The Horse Lover's Guide to Kentucky

Where To Eat During WEG

2010-09-08T19:57:00Z

If your fall travel plans include a trip to the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, chances are you’ve already got a hotel room booked and tickets bought. But have you sat down and given thought to where you’re going to dine during your stay? Award-winning travel writer Patti Nickell shares some of her favorite bluegrass establishments, as told in her Horse Lover’s Guide to Kentucky.

Lexington
Atomic Café A little bit of the Caribbean in Lexington, with its wall murals, funky décor, tropical courtyard, tiki lights, reggae music, and drinks with paper umbrellas. The food, however, is anything but a cliché. Try the jerk chicken, conch fritters, and Cuban pork. 265 North Limestone. (859) 254-1969. www.atomiccafeky.com.

Buddy’s Bar & Grill Named for a beloved cocker spaniel, it is the ultimate comfort food spot, whether you’re in the mood for one of the daily omelet specials, fish and chips, a vegetable plate, or the double Buddy burger. 854 East High St. in Chevy Chase Village. (859) 335-1283. www.buddysbarandgrill.com.

Cheapside Bar & Grill The second-level patio bar (named Lexington’s best by a local magazine) is what you notice first. With its faux palm trees festooned with lights and splashy colors, it looks like a psychedelic dream from the ’60s that you never woke up from. The extensive menu, however, has all the usual choices — burgers, salads, wraps, and what they call “the social grazing items” — a shrimp bowl, giant stuffed pretzel, and white veggie pizza among others — that are meant to be shared. This place is always lively, especially when UK students are in town. 131 Cheapside. (859) 254-0046. www.cheapsidebarandgrill.com.

Malone’s Recognized as one of “America’s top 10 steakhouses,” Malone’s has three Lexington locations that offer the finest in USDA prime beef along with fresh vegetables, luscious desserts, and a Wine Spectator award-winning wine list. 3347 Tates Creek Rd. in the Landsdowne Shoppes. (859) 335-6500; 1920 Pleasant Ridge Dr. in Hamburg Pavilion. (859) 264-8023; and 3735 Palomar Centre Dr. in Palomar Center. (859) 977-2620. www.malonesrestaurant.com.

Furlong’s The owners are from Louisiana so specialties here are straight from the bayou. They offer Cajun dishes such as blackened frog legs over jambalaya, soft-shelled crabs, shrimp Creole, and shrimp and crawfish etoufée as well as more traditional fare. 735 East Main St. (859) 266-9000. www.furlongs.com.

Portofino Chic setting in a converted downtown warehouse with exposed walls, high-beamed ceilings, artwork, and a patio for summer dining. Excellent Italian fare, from the crispy fried ravioli with Angus beef and goat cheese to a variety of pastas and main dishes such as tenderloin cognac and lavender chicken. 249 East Main St. (859) 253-9300. www.portofinolexington.com.

Midway/Versailles (15 miles outside Lexington)
Heirloom Another of the culinary hot spots on Main Street. One dish that has received raves from Wendy Miller, food writer for the Herald-Leader, is the sautéed chicken livers, paired with rich and slightly tart lemon-ricotta ravioli, with a suggestion of garlic, basil, and crème fraiche. 125 Main St., Midway. (859) 846-5565. www.heirloommidway.com.

Wallace Station If restaurants, like cats, have nine lives, then Wallace Station has gone through four of them. Beginning as a train depot, then a post office and country store, it is now an upscale bakery and sandwich shop. Located near Midway in the midst of horse country, Wallace Station is owned by CIA-trained chef Jared Richardson and his wife Paige, who — in addition to their sandwiches, salads, and pastries (the best blueberry muffins ever) — do lots of fun stuff (fried chicken night every Monday and the occasional Friday night fish fry). 3854 Old Frankfort Pike. (859) 846-5161.

Bistro La Belle The restaurant, which opened in 1998, was instrumental in helping put Midway on the culinary map. It features locally grown or raised products such as pan fried organic liver from Pike Valley Farms, tossed with red onions, bacon, baby spinach, sweet mustard dressing, and topped with Capriole goat cheese, and cheese grits made with flour from nearby Weisenberger Mill. 121 Main St., Midway. (859) 846-4233. http://bistrolabelle.googlepages.com.

