This is a story of perseverance, ingenuity, and entrepreneurial spirit. This is a success story about a lifelong pursuit.
This is the tale of the American Dream realized. This is the tale of a local boy making good.
This is the story of horses. This is the story of one man and his family’s relationship with these majestic animals.
This is the story of Crane Thoroughbreds.
Horses and humans have enjoyed special working relationships since the former was introduced to the Americas. (Provided photo)
“I went to the university of hard knocks,” said Clovis Crane, the founder, owner and operator of Crane Thoroughbreds. “It’s been a lifetime of trials and tribulations. A lot of failure, but a lot of success as well. It’s about evolving, changing directions, and figuring out how to make things work. And paying attention to little details.”
Situated at 708 Greble Road, Lebanon, Crane Thoroughbreds is a 65-acre, family-owned farm that makes its living both directly and indirectly from the horse racing industry. Crane Thoroughbreds specializes in breaking horses, sales preparations and thoroughbred sales.
Crane Thoroughbreds has been breaking in and selling race horses for more than 20 years. (Provided photo)
A true horseman through and through, Clovis Crane uses his experience in riding, training and owning thoroughbreds to focus on the business’s specialty.
“We develop thoroughbreds for racing programs,” said Crane. “That’s our bread and butter. Other people send us horses that have never been ridden. We gentle them down so other people can ride them. Our focus is helping young horses to be better so people can handle them. You do it through a good feed program and regular routines of care.
“I’m a speculator. What I have left over, and I can’t get sold, I have to do something with them, so I take them to races. But we don’t want to be training horses.”
At any one time, the stables at Crane Thoroughbreds are home to as many as 100 horses. (Provided photo)
Crane Thoroughbreds uses a 100-foot-by-200-foot training center, a swimming facility, and a five-eighths of a mile galloping track as part of its breaking process. Crane Thoroughbreds is located 15 minutes from Penn National Race Course in Grantville and within a two-hour drive of seven other mid-Atlantic horse racing venues.
In 2024, Crane Thoroughbreds brought in a gross revenue of over $3 million.
“There is money in the horse racing business,” said Crane, a native of the Grantville area. “We bought a horse named Archangel at a sale for $30,000. That horse went on to win millions of dollars. After its racing career, my client was offered $3 million for the horse.”
Currently, there are 40 horses housed at Crane Thoroughbreds, 30 of which are thoroughbreds. In a typical year, as many as 200 thoroughbreds come through the farm.
Crane Thoroughbreds does not break or train therapy horses or rodeo horses, nor does it offer riding lessons.
“Our hobby is buying riding horses, developing them, and re-selling them on a small scale,” said Crane. “I have a connection with horses, and they’re a commodity. There is so much therapeutic value in horses, people riding horses or just petting horses.
“Thoroughbreds are absolutely 100 percent athletes. Horses are built to run. Animals are programmed to fight or flight. Animals that are built to run like it. Thoroughbreds are bred to run.”
Crane grew up around horses and the horse racing industry at Penn National. Before being recruited to wrestle at Purdue University, Crane rode thoroughbreds as a teenage jockey.
Crane founded Crane Thoroughbreds in 2003, the same year he graduated from Purdue.
“When I graduated from college, I wanted to get back into the horse business,” he said. “I had saved some money and I thought to myself, ‘I can buy a farm, develop it and resell it,’ so I bought the farm where I’m at. But there was no interest, so instead of selling the farm, I had to start the business and it evolved into what it is today. It was strong enough that we were able to consolidate.
The methods Crane Thoroughbreds employs adds value to horses’ lives. (Provided photo)
“When I first started, I was doing anything I could do. I was hungry to make enough money. I trained several horses. Now, we have such a good reputation that we don’t have to advertise anymore. A lot of time we’re too full to take business. We’re not struggling to make ends meet. We were able to consolidate ourselves and now, with what we do, we’re as good as anyone in the world.”
The type of breaking in that Crane Thoroughbreds provides can never be reversed.
“We’re trying to help the horses and give them the skills and value for the rest of their lives,” he said. “Most people can’t handle young and unruly horses. We’re just a service that makes horses tempered.”
For additional information, go to cranethoroughbreds.com.
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