Lifelong Kentucky horseman Charles “Nucks” Nuckols III of Nuckols Farm near Midway, Ky., died after a long recurring battle with sepsis Sept. 21, according to his family. He was 78.
Nuckols played an integral role in continuing the success of a family Thoroughbred breeding, racing, and sales legacy that extends back to the 1920s. Growing up, there was little doubt about how he was going to make his living.
Charles Nuckols Sr., Nucks’ grandfather, established Hurstland Farm and after he died in 1951, his sons Charles Jr., Hiram, and Alfred took over. Hurstland was split up in 1985, with Alfred Nuckols Jr. keeping the Hurstland name and Charles Jr. and his sons establishing Nuckols Farm.
“Nucks grew up on the farm and loved every minute of it,” said Mary Jane Nuckols, who was married to Nucks for 53 years. “He traveled a little bit, but he didn’t like to be away much because he loved being on the farm.”
Nuckols was especially good with managing broodmares and selecting the matings for his clients’ mares and the farm’s own mares, according to Mary Jane.
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“He had a system that his family had worked out and every year we were around 98% getting the mares in foal,” She said. “Knowing pedigrees was among his strengths. He always worked with the client and let them make the decision, but he was good at picking up what matings worked and what nicked. He was good with the sales yearlings, too, helping to decide which ones to sell and which to keep and race.”
Under the name Charles Nuckols Jr. and Sons and in his own name with partners, Nuckols bred and raised 69 black-type stakes winners since 1980. These runners included 20 graded stakes winners led by grade 1 winners Candy Sugar Lady, Hidden Lake, Home At Last, Uremic, and dual classic winner War Emblem. Also among the elite racehorses bred by Nuckols Farm is leading sire Distorted Humor , who topped the general leading sires list in 2011 and was the overall leading broodmare sire in 2017.
As testimony to the depth of the Nuckols’ breeding program, the farm also bred the dams of 18 of its home-raised graded stakes winners. In a 2013 interview with BloodHorse about home-grown stallion Home At Last, Nuckols talked about the importance of raising multiple generations of quality horses for long-time clients.
“It’s a pleasure to have horses like (Home At Last) for clients for as long as the Reinemans have been around,” he said, referring to owner/breeder Russell Reineman. “Mr. Reineman and dad were friends going back to the 1960s.”
“I’ve known Home At Last his whole life,” he continued. “That’s the thing that we cherish about our farm, knowing that our clients rely upon us to take care of their loved ones.”
After watching War Emblem win the 2002 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1), Nuckols Farm got its next brush with classic greatest when it added 2001 Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos to its stallion roster. The farm had been managing a handful of mares for John Oxley, who wanted his Derby winner standing closer to his Midway farm.
“They had been working together for years and John really respected Nucks’ opinion on matings,” Mary Jane said. “Getting the chance to stand Monarchos was a coup.”
Monarchos’ progeny went on to collectively earn more than $20.8 million and include 268 winners of which 16 were black-type winners and three became champions.
Earlier in his life, Nuckols served in the U.S. Army and later the National Guard. He also served as a leader to the Central Kentucky Thoroughbred community as two-time president of the Thoroughbred Club of America, lifetime member, director for the Keeneland Association, and secretary of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association for many years.
When Nuckols did leave the farm, it was often to go scuba diving in the waters around Anguilla during the wintertime. He also loved dove hunting and skeet shooting.
Nuckols Farm will continue to be run by Mary Jane along with her son Charlie IV. The Nuckols’ other son, Hunter, is active in the farm as well.
Besides Mary Jane, Nuckols is survived by his son, Charlie Nuckols IV and partner Amanda Reardon; his son, Thomas Hunter Nuckols and spouse Stacey, grandchildren, Claire Alexandra and Thomas Elliott; his daughter Mary Dunlap and spouse Zachary Armgard, grandchildren, Bruce Ryker and Ashford Henry. He was preceded in death by Hetty Nuckols Gross, and survived by Judy Nuckols Offutt, and Jimmy Nuckols.
A celebration of life will be held Friday, Sept. 27, at The Thoroughbred Club of America from 4-7 p.m. In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to be made in Nucks’ name at one of his favorite charities: Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, or the Woodford Humane Society.
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Publish date : 2024-09-25 09:53:00
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