Five Things to do in Paris, Kentucky August 9, 2023 Known for its horses and history, Paris Kentucky is a must see for visitors traveling to the Bluegrass State. Paris is located less than twenty miles from Lexington, and the commute down the famed Paris Pike is one of the most scenic drives in Central Kentucky, with horse farms lining both sides of the road. From horse farms to historical sites and locally sourced food to a great downtown area, we’ve put together our top five things to see and enjoy in Paris and Bourbon County. Visit a Horse Farm Two Horse Country members call Bourbon County home – Denali Stud and Runnymede Farm. Both farms are nurseries, and provide young horses with a strong foundation for their future from the time they are born until they head off to the sales ring or racetrack. Runnymede Farm is the oldest continuously operated Thoroughbred farm in the state of Kentucky. The farm has been passed down through generations of the Clay family, and raises mares and foals in the heart of Bourbon County. Recent champions raised at the farm include Kentucky Derby winner Mage and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Lady Eli. Runnymede is a great stop for history lovers as well, as the farm is home to a number of historic buildings including Cooper’s Run Baptist Church, which was built in 1803 and is one of the oldest churches in Kentucky. Denali Stud is a family owned and operated nursery farm, just down the road from Runnymede Farm and downtown Paris. Denali Stud was founded by former jockey Craig Bandoroff and focuses on foaling and raising young horses, many of which go on to be sold through the Denali consignment at major Thoroughbred sales. The farm has raised and/or sold such superstars as Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom, Breeders’ Cup Champion Malathaat and more, and is the home of Hall of Fame racemare Serena’s Song. Immerse Yourself in Local History Whether you’re a history buff or exclusively interested in horsey-history, Paris is a great place to explore. For true history fans, Bourbon County is home to a number of historic sites dating back to the early days of the United States. Over two dozen historical markers are located in Paris + Bourbon County, which can be found by checking out this self guided tour from the Kentucky Historical Society. If you’re more of an equine history aficionado, the Bourbon County Horse Walk of Fame has to be on your itinerary. Throughout downtown Paris are horse shoes and nameplates featuring some of the best horses to live in Bourbon County at some point in their lives. Some horses of interest are Hall of Famer Serena’s Song (Denali Stud), Breeders’ Cup winner Midshipman (Jonabell Farm) and of course, Triple Crown winner Secretariat. Take a Stroll Through Downtown Paris Downtown Paris is the perfect place to get a taste of small town Southern hospitality – with a hint of Parisian flair of course (here’s to you, Mini Eiffel Tower) Shops and restaurants with locally sourced products can be found throughout the historic downtown district. A few of our favorite stops include Loch Lea Antiques, Lil’s Coffee Shop and the Paris/Bourbon County Farmers Market. While you’re walking along main street, be sure to look down occasionally to see the Bourbon County Horse Walk of Fame. Eat Locally One thing you need to know about Kentucky is that we take local food seriously here, and thanks to a strong agriculture industry, lots of restaurants use locally sourced ingredients from area farms. Paris has two restaurants in particular that are well known for the tasty Kentucky fare. Trackside at the Depot is located just outside of downtown Paris in the historic Paris train depot, and is well known for its food and selection of bourbon. Windy Corner Market is located a bit south of Paris, but the food and views are more than worth a short drive. Experience the Bourbon Trail When visiting Bourbon County, a distillery tour or at least a few sips of some Kentucky Bourbon should be on your itinerary. Hartfield and Company was the first distillery to open in Bourbon County after Prohibition forced the closure of the industry in 1919. This craft distillery offers tours that give an up-close look at how bourbon is made, as well as the history of their company and Bourbon County as a whole. Even if bourbon isn’t your drink of choice, distillery tours provide unique insight into the process of creating top notch beverages and often include local lore and tales about Kentucky’s history.
Celebrate BreyerFest in Horse Country July 13, 2023 We’re so excited to be joining the BreyerFest celebration this weekend at the Kentucky Horse Park! Be sure to stop by our booth with Amplify Horse Racing in Celebration Park, where we will be talking about all things horses and horse racing – plus running some giveaways! While you’re in town, we highly recommend visiting one of our member locations to get a behind the scenes look at the equine industry. Whether you’re interested in seeing stallions or a mares and foals, morning training or Thoroughbred aftercare, we have a variety of tour options for every interest level. Horse Country is even home to (or has a connection with) some of the famed horses who have been honored with Breyer models. You might even see some of these horses when you join one of our tours! Among our favorites are Afleet Alex, American Pharoah, Affirmed, Cozmic One, Harley, Justify, Rachel Alexandra, Tiz the Law and Zenyatta. If you’re just a fan of the Thoroughbred breed, you can find those here as well. Available Tours Friday 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. – Denali Stud, Paris | Meet mares & foals 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – Jonabell Farm, Lexington | Meet champion stallions 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – Gainsborough Farm, Versailles | Meet mares & foals 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Spy Coast Farm, Lexington | Dive into the world of sport horses 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. – Secretariat Center, Lexington | Learn all about Thoroughbred aftercare 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Mill Ridge Farm, Lexington | Meet mares, foals and stallions 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. – New Vocations, Lexington | Learn all about Thoroughbred aftercare 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Taylor Made Farm, Nicholasville | Meet mares, foals and stallions 2:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. – Mill Ridge Farm, Lexington | Meet mares, foals and stallions 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. – Stonestreet Farm, Lexington | Meet mares & foals Saturday 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. – Morning Works Tour, Lexington | Watch morning training at Keeneland 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. – Morning Works Tour, Lexington | Watch morning training at Keeneland 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – Gainsborough Farm, Versailles | Meet mares & foals 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Spy Coast Farm, Lexington | Dive into the world of sport horses 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Taylor Made Farm, Nicholasville | Meet mares, foals and stallions 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Mill Ridge Farm, Lexington | Meet mares, foals and stallions 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Kentucky Equine Adoption Center, Nicholasville | Kentucky’s only all-breed adoption center 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Gainsborough Farm, Versailles | Meet mares & foals 2:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. – Mill Ridge Farm, Lexington | Meet mares, foals and stallions 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Stonestreet Farm, Lexington | Meet mares & foals Sunday 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – Jonabell Farm, Lexington | Meet champion stallions 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – Gainsborough Farm, Versailles | Meet mares & foals 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Gainsborough Farm, Versailles | Meet mares & foals
Spotlight on Sport Horse, Adoption, and Aftercare Facilities July 10, 2023 Kentucky is sort of the Disney World of the horse industry, after all we aren’t called the Horse Capital of the World for nothing. From the Kentucky Derby to the Land Rover Three Day Event to the World Equestrian Games, some of the biggest equestrian events come to Kentucky, and with that, people come from all over the world to see these events. To put it into perspective, around 150,000 people attended the Kentucky Derby in 2023, around 25,000 people attended the 2023 Land Rover Three Day Event, and in 2010 the Kentucky Horse Park hosted 520,000 spectators for the World Equestrian Games. Sport Horses One frequently asked question is once a horse is done competing in top level show jumping, eventing, dressage or racing, what do they do? Here in Horse Country, you can learn all about what top level equestrian athletes do after they are finished with one career and transition to another. One tour that teaches you the many facets of the sport horse breeding and competition industry is Spy Coast Farm. During the tour, you will get to see their whole operation in Lexington, Kentucky, including the Rehabilitation and Fitness Center, Young Horse Development Training Center, Stallion Barn, and Mare and Foal Center. They differ from the Thoroughbred breeding industry in various ways, two standouts are in the breeding shed and training center. Sport horses use artificial insemination (abbreviated as AI) and embryo transfer because a handful of the stallions and mares that Spy Coast have the breeding rights to are still competing. Isn’t that incredible? While training these incredible athletes, many sport horse trainers wait until they are around 3 or 4 years old to put them into work, since warmbloods grow a bit slower than Thoroughbreds, which typically begin racing as two year old’s. Did you know the career of a sport horse can last into their late twenties? Pretty astounding! Spy Coast Grand Tour Public Tours offered Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 10:30am Spy Coast Farm in Lexington, KY is one of the leading sport horse breeding and training facilities in the country. Aftercare + Adoption The thoroughbred industry has become more accessible to people all over the world due to aftercare and adoption centers. They provide a temporary home for horses who are not successful on the racetrack, were injured, or abandoned. All of our members share the same goal, which is to provide a safe place for horses. New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program is a nonprofit who takes in retired racehorses from the track who could not be breeding stallions or broodmares. At their barns around the nation, they rehab, retrain, and rehome standardbreds and thoroughbreds. For their property in Lexington, Kentucky, they house mostly thoroughbreds. They do extensive research on the potential new owner and require a vet and two personal references to ensure horses are placed in the best possible homes. Definitely an incredible tour for those interested in the life of racehorses after the track. New Vocations: Public Tours offered Wednesday and Friday at 1pm Second Stride also strives to provide a new career for retired racehorses, broodmares, or thoroughbreds that are injured and need rehabilitation. This nonprofit organization will teach you about the process of retraining and preparing them to be riding or companion horses. They have three Thoroughbred Racing ambassadors on the farm Triple Crown contestant General A Rod, million dollar earner Hawaakom, and Churchill Downs Racing Club’s star runner Warrior’s Club. You will get to meet them and the horses up for adoption on the tour! Second Stride: Public Tours offered Monday through Friday at 1pm and Saturday at 11am. The Secretariat Center is another off-the-track thoroughbred rehoming operation in Lexington, Kentucky whose mission is to advocate for the thoroughbred and give them the best chance to start a new career after their racing careers have ended. They have miniature horse ambassadors on the farm who you will fall in love with! Located right in the heart of Horse Country at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. Secretariat Center: Public Tours offered on Thursday and Friday at 11am. The Kentucky Equine Adoption Center is a temporary safe haven for horses of all ages, disciplines, and breeds. This tour will take you through the process of adopting a horse, the care these horses need after coming from various situations, and making sure they go to a good home once they are ready to be adopted. Come learn about their stories and maybe become a part of it! Located in Nicholasville, Kentucky. Kentucky Equine Adoption Center: Public Tours offered Friday and Saturday at 1:30pm. New Vocations, a facility that focuses on rehabilitating, retraining and rehoming retired racehorses in Lexington, KY. Horse Country’s newest member, Second Stride, focuses on providing training for retired racehorses, broodmares and Thoroughbreds who didn’t make it to the track, located in Prospect, KY. Located at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, the Secretariat Center retrains and rehomes Thoroughbreds into a variety of second careers. The Kentucky Equine Adoption Center in Nicholasville is Kentucky’s only all breed equine adoption center, providing training and care to a variety of horses. Aftercare Sanctuary A lot of the horses who are injured and need rehabilitation or looking for a new career can be paired with a new home, but some just need to be horses. At our aftercare sanctuary, they provide the care and love for their horses where they will have a permanent home for the rest of their lives. The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation at Chestnut Hall is an oasis for thoroughbreds to live out the rest of their days just to be horses. They have around a dozen horses on their farm that you can pet and learn about their stories. This is also home to the historical farmhouse on sight with gorgeous views of the farm and horses. Located in Prospect, Kentucky, a 30 minute drive from Downtown Louisville. TRF at Chestnut Hall: Public Tours offered Monday through Sunday at 10am. TRF at Chestnut Hall, a sanctuary farm for retired Thoroughbred racehorses located in Prospect, KY.
