Happy Hill Farm


Happy Hill Farm is a Thoroughbred horse racing operation in Newtown Township, [Delaware County, Pennsylvania]. It was originally owned by Cortright Wetherill and his wife Ella A. Widener-Wetherill whose Widener family of Philadelphia is one of the most prominent and respected in American Thoroughbred racing history.
Most notably, Happy Hill Farm was the breeder of the Kentucky-born stallion Raise a Native who became one of the most important sires in North America. With trainer Frank I. Wright, the Wetherills had a number of successes on the racetrack. In 1968, Ludham won the New [York Stakes|New York] and Sheepshead Bay Handicaps. Their gelding Kingmaker won races from age three through five including the Whitney Handicap and New Orleans Handicap in 1957 and in 1958, the Excelsior [Breeders' Cup Handicap|Excelsior Handicap].
In recent years, Peter Wetherill raced multiple winner Self Rising, a son of Classic Race winner Hansel, and currently has Academy Royale, sired by Breeders' Cup Mile winner Royal Academy, along with a few other horses competing on the New York racing circuit, all of which are trained by Peter D. Pugh.