Kentucky Derby Horse Owner Lists Colorado Mansion

A Kentucky Derby horse owner is looking for a buyer to ride off into the sunset with his 40-acre Colorado estate.

Gus King, founder of Alabama-based flexible packaging company ColorMasters, is listing the Longmont estate for $25 million, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The listing, for 6880 Saint Vrain Road about 15 miles northeast of Boulder, comes two years after King bought the limited-liability company that owned the estate for $10 million, daughter Jenna King told the Journal. The LLC purchased the property in 2013 for nearly $4.3 million, according to listing agent Zach Zeldner of Compass.

Gus King and his wife Tobie are based in Alabama but bought the Longmont manse to be closer to their daughter who was attending law school in Boulder at the time.

King is the owner of Publisher, a thoroughbred racehorse descended from 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharaoh. Publisher came in 14th place in this year’s Kentucky Derby. The packaging magnate got into horse racing about two decades ago after the death of his son.

“It’s something of a bond we shared that’s helped me stay in touch with him since he passed,” he told the Journal.

The estate is anchored by a six-bedroom, six-bathroom home spanning 10,801 square feet. The property also houses a 4,950-square-foot barn for horses and equipment as well as a 4,658-square-foot converted barn with event spaces, a kitchenette and a loft.

Outside, a buyer can enjoy a pool, tennis court and about a mile of walking trails, as well as an outdoor kitchen and a pasture. A seasonal pond is usually full of water during the summer months. And a parking lot surrounded by trees has the capacity to hold 50 vehicles.

The Kings moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and have spent the past year gut renovating the main house. That makeover includes making it sale-ready with monochromatic color schemes and stone and wood flooring to replace zebra-print carpets.

At one point, Gus considered retiring Publisher at the estate, but instead decided to sell the property to be closer to his daughter and grandchildren in Steamboat Springs. His time at the estate could live on, however, as he’s reportedly considering naming another racehorse he recently purchased after the estate’s street, Saint Vrain.

If the Longmont property sells at or near its asking price, it would set a new home sale record for Boulder County. That record currently stands at $14.5 million for a home that sold in the city of Boulder earlier this year.

— Chris Malone Méndez