Second Stride joins Horse Country, Inc. Tour Program July 7, 2023 Horse Country has announced a new partnership with Second Stride. The Thoroughbred aftercare organization will begin offering tours through Horse Country in July. “We’re thrilled to have Second Stride join Horse Country and begin offering tours this month,” said Hallie Hardy, Executive Director of Horse Country. “Our member farms and supporting businesses, like Second Stride, are dedicated to connecting people to the horse, land and people of Kentucky’s Horse Country. Through Horse Country’s Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accredited partners, our industry can show firsthand the care that is given to horses retiring from the racetrack as they learn new skills and find new homes. It’s an incredibly important piece of our industry’s story, and we’re proud at Horse Country to connect people to these important non-profit organizations.” “Second Stride is excited to partner with Horse Country to expand our educational reach to the community and beyond” said Kim Smith, Founder and Executive Director of Second Stride. “The Chorleywood location is dedicated to partnership involvement and outreach as well as transitioning the state icon, the Thoroughbred, safely into fresh starts. We look forward to sharing our success stories and program thanks to Horse Country to an even broader audience beyond the current work our volunteers and partnerships are accomplishing.” “What Second Stride offers is a fresh start — no matter the age or capacity of a thoroughbred, we give them what they need to to begin their next great phase. Rolling in a lush grass field, radiographs to assess readiness to train, summer baths by volunteers, jumping that first crossrail, resting their muzzle on the shoulder of a child during a tour — all stages along the way of a racehorse succeeding in a new career and life.” Tours of Second Stride will be offered six days a week, with both public and private tour options available, beginning on July 10. Guests will learn about the retraining and rehoming process and meet current trainees, as well as interact with the Thoroughbred ambassadors that reside at the farm, including Kentucky Derby contender General A Rod, graded stakes winner Warrior’s Club and million dollar winner Hawaakom. Tours can be booked online at visithorsecountry.com/second-stride or by calling Horse Country at 859-963-1004. Second Stride joins the Kentucky Equine Adoption Center, New Vocations, Secretariat Center and TRF at Chestnut Hall as non-profit members of Horse Country. These members serve Thoroughbreds and other equine breeds through retraining, rehoming or providing lifetime sanctuary. A kickoff event is scheduled for July 17th at the Prospect, Kentucky farm, and those interested in attending may reach out to [email protected] for more information. About Horse Country: Since 2015, Horse Country connects guests to tours that provide a behind-the-scenes look into Kentucky’s equine industry. The not-for-profit, collaborative membership organization comprises leading stallion farms, nursery farms, aftercare facilities, veterinary clinics, a racetrack and other equine attractions in Kentucky. Currently, 24 active touring members are a part of Horse Country. Tickets can be booked directly online at www.visithorsecountry.com. About Second Stride: Second Stride is a leading national equine adoption program and a trusted partner within the thoroughbred racing industry. We serve the thoroughbreds and people who make the sport of horse racing possible: trainers, owners, partnership managers, handicappers, racing fans, and the adopters who provide forever homes for these horses after they retire. We also serve non-racing thoroughbreds in need including broodmares and unable-to-race bloodstock.
The Horse Country Summer Bucket List June 21, 2023 Announcing the Horse Country Summer Bucket List! One of the best parts about our slice of paradise here in Kentucky is that there is so much to do along with horse farm tours. We encourage all guests to check out the local communities that our members call home, and our Summer Bucket List is a great way to keep track of some fun things to check out while you are here in the Bluegrass. Guests who complete at least five items from our summer bucket list and post about those items will receive a Horse Country t-shirt! See below for all terms and conditions for the contest. Feel free to download the list, or check out the written list below. SUMMER BUCKET LIST See a Kentucky Derby winner A bucket list item for anyone, horse racing fan or not! Here in Horse Country we are lucky to be the home of a number of Kentucky Derby winners, and our members have opened their gates to welcome guests and meet these champions. The following farms are home to Kentucky Derby winners: Coolmore at Ashford Stud (American Pharoah, 2015 and Justify, 2018), Darby Dan Farm (Country House, 2019), Jonabell Farm (Street Sense, 2007 and Nyquist, 2016), Spendthrift Farm (Authentic, 2020) and WinStar Farm (Always Dreaming, 2017). While showings depend on the health and schedule of the horse, our members strive to show fan favorites on tours. Feed a horse a treat It’s always a good day when you get to pet a horse, and an added bonus when you get to feed a peppermint, carrot or another treat! Our interactive tours allow for guests to get up close and personal to the horses, and some of the tours even allow you to feed the horses! Check out scenic Old Frankfort Pike One of the most scenic roadways in Kentucky is Old Frankfort Pike, which begins in Lexington at the legendary Secretariat statue and runs through Fayette, Woodford and Franklin counties. The road passes through picturesque Horse Country and passes farms like Three Chimneys Farm, Airdrie Stud, and the yearling divisions of Lane’s End Farm and Godolphin. Eat at a locally-owned restaurant Kentucky’s local food scene is one of our favorite things about the Bluegrass state. Lots of restaurants in the area feature locally grown food products including veggies, fruits, meat products and more. We’re all about fresh, tasty meals and highly recommend anything owned by Ouita Michel (Wallace Station, Midway Bakery, Zim’s Cafe and more). VisitLex has a great list of restaurants in Lexington and the surrounding area. Take a photo in front of a horse-themed mural Here in Central Kentucky we celebrate the horse in many ways, including murals and other community art installations. VisitLex offers a mural challenge for visitors interested in exploring street art in Lexington, including a few equine-themed murals, found here. Some of the surrounding cities also have murals including a Secretariat mural in downtown Paris, a Horse Country mural in downtown Versailles and a mural featuring Taylor Made Farm in downtown Nicholasville. Take a selfie with a foal Let’s be honest… what’s cuter than a young foal? These little ones are usually incredibly eager to meet new friends and pose for selfies. Our mare and foal nursery farms provide ample opportunities to meet these friendly horses. Enjoy a shuttle tour On a shuttle tour, guests get to venture through the farm on an electric shuttle, getting all of the bluegrass views one could want. Typically these tours focus on mares and foals, but a few locations (Lane’s End Farm, Spy Coast Farm and WinStar Farm) also visit stallions as a part of the tour. You can find shuttle tour availability here. Visit an adoption facility or sanctuary Our nonprofit members do incredible work to ensure that all horses have a quality life through retraining, rehoming and providing lifelong sanctuary. Multiple locations retrain Thoroughbreds and other breeds for new careers, providing them with the foundation to enjoy life as a riding horse, including the Kentucky Equine Adoption Center, New Vocations and the Secretariat Center. TRF at Chestnut Hall is a unique sanctuary farm that is home to horses who did not go on to a second career after leaving the racetrack, and instead serve as ambassadors for the Thoroughbred breed. Go shopping in a local downtown Whether you’re looking for home decor, art, fashion or just a window shopper, there’s lots of great shopping in central Kentucky. We recommend checking out downtown Midway or Versailles for shops, bakeries and restaurants, both small towns with lots of shopping options! Watch morning training at Keeneland Some things are worth getting up early for, and morning training at Keeneland is absolutely one of those. Seven days a week, 365 days a year, Thoroughbreds train on the main track at Keeneland – and the track is open to the public! Enjoy workouts and then head to the track kitchen for a delicious southern-style breakfast. Be sure to stay tuned to our Bit by Bit blog for more information on things to do in the area relating to our Summer Bucket List. Even if you don’t complete the whole list, we would still love to see how you are spending your summertime in Horse Country, and hope that you will check out some of the activities we have suggested. See below for the terms & conditions for the giveaway. Guests who complete at least five of the ten items listed on our ‘Summer Bucket List’ graphic and submit photo proof are eligible to receive a piece of Horse Country apparel. Please submit proof by posting photos on social media of each bucket list item, tagging Horse Country and using the hashtag #VisitHorseCountry. For example, in the caption or comment of your post say ‘Enjoying my shuttle tour! #VisitHorseCountry @VisitHorseCountry”. Once you finish the Bucket List, email us at [email protected] and we will check your posts. If all items have been completed we will send a Horse Country t-shirt your way! Contest begins June 8th at 8am ET and ends on August 31 at 12:59pm ET. One entry will be accepted per guest. Please be safe and mindful of your surroundings when taking any photos, and follow the direction of your tour guide when applicable. All state and local laws apply. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are in no way affiliated with this giveaway. This contest is hosted and solely affiliated with Horse Country.
Celebrating National Adopt a Horse Month May 30, 2023 Here in Horse Country, we are proud to partner with non-profit organizations that retrain, rehabilitate and rehome horses who are in need of a new career, whether that career is competitive, as a trail horse or simply a pasture pet. In honor of Adopt a Horse Month, we are featuring these organizations, as well as some of the adoptable horses currently at each location. If you are passionate about the mission of any of our non-profit members but are not in the position to adopt a horse, there are other ways to support them! Donations and volunteers are always welcome, and we recommend getting in touch with each location directly to find out how to get involved. Kentucky Equine Adoption Center The Kentucky Equine Adoption Center is the only all-breed equine rescue in the state of Kentucky. The Adoption Center opened in 2008 to meet a growing need in Central Kentucky to take in equines who were no longer able to be cared for by their owners, regardless of the breed or type. The operation takes in horses, miniature horses, donkeys and mules and provides them with training and rehabilitation that assists in the rehoming process. Since its inception 14 years ago, over 1,000 horses have been rescued and rehomed by the Kentucky Equine Adoption Center. Along with its main operations, the Adoption Center has a number of programs that educate community members and potential adopters about equine care. The Adoption Center takes in all breeds of equines, and currently has over 35 horses in their care. Featured Adoptable Horses Dixieland Daisy (Yonaguska – Hurricane Jazz) – 16 year old Thoroughbred mare Emmy Lu Slew (Evansville Slew – Ravine) – 13 year old Thoroughbred mare Why Me (American Freedom – My Wish List) – 4 year old Thoroughbred mare Visit the Kentucky Equine Adoption Center New Vocations Racehorse Adoption New Vocations began in 1992 and has grown to be the largest retraining program in the United States, with locations in Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Louisiana and Florida. The organization provides horses coming off of the track with rehabilitation and training before pairing them up with well-matched adopters around the country. While New Vocations retrains both Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds, their Lexington base at Mereworth Farm (which offers tours through Horse Country!) is a Thoroughbred-centric location. Since 1992, they have rehomed over 8,000 retired Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses. Featured Adoptable Horses Hard Choice (Hard Spun – Bode’s Choice) – 4 year old Thoroughbred mare Send the Word (Payner – Duchess of Greeley) – 5 year old Thoroughbred gelding Thatsnothername (Bob and John – J.B.’s Annie) – 8 year old Thoroughbred mare Visit New Vocations Secretariat Center Located within the famed Kentucky Horse Park, the Secretariat Center retrains retired Thoroughbred racehorses to provide them with the best skills for a second career as a riding horse. Since 2004, the Secretariat Center has worked to place horses into situations where they can exceed, whether they are with upper level riders, as lesson or therapy horses, serving as mounted police horses, or one of many other careers. Featured Adoptable Horses Bane (Tourist – Canary Diamond) – 5 year old Thoroughbred gelding First Class Dad (Dialed In – Belle Chaussee) – 5 year old Thoroughbred gelding Good Dreams (Quality Road – Darci’s Dream (NZ)) – 4 year old Thoroughbred mare Visit the Secretariat Center Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) is a nationwide organization that provides the promise of a lifetime of sanctuary to each horse in their care. The TRF began in 1983 and has grown to be the largest sanctuary of its kind in the world, with 15 locations in 8 states. A majority of horses owned by the organization are not sound enough to go on to second careers, but still enjoy a well-deserved, dignified retirement at one of the many TRF facilities. The Sanctuary Farm at Chestnut Hall provides a caring retirement to 11 Thoroughbreds, situated at a historic farm home. Along with providing a quality life for horses at their sanctuary farms, the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation has adoption opportunities for those who would like to provide a forever home for a horse (or horses!) who are unable to be ridden. If you are interested in providing a lifelong home for one of the horses in the TRF herd, we recommend reaching out by submitting an adoption inquiry here. Visit TRF at Chestnut Hall
