TEXARKANA MAGAZINE
Alan Ribble and his daughter, Sarah Medley, at the stables of Churchill Downs.
The Ribbles' beloved horse, Honor Marie, stands proudly in the stable.
Kerry and Alan Ribble at a pre-party dinner for the Kentucky Derby.
Members of Honor Marie’s fan club, including her namesake Marie, were decked out in orange and blue on Derby Day.
The Ribbles with three of their grandchildren, Hayes, Palmer, and Baker Ribble.
Alan and Kerry’s daughter Sarah reflected on her parents’ luck on the eve of the derby as everyone in the Honor Marie entourage mentally prepared for the day ahead. “Luck certainly plays a role in success, but the essence of true achievement lies in the pursuit itself–the countless hours of preparation, resilience in the face of setbacks, and the courage to chase something that seems out of reach. No matter tomorrow’s outcome, I’ll never forget watching my parents show me the value of completely immersing oneself in a goal. And it sure seems the harder you work, the luckier you get.” Alan and Kerry first encountered their derby contender in a horse auction at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky. The Ribbles, along with Kyle Zorn, Travis Durr, and Kristian Villante (Who later formed Legion Bloodstock) attended the auction and looked at 600-800 horses, took notes, and made bids. They purchased the yearling of sire, Honor Code, and mare, DameMarie, for a mere
$40,000. The horse broke its maiden and was on a path to run in the derby against horses costing more than $2 million. Kerry and Alan also had the opportunity to name the horse Honor Marie. It is customary for the horse to be named from the stud’s and the mare’s names, and in this case, the name was even more special due to one of their nine grandchildren being named Marie. Marie was present throughout many of the derby week activities and garnered quite a bit of attention as she traveled about the backside of the track and around town in Louisville with her family. Kerry jokingly said their next horse would be named “The Other Eight.” The guys from Legion Bloodstock, a firm that buys and sells thoroughbred horses on behalf of their clients, speak highly of their inaugural buyers, the Ribbles, and enjoy a solid partnership in which both sides have a true love for the horses and passion
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