10/04/2026
With heartfelt sympathy, we remember Allan Graham Lawrence, a lifelong horseman, breeder, owner, and devoted supporter of Alberta’s Thoroughbred industry.
Through Land’s End Stock Farm, Graham left a lasting mark on racing in Alberta. His legacy included high-earning mares Pleasure & Hope, and his beloved stakes mare This Cat Can. He also stood the Thoroughbred stallion Harry The Great, who enjoyed a wonderful life, retiring after his breeding career and passing at the age of 27.
Some of the other horses connected to Graham and Land’s End Stock Farm were Forty's Finest, Fine Wings, Kitt Cattin, Cando Cat, Miss Go Lightly, and Second War. Over the years, Graham teamed up with trainers Rod Cone, Ernie Keller, and Michael Luider, sharing in the highs, challenges, and memories that come with breeding and racing Thoroughbreds in Alberta.
His horses were part of Alberta racing for decades. Pleasure & Hope, trained by Rod Cone, last raced at Stampede Park on Nov 7, 1993 & had LTE of $172,432 USD , while This Cat Can made her racing debut as a two-year-old at Stampede Park on October 7, 2000, with Ernie Keller, and raced through to September 4, 2005, at Northlands Park with the same connections. Her $126,275 USD career and longevity on the track are part of the legacy Graham leaves behind.
But perhaps one of the most meaningful pieces of that legacy is what happened after racing.
Graham understood that our responsibility to these horses does not end when they leave the racetrack. Today, his last stakes mare, This Cat Can, remains retired and cared for by his neice, Retired RCMP Officer, Stacey Talbot, a beautiful continuation of Graham’s lifelong commitment to the horses he bred, raised, raced, and loved.
We extend our deepest condolences to Stacey, who has always worked hard to give OTTBs (& Retired Police and Military service dogs) a wonderful home and new careers and has generously volunteered her time and supported the Alberta Thoroughbred Aftercare Society throughout our 2026 journey, as well as to the entire Lawrence family, Graham’s friends, and the many members of Alberta’s racing community whose lives crossed paths with his.
Graham’s contribution to the industry lives on not only in race records, pedigrees, and memories from days at the track, but in the horses themselves, including one very special mare still enjoying the retirement she earned.
Rest easy, Graham. Your hoofprints remain. ❤️🐎
In lieu of flowers, the family has graciously requested that memorial donations be made to the Alberta Thoroughbred Aftercare Society, helping us continue providing retired Thoroughbreds with the care and future they deserve.
https://donate-can.keela.co/annual-donation-campaign-atas
