Claiborne Farm

I went on a tour here after much convincing from my boyfriend, and I’m so glad I did! Beautiful grounds and the guides are super knowledgeable. They actually work on the farm, some of them for decades, and can answer any question you have about what happens there. I felt like I was touring a piece of history. A must if you’re in the area. There are only two tours per day, and you need to make an appointment. Oh, and it’s free but don’t forget to tip your guides!

I was born in the great month of May and My Old Kentucky Home is as ingrained in my early memories as Happy Birthday. I remember being thrilled as a kid by the likes of Seattle Slew, Affirmed, Alydar and Alysheeba; it has been a dream of a lifetime to visit the bluegrass state of Kentucky where the greatest stallions have been bred and raced for centuries.
My initial goal, however, was not Claiborne Farm but Land’s End to stop in and see Zenyata, perhaps the greatest filly ever. But I found out that Land’s End has a policy of not allowing lookie-​loos to see their mothers-​to-​be. I understood, if reluctantly.
As fate would have it, I stumbled upon a great alternative, however, and booked a tour of Claiborne Farm just north of Lexington. I believe it’s by arrangement only so be sure to call in advance. They run at 10 and 11 (and perhaps later) if demand allows. There’s no charge for the tour but please, people, tip your groom. It’s embarrassing to be led around this cathedral of horse breeding and then see guests slink back to their cars without offering anything to the guide. :(
We were treated to a hands-​on meeting of Blame, ironically the stallion who beat Zenyatta in the Breeder’s Cup Classic, her only loss. We also got to meet Pulpit, a feisty, active stud who seems to revel in attention.
Our groom guided us through the back barns and introduced us to sound breeding practices. There is a little romance still involved, but the details are not for the squeamish. But then again, you wouldn’t be visiting a horse breeding establishment if you didn’t know better.
It was fun asking questions from the intricate to the mundane («Why do they call it blue grass when it’s green?»). A lot of memorable moments get packed into an hour-​and-​a-​half that literally fly by.
Remember, this is the farm that was home to Secretariat, the greatest thoroughbred of them all. He’s even buried here, along with many other legends (fittingly the last stop on the tour.)
The next day we visited Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby. At the museum, I watched video replays of the races featuring some of the horses associated with Claiborne. It gave me chills, really, and I felt so much closer to the race than ever before. There was Swayle, who died at the tender age of three. And Pulpit, the very horse I had met at the barn! And of course Secretariat, who still holds the record for fastest Derby and Belmont.
When you go, keep in mind that the drive there is no small part of the experience. Meandering through blue-​grass country is comparable to wending the backroads of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. You want encounters with this great land. It reminds you of what’s great and enduring about America.
Claiborne Farm is certainly one of those things.