Horse Country Connections: 2023 Preakness Stakes May 20, 2023 The middle jewel of the Triple Crown is set to be contested in Baltimore, Maryland today, Saturday, May 20. The Preakness Stakes, set two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, is run at Pimlico Racecourse over a distance of 1 3/16ths miles. Seven horses will head to post this Saturday for their chance at the blanket of black-eyed susans and the history books. Kentucky Derby winner Mage is the sole contender from the Run for the Roses to contest the race, and faces six newcomers to the 2023 Triple Crown. The field for the G1 Preakness Stakes has connections to several of our Horse Country members, and we will be rooting them on this weekend! Post time for the Preakness Stakes is approximately 7:01 p.m. ET, and the race and all pre-race coverage will be streamed live on NBC, NBCsports.com and the Peacock app. The G1 Preakness Stakes field, presented in post position order: #1 National Treasure Sired by Quality Road, standing at Lane’s End Farm. Damsire is Medaglia d’Oro, standing at Jonabell Farm. Finished 3rd in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland. Fueled by Hallway Feeds. #2 Chase the Chaos Damsire is Uncle Mo, standing at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud. Sold at the 2020 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. #3 Mage Born and raised at Runnymede Farm. Sold at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Fueled by Hallway Feeds while growing up at Runnymede Farm. #4 Coffeewithchris #5 Red Route One Sired by Gun Runner, standing at Three Chimneys Farm. Damsire is Tapit, standing at Gainesway Farm. Finished 3rd in the G1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland. Perform Sold at 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Fueled by Hallway Feeds. Blazing Sevens Consigned by Denali Stud at the 2021 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. Finished 3rd in the G1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. Fueled by Hallway Feeds. First Mission – SCRATCHED To learn more about the Preakness Stakes, check them out online here or on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Looking Back: Preakness Stakes Winners in Horse Country May 18, 2023 The G1 Preakness Stakes, held each year at Pimlico Racecourse in Baltimore, Maryland, is the famed middle jewel of the Triple Crown. The race takes place two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, on the third Saturday in May. The Preakness Stakes is the second oldest of the Triple Crown races, and was first held in 1873. The race is named for the colt who won the first Dinner Party Stakes at Pimlico, the day the racecourse opened in 1870. The flower blanket for the winning horse pays homage to the Black Eyed Susan, the state flower of Maryland, but due to the fact that the race takes place two months before the flowers come into bloom, viking poms that bear a resemblance to Black Eyed Susans, are used instead. The winning connections receive a replica of the Woodlawn Vase, which is the most expensive trophy in all of sports, worth approximately $4 million. Made of solid sterling silver, the trophy has a rich history that includes being buried for safekeeping so it was not melted to be used for bullets during the Civil War. The original Vase is used for the winner’s circle presentation before returning to its home at the Baltimore Museum of Art. Today, the Preakness Stakes is run at 1 3/16 miles for a purse of $1.5 million, and 8 of the top three year old colts are set to contest the 2023 edition. Before we dive in to this year’s field, let’s look back at the victories of the Preakness Stakes winners who now call Horse Country home. 2022 Preakness Stakes – Early Voting While the Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike was absent from the field, the 2022 Preakness Stakes was still an intriguing field with the Derby runner-up Epicenter and Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath. At the wire it was Early Voting, the son of Gun Runner, to win by 1 ¼ lengths over Epicenter. Both colts now stand at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Versailles, Kentucky. 2018 Preakness Stakes – Justify Just a few years off of the Triple Crown triumph of American Pharoah, the undefeated Justify followed in the hoofprints of his future stablemate in becoming the 13th Triple Crown winner. Owned by Horse Country member WinStar Farm in partnership with China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners LLC and Starlight Racing, Justify strode to a half-length victory under jockey Mike Smith. Justify now stands stud at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Versailles, Kentucky. Learn more and book a tour of Coolmore at Ashford Stud here. 2017 Preakness Stakes – Cloud Computing The 2017 edition of the Preakness Stakes did not result in a Triple Crown hope, but instead a thrilling stretch duel in the final furlong of the race. After sitting on the lead alongside Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming for a majority of the race, Classic Empire drew away in the stretch, only to be run down by Cloud Computing, who took the victory by a head in the final strides. Cloud Computing now stands stud at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. Learn more and book a tour at Spendthrift Farm here. 2015 Preakness Stakes – American Pharoah American Pharoah entered the Preakness Stakes off of an impressive victory in the Kentucky Derby two weeks earlier, and just like all Kentucky Derby winners who contest the Preakness, he carried the hopes of a Triple Crown victory. A seven length victory in the Preakness Stakes set up American Pharoah for a much-awaited run in the Belmont Stakes three weeks later, in which he became the 12th Triple Crown winner and the first in 37 years. American Pharoah now stands stud at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Versailles, Kentucky. Learn more and book a tour of Coolmore at Ashford Stud here. 2010 Preakness Stakes – Lookin at Lucky Two-time Eclipse Award Champion Lookin at Lucky finished sixth in the Kentucky Derby as the favorite, but stamped himself as the top three year old colt of 2010 with a strong dueling victory in the Preakness Stakes. The Preakness was one of five G1 victories for Lookin at Lucky, who also finished second in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Lookin at Lucky now stands stud at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Versailles, Kentucky. Learn more and book a tour of Coolmore at Ashford Stud here. 2009 Preakness Stakes – Rachel Alexandra 14 years ago, Kentucky Oaks winner Rachel Alexandra took on the colts and went wire to wire to win the second leg of the Triple Crown. She would go on to become one of the most famous racemares of all time – winning multiple grade one races including the G1 Woodward against older males as a three year old filly during her storied career. While Rachel Alexandra is not featured on their regular tours, you can visit her place of residence, Stonestreet Farm and meet possible future champions like Rachel! Learn more and book a tour at Stonestreet Farm here. Stonestreet also hosts Rachel Alexandra Meet & Greet’s throughout the year, which allow guests to meet the famed mare. 2005 Preakness Stakes – Afleet Alex It is not often a horse can accomplish a victory in the way that Afleet Alex won the 2005 Preakness Stakes. Even though he placed third in the Kentucky Derby, Afleet Alex entered the Preakness as the favorite. While making a run from the back of the pack, Afleet Alex ran into traffic and fell to his knees at the top of the stretch. He and jockey Jeremy Rose recovered almost instantly, and ran away with the race to win by nearly five lengths. Rose and Afleet Alex would go on to win the Belmont Stakes three weeks later. Afleet Alex now resides at Gainesway Farm in Lexington, Kentucky where he has been pensioned, or retired, from stud duty. Learn more and book a tour at Gainesway Farm here.
Horse Country welcomes new Board Members & Executive Committee May 8, 2023 LEXINGTON, Ky – The Horse Country board of directors has undergone several updates through spring of this year, including newly elected board members at the annual member meeting on January 19th. The Board of Directors has also elected a new executive committee with some minor restructuring, and at the March board meeting, a new board member was appointed to see out the term of a board member who chose to resign due to a position change within their organization. Newly Elected Directors At the annual meeting on January 19th, 2023, Horse Country members voted to approve new board members, Ande Day of Lane’s End Farm, and Leslie Miller, the newly appointed Vice President of Marketing for Visit Lex. Ande fills an open board seat, while Leslie replaces Gathan Borden, whose three year term ended with the calendar year. Leslie Miller Borden served as the Board President since August of 2021, seeing the organization through several changes including the hiring of a new executive director and a change in the touring member structure before the end of his term. The culmination of Borden’s term on the Horse Country board coincided with a new job for him as the Senior Vice President of Marketing & Communications for Destinations International. While his new position moves Borden slightly away from the Lexington tourism landscape, as he will now work from home in Louisville, Ky, he has agreed to remain on as the immediate past president where will serve in an advisory capacity. Ande Day Horse Country will maintain strong ties with Visit Lex as Leslie Miller replaces Borden within the organization as VP of Marketing as well as joining the Horse Country Board this year. Leslie brings extensive knowledge of the tourism marketing landscape, having worked at Cornett as VP Director of Brand Strategy, where she was a member of the executive leadership team and served as brand strategist for Cornett’s key accounts, including Keeneland, Lanes End, and VisitLEX. Ande Farish Day joins the Horse Country board as the Farm Tour and Hospitality Manager for her family’s Lane’s End Farm. Ande has overseen Lane’s End growing involvement in Horse Country over the last several years. As well as maintaining the relationship with Horse Country, Ande hosts the tours at Lane’s End and has developed their merchandise platform which features the ever popular, Zenyatta. Mandy Ryan Ahead of the first quarter board meeting on March 29th, 2023, director Adam Johnson formally submitted his resignation from Horse Country’s board of directors. Johnson, first elected in 2018, brought an array of experiences from the bourbon industry and directly from his role with the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. In 2022, Adam was appointed as the Vice President of State Relations for the Kentucky Distillers’ Association. As he transitioned away from the day-to-day of the Bourbon Trail, Adam thought it best to step away from his Horse Country role and recommended another bourbon connoisseur in his wife and colleague, Mandy Ryan. As part of several staff changes for the Kentucky Distillers’ Association in 2022, Mandy was promoted as the Director of Kentucky Bourbon Trail Experiences. She brings her marketing prowess from the KDA to Horse Country as well as wealth of knowledge and experience in the bourbon industry and specifically with the Bourbon Trail. Mandy will be an asset to Horse Country as the initiative continues to follow in the footsteps of the Bourbon Trail. The board appointed her to serve the remainder of Adam’s term, which ends with the 2023 calendar year. New Executive Committee With Gathan Borden’s term as a Board of Director ending, his position as the Board President came to it’s ultimate conclusion. On his way off the board, Gathan oversaw new structuring to the executive committee of the Horse Country Board. From his recommendation, the Horse Country executive committee will now see one year terms for the Board President, Vice-President and the non-voting Past President. The Vice-President will also serve as the President-Elect, qualifying a three year engagement for said elected director. With this new structure agreed upon by the board of directors at their first annual meeting on January 31st, 2023, Dr. Luke Fallon of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute was elected by the board as the new Board President and Kara Heissenbuttel of Keeneland was elected as the Vice-President. Gathan will remain in the non-voting, advisory position of Past President. Nick Nicholson will continue to serve as the Secretary on the executive committee. While he is not a voting director, he will continue to have an active advisory role and participate in board of director meetings as Secretary. A Big THANK YOU and a Warm Welcome Since the beginning of Horse Country, only a handful of people have been as involved with the organization as Rusty Thompson. He served as the Treasurer as well as an elected director and has been a pillar of this initiative. The finances and accounting of this membership organization have required a dedicated eye over the last several years. With Rusty’s leadership, as well as with help from other vital volunteers, Horse Country is proudly in a strong financial position. After seven years of his service, the time is right for a new treasurer to take the abacus from Rusty’s capable hands. Lizy Robertson After an extensive search and a recommendation from a Horse Country member, Elizabeth “Lizy” Robertson agreed to take on the role. Lizy is a Financial Advisor and Branch Manager for the Lexington, Kentucky branch of Raymond James located in downtown Lexington. A Bourbon County native, Lizy brings extensive experience from the financial world as well as tenure as a treasurer on another non-profit board. Graciously, Rusty has also agreed to help with the change over through the next two months as we work to finalize our budget and formally transition to our new touring revenue structure in the next fiscal year. As well as the updates to the executive committee, the Horse Country board is working to reestablish several of the working committees in 2023 in order to provide continued opportunity for engagement across membership, necessary support to the Horse Country staff, and to serve as a conduit to the Horse Country board of directors. The committees which will be revitalized include Marketing, Membership and Operations. Two directors will participate on each of the committees, with one director serving as the chair. Leslie Miller will act as chair of the Marketing committee, Duncan Taylor will act as chair of the Membership committee and Brianne Sharp will act as chair of the Operations committee. The last few years have seen significant changes for Horse Country. From an international pandemic, to staffing and leadership changes, to updating the revenue structure, the organization has weathered a tumultuous time. None of it would be possible, let alone successful, without the continued support and involvement of the members and volunteer board. This collaborative initiative continues to make a positive impact on the Thoroughbred industry because it is supported by the Thoroughbred industry.
