One of the perks of living in Lexington, Ky. is that you’re in the “Horse Capital of the World.” Yes, we know that Ocala, Fla., has that same tagline, and the surrounding area of Fort Worth, Texas, could even be considered that as well, so perhaps we should say the “Original Horse Capital of the World.”

The Stallion Barn at WinStar Farm

It might not be an area full of Quarter Horses, but we’re still talking equine royalty and equine millionaires. According to a study published by the Lane Report, a third of the United States’ Thoroughbred foal crop was born in Kentucky in 2010. Of those foals, a handful would go on to win races at tracks across the country—some small allowance races, some larger graded stakes races (i.e., the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Travers Stakes), and a select few will earn millions of dollars on the track and then turn around and make millions as sires and mares in the breeding shed.

Every November and January, Thoroughbred farms in Central Kentucky open their doors to the general public for their stallion open houses, held during the breeding season and all age sales at Keeneland Race Course and Sales Pavilion in Lexington. Mare owners looking to breed are able to get an up-close inspection of potential sires, and fans are able to see the horses that captured their hearts on the track, now standing just a few feet away.

Read more about my experience with WinStar Farm’s stallion open house on the EquineChronicle.com

Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver