Lexington: The Horse Capital of the World
Lexington is the center of thoroughbred horse country - the Bluegrass region where horses have been bred and raced since before Kentucky was a state, where the farms spread across gentle hills of grass that appears blue in certain light. The horse industry is serious business: billions of dollars in sales at the Keeneland auctions, the breeding operations that produce Kentucky Derby winners, the culture that treats horses as more than investment. The city of 320,000 sits amid the farms, home to the University of Kentucky and its basketball obsession, connected to the bourbon distilleries that dot the surrounding counties. Lexington is horse country, bourbon country, basketball country - the heart of a Kentucky identity distinct from Louisville's urban character.
The Horses
The Bluegrass region's limestone soil produces calcium-rich water that strengthens horse bones - or so the theory goes. Whatever the reason, the thoroughbred industry concentrated here, the horse farms extending in every direction from Lexington. The names are legendary: Calumet, Claiborne, Three Chimneys, the farms that bred Secretariat, Seattle Slew, American Pharoah. The Keeneland auctions in September see horses sell for millions; the Keeneland races in April and October draw crowds who actually know horses. The Kentucky Horse Park provides education and entertainment. The horse industry employs thousands and shapes the region's identity entirely.
The Bourbon
The bourbon distilleries that ring Lexington are part of the larger Kentucky Bourbon Trail - Woodford Reserve, Four Roses, Wild Turkey, Buffalo Trace all within driving distance. The bourbon economy has boomed as whiskey became fashionable; the tours draw visitors who want to see where and how their drinks are made. The aging warehouses, called rickhouses, dot the landscape, the bourbon resting for years before bottling. The bourbon and horse industries share clientele: the kind of people who pay attention to bloodlines and barrels, who appreciate tradition and craftsmanship. Bourbon is what Kentucky drinks; the distilleries show why.
The Basketball
University of Kentucky basketball is Kentucky religion - the 'Big Blue Nation' that follows the Wildcats, the eight national championships that justify the obsession, the Rupp Arena crowds that pack 23,000 fans for every game. Kentucky recruits the nation's best high school players, sends them to the NBA after one year, and recruits again. The one-and-done culture is controversial but effective. The basketball defines UK's national identity; football and other sports are afterthoughts. Lexington during basketball season is Lexington at its most intense - the games on every TV, the outcomes discussed like elections.
The University
The University of Kentucky, beyond basketball, is the state's flagship institution - 30,000 students, the medical center that serves the region, the research programs that attract federal funding. The campus anchors Lexington's economy and culture. The student population keeps the city young; the medical employment keeps it stable. UK's presence distinguishes Lexington from purely horse-country character, providing the urban amenities that accompany major universities: restaurants, entertainment, the educated workforce that attracts employers. Lexington without UK would be a very different place.
Visiting Lexington
Lexington is served by Blue Grass Airport (LEX). The Kentucky Horse Park offers horse education and riding. Keeneland races run in April and October; the September sales are for industry but viewable. The bourbon trail requires driving - Woodford Reserve is 20 minutes south, Buffalo Trace 30 minutes north. Downtown Lexington offers restaurants and the historic courthouse. The Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, 25 miles south, preserves Shaker heritage. For basketball, Rupp Arena tickets are difficult; the atmosphere is worth the effort. The weather is four-season; spring and fall are best. Lexington rewards visitors who appreciate horses, bourbon, or basketball.
From the Air
Located at 38.04°N, 84.50°W in the Bluegrass region of central Kentucky. From altitude, Lexington appears as urban development surrounded by the distinctive pattern of horse farms - the white fences visible, the gentle hills of the Bluegrass visible, the bourbon distillery warehouses visible as clusters. What appears from altitude as Kentucky's second-largest city is the horse capital of the world - where thoroughbreds are bred and sold, where bourbon ages in warehouses, and where UK basketball is religion.