Horse Country Connections: 2023 Kentucky Derby May 5, 2023 The first weekend of May brings the eyes of the world upon Kentucky. The G1 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve is the most iconic race in North American Thoroughbred racing, and one of the most recognizable races in the entire world. While the Kentucky Derby is often symbolized by Mint Juleps, big hats and high fashion, at the heart of it all is the horse. For 149 years, the Derby has represented the hopes and dreams of countless horsemen and women whose goal is to one day be victorious in the run for the roses. A number of factors make the Derby a unique race – the race is only open to three year old horses (therefore horses only have one shot at running in the race), up to 20 horses can enter the starting gate (the biggest field of race in North America) and the race is run at a mile and a quarter (a longer distance than the entrants have run previously). Along with the huge crowd and fanfare that go along with America’s most popular horse race, it takes a special horse to win this race. This year, 19 Thoroughbred colts will enter the starting gates on Saturday, May 6 for their shot at the history books. We’re thrilled to be cheering on a number of horses in the field with connections to our #VisitHorseCountry members. Congratulations to these horses, their connections, and our members who played a part in their success. The G1 Kentucky Derby field, presented in post position order: #1 Hit Show Sired by Candy Ride (ARG), standing at Lane’s End Farm Damsire is Tapit, standing at Gainesway Farm Fueled by Hallway Feeds #2 Verifying Sired by Justify, standing at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud His last Derby prep was a second place finish in the G1 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland Sold at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in 2021 Fueled by Hallway Feeds #3 Two Phil’s Sired by Hard Spun, standing at Darley’s Jonabell Farm Sold at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in 2021 #4 Confidence Game Sired by Candy Ride (ARG), standing at Lane’s End Farm Consigned by Lane’s End Farm at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale Fueled by Hallway Feeds #5 Tapit Trice Sired by Tapit, standing at Gainesway Farm Born at and bred by Gainesway Farm, and consigned by the farm at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale Currently co-owned by Gainesway Stable with Whisper Hill Farm, LLC #6 Kingsbarns Owned by Spendthrift Farm Sired by Uncle Mo, standing at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud Damsire is Tapit, standing at Gainesway Farm #7 Reincarnate Sold at the Keeneland September Yearling sale Fueled by Hallway Feeds #8 Mage Born and raised at Runnymede Farm Sold at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale #9 Skinner – SCR #10 Practical Move – SCR #11 Disarm Sired by Gun Runner, standing at Three Chimneys Farm Damsire is Tapit, standing at Gainesway Farm His last prep race was a third place finish in the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes at Keeneland #12 Jace’s Road Sired by Quality Road, standing at Lane’s End Farm Born and raised at Taylor Made Farm, which consigned the colt at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale Fueled by Hallway Feeds #13 Sun Thunder sired by Into Mischief, standing at Spendthrift Farm Damsire is Medaglia d’Oro, standing at Darley’s Jonabell Farm. Fueled by Hallway Feeds #14 Angel of Empire Sired by Classic Empire, standing at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud Sold at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale Fueled by Hallway Feeds #15 Forte Graduate of the Keeneland November and September Sales Won the G1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity and G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland in 2022, which led to Forte being named Champion Two Year Old Male #16 Raise Cain Sold at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale His last prep race was a fifth place finish in the G1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland Fueled by Hallway Feeds #17 Derma Sotogake Bred and raced in Japan, Derma Sotogake comes to the Kentucky Derby by way of the UAE Derby in Dubai His sire, Mind Your Biscuits, was a popular G1-winning sprinter in the United States #18 Rocket Can Sired by Into Mischief, standing at Spendthrift Farm Fueled by Hallway Feeds Born and raised at WinStar Farm #19 Lord Miles SCR #20 Continuar SCR #21 Cyclone Mischief Sired by Into Mischief, standing at Spendthrift Farm Sold at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale Draws into the Kentucky Derby after three defections #22 Mandarin Hero Bred, raised and raced in Japan, Mandarin Hero placed a close second in the G1 Santa Anita Derby in his most recent start. Draws into the Kentucky Derby after three defections. #23 King Russell Sired by Creative Cause, standing at Airdrie Stud Bred by Brereton Jones’ Airdrie Stud, which now co-owns the colt with Naber Racing, LLC Draws into the Kentucky Derby after three defections. Tune in to the Kentucky Derby on NBC and Peacock beginning at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 6. Post time for the Kentucky Derby is set for approximately 6:57 p.m. ET.
Land Rover Kentucky Three Day Event Recap May 2, 2023 Each year, the last weekend in April is dedicated to sport horses here in Lexington, Kentucky. The Land Rover Kentucky Three Day Event presented by Mars Equestrian takes place at the Kentucky Horse Park and brings together some of the world’s most talented horse and rider pairs to tackle three phases – dressage, cross country and stadium jumping – over the course of three days. The combination with the lowest number of penalties after all three disciplines is crowned the winner. This year, the event was particularly special for many competitors and fans The event has grown into a celebration of equestrianism at the top level, with four competitions hosted during the weekend. The Land Rover Kentucky Three Day Event CCI5*-L is one of just seven 5* events in the entire world. The 5* level is the ultimate stage for eventing competitors, with many of these combinations either Olympic and World Championship veterans or hopefuls. Along with the headlining event, the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S Three Day Event and Kentucky Invitational CSI3* Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute drew top horse and rider pairs. [metaslider id=27655 cssclass=””] The Land Rover Kentucky CCI5* kicked off on Thursday, April 27 with the dressage phase, which is split over two days due to the volume of riders. Dressage is a test of harmony during which horse and rider complete a prescribed set of movements that emphasize grace and connection. Yasmin Ingham and Banzai Du Loir, World Champions representing Great Britain, were in the lead over fellow British rider Tom McEwen and JL Dublin after the dressage phase with a 22.1 and 22.6, respectively. Mai Baum and Tamie Smith of the United States rounded out the top three with a 24.2. [metaslider id=27665 cssclass=””] Cross country is arguably the most thrilling phase of eventing, and the day drew over 30,000 fans to the Kentucky Horse Park to watch horse and rider combinations tackle a four mile course of obstacles including jumps, ditches and water features as close to the optimum time as possible. A handful of jumping and time penalties led to a shift in the standings, with Tamie Smith and Mai Baum jumping to the top of the leaderboard after a double clear round. Great Britain’s Tom McEwen and JL Dublin picked up a few time penalties to hold second place, and Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp and Miks Master C of the United States entered the top three with their double clear round on the cross country course. [metaslider id=27698 cssclass=””] The top three riders were separated by just 4.3 points headed into the final round, stadium jumping. The stadium jumping test calls upon both the harmony demonstrated in dressage and the scope shown during cross country to jump a course of obstacles that will easily fall, compared to solid cross country fences. Tamie Smith and Mai Baum delivered with a double clear round to become the first American competitor to win the first Land Rover Kentucky Three Day Event since Phillip Dutton in 2008, and the first woman to win since Mary King in 2011. Smith and Mai Baum finished on their dressage score, 24.2, with McEwen and JL Dublin finishing on a 27.8 for second place and Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp and Miks Master C ending the weekend on a 28.5 for third place. As the highest placed American rider, Smith also took home the USEF CCI5*-L National Eventing Championship. Prize money of $400,000 was distributed among the top placings, along with awards recognizing the leading young rider, winning owner, winning breeder, grooms of the top placing horses and more. [metaslider id=27693 cssclass=””] The third annual Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S took place throughout the weekend as well, following the same format as the Land Rover Kentucky CCI5*-L. Canadian rider Karl Slezak was the only rider in the entire competition to go double clear in both the cross country and stadium jumping divisions, finishing on his dressage score of 29.3 to win aboard the mare Hot Bobo. Tamie Smith piloted Solaguayre California to finish second with a score of 30, and Sydney Elliott and QC Diamantaire finished third with a score of 34.9. [metaslider id=27678 cssclass=””] In its third year, the Kentucky CSI3* Invitational presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute drew some familiar faces for fans of equestrian sport, including Olympians Margie Engle, McLain Ward, Rodrigo Pessoa, Shane Sweetnam and more. We had some great rooting interests in two Spy Coast Farm-bred horses, La Belle SCF and Orwell SCF (owned by Lane’s End Show Jumping) competing in the event. Both horses are sired by Spy Coast Farm stallion Diktator van de Boslandhoeve. After the first round, ten riders were tied with zero faults to head into a jump off. A thrilling conclusion to the event saw Daniel Bluman of Israel and his mare Gemma W win by a mere .87 seconds over Lacey Gilbertson of the United States and Karlin Van’t Vennehof. Spy Coast Farm’s resident show jumping trainer and competitor Shane Sweetman rounded out to podium in third place aboard his gelding James Kann Cruz. Along with elite competitions, Land Rover Kentucky is known for shopping, educational demonstrations and more. The Secretariat Center hosted a demonstration about what to look for when purchasing an OTTB with champion jockey Rosie Napravnik, and New Vocations and Hagyard Equine Medical Institute welcomed guests to their booths to learn more about their respective organizations. Mark your calendars for the 2024 Best Weekend All Year, April 26-29 and learn more on the Land Rover Kentucky Three Day Event website!
Keeneland Spring Meet Preview April 6, 2023 The unofficial start of spring in the Bluegrass is upon us – the Keeneland Spring Meet kicks off on April 7! The spring meet runs from April 7 to April 28, with races taking place on Wednesdays – Sundays, excluding Easter Sunday, April 9. Tickets must be purchased prior to arriving at the track, and they can be found here. Keeneland’s spring meet is the perfect combination of great racing and great Kentucky culture, from the food to drinks, outfits and more! Visit Keeneland We’re proud to offer tours throughout the Keeneland meet (and the rest of the year!), which can be found by clicking here. One of our top recommendations is to stop by in the early hours of the day to watch morning training, which takes place from 5:30-10am each morning (we’ve got a tour for that, too!). You’ll get the chance to see horses exercising on the track, and trust us when we say that there is nothing like a morning spent on the rail. Once training is done, head over to the Keeneland Track Kitchen for a hearty breakfast before a day at the races. Be sure to tune into the races – or even better, join in the fun at the track! While you’re in town for the races, be sure to check out some of our horse farm tours, which can be viewed by clicking here (P.S. – be sure to check out the filters to choose your preferred dates and number of guests for the most accurate listing of available tours for your party). Top-Class Thoroughbred Racing Wonder Wheel wins the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland in November 2022 The race meet kicks off with top races for three year olds in the G1 Ashland Stakes and the G1 Blue Grass Stakes. Both races provide points to the top finishers in route to the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby, respectively. The G1 Ashland Stakes is race nine on Friday, April 7 with a post time of 5:16 p.m. ET, and has 170 Kentucky Oaks points on offer to the top five finishers. We hate to pick favorites, and in this case, we don’t have to! Each of the seven contenders has a connection to Horse Country (how cool is that?!). Pride of the Nile – bred by Stonestreet Farm. Wonder Wheel – sired by Into Mischief, standing at Spendthrift Farm and bred by Three Chimneys Farm (in partnership with Clearsky Farms). Guns n’ Grace – sired by Gun Runner, standing at Three Chimneys Farm. Julia Shining – bred and raced by Stonestreet Farm. Punchbowl – sired by Uncle Mo, standing at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud. Defining Purpose – sired by Cross Traffic, standing at Spendthrift Farm. Effortlesslyelgant – sired by Liam’s Map, standing at Lane’s End Farm. The G1 Blue Grass Stakes is race nine on Saturday, April 9 with a post time of 5:15 p.m. ET, and has 170 Kentucky Derby points on offer to the top five finishers. Half of the field has a connection back to Horse Country, so we’ve got a few rooting interests in one of the final prep races for the Kentucky Derby. Tapit Trice – sired by Tapit, standing at Gainesway Farm and bred by Gainesway (co-owners with Whisper Hill Farm, LLC). Verifying – sired by Justify, standing at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud. Hayes Strike – sired by Connect, standing at Lane’s End Farm. Scoobie Quando – sired by Uncle Mo, standing at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud. Blazing Sevens – sired by Into Mischief, standing at Spendthrift Farm. Mendelssohns March – sired by Mendelssohn, standing at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud. Plus, be on the lookout for the return of three Breeders’ Cup World Champions to the site of their victories last fall – Caravel in the G2 Shakertown Stakes (Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner) Goodnight Olive in the G1 Madison Stakes (Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner) and Wonder Wheel in the G1 Ashland Stakes (Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner). Sally’s Picks – Tips from a Keeneland Ambassador One of our team members, Sally Englander, is a Keeneland College Ambassador as well as a Horse Country intern. When she’s not helping to curate the perfect experience for your time in Horse Country, she is at the races and chatting about all things Keeneland! She put together her list of must do, see and eat items for the Keeneland spring meet below. Food & Drinks Keeneland’s Famous Bread Pudding A great blend of sweetness and bourbon in one delicious dessert, best served warm with bourbon glaze on top and best enjoyed while outside trackside watching the races! If you’ve ever wished you could make this Keeneland classic at home, you are in luck! Marc Therrien, Executive Chef for Keeneland Hospitality gave the Kentucky Distillers Association a step-by-step recipe, click here. Keeneland Breeze For those of the age of 21, my best drink recommendation for those who want to taste Kentucky in a drink would be the Keeneland Breeze. This bourbon based drink is a classic to sip while placing your bets on your favorite horses! Places to Visit at Keeneland Saddling Paddock Before I ever place bets, I have to go to the Saddling Paddock to pick the horse that catches my eye. You get a glimpse of the horses’ energy before the race and get an up close look at them before they go to the track. Sales Pavilion I absolutely love the Sales Pavilion. It has a timeless look with Keeneland green filling the interior. This is where some of the world’s top Thoroughbred sales happen in January, April, September, and November. …and of course the finish line is a fun place to visit and maybe you’ll get the chance to capture a photo finish! Top Horse Country tour picks Spy Coast Farm Grand Tour | 10:30am-12:30pm Take a break from the Thoroughbreds and head over to the sport horse capital of Lexington. This tour is one of my favorites because of the diversity You get to see the rehabilitation center, stallions, young horse development center, and mares and foals division! It is also a very interactive tour, you can pet and feed the horses on the property! Spendthrift Farm Stallion Complex Tour | 12:30pm-1:30pm Located right down the street from Spy Coast, Spendthrift Farm is a top international thoroughbred breeder! They are home to greats such as Into Mischief, Authentic, and Jackie’s Warrior. They also have the newly built B. Wayne Hughes Visitor’s Center, where you can buy all the Spendthrift and Horse Country merchandise.
