Private Kentucky Farm Tours
 

I'm going to Kentucky at the end of May this year and would love to tour some of the big farms. I hear the best way to see the farms is by hiring a private tour guide that can get you into farms that you might otherwise not be able to get into (I would LOVE to get a tour of Lanes End and I understand that they do not allow visitors during breeding season).

Can anyone here recommend a good local guide? Is there anything else that I need to make sure I don't miss during my trip? I'm going to try to stay a night at the Old Friends bed & breakfast (they give private tours if you stay there!) and I've got a friend that lives a half mile from Churchill so I'll be staying a couple nights there so I can get up early and see morning works... any advice is greatly appreciated!

Just call the farms.

i didn't hire anyone. just go to bloodhorse and click in the farm links for a start. you can email or call. most have days that they do tours-no need to pay anyone, but the hired help who takes you around sure won't snub a tip. have fun!

They must have some good whiskey tours too .

I took my first trip to Ky, the week before Thanksgiving and besides having a trainer call to get me up close and "personal" with Pleasantly Perfect, I just called and asked if the date I wanted to go was open. I have to say, that Vinery was the nicest!! Heck, I just drove down, and went into the stud barn and Chelokee was out getting measured and I hung around as they did that, then as they groomed him and pulled his mane.The grooms and I just talked horse for over an hour and I got to go in with Silver Train, who was the sweetest thing. Then I drove around the farm and got out and took pics of the babies and mares. Gainesway was cool, the stud barns are amazing. My friend didnt care for them, but I thought they were great and Analisa who took us around, in not pleasant weather couldnt have been nicer. They brought Alex and Corinthan out for us. One thing is, dont forget to bring cash to tip the grooms!! I did at the first farm, and felt bad, so after I went and found an atm and went back! Oh and bring plenty of mints and carrots! Can you tell I really enjoyed my trip!! :D

Andy is right, just call the farms. Amost all of them are happy to take you around. Three Chimney's for example doesn't give regular tours but if you call and set something up they are great. Ashford is always worth seeing just for the overall ambience of the place--and they have an overhead viewing room where you can watch breedings if you want.
If you have some favorite old mare that you want to visit usually that isn't a problem either...when I worked at Trackside there was one woman who came pretty regularly to see Lite Light, she had no affiliation with the mare other than as a fan.

tipping is a must though.

You should also make time to se some of the distilleries (sp?) Woodford Reserve is absolutely beautiful esp. in the spring....I don't even drink but I love to go have luch there on the deck.

Although i can't say what it will be like in May, my experience is that farms such as Lane's End, Three Chimneys and Claiborne have fairly regular tours (usually around 10 AM) each morning. Just call to get an "appointment." Most of the farms are very accommodating.

the only time you have difficulty scheduling for most farms is during breeding/foaling season and weaning. we went to three chimneys and claiborne, they were both fantastic.

great suggestion re: the lunch... although you can't drink there even if you wanted to, Woodford County is completely dry :D
(they do have some awesome bourbon candy balls though)

since when? there's about 5 liquor stores in versailles (including one that just opened next to Kroger)...the distillery did not have a vendors license to serve alcohol until last year....now they allow tasting on the tour.

KY has 49 dry counties but I don't believe Woodford is one of them. And even in most of the dry counties (Mercer for example where I live) they can serve by the glass, just not on sundays.

Shadwell was extremely accomodating and all of the employees are very nice and very happy to spend time with you. Tip them well because they deserve it and bring lots of food for Invasor, he's a total nut.

Juddmonte was really enjoyable as well and make sure you take a look at the trophies in the office. :)

hmm... you are correct. i must have been thinking of scott county, where on georgetown rd in georgetown there is a liquor store that says "last chance liquor" when you are leaving fayette and "first chance liquor" when entering. but i looked up dry counties and neither of them are on there. im confused :zz:

Don't go to Woodford on a Sunday unless you want to see the cattle and never get to try on the hat.

I know certain parts of Scott country are dry but I thought the whole county is....woodford country is NOT dry.

As for Farm tours like everyone said make sure to leave a tip and don't try to pop into Darley unexpectitly, they have a guarded gate and won't let you in.

Although Margaux does not have the superstar stallions that other Kentucky farms has they are extremely nice if you want to make a visit.

Scott County allows liquor to be served in certain restaurants with dinner. No packaged goods available.

"First Chance-Last Chance" liquors is the closest place <g>

If one googles "Horse Farm Tours" for Lexington, call them and ask them what farms they visit - they do get you into some farms that normally don't like to do general public tours, and they do give you a beautiful driving tour of the bluegrass (you get to sit and watch). So if you want someone to "do it for you" for a morning or afternoon, these are terrific.

Here's some reliable good ones:
http://bluegrasstours.com/
http://www.horsefarmtours.com/

http://www.seethechampions.com/

If you want to do it yourself, yes, simply call and ask, and if the farms can accomodate you they certainly try to :-) Three Chimneys is good, and Claiborn out in Paris is very fun to visit - they use the same breeding shed they always have ... and the graveyard (Secretariat, Bold Ruler, etc) is amazing for the influential horseflesh the farm has owned. Walking through the two old stud barns, with all the former occupants brass nameplates still on the doors - gives ya shivers - pretty cool.

PS e-mail me before you come if you want, Old Friends is just up the road from me, I'm always up to lunch or dinner with a fellow Dee Tee-er! <g>

Thanks everyone for your input, I believe I will just take myself around to the farms (and a few distillery tours ;) ). Special thanks to a fellow DTer who has connections at Lane's End and said he could get me in - AP Indy, Curlin and Lemon Drop Kid will be a real treat to see - thanks, drinks will be on me at Churchill that weekend!

I'm going to do three days and two nights in Bluegrass Country - hoping to stay at Old Friends B&B - would love some one-on-one time with Lava Man, he's every California claiming owners dream :{>: After some advice I got from folks here and friends from the track who have been to KY, I think I'll try to visit Three Chimneys, Gainesway, Lane's End, Airdrie, Stonewell, Shadwell and Hill 'n' Dale... maybe a couple others if I can fit them in but these ones all seem to be "must see" farms. I want to see Cigar but I hear that the Kentucky Horse Park isn't worth the price of admission if all you're really interested in is race horses - anyone here feel otherwise?

Riot, I'll take you up on the meal invite, I have no doubt you've got some great stories and I've found DTers to be nothing but great people. I'd love to meet up with any other DTers while I'm in town (I'll post again as I get closer to the trip) and if we meet up, the first drink is on me!

Thanks everyone for your words of wisdom, I do appreciate it!

try to get to claiborne, i enjoyed it. got to see my namesake. also very touching to go to the cemetary, where secretariat, swale, princequillo and others are interred. a lot of history there.

I went when I was a kid and got to see John Henry, Bold Forbes in all his hammy glory, and Forego among others. I thoroughly enjoyed it but it wasn't through the eyes of an adult so maybe it'd be like going back to your old elementary school and thinking how small it seemed. I wouldn't really get as into the Parade of Breeds I suppose.

Don't forget, Alysheba's there. Between him and Cigar it's probably worth it to me. Of course I don't know the actual ticket prices now. What are we talkin here? Is it 'boy there better be a rollercoaster and someone dressed up as Goofy for the price of this thing'?

Well, ticket prices are $15 for adults and yes, you get to see Cigar, Alysheba, De Hoss and Funny Cide... I guess it might be worth it for that :o

The Horse Park is great. Definitely hit it.