Michael House

A veteran of the Korean War, Michael House was born in Lincoln, Neb., in 1938, and raised in Los Angeles. After attending junior college in Southern California he became a carpenter. When he decided to start his own company, dealing with real estate development and property management, he settled in the San Diego area, where he and his wife Dawn now live.

The oldest of their eight children helped get them into horse racing in 1971. When their kids began riding and showing Appaloosas, the Houses bought several, including Blowing Easy, who won the first $100,000 Appaloosa stakes in California.

When racing opportunities for Appaloosas declined dramatically, House began focusing on Thoroughbreds, buying many horses in Europe and racing them in the U.S. Last April, House claimed Big John B for $50,000.

With a goal of establishing a broodmare band, he purchased a 163-acre farm in Versailles, Ky., previously owned in partnership by actor William Shatner of Star Trek fame. The Houses named their property Chestnut Farm, and it’s where they keep their broodmares now.