The Road to the Kentucky Derby March 31, 2023 The Kentucky Derby is the race that puts Kentucky on the map each year on the First Saturday in May. Twenty Thoroughbred race horses will line up in the early evening at Churchill Downs in Louisville on May 6, 2023 for a shot at being in the history books. This is the race that nearly every participant in the Thoroughbred industry has on their bucket list, and only a select few each year get to experience the thrill of being connected to the victorious horse. Horse Country members have been involved in a number of Kentucky Derby contenders – and winners! – as breeders, owners, caretakers and the providers of veterinary care and feed for these superstars. No matter what your involvement in the equine industry is, the Kentucky Derby is an experience unlike any other. As the 149th edition of the race nears, let’s take a look at the current leaderboard and upcoming prep races. The Road to the Derby The field for the Kentucky Derby is selected based on a points system, and the top 20 horses will be able to enter the race. The Road to the Kentucky Derby is a selection of the top races for two and three year old horses that culminates in the Derby itself, with each race providing a certain number of points to the top finishers. As the races get closer to the Derby, the point values increase and so do the stakes. Towards the end of March and early April, the final major prep races take place and the field starts to shape up. The nearest upcoming Road to the Derby prep races. G1 Curlin Florida Derby Racetrack: Gulfstream Park Distance: 1 ⅛ miles on the dirt Post Time: 6:40 p.m. ET Click here to view the field. G1 Arkansas Derby Racetrack: Oaklawn Park Distance: 1 ⅛ miles on the dirt Post Time: TBD Points Awarded: 100 – 40 – 30 – 20 – 10 Click here to view the field Where to Watch The Florida Derby will be broadcast live on CNBC and Peacock, and has a scheduled post time of 6:40 p.m. ET. The Arkansas Derby will be broadcast on FS2 as a part of the America’s Day at the Races broadcast. The Contenders The Road to the Derby brings together the best three year old Thoroughbred racehorses in the world, with the top 20 running in the Kentucky Derby on the First Saturday in May. About Horse Country, Inc. Based in Lexington, Ky, Horse Country is a not-for-profit membership organization that offers fans a behind-the-scenes look at the equine industry through tours of member farms, veterinary clinics and other equine attractions in Kentucky. Check out Horse Country on social media: Instagram @visithorsecountry Facebook @visithorsecountry and Twitter @kyhorsecountry. For more information: www.visithorsecountry.com.
Valentine’s Weekend Itinerary February 9, 2023 Valentine’s Weekend Itinerary No matter who you are spending this season of love with, we’ve put together a few itineraries to enjoy time with your favorites here! From romantic dinners to equine kissing booths, to an afternoon tea and horse farm tours, there’s a variety of ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day here in Horse Country. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2023 Coolmore at Ashford Stud Hallway Feeds Tour | 10:30am-11:30am Start your morning with a tour of the place that fuels all the top horse athletes. Even pick up some treats to give to your horse or dog at home for Valentine’s Day that they supply in their shop! Spark Community Café | Brunch On your way to Coolmore, stop by Spark Community Café for Brunch. Right in the heart of downtown Versailles, they are a perfect place to enjoy a good bite made with lots of love! Coolmore at Ashford Stud Tour | 2:30pm-3:30pm Top stallions that produce champions, gorgeous barns, and the home of two Triple Crown winners. A once in a lifetime experience! SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2023 Kentucky Equine Adoption Center Before a full day of tours and love, we suggest stopping by A Cup of Commonwealth for a delicious cup of coffee and a pastry! Jonabell Stallion Walking Tour | 10:00am-11:30am Come see the most handsome studs leading up to Valentine’s Day! This gorgeous farm is home to some of Kentucky’s top stallions such as Essential Quality, Medaglia D’Oro, and Frosted. Along with the horses, you’ll learn about the history and accomplishments of racing and breeding giant Godolphin, and visit their incredible trophy room. Mill Ridge Farm Tour | 12:00pm-1:30pm The mares and foals need some love leading up to Valentine’s Day as well! Come feed and pet the residents of Mill Ridge Farm. On this tour, you will get to drive around the stunning acreage and meet the mothers and foals, yearlings, and stallions. Gallop-tine’s Day Fundraiser at the Kentucky Equine Adoption Center | 1:00pm-3:00pm Spend an afternoon with some horses looking for love! The Kentucky Equine Adoption Center is hosting a loveable afternoon filled with horse kisses, hot chocolate, and cupid’s arrows. Chenault Vineyards Presents Valentine’s Day Dinner | 6:30pm-9:30pm Finish the night with love in the air at a scenic vineyard. Chenault Vineyards is hosting a romantic evening accompanied by a four course dinner and live music by Carrie & Taylor. The dinner includes delectable treats such as baked brie, a traditional French dish Coq au Vin served with artisan bread and whipped garlic potatoes, and chocolate fondue. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2023 : Galentine’s Day Spy Coast Farm Windy Corner Market for breakfast? … we think that is a great idea! It is right down the street from Spy Coast in Bryan Station. They only serve breakfast on Sundays, so you’re in for a treat Spy Coast Grand Tour | 10:30am-12:30pm A stunning facility filled with love for the animal and sport. Take a tour of a sport horse breeding farm based out of America, which believe it or not is rare. The racehorses are amazing, but wait until you see these top showjumpers! Galentine’s Day at the Amsden | 12:00pm-4:00pm After a morning full of tours, it is time to celebrate the ladies for Galentine’s Day at the Amsden! Get some coffee, hang out with your girlfriends, and join in some of the fun activities. In years past, they have had makeup stations, photobooths, mini spa treatments, and delicious, themed drinks. Gallop-tine’s Tea at Chestnut Hall | 2:00pm-4:00pm Bring your Galentine or Valentine to Chestnut Hall. Upon arrival, guests will toast the TRF herd before enjoying herbal teas and delicious treats that include scones, tiny sandwiches, savories, and pretty treats! Tours of the historic house and farm are available after the tea. Dine at Castle Farm in the Kentucky Castle | 7:00pm-9:00pm Talk about feeling like royalty before Valentine’s Day, take in the historic and gorgeous views of the Kentucky Castle for dinner. If you want to spend the night there, they have amazing rooms and cabins available. Even luxury glamping with chocolate covered strawberries, champagne, and rose petals. Talk about romance! MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2023 WinStar Farm Doodle’s | Breakfast My mouth is watering just looking at pictures of the food from Doodles. Believe it or not, the food is even better than the pictures. Sit down and enjoy breakfast options like beignets, omelets, and oatmeal brulee. WinStar Stallion Complex Tour | 11:30 am – 12:30pm Tiz Now is the time to visit WinStar and see the award winning stallions at a state of the art facility. As you are gearing up for Valentine’s Day, let these studs amaze you with their unique personalities and incredible track winnings. Wallace Station | 12:45pm – 1:45pm This diner gained recognition from being on Diners, Drive-in, and Dives, but we believe their fame came from all of the horse farm tour guides saying this is their favorite place to eat when asked for recommendations! Enjoy a burger, some fries and a crisp Ale8 in the heart of Horse Country after your tour at WinStar Farm. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2023 : Valentine’s Day Keeneland Racecourse Keeneland Morning Works Tour | 8:30am – 9:30am Want to watch the sunrise with your partner and then come to Keeneland to witness racehorses in training. A perfect way to start the day with your loved one! Callie’s Homestyle Restaurant | Brunch Whether you are feeling like having breakfast or lunch, Callie’s is the place to go! In downtown Versailles, enjoy homestyle meals before heading to your next tour. Lane’s End Stallion Complex Tour | 12:30pm – 1:30pm Flightline captured a lot of hearts in the past year, so be sure to come see him and the rest of the amazing stallion roster and learn about Lane’s End and their incredible accomplishments. Pasta Garage Valentine’s Day Dinner | Reservations at 5:30pm, 7:00pm, 8:30pm Who wants pasta on Valentine’s Day? Because I sure do! And if not, Pasta Garage does offer other delicious entrees! You and your loved one will leave feeling happy and stuffed! Their menu items are making me fall in love: heart shaped ravioli, whipped ricotta served on a warm baguette, limoncello tart, just to name a few. Valentine’s Day Paint and Sip at Greyline Station | 7:00pm-10:00pm Looking for a soothing night with painting, music, and hors d’oeuvres? Greyline station is the perfect place to spend a romantic evening in Downtown Lexington.
Horse Country Connections: Pegasus World Cup January 26, 2023 The Pegasus World Cup is the first major race day on the North American racing calendar in 2023. Hosted at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida, the Pegasus World Cup is a thrilling day at the races, headlined by the G1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational and G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational. Here in Kentucky, we’ll be watching the races and cheering on the #HorseCountryConnections (and dreaming of warm weather!). Let’s check out some of the contenders in this year’s G1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational. The Races G1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Purse: $3,000,000 Distance: 1 ⅛ miles on the dirt Post Time: 5:40 p.m. ET Post Positions: 1 – Proxy | bred and owned by Godolphin | sired by Tapit, standing at Gainesway Farm 2 – Simplification | sired by Not This Time, standing at Taylor Made Farm 3 – Ridin With Biden | sired by Constitution, standing at WinStar Farm | Keeneland Sales graduate 4 – White Abarrio | bred by Spendthrift Farm 5 – Defunded | sired by Dialed In, standing at Darby Dan Farm | Keeneland Sales graduate 6 – Art Collector 7 – Skippylongstocking | Keeneland Sales graduate 8 – Get Her Number | sired by Dialed In, standing at Darby Dan Farm 9 – Last Samurai | bred by Stonestreet Farm 10 – Cyberknife | sired by Gun Runner, standing at Three Chimneys Farm | Future Spendthrift Farm stallion 11 – Stiletto Boy 12 – O’Connor (CHI) Also Eligibles 14 – Endorsed | bred by Godolphin | sired by Medaglia d’Oro, standing at Jonabell Farm Along with the dirt feature, the G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational drew a strong field of competitive turf horses. G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Purse: $1,000,000 Distance: 1 ⅛ miles on the turf Post Time: 4:40 p.m. ET Post Positions 1 – Wit | sired by Practical Joke, standing at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud | Keeneland Sales graduate 2 – Good Governance (GB) | Keeneland Sales Graduate 3 – Atone | bred by Godolphin | sired by Into Mischief, standing at Spendthrift Farm 4 – Hurricane Dream (FR) 5 – One More Bid 6 – Lady Speightspeare | sired by Speightstown, standing at WinStar Farm 7 – Speaking Scout | Keeneland Sales Graduate 8 – Who’s the Star | sired by Tonalist, standing at Lane’s End Farm | Keeneland Sales Graduate 9 – Decorated Invader | Keeneland Sales Graduate 10 – Ivar (BRZ) | G1 winner at Keeneland 11 – Master Piece (CHI) 12 – City Man Also Eligibles 13 – King Cause | bred by Airdrie Stud | sired by Creative Cause, standing at Airdrie Stud | Keeneland Sales Graduate 14 – Steady On | Keeneland Sales Graduate Where to Watch If you’re like us, and you won’t be in Florida for the races this weekend, you can tune in on NBC at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 28 to catch all of the action. Live streams will also be available online and via the NBC sports app. Horse Country Connections: Past Winners Life is Good, winner of the 2022 Pegasus World Cup, is now retired and stands stud at WinStar Farm in Versailles, Kentucky. You can visit WinStar and learn more about this champion on one of their tours! In the meantime, click here to relive his thrilling win in last year’s edition. Knicks Go, now standing at Taylor Made Farm, won the 2021 edition of the Pegasus World Cup. Click here to book a tour of Taylor Made Farm, and be sure to check out his victory here. City of Light won the 2019 Pegasus World Cup before joining his sire Quality Road in the stallion barn at Lane’s End Farm. Visit Lane’s End and learn more about City of Light (and Quality Road!) on one of their tours. You can watch his Pegasus World Cup conquest here. Now a leading stallion, Gun Runner won the second running of the Pegasus World Cup back in 2018. Watch his stirring triumph here, and be sure to book a tour of Three Chimneys Farm to see Gun Runner in his new career. About Horse Country, Inc. Based in Lexington, Ky, Horse Country is a not-for-profit membership organization that offers fans a behind-the-scenes look at the equine industry through tours of member farms, veterinary clinics and other equine attractions in Kentucky. Check out Horse Country on social media: Instagram @visithorsecountry Facebook @visithorsecountry and Twitter @kyhorsecountry. For more information: www.visithorsecountry.com.
