‘Non Fungible Thoroughbreds’ Are 2021’s Worst Holiday Gift On Purpose

Every year, kids around the world beg their parents to get them a pony for Christmas. But horses—especially Lexington, Kentucky's, world-class Thoroughbreds—are super expensive and a huge responsibility. There's got to be a better* way! 

Just in time for the Holiday Season, VisitLEX is offering up for sale a collection of Non Fungible Thoroughbreds,” 10 digital images that look absolutely nothing like the beautiful analog horses that actually live in Lexington, the Horse Capital of the World. 

For a fraction of the cost of a real pony, you can buy your little helper one of these pixelated square JPGs of something that looks vaguely equine. 

Just imagine the look on your child's face when they finally lay eyes on an 8-bit “OpenSea Biscuit,” “Man o' Snore,” or “The Ohio of Horses.” 

Tears of joy, anyone? 

Unfortunately, you can't ride these horses. Or pet them. Or feed them. Or, like most NFTs, do much of anything with them. That's because they're a completely computerized representation of a horse that exists solely on every child's favorite online ledger: the blockchain!** 

On the plus side, Non Fungible Thoroughbreds require no feeding, training, or upkeep of any kind.

As seen in this launch VIDEO, kids really appreciate the practicality.*** 

The VisitLEX collection of Non Fungible Thoroughbreds is available now at NonFungibleThoroughbreds.com. And proceeds from the auction will be donated to Old Friends Farm, a nonprofit organization in Georgetown, Kentucky, that provides a dignified retirement for real Thoroughbreds once their racing and breeding careers are over. 

“NFTs are definitely hot right now,” said VisitLEX VP of Marketing Gathan Borden, “but they're no substitute for the real deal. You might not be able to get your kids an actual pony, but that doesn't mean you have to disappoint them. You can give them an experience they'll never forget with a convenient, affordable trip to Lexington to see the finest Thoroughbreds in the world.” 

*Worse. 

**This statement has not been verified. 

***They definitely won't.

The post ‘Non Fungible Thoroughbreds’ Are 2021’s Worst Holiday Gift On Purpose appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Destination Lexington: The Brewgrass Trail

Since the conclusion of a dazzling Keeneland September Yearling Sale, buyers and sellers alike have been eager to return to Lexington for the 2021 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. There may be no better time of year to visit the Bluegrass as the vibrant trees in a kaleidoscope of fall hues serve as the backdrop for the some of racing's most talented broodmare prospects, stallion prospects and horses of racing age, as well as proven broodmares and promising weanlings.

After a long day spent combing through the expansive catalogue of breeding stock on offer, salesgoers are drawn to step out of the crisp November air and warm up with a good drink. While bourbon is unabashedly the beverage associated with Lexington, the growing city also has much to offer for the craft beer connoisseur.

Thirsty travelers can choose from nearly 30 breweries on Lexington's 'Brewgrass Tail' to sample a broad array of flavorful, locally-made craft beers

West Sixth Brewing

West Sixth Brewery is a go-to spot for Lexington residents to relax and enjoy themselves | Katie Petrunyak

501 West Sixth Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40508

Almost any craft beer fanatic from Lexington will point a newcomer toward visiting West Sixth. The bustling brewery features a wide variety of brews while the laid-back but upbeat atmosphere of both the indoor taproom and the outdoor beer garden provides an ideal setting to unwind among friends. Tours are offered on weekends for visitors hoping to get an in-depth look at the production facility before they sit down with a flight.

West Sixth is located in a 100-year-old building known as the Bread Box, originally home to the Rainbo Bread Factory. Today, beer is brewed, canned and distributed out of this location and in just a short time, the brewery's brand has exploded in popularity to become a household name in Lexington.

Kelly Hieronymus is the Creative and Marketing Director for West Sixth and has been with the brewery since its inception.

“West Sixth was founded in 2012 by four different owners-Ben, Brady, Joe and Robin,” she shared. “Their main goal was to bring craft beer to Lexington. Prior to that, there wasn't really a lot on the craft beer scene in Kentucky, much less the city itself. They opened the brewery with the hope of creating a community hub where people can gather and have craft beer that is sustainable and well-made so that they could be really proud of the product.”

As West Sixth approaches its tenth anniversary in a few month, their product is now distributed throughout the state of Kentucky and in Cincinnati, Ohio.

“Our ultimate goal is to become the craft beer of Kentucky,” Hieronymus said. “We want you to come into state lines, come into Lexington and immediately crave a West Sixth.”

The brewery's flagship beer that is available year-round, and one that is a must-try for newcomers, is an India Pale Ale.

“It's bright, forward and has a lot of grapefruit notes to it,” Hieronymus explained. “It's a little bit addictive.”

Two other popular flagship beers at West Sixth are the Amber Ale and the Cocoa Porter. Rotating varieties include the Cerveza, a light Mexican-style lager, the Berliner Weisse Sour, a sour German ale, as well as the Pennyrile Pale Ale. Throughout the year, seasonal beers are also offered. This fall, the Dankechain Oktoberfest has been a sought-after addition.

“It's a lager style so it has a nice, clean taste throughout the entire beer,” Hieronymus said. “It's a really beautiful beer; it's amber in color. It has a lot of crisp, biscuit-like notes to it.”

In addition to their home base  in Lexington at the Bread Box, West Sixth also has locations in Louisville and at West Sixth Farm, a 125-acre property with a seasonal taproom in Frankfort, Kentucky.

West Sixth puts a heavy emphasis on its efforts in presenting a Kentucky Proud product–one that is produced and processed in Kentucky by Kentuckians.

“We employ over 80 employees throughout Kentucky, both in our taprooms and in back-of-house production,” Hieronymus noted. “To us, employing people and being a good steward of our state is the number one reason why we promote being Kentucky Proud. It's about being a place that evokes good memories for people and it's a product that people can be proud of.”

West Sixth also works to create a positive social impact on their community with the profits made through their Sixth for a Cause Foundation. Through various programs, money is raised for various nonprofits in the Lexington area. The brewery hosts monthly events where a percentage of the daily sales go to a nonprofit. In addition, for every six-pack of West Sixth's Pay It Forward Cocoa Porter purchased, 50 cents goes to a nonprofit that the company's staff votes upon.

“We're always trying to find new and exciting ways to be a megaphone for nonprofits in our community,” Hieronymus said.

Beyond raising money to better the community, West Sixth also hosts a weekly run/walk club and a community yoga night, among other entertaining events, in an effort to welcome guests both native to Lexington and those in town looking to get a taste of what the Bluegrass has to offer.

“We want to be a place for folks to gather,” said Hieronymus. “It's family friendly, both day and night. There's always a rotating cast of characters behind the bar or enjoying a beer. It's a great place to come by yourself and bring a laptop to work, sit at the bar and chat with one of our bartenders. It's also a great place to gather with your friends. We want folks to come in and immediately feel invited by the smell of beer and find something on the board, even if they're not a typical craft beer drinker, that they'll love. We want to make a really good craft beer for the state of Kentucky.”

 

At Blue Stallion Brewing, guests can sit down and enjoy a drink while watching all the beer-making action| Katie Petrunyak

Blue Stallion Brewing

610 West Third Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40508

Founded by five brothers in 2013, Blue Stallion Brewing specializes in crafting quality British ales and authentic German lagers by focusing on traditional brewing techniques and ingredients. Nearly 20 different brews on tap offer options for everyone.

The Dunkel is one of the most popular choices at Blue Stallion. The classic dark lager is heavy on Munich malts to give the brew a bread-like taste with some carmel notes as well.

The fun, easygoing atmosphere at Blue Stallion's taproom is brought on by an array of lounge-type seating and a high-top bar, plus an outdoor patio, and it's a popular spot to bring a group of friends to strike up a game of pool, shuffleboard or darts or to watch racing and sporting events. Food trucks are a common appearance at the brew pub, which also holds various events each month including their well-attended Sunday Trivia nights. Visitors can enjoy their drink of choice while checking out the brewing equipment, which is adjacent to the tasting room, and four-legged friends are welcome at this laid-back taproom.

 

Alltech's Lexington Brewing and Distilling is one of three locations for the growing company | Katie Petrunyak

Alltech Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company

401 Cross Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40508

Alltech Brewing is the oldest craft brewery in Lexington, founded in 1999 by Irish entrepreneur Pearse Lyons, and is one of the few operations that doubles as a brewery and a distillery. Naturally, the brewery is known for its bourbon-barrel ales.

Their signature Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale is the flagship beer here and is a  go-to for barrel-aged beer fans. With notes of oak, vanilla, carmel and toffee, this ale has received nearly a dozen awards, most recently including the 2019 USA Beer Ratings Silver Medal and the 2017 Kentucky Living's Best in Kentucky.

