Lexington

Horse Country, who connects guests to tours that provide a behind-the-scenes look into Kentucky's equine industry, is forming a new partnership with leading national equine adoption program Second Stride, the organization said in a release late Friday afternoon. Tours of Second Stride will be offered six days a week, starting July 10, with both public and private options available. Guests will learn about the retraining and re-homing process and meet current trainees, as well as interact with the Thoroughbred ambassadors that reside at the farm. "We're thrilled to have Second...

A beloved father, grandfather, friend and horseman, Glenn Byron 'Gus' Bell passed away peacefully July 4 in the care of the Veteran's Administration Hospice in Lexington, Kentucky. With a sobriquet like the 'Working Agent' inscribed below his name on his business cards, Bell defined his craft and his outlook on life. He spent nearly a half century in the equine industry as a bloodstock agent based in the Bluegrass region. As a Lexington native, Bell was a graduate of Lafayette High School before heading out of state to Marshall University,...

Fasig-Tipton has catalogued an additional 39 entries to its July Selected Horses of Racing Age sale, the organization said in a release Friday. The auction will begin at 2 p.m. ET on Monday, July 10 in Lexington, Kentucky. The latest entries are catalogued as hips 598-636, which may now be viewed online. They include: Showgirl Lynne B (Constitution) (hip 598), Reflexivity (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) (hip 616), Nakatomi (Firing Line) (hip 617), Astonesthrowaway (Bustin Stones) (hip 618) and Devil's Bit (Daredevil) (hip 627). These entries will also be available...

Prominent owner/breeder Susan Moulton has made a $2-million donation to Town Branch Park in Lexington which will be used to fund the construction of a water play area named in honor of Moulton's son Will Naylor Smith, who passed away 16 years ago at the age of eight. Moulton, who for the last five years has been splitting her time between San Antonio, Texas, and her Versailles farm, has expressed an interest in becoming more involved in the community--especially with children. Town Branch Park is helping to transform acres of...

Officials at Keeneland have announced 18 supplemental entries to the April Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale to be held Sunday, Apr. 30 at 4 p.m. ET. Among the newest additions to the catalog are: Commandperformance (c, 4, Union Rags), runner-up in the 2021 GI Champagne S. whose GII Cotillion S-winning third dam Snit (Fit to Fight) produced Grade III victress Blind Date (Not For Love), from Highgate Sales; 3-year-old filly Goodbye Kyle (Summer Front), a good-looking debut winner going six furlongs on dirt at the Fair Grounds Mar. 5....

An unintended consequence of moving all of the final, 100-point, nine-furlong preps for the GI Kentucky Derby to four weeks out is that there is now nearly a full month without any meaningful (to the general public) action in the lead-up to America's most historic and important horse race. When viewed alongside other professional sports, which have significantly expanded their playoff structures in recent seasons to capitalize on the immediacy (and bettability) of wild-card  and play-in games with last-chance qualifying berths on the line, the lead-up to the Derby has...

In an effort to encourage students to enter equine practice upon graduation, the Opportunities in Equine Practice Seminar (OEPS) will hold a professional forum Sept. 1-3 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Lexington, Kentucky. After a ten-year hiatus, the event was re-established to address the emerging crisis of the diminishing number of graduating veterinary students entering equine practice. The seminar will host third-year veterinary students (Class of 2025) with presentations by practitioners in various disciplines. The estimated 200 attendees will be able to engage in interactive discussions with industry partners,...

Bloodstock agents Sean Feld and Chris Brothers have plenty of experience flipping horses in the sales ring, but this spring they're trying their hand at flipping burgers as they venture into the restaurant business. Last month they took over Charlie Brown's Restaurant and Lounge, a beloved dining staple in Lexington for decades. Feld and Brothers are longstanding regulars at Charlie Brown's. The cozy, pub-like spot has been in the hands of David Fuller for almost 40 years. When Fuller decided to retire this year, he passed it on to longtime...

This past year was a good one for the Breeders' Cup. Returning to Keeneland for the first time since the pandemic year of 2020, the event generated a global wagering total of $189.1 million, which set a record, 3.4% higher than the previous mark. The Breeders' Cup also produced big numbers when it came to the total economic impact for Keeneland, Lexington and the surrounding community. It was announced Friday that a survey conducted by University of Louisville Economics Professor Thomas E. Lambert, Ph.D., showed that the Breeders' Cup was...

The passing of Burt Bacharach last week evokes a couple of complementary tales that reflect instructively not only on the great man himself, but also on the different ways that different farms go about their business. Back in the early 1980s Bacharach was staying in downtown Lexington, having been driven down from a concert in Cincinnati the night before so that he could visit his mares and foals before flying on to his next show. Catherine Parke was still in her twenties, having barely established Valkyre Stud on a parcel...

Applications for the 2023 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America, are now open for submission, the Retired Racehorse Project announced Tuesday. The application period closes at 5:00 p.m. EST on Jan. 20. Accepted trainers will be announced no later than Feb. 15. Interested applicants can start the application process now by logging on to Retired Racehorse Project website. Entering its ninth year at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, horses and trainers will compete for more than $110,000 in total prize money, plus the coveted...

The Cross Gate Gallery, which has been based at 509 East Main Street in Lexington since the 1990s, will be relocating just a few blocks away to 431 Old Vine with an official grand opening set for Feb. 1. The gallery, which is best known for its equine-focused art collection, annually hosts the Sporting Art Auction at Keeneland. "We have been in a wonderful building for over 25 years," said Cross Gate Gallery owner Greg Ladd. "But we have a lot of artwork to show and simply need a more...