New Year, New Stallions January 18, 2023 With the new year comes new stallions, heading off to the breeding shed for their first season at stud. The new stallions joining the ranks this year in Horse Country accomplished impressive feats on the racetrack, and combined with their top quality pedigrees, make for an exciting crop of new studs. Let’s take a look at some of the newest additions to Kentucky’s stallion ranks! Flightline at Lane’s End Farm One of the most talked about new stallions for 2023 is arguably Flightline, winner of the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic and a frontrunner for the Horse of the Year title. Flightline retired undefeated after his victory in the G1 Breeder’s Cup Classic, with five other stirring victories on his resume. The son of Tapit will stand at Lane’s End Farm, with a stud fee of $200,000. Life is Good, winner of the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and four other G1 races, will become the second highest priced stallion in the WinStar Farm barn with a stud fee of $100,000. Also joining the WinStar Farm roster for 2023 is Nashville, who will stand for $15,000. Visit WinStar Farm Mystic Guide at Darley’s Jonabell Farm Darley at Jonabell Farm has two new additions to their stallion roster, both homebred G1 winners for the racing and breeding operation. Mystic Guide, winner of the G1 Dubai World Cup, will stand for $15,000 and G1 Carter Handicap winner Speaker’s Corner will stand for $20,000. Visit Jonabell Farm Mo Donegal at Spendthrift Farm Spendthrift Farm’s roster is growing by four stallions, with the addition of a handful of new horses to their roster. Five time G1 winner Jackie’s Warrior enters stud with a fee of $50,000 along with G1 Belmont Stakes winner Mo Donegal, standing for $20,000, and G2 Fountain of Youth Stakes winner Greatest Honour, standing for $7,500. Multiple G1 winner Cyberknife is set to race in the G1 Pegasus World Cup in the coming weeks before retiring to Spendthrift Farm with a fee of $30,000. Visit Spendthrift Farm Aloha West at Mill Ridge Farm. Photo courtesy of Mill Ridge Farm Aloha West, winner of the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Sprint, joined fellow Breeders’ Cup winner Oscar Performance on the Mill Ridge Farm stallion roster, and will stand the 2023 season for a fee of $10,000. Visit Mill Ridge Farm Title Ready wins at Keeneland. Photo courtesy of Darby Dan Farm Darby Dan Farm added one new stallion for 2023, graded stakes winner Title Ready, who will stand for a private fee. Visit Darby Dan Farm Golden Pal at Coolmore Ashford Stud Coolmore at Ashford Stud is set to welcome five new stallions to their roster, including Breeders’ Cup winners, a Preakness Stakes winner and winners of other grade one races. Corniche, winner of the 2021 G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, will stand for a stud fee of $30,000, 2022 G1 Preakness Stakes winner Early Voting will stand for a fee of $25,000, G1 Travers Stakes winner and runner-up in the G1 Kentucky Derby and G1 Preakness Stakes Epicenter will stand for $45,000, two-time Breeders’ Cup winner (2020 G2 Juvenile Turf Sprint and 2021 G1 Turf Sprint) Golden Pal will stand for $30,000 and multiple G1 winner Jack Christopher will stand for $45,000. Learn more about Coolmore at Ashford Stud Idol at Taylor Made Farm Taylor Made Farm welcomed one new stallion for the 2023, G1 winner Idol, who is a full brother to leading three year old filly in 2022, Nest, and will stand for $10,000. Learn more about Taylor Made Farm Olympiad prior to finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland We last saw Olympiad finishing a gallant second to Flightline in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and now the G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup winner is readying to stand stud at Gainesway Farm for a $35,000 fee in the 2023 season. G1 Woody Stephens Stakes winner Drain The Clock will join the Gainesway roster as well, with a 2023 fee of $10,000. Learn more about Gainesway Farm Happy Saver prior to running in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland Airdrie Stud has three new additions to their roster in 2023, with two first year stallions and a seasoned sire who is moving from Florida to Kentucky. Happy Saver, winner of the G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, starts his breeding career at $12,500 in 2023, and graded stakes winner Highly Motivated, who stands for $7,500, will both begin their breeding careers in 2023, while leading first crop sire Girvin will stand his first Kentucky season for a $25,000 fee. Learn more about Airdrie Stud Interested in learning more about the Thoroughbred breeding business? Horse Country offers a variety of tours that focus on stallions, where guests are able to learn more about and meet these champions. About Horse Country, Inc. Based in Lexington, Ky, Horse Country is a not-for-profit membership organization that offers fans a behind-the-scenes look at the equine industry through tours of member farms, veterinary clinics and other equine attractions in Kentucky. Check out Horse Country on social media: Instagram @visithorsecountry Facebook @visithorsecountry and Twitter @kyhorsecountry. For more information: www.visithorsecountry.com.
Winter Guide to Horse Country December 7, 2022 Winter is upon us here in Central Kentucky and there are so many things to do and see in the Bluegrass! From holiday themed treats to Christmas lights, to tours of horse farms and distilleries, we compiled some of our favorite winter activities below. First things first – get out of the house and go on a Horse Country Tour! While winter in Kentucky requires a warm jacket, there’s little else you need to enjoy the holiday season with Horse Country. Bundle up and enjoy the sights of a horse farm tour, including some of our nursery farms, aftercare facilities and stallion stations. If you’re looking to stay indoors, Hallway Feeds and Hagyard Equine Medical Institute are offering tours that give a behind-the- scenes peek into their respective world-class operations in equine care. Whether you’re looking to get the kids out of the house this winter break or are looking to show off Kentucky to your visiting in-laws this holiday season, Horse Country has you covered. See below for some recommended itineraries: Kid-Friendly – Tour the Secretariat Center or Spy Coast Farm, and then visit the Kentucky Horse Park, ending with Southern Lights. Click here for the day trip itinerary. – Tour Godolphin’s Gainsborough Farm and then visit Downtown Midway for shopping and a bite to eat. Click here for the day trip itinerary. – Tour Mill Ridge Farm, and then head to the Summit for holiday shopping or gift card using! Click here for the day trip itinerary. – Stay cozy indoors with a tour of Hallway Feeds, then head down the road to shop and eat at Greyline Station. Click here for the day trip itinerary. – Learn about the life of a Thoroughbred before, during and after their racing career with a tour of Keeneland Racecourse, and then a tour of a nursery farm, either Mill Ridge Farm or Gainsborough Farm. Click here for the day trip itinerary. – Learn about the life of a Thoroughbred, both on the track and off of the track, when you pair a tour of Keeneland with a visit to New Vocations or the Secretariat Center. Click here for the day trip itinerary. Holidays with the In-Laws Head over to Versailles and enjoy some bays and Bourbon with tours at Gainsborough Farm and a distillery. Click here for the day trip itinerary.Enjoy a classically Kentucky day with tours at Keeneland Racecourse and Mill Ridge Farm, as well as lunch at Harry’s. Click here for the day trip itinerary. Learn about top tier equine veterinary care with a tour of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, and then head downtown to experience some of the best food and drinks Lexington has to offer. Click here for the day trip itinerary. While you’re in town, be sure to check out some of our other favorite things to do during the winter months in Central Kentucky. Go Ice Skating in Downtown Lexington Triangle Park in Downtown Lexington becomes a winter wonderland each year, with an ice skating ring and a beautifully decorated Christmas tree. Rent a pair of skates by the hour and enjoy ice skating in the heart of Lexington, then be sure to head to the distillery district for some Goodfella’s pizza and Crank and Boom ice cream for some grub after your time at the rink. View hours and more information regarding the Rink at Triangle Park here. Experience Southern Lights at the Kentucky Horse Park This time of year, the Kentucky Horse Park is not just home to equine attractions. Southern Lights is a three mile driving tour of spectacular lights, along with a Holiday Village where guests can venture through a petting zoo, ride a mini train, meet with Santa, shop at the Kentucky Horse Park gift shop and more. Be on the lookout for light displays celebrating Kentucky’s equine heritage! Learn more and purchase tickets to Southern Lights at the Kentucky Horse Park here. Enjoy Delicious Holiday Treats Lexington’s local food scene is great year-round, but during the holiday season our local restaurants, bakeries and coffee shops really step it up a notch. Some of our favorite bakeries and coffee shops include Futile Bakery (the cinnamon rolls are to die for!), Leestown Coffee House (holiday drinks include a gingerbread latte & more) and the Amsden Coffee Club in Versailles (holiday shopping + coffee, does it get much better?). Warm up with a Bourbon Tour After you spend some time outdoors on a horse farm tour, warm up inside on a distillery tour! Our friends at the Kentucky Bourbon Trail have tours available all winter at a variety of distilleries in Central Kentucky. Some of our nearby favorites include Four Roses Distillery (located just off of the Bluegrass Parkway in Lawrenceburg), Castle & Key Distillery (located just outside of Versailles in Frankfort), and Lexington Brewing Co., Barrel House Distilling Co., James E. Pepper Distillery and Bluegrass Distillers, all located in Lexington. Learn more and book a distillery tour through the Kentucky Bourbon Trail website. About Horse Country, Inc. Based in Lexington, Ky, Horse Country is a not-for-profit membership organization that offers fans a behind-the-scenes look at the equine industry through tours of member farms, veterinary clinics and other equine attractions in Kentucky. Check out Horse Country on social media: Instagram @visithorsecountry Facebook @visithorsecountry and Twitter @kyhorsecountry. For more information: www.visithorsecountry.com.
Giving Tuesday November 28, 2022 #GivingTuesday is celebrated each year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and, let’s be honest, after a weekend of indulgence. The day encourages us to donate to causes and organizations spreading good around the world, around the country, or even in your community. Since its inception in 2012, Giving Tuesday has become a worldwide movement that has raised critical funds for nonprofits across the globe. Horse Country is proud to recognize our four nonprofit members who provide care, facilitate retraining, and find lifelong homes for the horses in their barns. We encourage you to learn more about each of these organizations below, and if you feel so inclined, to support these organizations on this #GivingTuesday. Kentucky Equine Adoption Center The Kentucky Equine Adoption Center is the largest all-breed equine rescue in Kentucky, serving horses from a variety of breeds, ages and backgrounds. The Center rehabilitates and rehomes horses, ranging from trail horses and companion animals to high level dressage competitors, with a goal of finding the perfect adopter for each horse. Learn more about the Kentucky Equine Adoption Center here. Monetary donations to the Kentucky Equine Adoption Center can be made via the link below, and the Center is also seeking donations of winter blankets for their horses and the community. Donate to the Kentucky Equine Adoption Center here. New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program New Vocations is the nation’s largest racehorse adoption program, and focuses on rehabilitating, retraining and rehoming retired Standardbred and Thoroughbred racehorses. New Vocations has nine facilities across the country to retrain and rehome horses, with their main base located here in Lexington, Kentucky. Learn more about New Vocations here. In honor of New Vocations 30th anniversary, Breeders’ Cup-winning Thoroughbred owners D.J. Stable, LLC is generously matching all donations made to New Vocations, up to $30,000! Donate to New Vocations here. Secretariat Center The Secretariat Center provides education for former racehorses as a stepping stone to new careers after racing. The Secretariat Center typically has 10-20 Thoroughbreds in its training program, which can go on to a variety of careers including hunter/jumpers, dressage, trail riding, therapeutic riding and more. Donations to the Secretariat Center assist in the care and training of nearly 50 retired racehorses per year. Donate to the Secretariat Center here. Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation provides support for nearly 450 rescued and retired Thoroughbred racehorses in their care at TRF locations throughout the country, including the herd of 11 horses at TRF at Chestnut Hall in Prospect. This Giving Tuesday, TRF is fundraising to support the TRF Farrier Fund, which covers the cost of about three months of blacksmith visits for the horses in the TRF herd. Proper hoof care is vital to the wellbeing of horses, and this fund is incredibly important to the work that TRF does. Donate to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation Farrier Fund here.