The company offers year-round tours through the Kentucky Bourbon Trail experience and is the only location along the trail where visitors can sample both bourbon and beer. During the hour-long tour, guests have the opportunity to walk through the state-of-the-art beer and bourbon-making facilities before receiving four tokens to select their bourbon and beer samples of choice. At the Visitor Center, guests can relax in front of the expansive bar or outside in the beer garden.

Alltech also has award-winning craft distilleries in Pikeville, Kentucky at the Dueling Barrels Brewery and Distillery as well as in Dublin, Ireland at the Pearse Lyons Distillery at St. James.

 

The Keeneland Fall Ale | Keeneland

Country Boy Brewing

436 Chair Avenue, Lexington, Kentucky 40508

101 Innovation Way, Georgetown, Kentucky, 40324

Cougar Bait American Blonde Ale, Shotgun Wedding Vanilla Blonde Ale, Cliff Jumper IPA and Halfway Home Pale Ale. The names of Country Boy's four flagship beers are enough to inspire most anyone to visit. But the brewery itself, which started in Lexington in 2012 by four Kentuckians, is all about bringing family and friends together to enjoy minimally-processed beers made with high-quality ingredients.

In 2017, Country Boy broke ground on a second location in nearby Georgetown, Kentucky to offer additional capacity of 1,000 barrels of fermentation space. Today, both the Lexington and Georgetown locations are open for visitors and offer food from 'The Kitchen,' a Kentucky delicatessen that presents everything from nachos and pretzel bites to flatbreads and veggie wraps.

Country Boy Brewing has an ongoing partnership with Keeneland in which they annually release a Keeneland Fall Ale in celebration of Keeneland's fall racing and sales season. This year's edition is a traditional American Pale Ale that  features a fruity nose with notes of candied orange and papaya. It is available on draft at bars and restaurants in Lexington and is also served at Keeneland throughout the Fall Meet and the November Sale.

The Keeneland Fall Ale is also available at the Keeneland Mercantile in downtown Lexington as well as local grocery and package stores. For each case sold, one dollar is donated to the Blue Grass Farm Charities Back to School Backpack Program.

   For a complete list of breweries in Lexington and to learn more about the craft beer scene in Central Kentucky, go to Visit Lex's Brewgrass Trail page here.

The post Destination Lexington: The Brewgrass Trail appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

New Horse Country Board President is VisitLEX’s Borden

Gathan Borden, the vice president of marketing for VisitLEX, Lexington's convention and visitor's bureau, has officially been named the new board president of Visit Horse Country. Borden succeeds founding board president Price H. Bell, Jr., who served in the position for the first seven years of the organization.

“Visit Horse Country has been a game-changer for the Lexington tourism product,” said Borden. “The outreach from the horse industry into the community has been powerful and has allowed us to truly share the Bluegrass in a way we never could before. I'm excited to be a part of helping Horse Country continue to develop fans of the industry and further cement Lexington as the Horse Capital of the World.”

Borden is a 14-year veteran of the tourism industry and has served on the Horse Country board since 2019. Borden, who was selected in 2021 as one of the “Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Optimization” by Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI), is a sought-after speaker on marketing topics and trends.

Bell, Jr. worked alongside his father, Headley, and with Brutus Clay and Dr. Luke Fallon to form the industry initiative that would grow into Visit Horse Country. All have been on the board with Dr. Fallon recently rejoining.

“No doubt the organization would not be what it is, or at all, without Price's generous dedication of time, contribution of boundless energy, and sheer will,” said Executive Director Anne Sabatino Hardy. “He's been a mentor and a tremendous leader. His fingerprints are all over the initiative, which has opened the gates to completely new fans over these last years.”

In handing over the reins, Bell, Jr. said, “As we move into the next era of Visit Horse Country, Gathan's marketing prowess, vision, and strategic approach is the perfect fit for this position. He's an expert in the tourism field and, as we seek to attract new fans to our sport, he lends invaluable perspective on how to leverage our experiences to the leisure traveler.”

In additional Horse Country news, Heather Higgins, VP of corporate partnerships for Breeders' Cup, and Harold Palmer, president of The Jockey Club Technology Services, were unanimously elected as board members.

The post New Horse Country Board President is VisitLEX’s Borden appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Destination Lexington: What’s New on the Food Scene

The 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale is just around the corner and soon, buyers from around the globe will be scouring the expansive sales grounds in search of their next star. Such intense scrutiny of the thousands of impressive yearlings at the annual auction is sure to work up an appetite, and thankfully the culinary scene in Lexington is vibrant with a diverse group of restaurants that can appeal to any palate.

