The beautiful Darby Dan Farm embodies the tradition of thoroughbred breeding since 1935. Rolling…read moregreen hills with paddocks lined by white fences are a picture, so much so that the farm was used in the movie "Secretariat". Still in the hands of the family, it upholds the generational belief in the horse as a thing of value 56

If you ever get the chance, this is a beautiful place to see! Ryan gave us a great tour, took time…read moreto answer all our questions, and introduced us to Shackleford. Beautiful grounds, beautiful horses!!

If you drive through Lexington Kentucky it's likely you will eventually drive past The Castle. If…read moreyou're in Central Kentucky for any length of time you will hear about it sooner or later. My wife and I have driven past it for many years and always remark, "we ought to check that out one day." So today we did. It's very nice and is a full service hotel and features a dining room and bar on the ground floor. We ate at the restaurant today. It is very elegant but casual at the same time. The menu we saw was a brunch menu with breakfast and sandwiches for lunch. We had the breakfast with 2 eggs, sausage or bacon, biscuit and gravy or grits and toast all for $20. The server was a young man named Cooper and he was beyond excellent. The Castle hosts many special events, there's an outside rooftop pavilion area and permanent tent-style structures on the grounds as well. There's a nice pool for hotel guests as well. All in all a fun one of a kind stay or meal break is a must next time you're in the area.

Our group attended a less than 1 hour tour $30 per person on a Friday afternoon and were quickly…read moreshown a ballroom, hotel room, terrace, rooftop space, and outdoor fountain, entrance, and grounds. It was frenetic and rushed. It also felt like an extended sales pitch with the price list explained for each space we were shown and also slightly off-putting to hear $, $, $ during the tour. We did hear some interesting facts, but it was a rapid fire oratory that was sometimes difficult to comprehend due to delivery speed. (Imagine drinking water from a fire hose.) We were also a bit perplexed at the info provided about the popularity of the place for events, the cost of the building materials, and then viewing the property condition which was in a sad state. We started in the ballroom, which had large ceiling water stains and poorly patched areas and then proceeded to the main hall 1st and 2nd floors and viewed fleur de lis ceiling decals peeling from the surface as well as gaping holes. Finally, we were shown a hotel room that had a distinctive musty odor and then the top floor rooftop entertainment space with peeling and bulging stucco. The outside areas were equally unimpressive with poorly maintained landscaping with extensive sod replacement and burnt boxwoods, potholed asphalt, and exterior trim with peeling paint. We were told that the 3 chandeliers in the 2nd floor were $60,000 EACH, but that isn't what we noticed. (Including photos with my review demonstrating the peeling decorative decals and multiple holes in the surrounding ceiling.) We opted to leave following the tour after considering the on site restaurant's menu based on prices and offerings. We did peruse the gift shop and it had some interesting items. We had also considered returning in the future to attend a murder mystery dinner, but have decided this is a one-and-done experience. Hoping the investor group will consider a maintenance fund for the property.

I can't say enough good things about the second annual Horses & Hospitality event, sponsored by…read moreHorse Country. Last year all the participants gathered at Keeneland for fantastic food, networking, and learning opportunities, before venturing out to a variety of thoroughbred farms. Audra and I experienced the wonder that is Taylor Made, and although it wasn't my first farm tour, it was one I'll never forget. This year, COVID did away with the large group gathering, but the farm tours were able to take place as scheduled. The majority of farms are stud-centric, but - ironically - at Denali Stud you won't find any stallions or breeding sheds. More on that to come. Founded in 1990 by former New Jersey jockey Craig Bandoroff and his wife, Holly, Denali Stud is a 300-acre mare and foal property - i.e. a nursery - situated in picturesque Paris, KY. So what's with the name? I wondered the same. 'Denali' is a mountain range and Eskimo word meaning 'to aspire to greater heights,' and the word 'stud' is synonymous with 'farm' in Europe. Voila! The four barns, office, and other buildings on the property run almost completely on solar energy. Although the farm has produced many successful athletes, some of their most beloved clients date back to the humble beginnings of the farm. Craig, a passionate outdoorsman, has taken great care to curate a variety of trees around the property, carefully labeling many with their type and year planted. As he and his wife prepare for retirement in Lexington, their son and his wife have begun building their own residence on property. Our tour started at a large, centrally-located field full of mamas-to-be. And let me tell you, swollen bellies won't stop those ladies from stampeding toward you in pursuit of a peppermint and a good cheek scratching! From there we got to visit with mares and foals in an adjacent field, before venturing on to the foal bar - where the magic happens. Each stall was occupied by either a mare very close to (or past!) her due date, or a mother and new foal, and I mean NEW - a couple of the foals were only two days old! Pay close attention when you're walking through the barn, as you may recognize some high profile sires; I counted at least three babies by Tapit and one by Real Quiet. Another nearby barn houses some older foals with their mamas, and pregnant mares with less imminent due dates. While Denali Stud is the most recognizable farm in the family's portfolio, there are two others, both of which take their names from mountain ranges: K2, which is dedicated to maiden and barren mares, and Lotse, a 5-barn yearling division. Our guide was primarily Alexis - with additional input from Aly - and her knowledge of the industry, farm, animals, and many other business facets was really impressive. Passion and enthusiasm likes hers is what gets people excited about tourism, and I'm so glad Denali Stud participated in the event this year!

Horse Country provides access to thoroughbred farms and other related businesses to locals and…read moretourists alike who would not otherwise have the ability to experience them. This tour company has a variety of experiences to choose from at various prices and durations which can be booked online. Appointments are scheduled for you, but you must provide your own transportation. You will join other visitors while an individual from the farm walks you through the property, giving its history and showing some of the stallions that stand for breeding.

For several years, while driving on Old Frankfort Pike, I've admired the bluegrass horse track…read more.. never realizing who owned it or which farm it was actually on. No words can describe it's beauty so I won't even make an attempt at it. I've been to a lot of farms and this is by far the most gorgeous. While attending the 41st annual Kentucky Bash held at the tent area on the farm, I learned that the owners of Donamire allow Cardinal Hill to host the event on their beautiful farm as their donation. That makes me want to contribute to the Ball family all over again. I don't know if they give tours or not, but if you ever get the opportunity to attend an event here, do it! I sure would love to learn more about this beautiful part of the Bluegrass!

While I do not claim to royalty, except for a Yelp duchy hither, thither and yon plus I am the…read morebaron of the Southside, I can honestly lay claim to some actual blueblood, albeit watered down from this particular family of Bluegrass royalty. I've been to Donamire Farms twice in my life, both for family reunions, and it's a beautiful setting for such, where thoroughbreds run along fenced rolling Kentucky countryside, and swans float gracefully over placid waters. Horse barns, with interiors kept far more pristine than my boys' bedroom, dot the landscape. A guest house set a couple acres off the main house also lines the circuitous road that travels through the grounds. It, too, is as opulent as the main, albeit a bit smaller, but larger than any place I've ever stayed. It is all a very pleasant backdrop to seeing those I don't see often, likely not often enough.

We had a fantastic experience on the Unique Horse Farm Tour, and Jeff made it exceptional. He took…read moreus to KatieRich Farms, Margaux Farm, and Mareworth Farm, giving us an insider's look at Kentucky's Thoroughbred industry. His knowledge of horse racing, breeding, bloodlines, and farm operations was extensive, and he shared it in a way that was both informative and entertaining. Jeff was cordial, funny, and genuinely charming. He made everyone feel welcome, thoughtfully accommodated guests with mobility challenges, and made sure every person in the group had a wonderful experience. One of our favorite touches was that he brought peppermints so we could feed the horses, creating unforgettable moments. If you're looking for an authentic and memorable horse farm tour in Lexington, I highly recommend this experience. Jeff is an outstanding guide and a wonderful ambassador for Kentucky horse country. Five stars!

I took a horse farm tour with Shaun on November 9, 2025, and had a wonderful experience. Shaun was…read morepersonable, knowledgeable, and engaging throughout the tour. He provided an informative look at Lexington's horse farms and the thoroughbred industry. I would highly recommend Shaun and Unique Horse Farm Tours to anyone visiting the Lexington area.

The best quality feed around! Travis, the owner, is awesome and full of knowledge! If you need…read morebedding or food for your chickens, Happy Farmer has the best quality!

From the owner: When Travis Robinson, a farmer and chicken owner, saw how difficult it was to find high-quality…read morechicken feed in the Lexington area, he set out to change that. Starting with feed for just his chickens and a few customers, he is now providing chickens, feed, bedding, and heirloom tools to the community. Today, our team takes pride in our chickens, and in helping you raise happy, healthy birds. Whether you've been farming for years or just beginning your backyard chicken journey, we're happy to be here for you every step of the way.

What a great market in downtown Lexington! It has a great central location that is partially…read morecovered. The 5/3 pavilion is perfect for the farmers market. There was a great variety of items available; pastries, baked goods, meats, cheeses, milk, local beers and LOTS of vegetables. I loved how many vegetable stands there were. Pastry prices were a bit high across the board but the ones I purchased were good. There was even a small amount of local art available which I love to see at farmers markets. I assumed the market was contained to the pavilion but to my surprise I realized the market also lined portions of the streets and around the pavilion. If I lived here I would find it pretty easy to do the bulk of my protein and vegetable shopping here. I almost forgot the mention the plethora of flowers.. GORGEOUS flowers!

I'm so happy farmer's market is open again downtown instead of having to go to Greyline station…read more I went to go get flowers and just browse around. We got there around noon and there was so much to look at. I was drawn to the Dubai brownie but we had lunch right before walking to the market. At the flower table we stopped at I got three stems for 10.00. They do take cash or you can go to the farmer's market information table and buy tokens for your purchase. The fresh produce looked really good long with the baked items on several tables. There is a table that does handmade pasta that looked really good. Since I watch my carb intake sadly I past that table up they also had mini meatballs made with a mix of pork and beef. There was a variety of cheeses, wines, beer, some tee shirts, a food truck that had really interesting drinks and different flavored lemonade flavors. I love seeing all the dogs at the market and although we don't have a dog I thought about getting a cat backpack and taking our cat.