Meet racing royalty in Bluegrass country
Heads to Kentucky to marvel at an all-American legend
THE day may be overcast but American Pharoah’s reddish-brown coat still shimmers as he trots from his luxury stables and does what he does best – posing for selfies with a queue of adoring fans.
The six-year-old wonder horse is living out an amorous retirement at the Irish-owned Ashford Stud near Lexington, Kentucky, where he is pampered like, well, Egyptian royalty.
Holding a unique place in US sporting history means a few moments in his company comes at a sky-high price for the owners of in-season mares.
American Pharoah (the name is misspelled due to a mistake at registration) is the only horse to have won the Grand Slam of thoroughbred racing, sweeping to victory in the Triple Crown before taking the Breeders Cup Classic in 2015.
His stud fee is reportedly around $200,000 for each healthy foal, and he is available up to three times a day, seven days a week. In his first year, he became the proud father to 150 babies. Stamina is not an issue for Pharoah, a jewel in the crown of the Coolmore empire.
When I visit Lexington to see this legend of the racing world, the bay colt has just returned from his first tour of the Southern Hemisphere, fulfilling his duties in Australia with aplomb. There is no sign of jet-lag as Pharoah comes out to greet visitors at Behind the scenes at Buffalo Trace distillery the 2,000-acre Ashford Stud at Versailles, in the heart of bluegrass country outside Lexington.
Standing 16.1½ hands (1.66m), he poses for snaps for 20 minutes, untroubled by the clamour and the gentle “Oooo’s” and “Wooo’s” as fans get up close to a horse described as “the ultimate racing machine”. It is not hard to see why well-wishers send Pharoah cards, cakes and treats for his birthday.
Almost 40 stud farms and equine attractions are now open to the public in the Lexington area. Pre-booked tours of Ashford take place Monday to Friday and include a peek in the breeding shed, an eye-opening experience for visitors unfamiliar with the practice. Great care is taken to ensure mares and stallions do not come
to any harm. Just pity the poor “teaser” horses brought in as a warm-up act.
Ashford is part of a billion dollar industry and racing fans would be well advised to book a visit to Lexington to coincide with the action on the track at the beautiful Keeneland Race Course.
Keeneland hosts two race meets each year, in April (for the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes Race) and October. Horses train here every day except Christmas morning.
The Kentucky Horse Park, 11 miles from downtown Lexington, is celebrating its 40th anniversary and is a great place to learn about our relationship with the horse. A visit to the park includes entrance to the International Museum of the Horse, run with the Smithsonian Institute.
It is a great place for a family visit, as well as a must-see for racing enthusiasts, as the grounds are home to more than 100 horses representing a broad range of breeds, from the
Hall of Champions to the carriage horses, during the main summer season. There are fewer animals during the winter as on-loan animals return to their owners.
You will need, however, plenty of time to discover Lexington’s Bourbon Trail, a case of what to leave out, rather than what to do.
There is so much choice, from established, slick, and hugely educational distilleries such as Woodford Reserve and Buffalo Trace – the oldest continually operating distillery in the US – to the brave and bold enterprises founded by a new generation of whiskey pioneers.
There’s urban edge and character at Lexington’s reborn Distillery District, once home to two famous distilleries, James E Pepper and Old Tarr, before Prohibition burst the bourbon bubble. But the Pepper brand, born in 1780 during the American War of Independence, is back with a vengeance thanks to whiskey entrepreneur Amir Peay, who relaunched distilling at the historic property in December 2017.
Tastings are recommended. See if you can detect Pepper’s trademark mint, clove and eucalyptus notes thanks to plenty of rye.
To see another exciting bourbon story unfold, head to the boutique Castle & Key Distillery at Millville, about a 40-minute drive from Lexington. The owners acquired the dilapidated Old Taylor distillery (founded 1887) and are transforming it into a 21st century gem with the help of Marianne Eaves, the state’s first female master distiller since Prohibition.
This is a true labour of love. The first barrel of whiskey produced on the 113-acre site for 40 years was completed in November 2016 – and will not be ready for drinking until late 2020.
Marianne, a 31-year-old chemical engineering graduate, admits she is nervous about how the whiskey will taste. “If you have great ingredients, a good base distillate and good barrels, it should turn out well,” she says, smiling. Marianne’s enthusiasm, like Lexington, is infectious.