Craig & Holly Bandoroff

As a young boy, Craig Bandoroff lived in Cherry Hill, NJ very close to Garden State Race track. He developed a passion for racing and began working summers on the track as a groom. In high school he participated in a vocational program school day, in which he worked at the track in the morning and attended honors classes in the afternoon. Upon graduation, he chose the track over college, and worked full time as a groom, exercise rider and eventually an apprentice jockey for long time New Jersey trainer, Marty Fallon. In December of 1974, Craig was seriously injured in a track spill, ending his riding career. He spent nearly a year in a rehabilitation hospital and upon leaving, he enrolled in the University of Virginia (1977-78) and graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1981 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture Economics and Animal Science. From 2008-2010, he attended and completed the Owners and Managers Program at the Harvard Business School.

“The opportunity was invaluable and the chance to learn from the case study method at Harvard from their faculty was truly rewarding. The program had huge impact personally and in the management of making Denali Stud a better company and business.”

After working for Fasig-Tipton auction house and Barry Weisbord’s Executive Bloodstock where he developed many connections, he started Denali Stud in 1990. Craig and his wife Holly have three children: Katherine, Conrad and Isabel.

Board Positions: Kentucky Thoroughbred Association, Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders, Kentucky Equine Education Project, The Lexington School, The Jockey Club, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA)

Click Here to Read the Story on the Early Years

Conrad & Claire Bandoroff

Conrad grew up in Lexington, KY and went to University of Sewanee. During his summers, he interned for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and worked at Denali helping with yearling sales prep. He graduated with an honors degree in economics and a minor in business. After college, he was accepted into the Godolphin Flying Start program. Upon graduation from Flying Start, he came back to Kentucky to start his lifelong dream of working with his family at Denali and is now the Vice President. Conrad serves on the CBA and Breeders’ Cup boards.

Claire grew up on her parents’ Thoroughbred farm in Paris, KY and went to the University of Kentucky. After college, she worked as a marketing assistant at Kentucky Equine Research in Versailles before moving to Cornett Advertising to manage the Lane’s End Farm account and assist the Keeneland account. After she and Conrad were married, they decided together that it was time for her to move to the home team. Claire now handles all marketing and tourism aspects of Denali.

Together, Conrad and Claire’s goal for the future is to continue Craig and Holly’s vision of Denali Stud and continue to be a strong and steady force in the Thoroughbred industry, all while maintaining close relationships with new and existing clients.

The Solar Difference

A key component of the Denali Stud philosophy is our use of solar energy. There is no other Thoroughbred farm in Kentucky with a solar program as extensive as ours. Our first panels were built and installed in 2015 and we have continued to expand ever since. For starters, it made sense financially to invest in solar energy for long-term benefits and we already had the space for panels. This also happens to line up with our philosophy of giving back to the land that provides so much for the horses on our farm. Our vision for the future is continue striving toward 100% solar energy usage, including an investment in electric farm vehicles to further reduce our carbon footprint. If you have any questions regarding our solar program, please reach out to our office.

Accomplishments

Equally as important as commercial success, is the racetrack performance of our boarding and sales graduates. More than 500 stakes horses have emerged from the Denali program, including multiple Champions.

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Boarding

We proudly go above industry standards when it comes to customized care and individualized attention for all horses on our farm, run by a multiple award-winning team. You deserve the Denali difference.

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Consignments

Now in our third decade, Denali Stud is consistently among the leading consignors of yearlings, weanlings and broodmares at public auctions in Kentucky and New York.

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