Yearning for a close encounter with Kentucky’s beautiful and stately horses?  Every spring the Bluegrass State buzzes with equine happenings.   From the thrill of Thoroughbred racing to elegant eventing competitions and adorable foals, there’s no better place than Kentucky for horses.

Through Friday April 24, watch and wager as some of the world’s top Thoroughbreds thunder down the home stretch at Keeneland, one of the most beautiful racecourses in the nation.  Racing is daily except Mondays and Tuesdays but Keeneland provides memorable experiences beyond the sport of kings.  Open year-round, spring at the track is a spectacular event for horse aficionados and general spectators alike. Action begins early with pre-dawn workouts and “Breakfast with the Works” at the track kitchen.

Keeneland Thoroughbred Racing Spring Meet Keeneland Race Course 4201 Versailles Road, Lexington www.keeneland.com 859-259-3412

Horses and riders that compete in the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (April 23-26) are the best of the best.  Seeing these regal animals go through their paces is a wonder.   Rolex is the largest annual equine competition held at the Kentucky Horse Park, complete with an international trade fair that springs up near the eventing.  More than 175 merchants, sponsors and food vendors offer the chance to browse, buy and enjoy.

One of only six three-day events in the world, Rolex is ranked at the highest, four-star level with $250,000 in prize money up for grabs.  Dressage, show jumping and cross country will be featured in live Webcasts as well as a one-hour broadcast on NBC on Sunday May 3.  But nothing compares to being part of the live action at the park.

Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event Kentucky Horse Park 4089 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington www.rk3de.org  800-845-3959

At Louisville’s famous Churchill Downs, Thoroughbred racing opens April 25 and runs through July 5 (dark Mondays and Tuesdays).  Take in the thrills at this legendary racetrack, the home of the “Twin Spires.”   The famed “Run for the Roses” takes off on Saturday May 2, but the 135th Kentucky Oaks race for three-year old fillies, is in the pink on May 1.  The track is featuring events to raise funds and awareness for Susan G. Komen for the Cure.  America’s premiere race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds—the Kentucky Derby—typically draws 150,000 fans to the historic track.  This year Churchill introduces the new Infield Club both days, which offers all the excitement and energy of the infield but in a comfortable location in the grassy center of the 40 acre infield (tickets first come, first served).  Gates open at 8 a.m. and the first race is at 11 a.m. on both days.

Churchill Downs 2009 Spring Meet Churchill Downs 700 Central Avenue, Louisville www.churchilldowns.com  502 636-4400 www.kentuckyoaks.com/2009 www.kentuckyderby.com/2009/tickets/infield-club

For a different derby scene, visit the Kentucky Walking Horse Derby Classic in historic Harrodsburg.   The event is Friday and Saturday, May 1 and 2 at the Mercer County Fairgrounds beginning at 6 p.m.  The classic is sponsored by the Kentucky Walking and Racking Horse Trainer’s Association and proceeds benefit Central Kentucky Riding for Hope (www.ckrh.org).  Admission is charged but ages 6 & under get in free.

Derby Classic Walking Horse Show www.mercerfair.com or www.kywha.com/calendar.htm 859-734-2364 

A horse of a different pace involves carriages and drivers.  The Gayla Bluegrass Combined Driving Event is in Georgetown on Saturday and Sunday, May 15 and 16.  Saturday includes training, preliminary dressage and cones competition and on Sunday, there is a cross-country marathon with obstacles. The event attracts all breeds of horses and ponies and all types of modern carriages and carts. Admission charged.

Gayla Bluegrass Combined Driving Event Gayla Driving Center 3329 Cynthiana Road, Georgetown www.gayladrivingcenter.com  502-863-5113

The Kentucky Horse Park is the only park in the world devoted solely to the relationship between man and horse.  There’s no better place to see 35 different breeds and get inspired by daily events.  The park teems with attractions that show the beauty, history and importance of these superb creatures.  Just north of Lexington, the 1,200-acre park welcomes more than a million guests each year.   Mark your calendar for 2010 when the largest equine sporting event ever held in the U.S., the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, comes to the park.   (http://www.alltechfeigames.com).  The games are being held outside of Europe for the first time ever.

Kentucky Horse Park 4089 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington www.kyhorsepark.com  800-678-8813

 Lexington is rightly touted as the “Horse Capital of the World” and has great places to stay while exploring the spectacular horse farms in Central Kentucky.  Visit Kentucky Derby winners and other famous equine residents of the Bluegrass.  Several tour operators offer escorted visits to farms where Thoroughbreds graze in pristine pastures of bluegrass. For information about farms that welcome visitors, contact the Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau (www.visitlex.com, 859-233-7299/800-845-3959) or request a map by mail if you prefer to tour by car.

www.horsefarmtours.com  859-268-2906 or 3429  Horse Farm Tours Incorporated Bluegrass Tours & Charter www.bluegrasstours.com 859-233-2152

Visit pampered superstars at a retirement home (for horses) at Old Friends Retirement Farm in Georgetown. Old Friends hosts two to five tours daily.  Guests come to visit a few former racehorses but leave having been touched by the heart of a Thoroughbred hero.  Settle in for the night at the Old Friends Bed and Breakfast, surrounded by 52 acres of tranquil bluegrass countryside.

Old Friends Retirement Farm 1841 Paynes Depot Rd., Georgetown, KY, 40324 http://www.oldfriendsequine.org  502-863-1775

Bring your own—horse, to the Mammoth Cave Horse Camp, which opens the weekend of April 24-26.  Experience from horseback the scenic beauty that surrounds the largest explored cave system in the world.  Reservations for the grand opening include breakfast Saturday and Sunday mornings and dinner on Saturday night.  Be sure to bring your dancing boots to scoot to the music after dinner on Saturday

mammothcavehorsecamp.com Physical Address: 2578 Ollie Rd., Mammoth Cave, KY 42259 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1253, Mt. Washington, KY 40047 888-682-3958

Kentucky’s Unbridled Spring presents so many equine attractions for horsin’ around with horses.  Don’t let the season pass by without traveling to and around the Bluegrass State.  For more horsy ideas, event and attractions, log on to http://www.kytourism.com/horses/.

The Kentucky Department of Travel, an agency of the Tourism, Arts & Heritage Cabinet, promotes the Commonwealth as a travel destination to generate revenue and create jobs for Kentucky’s economy. For more Kentucky travel information, log on to www.KyTourism.com or call toll-free, 800-225-8747.