Horse Country Holiday Gift Guide November 21, 2022 Looking for Christmas gift inspiration for the horse lover in your life? Lucky for you, our members have just what you need right in their gift shops. We’ve split up the list of gift ideas by… Die-hard horseracing enthusiasts Horse Country connoisseursPotential equine adopters Whatever category you identify with, we have just the thing for you and your shopping list. And don’t forget – a tour in Horse Country always makes for a lovely gift too! Lane’s End Farm Z Hat $22.95 For all the Zenyatta fans in the house – I mean who isn’t – Lane’s End has great gifts honoring the Hall of Fame mare, including hats and tees, like this eye catching option pictured here. Plus they have great Lane’s End branded gear too! Check out their online gift shop here. Interested in a tour? While Lane’s End isn’t offering public tours this winter…brrrrr… they do have some private availability and will be back in Spring 2023! You can book here. Breeders’ Cup 2022 Center Flightline Long Sleeve Tee $40 Breeders’ Cup’s online gift shop is a great spot for any fan of the World Championships. Their shop includes apparel, housewares and some high end gifts as well. Plus they have items from 2022 Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland on sale! Commemorate an incredible Breeders’ Cup Classic performance from Flightline with a purchase from the Breeders’ Cup shop here. Spendthrift Farm The Authentic Logo Windbreaker $65 Spendthrift has an incredible collection of Authentic gear including this snazzy pullover, a perfect outer layer for that biting winter wind. They also have a swoon worthy collection of apparel and housewares perfect for any horse lover’s holiday shopping list. Visit their online gift shop here. If you join for a tour a Spendthrift you can shop in their Visitors Center – book here! Tour tickets are required to shop in Visitors Center. Darley America Nyquist Beanie $35 Sport your favorite Darley stallion cap this holiday season. In particular, this stylish number will keep you cozy and it’s a perfect fit for 2016 Kentucky Derby winner, Nyquist, named for NHL player, Gustav Nyquist. Take a look at their online gift shop here. Godolphin will be hosting tours through the winter at their stallion station, Jonabell Farm, and their mare division, Gainsborough Farm. Get a hat with your favorite stallion’s name and then come visit him! Book here. WinStar Farm Women’s Quilted Jacket $75 WinStar Farm has a great selection of hats and apparel from their star studded stallion roster, but we just had to share this quilted jacket! It’s trendy and feels like part of a WinStar uniform – so if they’re your team, then kit up! Check out this jacket and more on their online gift shop here. WinStar also has a few tours available through the first week in December, you can visit their gift shop after your tour. Book here, and if you can’t visit this winter, mark your calendars for Spring 2023! Mill Ridge Farm Carrot Socks $20 Quickly becoming known across Horse Country and beyond for their iconic carrot couture, Mill Ridge has recently stocked up on these bad boys. These are a personal favorite of the Horse Country team and they’d make a great gift for any horse lover! Aside from these, Mill Ridge has a great offering of carrot adorned apparel and hats. Find your pick on their online website here. Or if you feel like feeding horses some real carrots before you buy your carrot themed apparel, visit Mill Ridge Farm this holiday season and make your purchase in person. Book here! Keeneland Win Place Show 8×10 Print Set $36 Keeneland’s gift shop is a thing of beauty – from apparel to home wares and everything in between! Honestly, it was hard to pick just one thing, but we do love this set of prints. Keeneland’s gift shop located on their grounds is open to the public and they also have Keeneland Mercantile located in downtown Lexington, or you can shop online here. Be sure to confirm their business hours before visiting! And Keeneland is hosting tours through this holiday season, book your tour here and be sure to stop by the gift shop after your tour. Visit Horse Country Jute Market Tote $25 From trips to the farmer’s markets to your upcoming beach vacation this wintery season – Horse Country’s tote bag will fit right in. It’s a beautifully structured jute bag with durable handles and the Horse Country logo imprinted on the front. Or check out our superstar tees or co-branded member hats this holiday season, you can find it all here. And if you’re think of gifting a tour this holiday season, you can find gift certificates here. Kentucky for Kentucky Horse Humping Socks $14 I know, I know… what’s with all the socks? Well, you know what they say, no hoof no horse and it all starts with a comfy pair of socks! Enter Kentucky for Kentucky’s attention grabbing pair, which well honor what helps make Central Kentucky the Horse Capital of the World, the Thoroughbred breeding industry. You can find these and some other fun Kentucky themed gifts on their online store here, or if you’re in town, be sure to check out their Fun Mall off Bryan Ave. Be ready for some fun, eclectic gifts and to be clear, we don’t recommend visiting their shop to the faint of heart! Here at Horse Country, several of our team members grew up on the back of a horse. While some of us have the ability to continue riding today, for those of us who can’t, we “window shop” on the social media channels of our sport horse and Thoroughbred aftercare members. In particular, Kentucky Equine Adoption Center, New Vocations, Secretariat Center, and on the fanciest end, Spy Coast Farm, all have horses available for purchase or adoption. If you’re in search of a new addition to your stable or just want to drool over their adoptable horses, we couldn’t recommend their social media channels enough! Please note if you are serious about purchasing or adopting a horse of any breed, skill level etc, we recommend extensive research and training beforehand. You must go through the members’ program and prerequisites to successfully purchase or adopt a horse. Also, our aftercare facilities, the Kentucky Equine Adoption Center, New Vocations, Secretariat Center and Thoroughbred Retirement Center at Chestnut Hall are all 501(c)3 non-profit organizations. A donation to any of them in pursuit of quality care for horses here in Central Kentucky would be a great gift! PLUS they all have a gift shop too – plenty of ways to gift this holiday season! www.kyeac.org www.horseadoption.com www.secretariatcenter.org www.spycoastfarm.com www.trfinc.org TRF at Chestnut Hall is also hosting a Holiday Designer Showcase from December 2nd through December 10th, tickets can be purchased online!
Horse Country Guide to Thanksgiving Weekend November 21, 2022 With Thanksgiving in just a few days, we have compiled a list of our favorite things to do during Thanksgiving weekend here in Horse Country. Visit a Horse Farm Enjoy the Kentucky fall air on a tour of a local horse farm! Touring a horse farm is a great way to spend time with family and friends. Our tour experiences are a great way for fans of all interest and experience levels to get a behind the scenes look at why Kentucky is known as the Horse Capital of the World. Depending on your tour choice, you might pet and/or feed horses, learn about the training process, see Kentucky Derby winning stallions and more. You can view all of our available tours by clicking here! To see what is available we recommend using the two filter buttons in the left hand corner to choose your preferred date and number of guests. Participate in the Thoroughbred Classic 5k Take time to participate in a well-loved local Thanksgiving tradition, the Thoroughbred Classic 5k at Keeneland! Enjoy the beautiful sights that Keeneland has to offer all while enjoying the cool fall air. To learn more about the Thoroughbred Classic, and get registered, click here. Go racing at Churchill Downs Stop by Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks, to watch some of their Fall Meet racing which runs until November 27th. With races starting at 1:00 p.m. throughout the meet, with the exception of Thanksgiving when races start at 11:30 a.m., you will have the opportunity to see Kentucky’s equine athletes at work! You can learn more about Churchill Downs and their racing on their website. Get some holiday shopping done early Check out one of the many shops & markets in the area to get ahead on your shopping list, especially this Small Business Saturday! These markets & shops are home to locally-made goods, so you can support local artists while picking up some great products. If you’re interested in merchandise from Horse Country and our members, be sure to check out our Horse Country gift guide here. Some of our favorite events or shops to check out: Beech Springs Christmas Market, Greyline Station and Downtown Versailles. Go ice skating in Triangle Park Take full advantage of the chilly weather by getting a cup of hot chocolate and taking a skate at Triangle Park! Ice skate through downtown Lexington and take in the sights, you may even see a few decorated horses on your skate. Learn more about ice skating in Triangle Park here!
Breeders’ Cup 2022 Recap November 8, 2022 After a whirlwind week of racing and festivities, the 2022 Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland Racecourse is in the books. 14 World Champions were crowned across the two day event, and a number of #HorseCountryConnections made it into the winner’s circle. Check out photos, recaps and race replays of each of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships races below. Breeders’ Cup Classic – Flightline The G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic was dominated by Flightline, a four year old colt by Tapit (standing at Gainesway Farm). Trained by John Sadler and ridden by Flavien Prat, Flightline rolled home with a 8 ¼ length victory to extend his unbeaten record. He retired to stud at Lane’s End Farm after the race. Visit Lane’s End Farm in Versailles, Kentucky. Watch Flightline win the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland. Breeders’ Cup Distaff – Malathaat The G1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff came down to a tight photo finish between three horses with Malathaat, with jockey John Velazques aboard, in first, Blue Stripe (ARG) in second and Clairiere in third. Malathaat is owned by Shadwell Stables and trained by Todd Pletcher. Both Malathaat and Clairiere are Stonestreet Farm homebreds, though Malathaat was consigned as a yearling by Denali Stud at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $1.05 million. Watch Malathaat win the G1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Keeneland. Breeders’ Cup Turf – Rebel’s Romance (IRE) The G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf was won by Rebel’s Romance (IRE), a four year old gelding owned and bred by Godolphin, LLC. The gelding is trained by Charlie Appleby and jockey James Doyle was aboard for his first Breeders’ Cup win. You can visit Godolphin’s North American headquarters at Jonabell Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. Watch Rebel’s Romance (IRE) win the G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland. Breeders’ Cup Mile – Modern Games (GB) Modern Games (GB) picked up his second Breeders’ Cup victory with his win in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile for owner/breeder Godolphin. William Buick was aboard for his second victory of the weekend, after teaming up with trainer Charlie Appleby for another victory in the Juvenile Turf Sprint on Friday. You can visit Godolphin’s North American headquarters at Jonabell Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. Watch Modern Games (GB) win the G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland. Breeders’ Cup Sprint – Elite Power Trainer Bill Mott notched his second Breeders’ Cup victory of the day in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint with Elite Power, owned by Juddmonte Farm and ridden by Irad Ortiz. The colt was consigned by Lane’s End Farm at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in 2019. You can visit both Lane’s End Farm in Versailles, Kentucky and Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky. Watch Elite Power win the G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland. Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf – Tuesday (IRE) Tuesday (IRE) gave the ownership group of Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg LTD their third victory of the weekend. The filly was ridden by Ryan Moore for trainer Aidan O’Brien and breeder Coolmore. You can visit the North American headquarters of Coolmore, Ashford Stud, in Versailles, Kentucky. Watch Tuesday (IRE) win the G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland. Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile – Cody’s Wish Arguably the most heartwarming story of Breeders’ Cup weekend was Cody’s Wish winning the G1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, with his namesake Cody Dorman there to cheer him on. The heartwarming story of this colt and his friend Cody is one you can’t miss. Cody’s Wish is trained by Bill Mott for owner/breeder Godolphin, and the colt was born at Gainsborough Farm.You can visit the birthplace of Cody’s Wish, Gainsborough Farm in Versailles, Kentucky. Watch Cody’s Wish win the G1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland. Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint – Caravel Caravel went wire to wire in winning the G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland under jockey Tyler Gaffalione, for owners Qatar Racing, Marc Detampel and Madaket Stables, LLC and trainer Brad Cox. Watch Caravel win the G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland. Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint – Goodnight Olive Goodnight Olive kicked off Breeders’ Cup Championship Saturday action with a win in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint under jockey Irad Ortiz. The filly is trained by Chad Brown for owners First Row Partners and Team Hanley, and she was bred by Stonestreet Farm. Watch Goodnight Olive win the G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Keeneland. Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf – Victoria Road (IRE) The G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf was won by Victoria Road (IRE) and close behind him was Silver Knott, a two year old colt owned by Godolphin, LLC. Victoria Road (IRE) was the first of three wins on the weekend for the trio of jockey Ryan Moore, trainer Aidan O’Brien and owners Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg LTD. Watch Victoria Road (IRE) win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland. Breeders Cup Juvenile – Forte The G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile was won by Forte, a two year old colt owned by Repole Stables and trained by Todd Pletcher, with Irad Ortiz aboard. Forte won the G1 Breeders’ Futurity Stakes at Keeneland in October, the same venue where he was sold as both a yearling and a weanling. You can visit Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky. Watch Forte win the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland. Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf – Meditate (IRE) The G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies was won by Meditate (IRE), a two year old filly ridden by Ryan Moore for trainer Aidan O’Brien and owners Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg LTD. Watch Meditate (IRE) win the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland. Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies – Wonder Wheel The G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies was won by Wonder Wheel, a two year old filly sired by Into Mischief, standing at stud at Spendthrift Farm, and bred by Three Chimneys Farm. She also won a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series race at Keeneland in October. She is trained by Mark Casse and Tyler Gaffalione was aboard for the fillies first Breeders’ Cup win. You can visit Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, Three Chimneys Farm in Versailles, Kentucky and Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky, Watch Wonder Wheel win the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland. Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint – Mischief Magic (IRE) The G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint was won by Mischief Magic (IRE), a two year old colt owned and bred by Godolphin, LLC. The colt is trained by Charlie Appleby, and jockey William Buick was aboard. You can visit Godolphin’s North American headquarters at Jonabell Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. Watch Mischief Magic (IRE) win the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland.
Career Bows: Future Horse Country Stallions in the Breeders’ Cup November 2, 2022 The Breeders’ Cup is the career finale for a few stallions that will be joining us here in Horse Country soon. Seven stallions are set for their final race in their respective Breeders’ Cup divisions, before heading off to local farms to stand at stud. Aloha West 2021 Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Aloha West was recently announced as an addition to Mill Ridge Farm’s stallion roster. The son of Hard Spun is entered in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint this Saturday, Nov. 5, and will retire to Mill Ridge Farm after he attempts to defend his Championship title. Cyberknife One of the leading horses from the first crop of top sire Gun Runner, Cyberknife will face off with G1 winner Cody’s Wish in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on Saturday, Nov. 5. After that race, the G1 Haskell Stakes winner will retire to Spendthrift Farm and begin stud duty in the 2023 breeding season. Golden Pal Golden Pal has been a dominant force on the turf since early in his career, and he is hoping to become the first male horse to win three Breeders’ Cup races in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint this Saturday, Nov. 5. After the World Championships, he will retire to stud alongside his sire Uncle Mo at Coolmore at Ashford Stud. Happy Saver Undefeated in his first five starts, Happy Saver has been a top older horse on the dirt since his victory in the 2020 G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes. The son of Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver will make his final start in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday, Nov. 5, before retiring to stallion duties at Airdrie Stud. Life is Good Life is Good indeed for the connections of this colt, who has won four grade one races thus far. A Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner already, he will contest the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday, Nov. 5 for owner/breeder WinStar Farm, who will also stand him as a stallion. Jackie’s Warrior Joining Cyberknife as the new stallions in the Spendthrift Farm stallion barn will be Jackie’s Warrior, a five time grade one winner. The colt will seek victory in his third Breeders’ Cup start in this Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Olympiad A graduate of the Gainesway consignment at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Olympiad’s career will come full circle when he retires to stud at Gainesway Farm after the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday, Nov. 5. Olympiad most recently won the G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes at Saratoga. Be sure to tune into the races and cheer for your favorites this weekend as the best of the best compete at Keeneland Racecourse!
Horse Country Connections: 2022 Breeders’ Cup November 2, 2022 The Breeders’ Cup World Championships returns to Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky on Nov. 4 & 5. We are thrilled to see the best Thoroughbreds in the world compete right here in the heart of Horse Country. Whether you’re attending the races or watching online, we’ve put together a list of the Horse Country Connections competing in the Breeders’ Cup. We’ll be cheering these horses and their connections on this weekend! Wondering when and where to watch the Breeders’ Cup? Future Stars Friday coverage runs from 2 – 6 p.m. ET on November 4th. Watch live on USA Network, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. Coverage resumes on Saturday, November 5th at 1 p.m. ET on USA Network, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app, before the coverage jumps to NBC and Peacock from 3:30-6 p.m. ET. If you’re in Lexington, be sure to check out the Breeders’ Cup watch party at Tandy Park in Downtown Lexington on Friday and Saturday. Who are the Horse Country Connections running in the Breeders’ Cup? Nearly 90 horses running in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships have connections to Horse Country members – through their breeder, owner, sire or a variety of other connections. Featured below are lists of the connections, broken down by race.
Breeders’ Cup Week Guide October 28, 2022 Lexington, Kentucky is set for its time to shine once again as the host site of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. This year a variety of events are being held around Lexington to showcase the many things that Kentucky has to offer. Check out some of our favorites – for travelers and locals alike! Go on a Horse Country Tour What better way to prepare for the races than to meet some of the past or future contenders? Here at Horse Country we offer tours of top stud farms, nurseries, veterinary clinics and more! These tours are great opportunities to learn more about Kentucky’s equine industry, and the many things that go into caring for and producing a quality horse. For those looking to meet past champions, we recommend one of our stud farm tours, as well as Gainsborough Farm and Mill Ridge Farm. More of a hands on, boop some noses kind of person? Our nursery farms and aftercare facilities are the best place to get up close and personal with horses. For the person who has seen it all, check out one of our equine care facilities (training center, racetrack, veterinary clinic and feed mill) and get the inside scoop on the many things that contribute to a healthy horse. Check out all of the available Breeders’ Cup week tours here, and be sure to utilize the filters to find the most up to date availability for your preferred date and time. Visit Keeneland Racecourse Keeneland Racecourse, home of the 2022 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, offers a couple of options for guests wanting to learn more about the event. Looking for an in-depth look at what it takes to host the World Championships of Thoroughbred horse racing? We recommend the Keeneland Breeders’ Cup Experience, a two hour tour that takes guests through the Clubhouse and Grandstand to watch morning workouts, visits the Rice Road barn area that is otherwise closed to the general public and closes with a visit to the Keeneland Library. Keeneland will be open to the public for morning workouts from approximately 5:30 – 10 a.m. each morning through Thursday, Nov. 3. Keep an eye out for Breeders’ Cup contenders by looking for horses with numbered saddle towels during morning training, the Breeders’ Cup app has an inclusive list of these saddle towels. The Keeneland Library is open Monday through Thursday of Breeders’ Cup week from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., allowing guests to view the storied history and archives housed in the library. A special exhibit showcasing the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland, and Central Kentucky connections to the Breeder’s Cup, is available to view through December. Celebrate with the Breeders’ Cup Festival Celebrate the return of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships to its birthplace, Central Kentucky, with an array of events around Lexington. The Post Position Draw will be held on Oct. 31 at Rupp Arena, with doors opening at 2 p.m. University of Kentucky Basketball Coach John Calipari will be joined by the UK marching band, cheerleaders and dance team to ensure guests get an authentic Rupp Arena experience. Kentucky’s native spirit will be celebrated throughout the Kentucky Bourbon Showcase at Greyline Station on Nov. 2 – Nov. 4. Taste a variety of Kentucky Bourbons and local food while enjoying musical entertainment and more. The historic Kentucky Theatre will honor the history of the horse on the big screen through HORSE, an Equine Film Festival. Seven films will be featured throughout the week, including box office hits like Secretariat and Dreamer, and documentary films like Jockey and Born to Rein that showcase the human and equine personalities that make the Thoroughbred industry unique. For a listing of all Breeders’ Cup Festival events, visit their website. Explore the Foodie Scene While Lexington has historically been known for its fast horses and quality Bourbon, the food scene has grown in recent years to one of the best in the region. Celebrate both the local and international flair of the Breeders’ Cup with the Feeders Cup, taking place across Lexington. Be sure to check out some of the newer restaurants on the Lexington food scene, including East End Tap and Table, Frank and Dino’s, and ItalX. More of a classics person – both in horse races and food? You can’t go wrong with Lockbox, Epping’s on Eastside, Keeneland Track Kitchen, Zim’s Cafe, and The Goose Lexington. About Horse Country, Inc. Based in Lexington, Ky, Horse Country is a not-for-profit membership organization that offers fans a behind-the-scenes look at the equine industry through tours of member farms, veterinary clinics and other equine attractions in Kentucky. Check out Horse Country on social media: Instagram @visithorsecountry Facebook @visithorsecountry and Twitter @kyhorsecountry. For more information: www.visithorsecountry.com.
Keeneland Fall Stars Stakes Recap October 11, 2022 Keeneland’s Fall Stars weekend was truly one for the books thanks to top class racing, perfect weather and scores of fans at the Lexington, Kentucky track. This year, the fall meet coincides with the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, set to be run at Keeneland on Nov. 4 – 5. The domestic Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series wrapped up over the weekend as well, with nine ‘Win and You’re In’ races taking place at Keeneland. Challenge Series provide an all-expenses paid berth into particular Breeders’ Cup races, depending on the division. Horse Country members were represented as breeders, stallion owners, consignors and more throughout this past weekend of racing. Learn more about the winners below! Wonder Wheel (sired by Into Mischief, Spendthrift Farm; co-bred by Three Chimneys Farm) wins the G1 Darley Alcibiades on Oct. 7 at Keeneland. Photo by Grace Clark/Horse Country. Grade One Stakes Races The first G1 race of the Keeneland Fall Meet, the G1 Darley Alcibiades, went to the favored Wonder Wheel. The daughter of Spendthrift Farm stallion Into Mischief led from wire to wire, fending off the strong-closing Chop Chop to win by a nose and secure her entry in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 4. Wonder Wheel was co-bred by Three Chimneys Farm, and sold at Keeneland as a yearling. Keeneland Graduate Forte proved his tenacity with a hard-fought win in the G1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity over the favored Loggins. The colt earned his place in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile with this victory at Keeneland. Three year old Annapolis sat just off of the pace before bounding home to win the G1 Coolmore Turf Mile by a length and a half. The colt secured his place in the Breeders’ Cup Mile on November 5 at Keeneland with the victory. 2021 Kentucky Oaks winner Malathaat notched her fifth grade one victory with a romp in the G1 Juddmonte Spinster on Sunday, Oct. 9. Favored in the field of five, she sat just off of the pace and exploded in the stretch to win by 5 ¼ lengths. The filly was bred by Stonestreet Farm (who owns and bred her dam, G1 winner Dreaming of Julia) and sold for $1.05 million at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale by Denali Stud. Her victory in the Spinster Stakes earned her a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff next month, a race she finished third in last year. Manny Wah (sired by Will Take Charge, Three Chimneys Farm) wins the G2 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes on Oct. 7 at Keeneland. Photo by Grace Clark/Horse Country. Grade Two Stakes Races The G2 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes, run at six furlongs on the dirt, is a ‘Win and You’re In’ Challenge Series race for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Run on Friday, Oct. 7 as the first stakes race of Fall Stars weekend, the Phoenix came down to a nail biting finish between two of the longest shots in the field. Manny Wah, a son of Three Chimneys Farm stallion Will Take Charge, prevailed by a neck over Long Range Toddy, a son of WinStar Farm stallion Take Charge Indy. Will Take Charge and Take Charge Indy are actually half brothers, who have the same dam in Take Charge Lady. The globe-trotting turf sprinter Golden Pal won his berth into the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on Saturday, Oct. 8 with a strong victory in the G2 Woodford Stakes. This was his second victory in the stakes, and his fourth victory at Keeneland. Golden Pal is a son of Coolmore America stallion Uncle Mo, and his damsire Midshipman stands at Darley’s Jonabell Farm. He will seek to win his third Breeders’ Cup championship race next month in the Turf Sprint, and could become the first male horse to ever win three Breeders’ Cup races. New Mexico-bred Slammed broke sharply and never looked back in the G2 Thoroughbred Club of America on Saturday, Oct. 7, drawing away to win by 6 ½ lengths. Her victory earned her a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on November 5 at Keeneland. Andthewinneris was the first winner for Mill Ridge Farm stallion Oscar Performance at the Keeneland Spring Meet, and the colt became the first stakes winner for his sire on Sunday, Oct. 9 with a victory in the G2 Bourbon Stakes. Sitting near the back of the pack, he came flying home to win by 2 ¾ lengths over Deer District, another son of Oscar Performance. The victory for Andthewinneris secured him a spot in the gate for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf on Nov. 4. Coolmore America stallion Mendelssohn was represented by his first stakes victory when Delight went wire to wire in the G2 JPMorgan Chase Jessamine. The filly cruised to a 5 length victory with her ears pricked as they crossed the wire. Delight’s victory earned her a berth to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, to be held over the Keeneland turf course on Nov. 4. Listed Stakes Private Creed, a son of Spendthrift Farm stallion Jimmy Creed, picked up his second consecutive stakes victory in the Indian Summer. The Keeneland September graduate posted a strong closing victory to win by ¾ of a length, and gain a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. The Keeneland Fall Meet continues through Nov. 5, when the track hosts the Breeders’ Cup World Championships as the culmination of their meet. Check out our Keeneland Meet Preview here, and our Guide to Fall in Horse Country for things to do when you’re in town for the races!
