heartwood farm

the team

At Heartwood, the horses speak first.

Then, the men and women who care for them every day. Juan and Sarah ensure everything around them runs exactly as it should.

I love this farm so much. every time I drive in here, I think about what a magnificent place it is. You get invested in the mares and the clients, and over time it becomes part of you.

Sarah grew up immersed in the Thoroughbred world. Her father, respected bloodstock agent Mike Ryan, brought her and her siblings to the sales and the races from the time they were young. While she initially took a different path after graduating from Centre College, including a brief stint in equine lending at J.P. Morgan, the industry soon pulled her back.

In the summer of 2009, she joined Indian Creek Farm as director of sales. She stayed for 17 years, developing what became one of Kentucky’s most respected consignment programs and building relationships with clients that have endured beyond her time at Indian Creek.

sarah sutherland

co-owner

-Sarah Sutherland, Keeneland Magazine, Winter 2020

You have to know your horses well to know when they’re thriving and when they’re not, and to identify things before they become a thing. Keep out of the horse’s way, keep them happy, and do the fundamentals right, every day.

Juan was born into this business. Growing up in Lexington, he watched his father work the sales circuit and followed him down that path, starting in the barns at 15 and traveling the country to prep and show horses. He earned his reputation at some of the most respected operations in the industry—Niall Brennan Stables, Stonestreet, St. George Sales, Godolphin, and others.

In February 2019, on the recommendation of Mike Ryan, Juan joined Indian Creek as yearling manager. He was promoted to farm manager in December 2021, remaining in that position until the transition to Heartwood Farm.