Historical Marker # 2 in Fayette County remembers the 1825 visit the Marquis de Lafayette made to the estate of Major John Keen (the extra "e" was added later), who had served with the Frenchman in the Revolutionary War. Keeneland,…

Historical Marker #1820 in Louisville notes the location of Woodlawn Race Course, sometimes referred to as the "Saratoga of the West." It was a track of major importance during the 1860s. Organized competitive horse racing in Kentucky…

Historical Marker #1470 in Fayette County notes the many achievements of Wing Commander, a saddle horse who went undefeated in competition for seven years and won more than two hundred championships. When one thinks of Kentucky horses,…

Historical Marker #1475 in Jeffersontown notes the history of recognized jockey and horse trainer Roscoe Goose, who won the 1913 Kentucky Derby riding Donerail. Kentucky is known for producing the horses that win high-stakes races, but in…

Historical Marker #2143 in Greenup County notes the location of Raceland, a horse racing track that was known as the "Million Dollar Oval." In 1922, plans were made to establish a horse racing track near Ashland, Kentucky. Property was…

Historical Markers #1215 and #1635 in Lexington note the many accomplishments of Man-O-War, considered by many to be the greatest thoroughbred ever. In a state where horses have the tendency to become legends, no horse has drawn more historical…

Historical Marker #1992 in Louisville notes the location of the Louisville Cemetery, which was founded by prominent African American citizens in 1886. The Louisville Cemetery, near Germantown, holds the remains of many notable individuals from…

Historical Marker #2285 in Lexington notes the famous thoroughbred named for that Kentucky city. Kentucky has long been associated with horse racing in the United States, and the city of Lexington and the farms surrounding it have produced some…

Historical Marker #1853 in Covington notes the historical significance of Latonia Race Track, which sponsored the Latonia Derby for many years. Horseracing, along with baseball, were two of America's favorite spectator sports in the last half…

Historical Marker #6 in Lexington notes the location of the first straight quarter-mile horse racing course in Kentucky, which was established years before statehood. Kentucky was the first state settled west of the Appalachian Mountains. Many…

Historical Marker #2336 in Louisville notes the location of Douglas Park Racetrack, which operated from 1895 to 1958. Horse racing flourished as a sport in late nineteenth-century America. Nowhere was that more apparent than in Kentucky. …

Historical Marker #166 in Fayette County notes the location of Coldstream Farm, which was originally part of Henry Price McGrath’s farm. McGrath was the owner of the famous race horse Aristides. Henry Price McGrath was born near Keene in…

Historical Markers #1885 and #2255 in Louisville note the location of Churchill Downs, the racetrack of the "Run for the Roses," the famous Kentucky Derby. Churchill Downs began when track founder Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr., the…

Historical Marker #2040 in Louisville notes the location of Bashford Manor, a residence of J. B. Wilder, and, later, noted horse racing stable of George J. Long. Named for an ancestral home in Maryland, James Bennett Wilder had Bashford Manor…

Historical Marker #1295 in Harrodsburg notes the Mercer County origins of two Kentucky Derby winners: Leonatus in 1883 and George Smith in 1916. Leonatus, winner of the ninth Kentucky Derby (1883) was noted for his stamina and durability. He was…

Historical Marker #2321 in Louisville notes the historical significance of African American jockey Alonzo "Lonnie" Clayton, who won the Kentucky Derby in 1892 at age fifteen. Alonzo Clayton was born to Robert and Evaline Clayton in 1876.…

Historical Marker #565 in Jessamine County notes the location of Almahurst Farm, producer of Exterminator, a Kentucky Derby winner, and a number of great harness horses, including Greyhound. One of Almahurst Farm's claims to fame is that it…