Frankfort (26 miles)
Serafini’s From its name you might expect this to be an Italian restaurant, and while they do have a few pasta dishes, the menu, for lack of a better description, is “just good old American food.” One dish they are known for--not surprising considering the proximity to the Executive Mansion--is the Governor’s Hot Brown. 243 West Broadway. (502) 875-5599.

Upcoming Horse Lover’s Events:
A Gift from the Desert: The Art, History and Culture of the Arabian Horse, International Museum of the Horse, Lexington: May 29-Oct 15
Old Friends Evening Tours, Georgetown: June 11-Oct. 30
Horse Mania, Lexington: July 15-Oct. 15
Turfway Park Fall Race Meet: Sept.9-Oct. 3
Henderson Bicentennial Celebration Horse Show, Henderson County fairgrounds: Sept 11
West Kentucky Horse Sale, Bowling Green: Sept. 12
Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Keeneland Race Course, Lexington: Sept. 12-26
Kentucky Bourbon Festival, Bardstown: Sept. 14-19
Asbury University Draft Animal Day, Wilmore: Sept. 18
The Georgetown Equine Expo, Georgetown: Sept 24-Oct. 10
Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington: Sept. 25-Oct.10
Alltech Fortnight Festival: Sept 25-Oct. 10
International Equestrian Festival, Lexington: Sept 25-Oct. 10

High Spirits

2010-09-01T19:50:00Z

Napa Valley might have the wine industry, but the Bluegrass has America’s only native spirit: Bourbon. Ninety-five percent of bourbon is produced in Kentucky, and, thus, numerous distilleries have popped up throughout the state over the years. From Jim Beam to Maker’s Mark to Woodford Reserve, all the major bourbon players are nestled along a scenic route that has been dubbed the “Kentucky Bourbon Trail.”

Named by National Geographic Traveler magazine as one of its “Drives of a Lifetime--the World’s Greatest Scenic Routes,” the trail can be picked up in Lexington, Frankfort, Louisville, or any of the Kentucky towns with a distillery. Locals and visitors alike tour the trail not just for its tastings, but also for the Kentucky experience of driving through rolling green hills, winding country roads, and historic towns. The roads to the distilleries are great pathways to see some of Kentucky's most beautiful horse country. Historic Bardstown, for instance, is considered the "Bourbon Capital of the World" and is home to four distilleries, a whiskey museum, and an annual six-day bourbon festival, which is just around the corner September 14-19.

Speaking of festivals, several equestrian-themed celebrations are planned to coincide with the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (less than a month away!). The International Equestrian Festival in downtown Lexington is sure to be a popular spot with horse lovers, as it features live horse demos, seminars, shopping, music, horse farm tours, and more. There's also the Georgetown Equine Expo right up the road from Lexington that will have a large trade fair, art displays, and nightly Western performances.

Upcoming Horse Lover’s Events:
A Gift from the Desert: The Art, History and Culture of the Arabian Horse, International Museum of the Horse, Lexington: May 29-Oct 15
Old Friends Evening Tours, Georgetown: June 11-Oct. 30
Horse Mania, Lexington: July 15-Oct. 15
United Mountain Horse World Grand Championship, Kentucky Equestrian Center, Winchester: Sept 6-11
Turfway Park Fall Race Meet: Sept.9-Oct. 3
Henderson Bicentennial Celebration Horse Show, Henderson County fairgrounds: Sept 11
West Kentucky Horse Sale, Bowling Green: Sept. 12
Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Keeneland Race Course, Lexington: Sept. 12-26
Kentucky Bourbon Festival, Bardstown: Sept. 14-19
Asbury University Draft Animal Day, Wilmore: Sept. 18
The Georgetown Equine Expo, Georgetown: Sept 24-Oct. 10
Alltech Fortnight Festival: Sept 25-Oct. 10
International Equestrian Festival, Lexington: Sept 25-Oct. 10
Team Challenge Horse Trials, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington: Oct 21

Old Friends (Equine) Retirement Home

2010-08-18T13:19:00Z

Sure, there are countless Thoroughbred and all-breed rescue and retirement facilities around the country, but Old Friends in Georgetown, Ky., has some particularly dignified retirees.

Motivated to action by the death of Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand by slaughter in 2002, founder Michael Blowen established Old Friends to provide one-time celebrated Thoroughbreds with the retirement they deserve after their racing and breeding careers are over.

