Willis Horton, owner and breeder of champions, dies at 82

Willis Horton, a breeder and owner of champions Will Take Charge and Take Charge Brandi, died Friday at age 82 after contracting pneumonia.

Daily Racing Form reported that Horton died at an Arkansas hospital. His son, Kevin, told DRF that he and his father had COVID after returning from a horse sale in Kentucky. Willis Horton "just couldn't beat it," he said.

Will Take Charge won an Eclipse award as the 2013 champion 3-year-old colt. He was second by a nose to Mucho Macho Man in the Breeders' Cup Classic that year. Bought as a yearling by Horton for $425,000, he had a career record of 21: 7-6-1 and lifetime earnings of $3.9 million.

Take Charge Brandi was the 2014 champion 2-year-old filly after winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Horton bought her as a yearling for $435,000 and sold her in 2015 for $6 million.

Horton's family founded D.R. Horton Homes, according to DRF, and Willis Horton had a cattle operation at his farm in Marshall, Ark.

Horton's Kentucky Derby horses included homebred Long Range Toddy in 2019. He also co-owned Lemons Forever, winner of the 1996 Kentucky Oaks.

The funeral and visitation will be held on Tuesday in Marshall. Details are available here.