Category Archives: Horse Racing

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

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.

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’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!

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. 

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!