When Luis Coronado came to the United States from his native Mexico, he never imagined he would one day work with North America's most elite, blue-blooded Thoroughbreds. After a couple of years tending to the land and harvesting crops in North Carolina, his uncle called him and told him there was an opportunity to work with horses in Kentucky.
His family's involvement with horses in Mexico proved that Coronado's lifelong connection to them was an inherited trait. He recalled his father obtaining a racehorse in exchange for a cow.
Upon arriving in Kentucky, he started working at the late Diane Perkins' Wimborne Farm, near Paris, Ky., for nearly six years. After that, he headed just down Winchester Road to Machmer Hall Farm, where he has been since 2010. He started as co-owner Craig Brogden's assistant and worked his way up to broodmare manager.
Coronado's primary responsibilities peak during the winter and spring foaling season, when he remains on call 24/7 to manage the care of approximately 120 broodmares.
"After foaling season is done, I take care of all the foals and make sure they don't have a fever or anything else bothering them," Coronado explained. "I check them every morning. I go barn to barn to make sure everybody looks healthy."
Coronado's focus expands beyond the mares and foals as the yearling sales season nears. To ready the yearlings for the auction ring, he and the staff condition the horses by swimming them.
Coronado holds a deep appreciation for the entire horse industry, yet foaling season is where his greatest passion lies. He has foaled and worked with some of the most talented horses to grace a racetrack in North America, including two-time Eclipse Award winner Tepin, multiple grade 1 winner Gina Romantica, 2016 Eclipse male champion sprinter Drefong, grade 1 winner and 2021 Kentucky Oaks (G1) runner-up Search Results, and this year's Kentucky Derby (G1) participant Litmus Test, just to name a few.
"I like to see the foals being born and raised here at the farm," he said. "I love watching them as they grow up into yearlings, and then eventually make it to the track."
Beyond the immediate circle of Machmer Hall's owners, Carrie and Craig Brogden and Sandra Fubini, Coronado's enduring commitment to the Thoroughbred industry has earned widespread respect. In 2021, he was a runner-up for the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Dedication to Breeding Award. The award recognizes the unsung heroes who show exceptional skill, commitment, and daily care for breeding stock, mares, foals, and stallions.
Over the last couple of years, Coronado has ventured a little deeper into the breeding and sales industry by breeding a mare of his own. The result of the first horse he ever bred, in partnership with friend Oscar Olvera, produced a strapping colt by Drain the Clock out of The Couples Girl, which was selected for the 2025 Fasig-Tipton's The Saratoga Sale, where he brought $175,000 from Jimbo and Torie Gladwell's Top Line Sales.
When asked what it meant to have a horse he bred make it to such a prestigious sale, he replied: "I was so happy, so excited; that means a lot. I've been working with horses for a long time, and it was my dream to breed a mare and have a horse make it to Saratoga.
"He was a beautiful, really nice horse."
It came as no surprise to Coronado when the colt laid down a furlong in a blistering :10 at the under-tack show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. The colt turned a lot of heads, namely top bloodstock agent Pedro Lanz, who went to $700,000 to secure the speedy son of Gainesway's Drain the Clock for KAS Stables.
"I was pretty confident," Coronado said of the colt's performance at OBS. "I really thought he was going to breeze really well."
In a couple of weeks, Coronado will offer the half sister at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the world's largest Thoroughbred yearling auction. Hip 2047 is by first-crop yearling sire Dr. Schivel , and will be consigned by Machmer Hall Sales, agent.
"She's not as big as the colt, but she's nice. She looks fast," Coronado said.
He confirmed The Couples Girl is in foal for 2027 to Taylor Made Stallions' 2024 Whitney Stakes (G1) winner Arthur's Ride .
In October, Coronado will pinhook a yearling by Knicks Go he bought last year for $18,000. The colt hails from the immediate family of 2001 champion 2-year-old male Johannesburg.
Coronado's exceptional drive and deep expertise ensure a future of limitless success both on the farm and in the sales ring.
Coronado's advice: "Keep dreaming! Never quit!"