For many visitors, it will be their first time in town in two years, so we paid a visit to some of the newest and most popular restaurants downtown to give an early taste to sales-goers who might be looking to discover something new during their time in Lexington.

 

Horse and Jockey -15 Minutes from Keeneland

131 Cheapside St. Lexington, KY 40507

Horse and Jockey Pub and Kitchen, a traditional Irish gastropub, is located in the heart of downtown Lexington. The restaurant has quickly garnered positive reviews amongst the local horse racing community and the racing-themed decor further lends itself to that clientele.

Paul Murphy, a native of Scotland who spent most of his childhood and young adult life in Ireland, moved to New York 20 years ago. He and his partner, Jimmy McSweeney, had a dream of starting up a restaurant in Lexington.

They found an old night club on Main Street that looked promising, but when they came to town for a visit, quickly realized there was no proper place to add a kitchen. As they were strolling through the streets of downtown afterwards, they came across the building now known as Horse and Jockey.

“The place had just closed,” Murphy recalled. “There was paper on the windows but I looked in and said, 'Wow, this could make a nice speakeasy-type place.' So we got in touch with the landlord and he walked us through the next morning. It was pretty much a done deal right there.”

As for the name, while obviously reminiscent of the famed Horse and Jockey Hotel in Tipperary, Murphy said when he moved to Queens two decades ago, the first bar in his neighborhood that he visited was also called Horse and Jockey.

“Everybody can understand where it's coming from,” he explained. “We figured there were already a couple of Irish bars downtown, but none of them had any food. So we figured that would be our niche-a traditional Irish menu.”

After four months of renovation, Horse and Jockey opened its doors in January of 2020. Five weeks later, they were forced to shut down due to the Coronavirus pandemic. But the new eatery came back with a vengeance this June.

“It has been so busy,” Murphy said. “Luckily we have a good staff and a lot of them stayed on. It was a tough year for everybody and thankfully the people downtown and the local community have come in and it's been great. We've made a lot of friends.”

Murphy said some of their menu's best-selling items include fish and chips, bangers and mash and curry cheese fries. Another popular dish, Shepherd's Pie, is made daily by Murphy's wife.

'A hundred thousands welcomes' greet guests seated at Horse and Jockey's outdoor patio. | Katie Ritz

“It's as good as you'll get back in Ireland,” he said proudly. “We also do a burger with Irish bacon on it. A lot of people ask why we don't have American bacon, but this is our thing. We're trying to stick to our traditional menu.”

First-time guests have plenty of options upon visiting. Aside from the main indoor dining area, the restaurant also has an outdoor patio as well as an upstairs covered patio that features both a bourbon and a gin bar.

The menu offers a wide array of drink selections, from beers on tap to an expansive wine list and various cocktails. All of the herbs used in the drinks–mint, rosemary, lavender and basil–are grown in-house.

“The overall atmosphere on any night is busy,” Murphy said. “We have live music on Thursday nights and we have a big screen where we will show horse racing or whatever sporting event is on. There's a good buzz around the place. Everybody enjoys themselves.”

The first thing that catches any guest's eye, according Murphy, is the artwork.

Before the Horse and Jockey opened for business last year, Murphy and his partner hired Kate Lossen to help design the space. Lossen was also the curator of the collection from famed Eclipse Award-winning photographer Tony Leonard. She provided the photographs that now grace nearly every inch of wall space at Horse and Jockey.

“I think we have maybe 300 and something pictures, but they're all from Tony Leonard,” Murphy said. “Some of them are really, really unique, like we have a picture of Secretariat sitting down. There are even pictures from Ireland that he took. They're all dated and have a description of who is in the photo, so a lot of horse people come in and want to take a look.”

Other popular photos from the collection include a shot of Leslie Combs with stallions Swaps and Nashua at Spendthrift Farm, Mary Lou Whitney in the paddock at Keeneland, and an enlarged photo from 1952 that covers an entire wall and depicts mule-drawn sledges working up the track at Keeneland.

“Steve Cauthen's brother was here and said he thought there might be a picture of him,” Murphy recalled. “We looked and found a picture of Steve when he won an Eclipse Award and his brother was in it too. That was really unique, but a lot of people from the horse business come in. People from Coolmore, Darley, Shadwell, all the big horse farms, they come in to watch the racing and have Irish breakfast. They'll chat amongst themselves and they can remember everything about the horses in the pictures-when they were foaled, how much they sold for and who trained them.”

