Page 72 - washington state wine

Woodford Reserve Distillery is the only
national historic distillery surrounded
by beautiful horse farms. Its tours are
quite interesting and its tastings are
even better.
Opposite top: Watch thoroughbred
horses train almost every morning
at Keeneland, one of the country’s
most beautiful race tracks that hasn’t
changed much since its opening in
1936.

Opposite bottom: First Vineyard out-
side Lexington is the site of America’s
first commercial vineyard. Thomas
Jefferson loved these wines, and in
another few years, the old grapes will
bring forth wines again.

The horse farms surrounding Lexington private guides to take them to about the Kentucky Oaks by 21 lengths, both
are simply gorgeous. The royal family of five famous horse farms. But a new in 2009. She is retired at Stonestreet,
Dubai owns four of them. Those rolling plan is in the works to open more than where you might be lucky enough to
green pastures of that fabled blue grass 30 farms to visitors through a central feed her a peppermint candy.
are home to about 450 horse farms, in- booking location. Called Horse Country,
cluding many of the most famous in this program should be up and running Drive out Old Frankfort Pike to see
the world: Calumet, whose history of soon and will offer fans inside looks at many of these historic horse farms,
Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown win- such fabled farms as Gainesway, Ash- complete with miles of white plank and
ners still holds the record; 1973 Triple ford, Lanes End, Stonestreet and more. stone fences; it’s considered one of the
Crown record-setting winner Secre- most beautiful drives in America.
tariat is buried at Claiborne Farm; and At Stonestreet, the late wine maker
American Pharaoh, 2015 Triple Crown Jess Jackson’s family’s horse farm, you It can lead you down McCracken Pike to
winner, will stand at Ashford Stud. could see 9-year-old Rachel Alexandra, a Woodford Reserve Distillery, a stunning
phenomenal horse, the first filly to win historic property that’s one of three na-
Currently, visitors to Lexington can hire the Preakness in 85 years who also won tional historic landmark bourbon distill-

72 Wine Dine & Travel Summer/Fall 2015