Tours Five Horse Farms where you can meet a Kentucky Derby Winner March 19, 2026 If you have ever wanted to meet a Kentucky Derby winner, look no further than these five farms in Kentucky’s Horse Country. While the Kentucky Derby is in Louisville, Lexington is home to Kentucky Derby winners. These farms offer tours of their stallion divisions where guests can see these equine stars in their retirement at stud, where they are producing the next generation of champions! Most stallion tours are hands-off experiences, though you’ll have the chance to take photos and admire these horses in their incredible surroundings. Airdrie Stud Airdrie Stud in Midway, Kentucky has a rich history of raising champion Thoroughbreds. Legends like Lexington, Preakness and more once called this storied land home. Today, the farm is home to two Kentucky Derby winners. Mystik Dan won the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby in a thrilling photo finish, and recently retired to stud duty at Airdrie. Mage, winner of the 2023 Run for the Roses, is in his second year at stud. Tours of Airdrie Stud are offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays, beginning in April through August. These tours offer an interactive experience with horses of all ages, and you might even get to feed a peppermint to a Kentucky Derby winner! Book a Tour Coolmore at Ashford Stud Coolmore at Ashford Stud is widely known as the Home of Champions, thanks to their stellar roster of stallions. That famed stallion roster is headlined by Justify, who won the 2018 Kentucky Derby on the way to his historic Triple Crown victory. Tours of Coolmore at Ashford Stud are offered on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 2:30 p.m. throughout the year. These tours include a stallion showing and a walk through the stallion barns at Ashford Stud. Book a Tour Darby Dan Farm Lexington’s Darby Dan Farm is exactly what you might imagine when you think of a classic Kentucky horse farm. The farm was even a filming location for Disney’s major motion picture, Secretariat! The farm is home to Country House, who wore the iconic blanket of roses in 2019. Country House has become a quality stallion, with stakes winning progeny early in his stallion career. Darby Dan Farm offers private experiences year-round. These tours are best for small groups looking for an intimate experience on a horse farm, where you’ll see stallions or mares and foals, depending on the time of year. Book a Tour Jonabell Farm Jonabell Farm in Lexington is home to two Kentucky Derby winners, and is home to the trophy of 2025 Kentucky Derby champion Sovereignty. When visiting Jonabell Farm, you’re most likely to see 2016 winner Nyquist and 2007 winner Street Sense enjoying time in their paddocks. You’ll hear about what these racing legends have in common aside from their Derby victory, and get a look at the impressive stallion division. While visiting Jonabell, be sure to snap a photo of Sovereignty’s 2025 Kentucky Derby trophy, the featured piece in their legendary trophy room. Tours of Jonabell Farm are offered Thursday through Sunday at 10 a.m. through October. Book a Tour Spendthrift Farm Spendthrift Farm in Lexington is the only place in the entire world where you can meet a Kentucky Derby winner and his sire. 2020 Kentucky Derby winner Authentic stands at stud alongside his sire, or father, Into Mischief. Spendthrift is known worldwide for its impact on Thoroughbred breeding and racing, and is home to mares, foals and stallions. Their state-of-the-art B. Wayne Hughes Visitors Center is a must-see for any fans of horse racing or history. Spendthrift Farm offers stallion tours at 12:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. These tours start at the Visitors Center before venturing to the stallion barns, where there will typically be a short stallion show before a walk through the barns. Book a Tour