Murphy said that Breeders' Cup week last November was a busy time at the restaurant with visits from Frankie Dettori as well as some of the owners of Classic winner Authentic (Into Mischief).

“The good think about Lexington is that there's a lot of different types of restaurants that you can go to, but everybody has their own thing, their own niche,” he said. “Our niche is traditional Irish food. For people in the horse business coming into town who stop by, they'll first be intrigued by the pictures and then they'll all know each other and start talking about horses, which is great. I love listening to them.”

Several other new spots have launched in downtown Lexington recently, many of which offer a bit of horse racing flare.

 

Frank and Dino's -16 Minutes from Keeneland

271 W Short St. Lexington, KY 40507

A racehorse owner, trainer and breeder by day and a restaurant owner by night, Carlo Vaccarezza is a man who wears many hats. The native of Italy has lived in the U.S. for over half a decade now, making a name for himself in the country with homebred Little Mike (Spanish Steps), winner of the 2012 Breeders' Cup Turf, among others.

While his passion is horse racing, Vaccarezza is also involved in the restaurant business. Frank and Dino's, a nod to Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, opened its first location in Boca Raton, Florida. This July, a second restaurant is set to launch in Lexington.

With an atmosphere aimed to be reminiscent of Italian-American culture in the post-war 1950s, guests can expect a lively, classy setting where they can sit back and enjoy authentic Italian cuisine. Along with an array of pasta entrees, the menu will also feature Italian fish and chicken dishes, salads and appetizers.

 

Greyline Station -15 Minutes from Keeneland

In the 1940s, the Greyline Station building was home to the headquarters for Southeastern Greyhound, Lexington's largest private employer. | Keeneland

101 W Loudon Ave. Lexington, KY 40508

Built in 1928, the 65,000 square foot building now known as Greyline Station was once the company headquarters for Southeastern Greyhound Lines. The structure has been mostly vacant since 1960 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. Four years later, the complex was given a makeover and modernized into what is now Greyline Station.

The building, now transformed into Lexington's first public marketplace, is home to dozens of restaurants and shops as well as an event space. Popular dining spots in the complex include The Breeze Wine Bar, which features international chocolates along with wines and spirits, North Lime Coffee and Donuts, a well-loved stop for Lexington residents, Porterhouse BBQ, Rise Up Pizza and more. A 'sip and stroll' license in the building allows visitors to grab a drink before exploring the diverse group of merchants.

 

ItalX–17 Minutes from Keeneland

Spaghetti Carbonara-Guanciale, egg yolk and Pecorino with housemade pasta–at ItalX. | ItalX Facebook

160 W Main St. Lexington, KY 50407

Quality is the word of the day at ItalX, where the menu is inspired by Italy's emphasis on simple, fresh, quality ingredients. Everything offered is made in-house daily-from hand-made pastas to velvety desserts. ItalX, housed in the downtown City Center development, was officially launched last October by award-winning chef and Lexington native Jonathan Lundy alongside partner TJ Cox.

Popular dishes include the Pizza Fritta appetizer with oven-roasted tomato, basil and burrata, the Candele Cacio e Pepe entree, made with toasted black pepper and Pecorino Reggiano and offered with or without truffles, and of course for dessert, Tiramisu al Marsala. An extensive wine selection is housed in a temperature-controlled wine room.

 

Jeff Ruby's-17 Minutes from Keeneland

The line of lawn jockeys outside of Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse displays many well-known and prominent silks. | Katie Ritz

101 W Vine St. Lexington, KY 40507

Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse opened its highly-anticipated Lexington location in the spring of 2019. With restaurants already established in Cincinnati, Nashville, Louisville and Columbus, the fine-dining company is regarded amongst food critiques for offering one the best steakhouses in the country.

A prominent restaurateur, Jeff Ruby is also known for his love of horse racing. He has been a partner in several graded stakes winners over the years and his company's logo is displayed on the pants of several top jockeys in the U.S.

Ruby was thrilled to launch his fifth location by pulling out all the stops to create a Lexington-themed atmosphere centered around bourbon, (Thoroughbred) breeding and basketball. A long line of lawn jockeys welcomes guests entering the establishment and a horseshoe-shaped bar sits in front of the stage that often features live music. Several signature rooms are graced with equine touches, including one private room specifically geared towards horse racing enthusiasts.

For more on where to stay, what to do and what's new in Lexington, click here. 

The post Destination Lexington: What’s New on the Food Scene appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights