Harry T. Mangurian Jr., who developed Mockingbird Farm into one Florida’s
most prominent Thoroughbred breeding establishments over the course of three
decades, died Sunday in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, according to a report in the
Ocala Star-Banner. He was 82 and had battled leukemia.
At one time the owner of the Buffalo Braves and Boston Celtics of the
National Basketball Association, Mangurian entered the Thoroughbred breeding
business in 1970 when he purchased the legendary Tartan Farm. Renaming it
Mockingbird Farm, he eventually expanded the 310-acre facility into more than
1,000 acres.
Mangurian campaigned the Hall of Fame filly Desert Vixen, who was voted
champion three-year-old in 1973 and champion older female the following year. He
also bred Gilded Time, who was voted champion two-year-old colt in 1992. Though
he led the North American breeders’ list several times by both earnings and
wins, Mangurian was never voted an Eclipse Award as outstanding breeder. He was,
however, presented the Eclipse Award of Merit in 2001, one year after selling
Mockingbird.
Mangurian was a member of the Jockey Club and on the board of the Breeders’
Cup and Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and
Owners’ Association. He was also the founding chairman of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company.