Veteran trainer William G. “Blackie” Huffman died on Christmas Eve at Norton
Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky, following a brief illness. Huffman, 67, was
the father of Ben Huffman, racing secretary at Churchill Downs and Keeneland,
and trainer Pat Huffman.
Funeral services are scheduled for Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. (EST) at Holy Name
Catholic Church at 2914 South Third Street in Louisville. Visitation is
scheduled from 2-8 p.m. at Pearson Ratterman Brothers Funeral Home at 12900
Shelbyville Road in Middletown.
Huffman grew up on South Second Street near Churchill Downs and made frequent
trips with his family to the home of the Kentucky Derby (G1), then made his
career in the horse industry. He attended St. Xavier High School for two years
and graduated from Ahrens High School before starting a lifelong career in the
horse industry.
He landed his first major job in the industry when he managed Triple R Farm
near Goshen, Kentucky, in the late 1960s. He moved to Ocala, Florida, in the
mid-1970s to work as broodmare manager at Lasater Farm, the breeding operation
of Dan Lasater, a three-time Eclipse Award winner as the nation’s leading owner. He returned to Kentucky in 1978 to manage Cardinal Ridge Farm, a breeding and
foaling operation near Goshen, and in the early 1980s purchased the Skylight
Training Center near Goshen and operated that facility through the early 1990s.
Huffman turned his primary attention to training Thoroughbreds in 1987 and
conditioned several major stakes winners during that phase his career. They
included Air Worthy, winner of the 1989 Stephen Foster H. (G3) at Churchill
Downs; Alcovy, winner of the 1994 Falls City H. (G3) and the 1996 Sixty Sails H.
(G3); Roxelana, winner of the 2000 La Troienne S. (G3); Danville, winner of the
Round Table S. (G3) and Alabama Derby; Northcote Road, winner of the Col. E.R.
Bradley H. and two runnings of the Mardi Gras H. at Fair Grounds; and Waki
Warrior, winner of the Preview S. at Gulfstream Park. Other Huffman-trained
stakes winners included Undermine, Dynawite, Saucy Deb and Emily Ring. Huffman’s
horses won 371 races from 2,224 starts.
He is also survived by his wife, Mary Ann (Melvin) Huffman; his sons Mike,
Pat and Ben; brother,
Neil, who also trains Thoroughbreds at Churchill Downs; and five granddaughters.
Expressions of sympathy may go to Hosparus or the Kentucky Horsemen’s
Benevolent and Protective Association.