BONSALL, CA—OCTOBER 8, 2015—According to an article published on the Daily Racing Form website today the Vessels Stallion Farm in Bonsall, California was sold earlier this week to a private entity incorporated in Delaware. The farm has been a leading Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred facility in Southern California since the 1980s.

The farm was sold by the family of Frank “Scoop” Vessels, who died in a private plane crash in 2010. A limited liability corporation called Ocean Breeze LLC purchased the property, according to the DRF source. The facility will be renamed Ocean Breeze Ranch.

Kevin Dickson, the existing farm manager, will remain with the property, which will not be a commercial enterprise in the short-term future.

The Thoroughbred stallion Square Eddie, currently ranked fourth among California’s stallions by progeny earnings, will remain at the farm. Square Eddie is the sire of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile contender Ralis, the winner of the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga on Sept. 7. Former Quarter Horse stallions standing at the farm, including leading sire FDD Dynasty, were relocated to other farms following the death of Vessels.

The Vessels family, led by Scoop’s late mother Mildred, built the Vessels Stallion Farm in the ranching community in northern San Diego County in the mid-1980s. The Vessels family founded Los Alamitos Race Course, and had a established the original Vessels Stallion Farm adjacent to the racetrack in Cypress, California in the late 40's, until the operation was transferred to Bonsall.

At one-time Vessels Stallion Farm was the home all-time leading Quarter Horse stallion, First Down Dash and leading California Thoroughbred stallion In Excess. Both stallions have since passed.

The new facility is not expected to include Quarter Horses. According to the article Vessels will be selling the remainder of its Quarter Horse holdings at the Heritage Place Fall Mixed Sale in Oklahoma City on Oct. 29.