Lexington

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...

   For those who were unable to travel to Kentucky last year and attend the Keeneland sales, much has changed in downtown Lexington thanks in large part to the completion of the City Center. The residential, commercial and retail project has been in the works for years and was finally completed early in 2020. What was a hive of activity in its first few months of operation quickly became a desolate landscape with the onset of the pandemic. But today, as more and more travelers return to Lexington, the City...

Keeneland has completed construction of six new barns and other enhancements at The Thoroughbred Center (TTC), its 245-acre, year-round training facility on Paris Pike on the northeast side of Lexington. The six new barns contain a total of 240 stalls and feature: • Wider shedrows to accommodate safe winter training for horses housed year-round; • Interior and exterior wash stalls; • Dedicated interior feed rooms along with dedicated hay/bedding storage; • Office tack rooms for trainers; and • A stall layout design that maximizes lighting and airflow with spacious windows...

For a farm so steeped in heritage, and so properly respectful of it, there's no mistaking the vitality, the aversion to complacency, animating Mill Ridge with a sixth generation now at the reins. Back in April the Bell family grieved farm founder Alice Headley Chandler, a revered matriarch not just around their own hearth but among the whole Bluegrass community. But their loss, while poignantly refreshing their gratitude and sense of privilege, could only reinforce an engrained determination that her legacy be honored by all the ambition that had characterised...

Friends of jockey Declan Cannon are organizing an auction to raise funds for him while he is out of action following a spill Sept. 13 at Indiana Grand in which he fractured vertebrae. The fundraiser will take place this Friday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. at McCarthy's Irish bar in Lexington. "Declan is a very popular jockey from Ireland with a very young family. Obviously being out of action has severely cut down his income. He is expected to be out of action up to six months," said Hunter Valley...

On a sunny Friday in August, a vanload of a dozen wide-eyed tourists step onto Main Street in Midway, Kentucky. The picturesque town with a population of fewer than 2,000 is easy to miss passing through, but for travelers who do happen upon it, the charming community is one they'll soon be eager to revisit. "This is just a lovely town," said one woman from Kansas after touring Midway's historic downtown for the first time. "It's amazing how clean the storefronts are and how friendly all the owners are." "There's...

LEXINGTON, KY-The ongoing labor crisis in the Thoroughbred industry was the focal point of discussion at the Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers' Club's monthly meeting, which was held on Tuesday and brought in a large audience for a discussion on the talk. A panel of five industry participants and educators was on hand to give their perspective on the history of the issue and how the situation has worsened over time. They also spoke on projects currently in the works that have potential to bring in skilled labor and shared their...

The 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale is just around the corner and soon, buyers from around the globe will be scouring the expansive sales grounds in search of their next star. Such intense scrutiny of the thousands of impressive yearlings at the annual auction is sure to work up an appetite, and thankfully the culinary scene in Lexington is vibrant with a diverse group of restaurants that can appeal to any palate. For many visitors, it will be their first time in town in two years, so we paid a...

By Christie DeBernardis & Christina Bossinakis LEXINGTON, KY--There was plenty of buzz at Newtown Paddocks Monday with a lively day of trade for Fasig-Tipton's July Breeding Stock and Horses of Racing Age Sales. The popular Horses of Racing Age Sale was back for its ninth straight year and there was plenty of demand for promising or accomplished runners. Stakes winner Front Run the Fed (Fed Biz) topped the auction, selling to George Sharp for $440,000 off a third-place finish in the GIII Poker S. The second highest-priced horses was recent...

The 2021 yearling season kicks off with Fasig-Tipton's July Sale Tuesday at the Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Kentucky. With just under 350 yearlings cataloged for the single-session auction, the July sale, which had swelled to as many as 550-600 horses over a decade ago, appears to have found its sweet spot--both in volume and the type of offerings--in recent times. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the July Sale was cancelled last season, with the horses merged into the re-routed Saratoga Select and NY-bred sales held in Kentucky in September. "It...

Tickets are on sale for EQUITANA USA, scheduled for Oct. 1-3 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. The event hosts equestrian professionals and enthusiasts of all riding levels, ages, disciplines and breeds. Each session will feature education, entertainment and a trade fair featuring riding equipment and apparel, horse care supplies, gifts, etc. For more information, visit www.equitanausa.com.

Fasig-Tipton has cataloged a total of 348 yearlings for The July Sale, to be held at the auction house's Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Kentucky, in a single session Tuesday, July 13. The catalog is available for viewing online. The front cover for the 2021 edition, which is back in its normal position on the calendar after being pushed back to September last year, is adorned with Grade I graduates of The July Sale, including Derby City Distaff heroine Bell's The One (Majesticperfection), recent GI Madison S. winner Kimari (Munnings) and...