; Quote of the Day & Design; Racing Roundup & Design; Stalion Directory; The Most Reliable Name in Thoroughbred Racing; The Short List; The Thoroughbred Record; Thoroughbred Racing Almanac; Thoroughbred Times; Thoroughbred Times (Chinese Translation); Thoroughbred Times (in English in China); Thoroughbred Times Buyer’s Guide; Thoroughbred Times Racing Almanac; Thoroughbred Times Stallion Directory; Thoroughbred Times Today; Thoroughbred Times Today & Design; Thoroughbred Times; The Thoroughbred Record Today & Design, and Trainer of the Week), & all copyrights owned by Thoroughbred Times (Thoroughbred Times Handicappers’ Guide; Thoroughbred Times handicappers’ Newsletter; and The Vision of Global Influence).

And the lots go on and on.

We know the Keeneland Library has many of the books and items that the Thoroughbred Times Library has but what if one book disappears – we lose the history.  We sure hope that an entity such as the Keeneland Library can afford to purchase or raise funds to acquire as many of the assets as possible.