Kentucky

Adena Springs Farm in central Kentucky, comprised of 2,300 acres, 20 barns and over 250 stalls, has been listed at $55 million. Previously owned by Frank Stronach, the land was home to stallions such as Ghostzapper and Awesome Again for years. Icon Global and Justice Real Estate are handling the sale.

Midway University, through an article in the Lane Report, has announced that the Board of Trustees has approved an additional new degree program within the School of Business, Equine, and Sports Studies: a fully remote, and set to begin immediately, Bachelor of Science in Equine Business and Sales. Course work in the program will cover broad topics including equine anatomy and equine healthcare management, as well as courses focused on the marketing, legal, and financial aspects of buying and selling horses, regardless of breed. Students will also cover concepts focused...

House Bill 606, which would legalize sports betting in Kentucky, passed by a margin of 58 to 30 Friday in the Kentucky House and will now be sent to the Senate. The bill will also legalize fantasy sports and on-line poker. The revenue will be used to support the state pension fund. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Adam Koenig (R-Erlanger), a longtime supporter of sports betting in the Blue Grass State. Koening estimates that sports betting will generate at least $22.5 million in new state tax revenue each year....

Kentucky House Bill 607, which contains a provision to greatly benefit horseplayers by effectively eliminating breakage, was overwhelmingly approved Wednesday morning by a Kentucky House of Representatives committee. HB 607 also standardizes the tax rate on all pari-mutuel wagers placed in Kentucky and also makes claiming races eligible for Kentucky-bred purse subsidies. The bill must still be approved by the full House before being sent to the Senate. Representative Adam Koenig, whose district in Northern Kentucky is near Turfway Park, is a primary sponsor of the bill, which also has...

LEXINGTON, KY--The majority of the trophies that were stolen just over a month ago from trainer Wesley Ward's home in Versailles, Kentucky have been recovered. According to the Versailles Police Department's Assistant Chief Rob Young, one individual was charged with receiving stolen property and is now in custody. On the morning of Feb. 8, 2022, a thief walked off with 14 trophies, including many that Ward received from the Royal Ascot meet, but they did not take any other valuables from the home such as electronics and several other trophies...

Year after year, the thread of his horsemanship snags another big prize in the web of his many different interests. And this spring Gabriel Duignan is back on the GI Kentucky Derby trail—this time as breeder, his Springhouse Farm near Lexington having started Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah) along the road that has already taken in two of the big Californian trials, latterly the GII San Felipe S. at Santa Anita last weekend.  Before you ask: disappointingly, there's no real story behind the nickname. When he started as a kid at...

Edited Press Release Hallie Hardy has been named executive director of Horse Country, Inc., replacing Anne Sabatino Hardy (unrelated), who has led the nonprofit since its founding in 2015. "Horse Country is proud to announce Hallie as its new executive director," explained Gathan Borden, president of the Horse Country board of directors. "She brings not only a necessary skill set and diverse experience, but also sincere enthusiasm for the organization's mission and the desire to continue the growth of this critical fan development initiative. We are grateful to Anne and...

LEXINGTON, KY--Kentuckians across the Commonwealth woke up with a text on Saturday morning: 'Are you okay?' For most, it was an uneventful night aside from perhaps being awakened once or twice to the sound of high winds. But for some, unimaginable destruction and immeasurable damage occurred overnight as a catastrophic tornado hit western Kentucky. As of Friday, 77 Kentuckians have lost their lives due to a storm that is expected to have affected an estimated 227 miles, according to WLKY News. Bradley Boyd, a professional Quarter Horse trainer based in...

The concept of the super trainer is by no means a new phenomenon in horse racing, but the huge stables run by super trainers have undoubtedly changed the landscape of the sport in many ways, from the backside to the racing entries. Are super trainers bad for the sport?  Are there any benefits for an owner in using a "smaller" trainer? We asked these questions and more to a few trainers who may not be considered super trainers in terms of their stall numbers, but they have made the most...

Urban parks are well-loved destinations in America's most developed and highly-populated cities. Of course Central Park is the first that comes to mind, as well as perhaps Lincoln Park in Chicago or Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. These beautifully-designed pieces of landscape architecture serve as gathering places for the city's community and are often stopping points for those visiting a bustling metropolis. In a few years Lexington, Kentucky--with a population of less than 400,000--will get a state-of-the-art park of its own in the heart of downtown. Ground is set...

Conditioner Adolfo Macias has been suspended 90 days following the search of his barn at a Central Kentucky training center. The story was originally reported by the DRF based on a ruling issued by Kentucky stewards. Macias waived his right for a formal hearing on the suspension, which will begin Dec. 1 and run through Feb. 28. The search, which was conducted July 28, turned up "injectable medications, hypodermic syringes, and needles." The search took place about three weeks after the Macias-trained Enraged (Big Blue Kitten) won a maiden claimer...

In a meeting in Frankfort Friday, the Pari Mutuel Wagering Taxation Task Force, led by State Senator and majority floor leader Damon Thayer, outlined the advantages of allowing Kentucky-breds in claiming races to receive purse supplements. Claiming races currently are not eligible to have Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) supplements added to their purses. "You need claiming horses in order to provide the opportunities for allowance and stakes horses," said Rick Hiles, president of the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association (KHBPA). "It's time to acknowledge their important role and...