Full Celebration! Baby Thoroughbreds!

These are fresh newborn foals and yet they look like giants! Wonderful thoroughbred babies!

Full Celebration! Baby Thoroughbreds!

Namaste.

Full Celebration! Baby Thoroughbreds!

On my first morning in Kentucky, I took a beautiful drive through the countryside before my morning driving lessons. I stopped at the Thoroughbred Center. I visited a horse farm. I just entertained myself, driving in a countryside which had nothing but beautiful farms filled with beautiful horses. And I was driving along this country road in the middle of nowhere on Newton Pike beneath a road lined with an arbor of trees. I got lost, so I stopped for a moment to collect myself. And that's when I processed that this field was filled with happy mares and their new babies. So, I walked up to the fenceline to get a few photos!

Full Celebration! The Racehorse Trainer!

Okay, part of what was really great about the Thoroughbred Center tour was that Mike Cameron, a racehorse trainer, generously gave us some of his time and let us visit his barn at the facility. He was really a hoot. He talked about how the horses are supreme athletes, very competitive, and that's why they will bite you, strike you, kick you, etc. He was very clear that they are not pets. He told us great stories about racing and the fun of training. He said that horse racing is not for those "with short pants." And he said that he felt that any handicap horse in the country, including Better Talk Now, who I threw out in the mix, could beat any of the current crop of 20 three-year-0lds entered in the Derby. He said that older race horses were just better and faster and wiser. He told us that he didn't like that horses were retired to the shed so young, rather than proving that they are true longterm champions. And he told us something really cool about how you need to be BRAVE to be a Kentucky Derby winner, let alone a Triple Crown winner. He said that there are more people at Derby Day than the horse has probably ever seen and that if you sometimes see horses bobble coming around the far turn to home, it's because they suddenly hit that turn and see a WALL of people in the stands and a SEA of people in the infield and they hear a steady obliterating ROAR. It has to be scary for them,they need to be brave to want to win. He said that his favorite horse he ever trained could "run through a hole in the wind." I really liked this trainer, he was a super ambassador for the sport!

Full Celebration! TB Training Center Starting the Race!

Here are two exercise riders who took the time to stop and chat with us visitors and who let us pet their charges. And then they turned gracefully away from us and took off for a little friendly head-to-head racing!

Full Celebration! TB Training Center Light Hand Gallop

Here this young colt is being held on a firm hand by a young woman exercise rider. He is going for a light hand gallop!

Full Celebration! TB Training Center Morning Routine

Here are the baby racehorses, learning their trade and being goofy, fast, and young!

Full Celebration! TB Training Center Exerciser

Over the next few days, I'm going to be simply posting the different varieties of exercise riders I saw that morning. They varied in nationality, ethnicity, gender, clothing, demeanor. Some used racing saddles, some used small exercise saddles, some used western saddles. I really enjoyed watching them and wish I were visiting them again this morning!

Full Celebration! TB Training Center Art Work

Okay, here is a photo right next to the track at the Thoroughbred Center. I love this photo because it reminds me of paintings I've seen by impressionists of horses going to the track. They are beautiful creatures, so elegant and fleet.

Full Celebration! TB Training Center Farrier Statue

Okay, so here is a photo taken on Friday, April 24th, right outside of the Thoroughbred Training Center. In this statue, you see two hard-working gentleman, shoeing a thoroughbred. I think it's very nice that they honor farriers. I can tell you that the art of trimming and shoeing is very important and I sure value the farrier in my life. He keeps my horses trim and sound and I think he's exceptionally talented. I can tell you that people keep their farrier list close to their heart.

Lexington, Kentucky race tracks!

http://www.keeneland.com/

http://www.tattersallsredmile.com/

http://www.thethoroughbredcenter.com/