A native of Houston, Texas, Will Farish is a lifelong horseman who raced his first stakes winner, KASKASKIA, in 1967 and has since raced more than 150 stakes winners and bred more than 268 stakes winners, including the 2003 Horse of the Year MINESHAFT, the 1992 Horse of the Year A.P. INDY, 1999 Horse of the Year CHARISMATIC, and Champion LEMON DROP KID. He was the first breeder since A. J. Alexander in 1880 to breed or co-breed two horses (CHARISMATIC and LEMON DROP KID) who combined to win the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont in the same year. In 1992 and in 1999 he was honored with an Eclipse Award as the year's leading breeder.

Farish served as Chairman of the Board of Churchill Downs from 1992 to 2001, has been a Steward and Vice Chairman of The Jockey Club, a Director and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Breeders' Cup, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Keeneland Association. In 2006, Farish was appointed as a trustee to the Keeneland Association. In 2001, he was appointed by President George W. Bush as the United States Ambassador to the Court of St. James's and served in that role for three years.

Bill Farish and his family live on the farm and Bill is involved in all aspects of the operations at Lane’s End and is very active in promoting the Thoroughbred industry. Currently he serves as Chairman of the Breeders’ Cup and of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Political Action Committee. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Thorougbred Owners and Breeders Association and Blood-Horse Publications, and was a founding member of K.E.E.P. He also serves on the Sales Integrity Task Force. Bill has bred a number of stakes winners himself, including the Grade 1 winners Shadow Cast and Burning Roma.