Old Friends’ roster of retirees (several of them stallions, as the facility is one of the only of its kind to accept them) reads like a who’s who of Thoroughbreds past their prime. In the paddocks you might run into Awad, earner of $3.2 million during his racing career, or Eclipse award-winner Sunshine Forever. Or you might be greeted by Affirmed Success, one of the best sons of Triple Crown winner Affirmed, and a couple aging sons of Seattle Slew.

Patti Nickell writes in her Horse Lover’s Guide to Kentucky:

"Old Friends retirement home is similar to many others. Some of the senior citizens can occasionally get grumpy and out-of-sorts. All are past their physical prime--their knees have long since given way to arthritis, their once-muscular bodies show the ravages of age, and one has even lost an eye.

Still, like most of those living in retirement communities, these old-timers welcome visitors, but unlike most, they seem uninterested in long conversations, preferring instead to nibble on a carrot stick or a sugar cube the visitor might be inclined to offer.

The farm, 52 acres of rolling Bluegrass farmland just outside of Georgetown in Scott County, has become the nation’s first retirement community for Thoroughbreds, a safe haven where they can live out their lives once their racing and breeding careers are over. Started by Michael Blowen, a former movie critic for The Boston Globe and a passionate horse lover, and his wife, Diane White, a former Globe columnist, Old Friends is home to between 25 and 30 horses at any given time--some of whose careers were legendary and some whose careers proved to be less than stellar. It doesn’t matter to Blowen and White; to them, all Thoroughbreds deserve a happy home."

1841 Paynes Depot Rd., Georgetown. (502) 863-1775. www.oldfriendsequine.org. Free daily tours; reservations required.

Evening Tours at Old Friends in Kentucky
Old Friends in Kentucky is adding a 7:00 pm tour to its daily schedule for the summer. June 11 through October 30, visitors can meet retirees who are not normally included on daytime tours.

Left, a stallion greets visitors to Old Friends; above left, Michael Blowen visits with one of his charges. Steven Zunker photos.

Upcoming Horse Lover’s Events:
A Gift from the Desert: The Art, History and Culture of the Arabian Horse, International Museum of the Horse, Lexington: May 29-Oct 15
Ellis Park Race Meet, Henderson: July 10 – Labor Day
Old Friends Evening Tours, Georgetown: June 11-Oct. 30
Horse Mania, Lexington: July 15-Oct. 15
World’s Championship Horse Show, Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, Aug 22-28
Henderson Bicentennial Celebration Horse Show, Henderson County fairgrounds: Sept 11
West Kentucky Horse Sale, Bowling Green: Sept. 12
Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Keeneland Race Course, Lexington: Sept. 12-26
Asbury University Draft Animal Day, Wilmore: Sept. 18

Fiberglass Horses and River Gorges

2010-08-09T19:33:00Z

Horse Mania has hit the streets of Lexington in preparation for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG). Now through Oct. 15, nearly 150 vibrant, life-sized fiberglass horses and foals can be spotted turned-out around the city. Regional artists were selected for the opportunity to paint and decorate the statues, which are sponsored by numerous local businesses and organizations. A large portion of the horses were decorated by grade-school students and are part of Horse Mania’s companion project, Horse Play for Arts Education.

Some of the incredible equine works of art include a bourbon barrel horse, a crazy quilted horse, and the Keeneland experience horse – all uniquely Kentucky. Preview more painted ponies at horsemania2010.com.

A much more permanent famed Kentucky attraction is the Red River Gorge and Natural Bridge State Parks in Eastern Kentucky, about an hour-and-a-half drive from Lexington. Patti Nickell has this to say about the “Gorge” in her Horse Lover’s Guide to Kentucky:

"One of the most scenic areas in the state, it encompasses 29,000 acres of cliffs, rock shelters, caves, waterfalls, and mountain pools as well as some 100 natural arches, the largest concentration east of the Rocky Mountains. These beautiful arches, tortured into unique formations by millions of years of wind and water, are awe-inspiring, especially in the fall when they are softened by the brilliant colors of the forest.
Probably the best known (and most accessible) of the Gorge’s many attractions is Sky Bridge, from which you get an excellent view of the Clifty Wilderness. The section of the Red River that runs through the Clifty is the only river in Kentucky to be designated a National Wild and Scenic River.

The Gorge has hundreds of miles of official and unofficial hiking trails, ranging from easy (Angel Windows, Whistling Arch, and Chimney Top) to moderate (Double Arch, Silver Mine Arch) to rugged and extremely difficult (Sheltowee Trace, Raven’s Rock). These trails can provide enjoyment, whether you opt for a day hike or a backpacking trip into the interior. However, extreme caution should be taken as many of the trails parallel the rim of high cliffs and bluffs.

