Will Walden

Walden is the son of Rebecca and Elliott Walden, the longtime WinStar Farm President/CEO. Elliott Walden’s training career produced 1,017 wins and included a parade of graded stakes winners. He is perhaps best known for ending Real Quiet’s Triple Crown bid in the 1998 Belmont (G1) with Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness (G1) runner-up Victory Gallop. Rebecca was an accomplished exercise rider before leaving the saddle to focus on family. 

Will’s grandfather Ben Walden owned and operated Dearborn Farm and Stable in the Lexington area for decades. His uncle Ben Jr. also carried on the family tradition of breeding, selling and racing Thoroughbreds.  

After working in a variety of Thoroughbred jobs including exercise rider for Keeneland-based Wesley Ward and other capacities for Racing Hall of Famers Todd Pletcher and Bill Mott, Walden launched his stable in an unusual way. After graduating from Stable Recovery, a peer-driven therapeutic program for addiction recovery, Walden persuaded program co-founder Frank Taylor to purchase racing prospects at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The group would campaign as Ready Made Racing with Walden overseeing their early race track lessons with other Stable Recovery graduates assisting. Money earned from purse earnings and subsequent sales of the horses were channeled back to the non-profit Stable Recovery.  

The concept brought far-flung recognition to the program and to Walden, who had obtained his trainer’s license in 2022. He quickly attracted Thoroughbreds to train for other owners.  

Will’s wife, Tessa (formerly Bisha), was a key assistant to Keeneland leading trainer Brad Cox before starting her Evergreen Equine bloodstock business in 2025. The Waldens have two children, Wade and Hallie.