Horse Country

The following is part of our ongoing series, The Best Thing About Racing. Want to submit your own answer? Email [email protected] When speaking of a passion, it is a collection of things that contributes to the whole and feeds your passion. For me, the ingredient which makes racing so special is the connection people have through the horse. Likely, all of you who attend racing at the track have paused and smiled as you watch the crowd of children gather around the pony riders or outriders. The joy in these...

In October, 2015, to mark the first-ever Breeders' Cup held at Keeneland, the non-profit organization Horse Country was formed with an eye towards opening up the behind-the-scenes beauty of Central Kentucky's horse farms to the public. In the first five months of 2016, they sold 10,000 tickets, allowing people to visit a dozen farms, two veterinary clinics, and a feed company. Ten years later, the Breeders' Cup is back at Keeneland, and Horse Country has now accommodated a half-million people on their tours to 23 partner farms and companies. At...

Many Horse Country, Inc. tours offer an inside look at the breeding business, from prestigious stallion divisions to boutique foal nurseries, but the latest addition to the touring lineup highlights a unique aspect of the Thoroughbred industry. Double Dan Horsemanship in Midway, Kentucky showcases a world where elite equine performance and aftercare go hand in hand. Since 2008, founders Dan James and Dan Steers have captivated the performance horse world with their signature approach to Liberty horsemanship. In this discipline, horses are trained to perform intricate groundwork and crowd-pleasing tricks...

Celebrating 10 Years of Connecting People to the Horse Horse Country, Inc. will celebrate its 10th anniversary in October 2025. Our first tours across Horse Country were offered during the inaugural Breeders' Cup at Keeneland, which also saw the first-ever Grand Slam winner, American Pharoah. You may call that timing good luck, but in truth Horse Country's launch is the perfect example of what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Horse Country's story began with a call to action. In 2011, The Jockey Club's McKinsey Report revealed some concerning findings about...

Though Lexington, Kentucky is commonly known as the 'Horse Capital of the World,' serving as a central hub for the Thoroughbred industry, there are many who live in the area that have no knowledge of how multi-faceted the world of horse racing truly is. In an effort to bridge that gap, first-year trainees on the Godolphin Flying Start (GFS) course—currently based in Lexington—coordinated with leaders across the greater equine industry to host a "Thoroughbred Industry Day" for the Leadership Lexington group on Thursday, May 8. Spanning eleven months, Leadership Lexington...

Resolute Racing's John Stewart has sold 25% of the yearling full-brother to Mage (Good Magic) and Dornoch, and half-brother to Saturday's Kentucky Derby starter Baeza (McKinzie) to MyRacehorse, he told the TDN Friday evening. Stewart bought the dam of all three of those colts, Puca, as a post-sale purchase at the 2023 Keeneland November sale for $2.9 million in foal with this colt. At Resolute Racing, they refer to the yearling as "Preaky," a reference to the fact that Mage won the Derby, Dornoch won the Belmont Stakes, and the...

Horse Country, Ireland's premier immersive equine tourism experience, was launched at the Punchestown Festival on Wednesday. Supported by Fáilte Ireland, Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), Kildare and Tipperary County Councils, Horse Country offers 15 visitor experiences that immerse guests in the world of Thoroughbred horses, including access to the yards and training operations of Aidan O'Brien (Tipperary), Johnny Murtagh (Kildare) and Jessica Harrington (Kildare). These globally-recognised trainers are opening their yards exclusively to Horse Country visitors, offering behind-the-scenes access and opportunities to see the training regimes and facilities for the equine...

Have you ever fancied gaining an insight into how trainers like Jessica Harrington or Johnny Murtagh prepare their horses to win big-race riches all over the globe? Or perhaps you'd like to better understand the breeding industries and take a peek behind the scenes at some of the biggest stud farms in Ireland?  The recently-launched Horse Country, which is funded by Failte Ireland, Horse Racing Ireland and the Kildare and Tipperary County Councils, will offer such experiences to interested parties and its CEO Laura Magee spoke of her excitement about...

John Stewart's Resolute Racing has joined Horse Country and will begin offering tours of its Midway farm starting Mar. 25.   Tours of Resolute Racing will be offered three days a week through the spring and will include everything from the foaling barn to Resolute's efforts in aftercare. Notable broodmares residing at the farm include two-time Eclipse champion Goodnight Olive; Puca, the dam of GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage and GI Belmont Stakes Dornoch; Queen Caroline, the dam of Eclipse champion Forte; and Resolute's first Grade I winner Didia (Arg). Tours...

A Planning Commission Public Hearing is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 17, at 1:30 p.m. ET at City Hall in Lexington, Kentucky to discuss the completed draft of the Urban Growth Master Plan, according to a press release from the Fayette Alliance on Wednesday. Residents of Lexington-Fayette County are encouraged to provide public comment and input on the draft plan during this time. The Planning Commission will then reconvene on Thursday, October 31, at 1:30 p.m. ET at City Hall to review any proposed revisions and consider adoption as an element...

McPeek Racing at Magdalena Farm has joined Horse Country and will begin offering tours of its breeding and racing stable Sept. 4. Magdalena Farm is the Lexington base of trainer Kenny McPeek and tours of the farm will offer guests a unique opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at a leading racing stable and breeding farm. "It is incredibly exciting to welcome Kenny and his team at McPeek Racing to the Horse Country family," said Hallie Hardy, Executive Director of Horse Country. "Horse Country is dedicated to connecting guests to...

Celebrating 40 Years of the Breeders' Cup with Living Legends It wasn't so long ago that the magnificent sire Gone West held court at Mill Ridge Farm near Lexington. From 22 crops, all while at Mill Ridge, he netted a mouth-watering 9% black-type winners from starters, including Breeders' Cup winners Da Hoss (twice), Johar, and Speightstown, all back in the days when the Breeders' Cup was still a single day and there were far fewer races. The son of Mr. Prospector passed away in 2009, but his influence on the...