About 10 miles from the entrance to the Gorge is the entrance to Natural Bridge State Resort Park, one of the state’s most popular vacation destinations. If the flaming colors of fall best show off the Gorge’s spectacular beauty, spring is the season that best showcases Natural Bridge, with some 100 species of wildflowers blanketing the woods and trails.

Natural Bridge was one of the commonwealth’s original state parks, dating back to the late 19th century when a track built by the Kentucky Union Railway to ship lumber did double duty for a sightseeing train carrying those eager to see the dramatic landscape. Of course, the park’s main attraction is the sandstone formation from which it gets its name--accessible by a sky lift or a hiking trail, the three-quarter-mile Original Trail that begins at the park lodge and ends at the bridge. At 65 feet high and 78 feet long, Natural Bridge is the largest of the park’s arches, taking nearly 65 million years to be carved by the raging waters of the Red River."

2135 Natural Bridge Rd., Slade. www.parks.ky.gov; www.redrivergorge.org

Suzanne Dorman and Alexandra Beckstett photos

Upcoming Horse Lover’s Events:
A Gift from the Desert: The Art, History and Culture of the Arabian Horse, International Museum of the Horse, Lexington: May 29-Oct 15
Ellis Park Race Meet, Henderson: July 10 – Labor Day
Horse Mania, Lexington: July 15-Oct. 15
Large Animal Emergency Rescue Class, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington: Aug 19
Meadowlake Dressage Classic, Lancaster: Aug 21-22
USHJA Int’l Hunter Derby Finals, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington: Aug. 21-22
World’s Championship Horse Show, Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, Aug 22-28
Henderson Bicentennial Celebration Horse Show, Henderson County fairgrounds: Sept 11
Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Keeneland Race Course, Lexington: Sept. 12-26

The Horse Capital's Capitol

2010-08-03T20:22:00Z

Lexington is often dubbed the “Horse Capital of the World,” but Kentucky’s true capital lies 26 miles away in the city of Frankfort. This picturesque city is bisected by the Kentucky River and is home to the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History, Capitol City Museum, Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Buffalo Trace Distillery, and countless historic homes. Any visit, however, should include a stop at the state capitol complex and its grounds.

According to Patti Nickell, from her Horse Lover’s Guide to Kentucky:

“From its imposing location at the end of flower-lined Capitol Avenue to the beautiful floral clock on the premises to the elegant Beaux Arts style of the building itself, the Capitol complex is worth a visit.

Stand in the Capitol rotunda and gaze up 171 feet to the dome modeled after France’s Hotel des Invalides, the Paris burial place of Napoleon Bonaparte. The grand staircase also has a French flair, being modeled after that of the Paris Opera House. Other embellishments, however, are strictly Kentucky, from the bronze statues of Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Henry Clay, and other notable native sons to the colorful murals that depict such scenes as Daniel Boone getting his first look at Kentucky and the Treaty of Sycamore Shoals, which led to the purchase of land from the Cherokees.

You’ll want to see the House and Senate chambers (open to the public when the General Assembly is not in session) and the imposing state reception room (again with a French twist--inspired by Marie Antoinette’s drawing room at Versailles), but you also won’t want to miss the First Ladies in Miniature, a collection of dolls showcasing every first lady in her inaugural ball gown. Note: Phyllis George, then wife of former Governor John Y. Brown, might have been Miss America, but the real glamour girl among the first femmes was Ida Lee Willis, the 46th first lady in a slinky number that wasn’t exactly characteristic of the times."

Frankfort Restaurant Suggestion: Serafini’s. From its name you might expect this to be an Italian restaurant, and while they do have a few pasta dishes, the menu, for lack of a better description, is “just good old American food.” One dish they are known for--not surprising considering the proximity to the Executive Mansion--is the Governor’s Hot Brown. 243 West Broadway. (502) 875-5599

For those looking for their equestrian fix in the Louisville area, the World's Championship Horse Show is right around the corner, Aug. 22-28. This exciting and prestigious event, held annually in conjunction with the Kentucky State Fair, crowns world champion Saddlebreds in different divisions each year. The show attracts people from all across the country and the world, including nearly 2,000 horses competing for more than $1 million in awards.

