Horse Country Area

In the rolling hills of central Kentucky, you can find Horse Country, where horses are treated like the character-packed gems they are. You can see horses in all stages of life there, from breeding and raising young ones at Claiborne Farm to finding new homes and retiring at New Vocations and Old Friends. Trackside at the Depot offers lunch in a renovated railroad depot with bourbon-inspired decor, offering a double meaning to a well-liked activity in Kentucky.

Owned by the Hancock Family, Claiborne has been a leading Thoroughbred farm for four generations. By appointment only, their customary stallion tours are offered at 10 am and 11 am and run roughly an hour. The guided tour covers the breeding shed, where six out of thirteen Triple Crown winners were produced, meeting some of our current stallions, and the famed cemetery, where the great Secretariat's grave is marked by a simple tombstone (1973 Triple Crown winner and considered by many to be the greatest racehorse of all time). There are a few additional unique tours available all year long, such as the shuttle trip, which from April to October covers the broodmare and foaling division.

Otherwise, you can stop by a 136-acre Thoroughbred Retirement Farm to meet such sports legends as Kentucky Derby winner Silver Charm, Breeders' Cup Champions Alphabet Soup and Amazombie, and stakes winners Game On Dude and Ide. These champions coexist with scrappers like Fighting City Hall and Popcorn Deelites, whose sole claim to racing notoriety was their role as Seabiscuit in the movie.

Rating: 4.9 (68 Google reviews)

Address: 321 Merino St, Lexington, KY 40508, United States

Phone: +1 859-963-1004