Lexington, KY - Horse Capital of the World

Lexington has some wonderful events (I know, I’m a little biased); however, the Kentucky Travel Industry Association selects unbiased judges to award ten events quarterly as Kentucky’s Top Festivals and Events. For the spring, Lexington events won THREE of the TEN!!! Now do you believe me? Here are our three winning events: Blue Grass Trust Antiques and Garden Show, Keeneland Race Course, and Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event.

Blue Grass Trust Antiques and Garden Show
March 16-18. The Blue Grass Trust Antiques and Garden Show attracts more than 3,000 visitors from across the country. Over 50 antique exhibitors from 18 states showcase gardens, antiques and floral designs. Internationally acclaimed garden and antique experts, such as Charles Faudree and Carleton Varney, teach attendees about new concepts and methods for gardening and antiquing. More information: www.bgtantiquesandgardenshow.org or 859.253.0362.

Keeneland Race Course
April 6-27. Keeneland Race Course, a National Historic Landmark, opened to the public in 1936. It has become one of the nation’s leading Thoroughbred racetracks, attracting the best jockeys and horses every April. One of the stakes races, Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, serves as a prep race for the Kentucky Derby. More information: www.keeneland.com or 859.288.4250.

Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event
April 26 – 29. The only four-star, three-day event in the Americas, the 2012 Rolex Kentucky is a qualifying event for athletes to compete in the 2012 Olympics in London, England. One of the top sporting events in the world, the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event brings international attention to Lexington and the Bluegrass. The event also features an “International Trade Fair” with more than 125 booths and various exciting demonstrations. The event is broadcast live to 49 foreign countries around the world annually, and has appeared on NBC every year since 2004. Accompanied by the Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup since 2011, the reining cup is expected to draw horses and riders from across the globe for competition and is the only Five Star Reining competition in the world in 2012. More information: www.rk3de.org or 859.233.2362.

Bluegrass Flavors and Feel: 5/16/12

I like taking myself out to lunch. It provides a breathing space and time to think. Yet there is an art to making the solo diner feel at home, but a couple of new places are hitting the bull’s eye.

They are both downtown, yet with completely different feels, and menus that overlap enough to fit the contemporary genre, but dissimilar enough to reflect unique identities.

Rosetta is the white one. I mean white. The interior is cool as white linen, chairs are painted white as well, with shades and hues on the white spectrum created by light and shadow.

The focal point, however, hangs from the ceiling, a gigantic yet lovely orb shaped like the atom symbol, but instead of a ball, its center is an elaborate crystal chandelier. The contrast creates enormous grace. I stared at it before, during and after lunch. Simply transfixing.

Check out the image at Restoration Hardware:

http://www.restorationhardware.com/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod710181&categoryId=search

I had a nice little quiche with bacon and asparagus, served with a side salad and plump ripe strawberries and blueberries. A friend who is a committed foodist went to the preview party, though, and told me this:

“We enjoyed a tasting of lobster risotto (creamy, and very tasty), Makers Mark slider which was a chubby, high-quality, mini burger with sauteed onion (almost like a jam) on a fresh roll, quail egg on toasted French bread with “browned butter” that had shallot in the butter (it was my absolute favorite to look at as well as to eat,), olive bread (slice of baguette, topped with a butter/cheese/green & black olive mixture and toasted), pots de crème that were heavenly.”

Read more at Rosetta’s website:

http://rosettadining.com/

Meanwhile, Sabio at Dudley Square has another sensibility. It is airy and open, but not minimalist, rather rich with brick and shades of black and burnt orange.

http://www.sabiodudleysquare.com/

Their house salad with golden sesame vinaigrette and thinly sliced Asian pear is a study in simplicity, perfect portion and price control ($6). With a couple pieces of baguette and a split—yes, a split—of Chandon rosé for the ridiculously low tab of $7, there is no better way to amuse oneself for a two-hour lunch on a free afternoon.

BREEZE THE BLUEGRASS 5/9/12

Kentucky-born speedster, I’ll Have Another, has won the first jewel in the Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby. Now it’s time to keep an eye on the second jewel, the Preakness Stakes, on May 19.  The Preakness takes place at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, MD.  The third jewel of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, takes place in Elmont, New York on June 9. All the races will be filled with many of the best Kentucky-born and bred thoroughbreds.  

Learn about the Preakness Stakes here

Learn about the Belmont Stakes here

The 6th Annual Phase Three Event takes place on May 19-20 at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, in Harrodsburg.  Entry deadline is May 11.  This event is geared to the “soft-gaited horse.”  Examples of soft-gaited breeds are the Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse, Rocky Mountain Horse, Spotted Saddle Horse, Tennessee Walker, American Saddlebred, gaited Arabians and Paso Fino horses, and any cross that produces a horse with gaits. Many of the horse breeds that will be represented at the Three Phase Event have their national headquarters located at the Kentucky Horse Park:  American Saddlebred Horse Association, National Walking Horse Association, Paso Fino Horse Association and the Rocky Mountain Horse Association.  The Three Phase Event is based on the Three Day Event, which combines dressage, cross country jumping and stadium jumping. A Three Phase Event has a dressage contest, a stadium obstacle event (much like a Trail Class event) and a cross country “trail” course.  This competition gives the non-jumper an opportunity to show off their horsemanship, showmanship and versatility.  

Check out the Three Phase Event here

Spectators are welcome to visit the Shaker Village, located at 3501 Lexington Road in Harrodsburg. Admission to the horse show will be separate from admission to Shaker Village.  Shaker Village has several wonderful restaurants.  Should you choose to take in a great meal while there, reservations are strongly suggested!  I should add here that Shaker Village has an extensive, 33-mile horseback riding trail system and 15 miles of carriage trails.  Shaker Village does not offer guided trail rides, but you are welcome to bring your horse out to enjoy the scenery.  Overnight boarding is available, as well.  

The Three Phase Event will be in the West Lot area of Shaker Village, about 1 ½ mile past the entrance.  

Check out Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill here

Learn more about The Stable at Shaker Village here

Another event that takes place in the Bluegrass on May 20th is the 45th Annual High Hope Steeplechase.  The only Steeplechase in Kentucky, the High Hope is a charity event that benefits four different organizations: Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation, Central Kentucky Riding for Hope, The Secretariat Center and the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation.  This event takes place at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.  Admission is $25 PER CARLOAD and nets you a full day of horseracing steeplechase-style, terrier races, children’s activities and great shopping.  The day gets underway at 11:00am so pack a basket of goodies for tailgating then come out and enjoy the fun.

Get the High Hope details here

What, exactly, is a steeplechase?  Learn here

The Lexington Polo Club’s Unbridled Polo Series 2012 is underway at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. Enjoy the wonderful Spring weather we are experiencing in the Bluegrass and take in a polo match. 

Here is the Polo schedule

Ever think you might want to learn how to play polo? Lessons are available, both private and group sessions. 

Polo lesson information is here

Did you know that the University of Kentucky has it’s own collegiate polo team?   Their founder and coach is Kentucky Polo Association’s manager, Jorge Vasquez.  

Read more about the UK Polo team here

Enjoy your time in the Bluegrass!

-Julie