Upcoming Horse Lover’s Events:
A Gift from the Desert: The Art, History and Culture of the Arabian Horse, International Museum of the Horse, Lexington: May 29-Oct 15
Ellis Park Race Meet, Henderson: July 10 – Labor Day
USEF Pony Finals, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington: Aug. 10-15
Ft. Harrod Trail Ride and Learn, Harrodsburg: Aug 14
Large Animal Emergency Rescue Class, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington: Aug 19
Meadowlake Dressage Classic, Lancaster: Aug 21-22
USHJA Int’l Hunter Derby Finals, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington: Aug. 21-22
World’s Championship Horse Show, Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, Aug 22-28
Henderson Bicentennial Celebration Horse Show, Henderson County fairgrounds: Sept 11

The Home of Horsepower

2010-07-20T13:41:00Z

Bowling Green, Ky., is home to a whole ‘lotta horsepower—but unlike its bluegrass counterparts, this beast runs on four wheels, rather than legs. Right off Interstate 65, the National Corvette Museum is hard to miss. The fun and flamboyant museum, hall of fame, and tourist attraction is a logical pit stop for car enthusiasts and Kentucky visitors alike.

Patti Nickell describes it best in her Horse Lover’s Guide to Kentucky:

"The vivid red and yellow structure visible from Interstate 65 in Bowling Green in the west central part of the state could be mistaken for a large yellow mushroom impaled on a red toothpick, or even a psychedelic spaceship come to roost. But the flamboyant architecture is only a warm-up for the flamboyant product on display inside.

If a generation of Americans fell in love with the country’s lost highways and the freedom to explore them after reading Jack Kerouac’s iconic book On the Road, they fell in love with the vehicle that would allow them to do so in style when the first Corvette rolled off the General Motors assembly line in 1953. If ever a car defined the romance and freedom of the open road, it was the Corvette.

The sporty little roadster, with its fish-like fins and rainbowhued colors, was the 20th-century version of the elegant carriage, only with more horsepower. The Corvette was America’s original sports car, the mechanized “King of the Road,” and since its opening in 1994 the National Corvette Museum has been its palace.

Within the museum’s 68,000 square feet are more than 70 Corvette models — including one of the first off the assembly line (sticker price: a whopping — at that time — $3,498), and the historic one millionth ‘Vette, the latter donated by Chevrolet, the car’s manufacturer.

Located only a quarter of a mile from the assembly plant where all Corvettes have been manufactured since 1981, the museum is a monument to kinder, gentler times when you could fill up your tank for $5, and the back roads of America offered a “Huck Finn on wheels” kind of adventure. The Corvette as a motorized “charger” (white or otherwise) may always have been something of an urban myth, as financially out of reach for most motoring “knights” as a Mercedes or a Rolls is to today’s driver, but as a myth it was a lot of fun. The museum, with its vast collection of Corvette-related photos, movies and videos, advertisements, and memorabilia, enhances both the mythology and the fun."

350 Corvette Dr., Bowling Green, off I-65. (270) 781-7973. www.corvettemuseum.com.

Upcoming Horse Lover’s Events
A Gift from the Desert: The Art, History and Culture of the Arabian Horse, International Museum of the Horse, Lexington: May 29-Oct 15
Ellis Park Race Meet, Henderson: July 10 – Labor Day
Breyerfest, Lexington: July 23 /
BLM Wild Horse Adoption, Lakeside Arena, Frankfort: July 23-24
Trail Ride in Hunt Country, Long Run Kennel, Simpsonville: July 24, Aug. 7
Mercer County Fair and Horse Show, Harrodsburg: July 26-31
Hall of Fame Reining Show, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington: July 28
Kentucky Summer Horse Show & North American Junior & Young Riders Championship, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington: July 28-Aug. 1
Equine Reproductive Symposium, University of Kentucky, Lexington: July 31
USEF Pony Finals, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington: Aug. 10-15
Large Animal Emergency Rescue Class, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington: Aug 19

A Different Breed of Races

2010-07-14T15:17:00Z

The Bluegrass is synonymous with Thoroughbred racing and breeding farms. But Kentucky is home to yet another legendary track better known for its trotters than its sprinters.

Lexington’s Red Mile—the second-oldest harness racing track in the United States—has played host to the elite of the Standardbred industry for nearly a century and a half. The aptly named Red Mile (the track is one mile in length with a surface of rich red clay) is the site of more world-record harness racintg performances than any other track. It’s also home to the third leg of trotting’s Triple Crown: the Kentucky Futurity.

A bit of Red Mile history courtesy of Patti Nickell’s Horse Lover’s Guide to Kentucky:

“It was just a few months after Aristides won the first Kentucky Derby that the Kentucky Trotting horse Breeders Association decided it was not to be outdone by its counterparts in the Thoroughbred industry. Thus, on September 28, 1875, the organization inaugurated its state-of-the-art facilities and was sorely disappointed when just a few diehards showed up to christen it. The reason was quickly discovered: The organizers had failed to advertise the grand opening. That was quickly remedied for the next race and The Red Mile became an instant success.

Recognized as the world’s fastest harness track, it has generated more two-minute-mile world champions and record holders than any other Standardbred track.

Visitors are often curious about the unusual Round Barn that dominates the entrance to the track. The octagonal structure, listed on the national Register of Historic Places, originally housed floral exhibits and later served as a barn, but is now used for private events. Another historic building adjacent to The Red Mile houses the sale pavilion of Tattersalls, the renowned international horse sales organization.”

The Red Mile also features the prestigious Junior League Horse Show and Quarter Horse racing in July before its annual Aug. 15 to Oct. 23 Standardbred race meet.

1200 Red Mile Rd., Lexington. 859/255-0752; www.theredmile.com. Photos courtesy Anne M. Eberhardt.

Upcoming Horse Lover’s Events
A Gift from the Desert: The Art, History and Culture of the Arabian Horse, International Museum of the Horse, Lexington: May 29-Oct 15
Ellis Park Race Meet, Henderson: July 10 – Labor Day
Red Mile Quarter Horse meet, Lexington: July 16-17
Breyerfest, Lexington: July 23
BLM Wild Horse Adoption, Lakeside Arena, Frankfort: July 23-24
Mercer County Fair and Horse Show, Harrodsburg: July 26-31
Hall of Fame Reining Show, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington: July 28
Kentucky Summer Horse Show & North American Junior & Young Riders Championship, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington: July 28-Aug. 1

Ellis Park Race Meet

2010-07-01T20:16:00Z

July 10 marks the opening day of charming Ellis Park's annual live race meet, which runs through Labor Day. The summer meet is highlighted not only by wonderful weather and good times, but also great racing: The Gardenia Stakes and the Claiming Crown are two of the featured race events. And for the 2010 edition of the meet, horses aren't the only animals racing to the finish. Fun fan events include camel, ostrich, and wiener dog races.

According to Patti Nickell, author of Horse Lover's Guide to Kentucky, “Its twin spires may not be as famous as those of Churchill Downs, but western Kentucky’s Ellis Park in Henderson has a history nearly as colorful. Built in 1922 by the Green River Jockey Club, which hoped to model it after New York’s famed Saratoga, the track began its existence with a design snafu and an opening race featuring the wrong breed of horse.

The owners, wanting it to be one of the nation’s longest tracks, specified the length to be one-and-a-half miles, but the architect submitted a plan that made it three-eighths of a mile shorter. As a result of a time crunch, the shorter track was approved. While always planned as a Thoroughbred track, Standardbreds, or trotting horses, were featured at the park’s opening meet in October 1922, and it wasn’t until a month later that the first Thoroughbred race was held.

Over its long history Ellis Park has seen its share of thrills and more than its share of hard times (financial woes leading to the founders’ bankruptcy, the 1937 flooding of the Ohio River that saw the waters reach the mezzanine level of the grandstand, and a November 2005 tornado that damaged the physical plant)." 3300 US Highway 41 N., Henderson. (270) 826-0608.

Upcoming Horse Lover’s Events:
A Gift from the Desert: The Art, History and Culture of the Arabian Horse, International Museum of the Horse, Lexington: May 29-Oct 15
Ellis Park Race Meet, Henderson: July 10 – Labor Day
Fasig-Tipton July selected yearling sales, Lexington: July 13-14
Red Mile Quarter Horse meet, Lexington: July 16-17
Breyerfest, Lexington: July 23 BLM Wild Horse Adoption, Lakeside Arena, Frankfort: July 23-24
Hall of Fame Reining Show, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington: July 28

