Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby Museum
Posted on 12. Oct, 2009 by admin in Places to visit
Located at Gate 1 of historic Churchill Downs, the Museum presents the traditions and excitement of the “greatest two minutes in sports.” Highlights include 2 floors of interactive, horse racing-related exhibits, a 360-degree high-definition video presentation and a walking tour of Churchill Downs. On the first Saturday in May, the sports world’s spotlight shines on Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby, known as the “Greatest Two Minutes in Sports.”
Kentucky Films
Posted on 12. Oct, 2009 by admin in Highlights
Kentucky has been been captured many times in the movies, on both the small and big screen.Most notably the scenes in Seabiscuit, the film about perhaps America’s most celebrated racehorse ever.
And don’t forget the Bond film, Goldfinger, where the baddies steal the gold from Fort Knox, Kentucky.
Fabled BBC traveller and ex-Python, Michael Palin, visited Burlington, Kentucky, in his classic documenatry Around the World in 80 Days.
In all, Kentucky has featured in 365 films, one for almost every day of the year. Here’s some of the more notable titles:
Elizabethtown
Demolition Man
Fahrenheit 9/11
How the West Was Won
Lost in Yonkers
The Asphalt Jungle
Horsing Around
Posted on 12. Oct, 2009 by admin in Featured
HORSING AROUND
Kentucky means horses! It hosts the “greatest two minutes in sport” – the fabled Kentucky Derby – when, each May 170,000 people don their finest clobber and flock to Churchill Down’s racecourse in Louisville to watch young throughbreds battle it out. (Even the Queen popped over for a flutter in 2007). Tickets are like gold dust but don’t fret, we can sort you some nuggets, we mean tickets, for the refined enclosure or the madness of the Inside Track.
If you can’t visit in May, no bother; Keeneland racetrack hosts races from April to October. And if the racecourse isn’t your thing, then visit a stud or horse farm. Lexington is the “horseracing capital of the world” with 450 horse farms and studs dotting the rolling bluegrass landscape. Take a guided tour on a farm or get up in the saddle and learn to ride.
For longer gallops, take a horse ride – guided or otherwise – through Kentucky’s sprawling national parks, all on mapped-out bridalways.
It’s all here, you just need to know when to say “giddy-up” and when to say “whoah”.
In September 2010, Kentucky will host the World Equestrian Games the largest ever sporting event held in the US. The Games are held every four years and are comprised of world championships in eight equestrian sports including Dressage, Driving, Endurance, Eventing, Jumping, Para Dressage, Reining and Vaulting.
Did you know?
The Kentucky Horse Park features as many as 53 different breeds of horses.