Anne M. Eberhardt Photos

Fasig-Tipton Thoroughbred Sales

2010-07-01T19:24:00Z

Fasig-Tipton is one of the oldest Thoroughbred auction companies in the United States, but the sale for some of its youngest stock is right around the corner. The annual Fasig-Tipton July Selected Yearling Sales will be held July 13-14 in Lexington, so Horse Lover's Guide will take a closer look at the historic equine auction company and its spectacular sales facilities.
Founded In 1898, Fasig-Tipton was originally located in New York and sold high-class road and carriage horses in addition to Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing stock. During World War II, the auction company held its sale in Kentucky for the first time--under a tent at Keeneland Race Course of all places (ironic because Keeneland and Fasig are now rival Thoroughbred sales companies). Fasig-Tipton relocated to the bluegrass permanently in 1972 and has since been setting records in the Thoroughbred auction ring and selling catalogues of horses that read like a "Who's Who" of racing.
Notable Fasig-Tipton graduates include Seattle Slew, Genuine Risk, Unbridled, Silverbulletday, recent Derby winners Big Brown and Mine That Bird, and the highest-priced broodmare of all time, Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honour, who sold for $14-million in 2008.
With the purchase of Fasig-Tipton by Dubai-based Synergy Investments, Ltd. in 2008, the Lexington facilities have undergone incredible renovations, expansions, and cosmetic improvements. Take a detour down its manicured, tree-lined driveway off Newtown Pike, just miles from the Kentucky Horse Park, and you’ll see just how beautiful the sales pavilion and grounds really are. 2400 Newtown Pike, Lexington.

Restaurant Suggestion: If you happen to be in the Lexington area, an excellent summertime dining choice is Azur Restaurant, on the south side of town near the airport. The shady brick patio of this cool, stylish restaurant is a favorite during the warm months. The cuisine is as inventive as the décor, with a heavy emphasis on Kentucky produce. 3070 Lakecrest Cir. in Beaumont Center. (859) 296-1007.

Upcoming Horse Lover’s Events
A Gift from the Desert: The Art, History and Culture of the Arabian Horse, International Museum of the Horse, Lexington: May 29-Oct 15
Bluegrass Morgan Classic, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington: July 7
Miniature Horse Show, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington: July 9
Berea Craft Festival, Berea: July 9-11
Ellis Park Race Meet, Henderson: July 10 – Labor Day
Fasig-Tipton July selected yearling sales, Lexington: July 13-14
Red Mile Quarter Horse meet, Lexington: July 16-17
Breyerfest, Lexington: July 23
BLM Wild Horse Adoption, Lakeside Arena, Frankfort: July 23-24
Hall of Fame Reining Show, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington: July 28

Anne M. Eberhardt photos

Thoroughbred Royalty

2010-06-07T20:37:00Z

Darley at Jonabell Farm is Thoroughbred royalty in every sense of the word. Jonabell’s history dates back to 1946 when it was started by noted horse breeder John A. Bell III. During his tenure, the farm was home to several important stallions, most notably 1978 Triple Crown winner Affirmed.

In 2001 Bell sold the farm to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Dubai, who oversees a global breeding operation in six countries. Jonabell serves as the sheikh’s stallion operation; among the 15 stallions standing at stud on the farm are the 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense and his rival Hard Spun, Bernardini, and top American stallions Medaglia d'Oro (Rachel Alexandra's daddy) and Street Cry (Zenyatta's sire). Darley has the distinction of being the only farm with the sires of four Kentucky Derby winners standing at stud at the same time.

Darley at Jonabell also has a well-known neighbor on Bowman Mill Road in Mill Ridge Farm, the birthplace of Nicanor and Lentenor, full brothers to the late 2006 Kentucky Derby winner, Barbaro.

Another Lexington Thoroughbred nursery with Middle Eastern influence is Juddmonte Farm. Owner Prince Khalid Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, has been winning important stakes races from Southern California to New York as well as most of the major European races. He has set about creating a racing and breeding empire, with farms in England and Ireland, as well as the 2,500-acre Lexington property; and from an initial crop of just four yearlings, he has developed one of the world’s most successful Thoroughbred empires. Juddmonte’s four Eclipse Awards for outstanding breeder are second only to Adena Springs’ six.

3082 Walnut Hill Rd., Lexington. (859) 272-7629. www.juddmonte.com

3333 Bowman Mill Rd., Lexington. (859) 255-8537. www.darleyamerica.com. Anne M. Eberhardt photos.