TDN Weekend December 2016 Issue 9
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/988448
now let's put a motor on it." Claiborne, always cognisant of the duties accompanying its heritage, had offered tours long before Horse Country. But their involvement now means they have a visitor centre; Taylor Made has a restaurant; Darley and WinStar have invested in shuttle carts. It's all about engagement; about showing, in Headley's words, that "this community's horse is everybody's horse." Price berates the complacencies of the past, when racing coasted along as the only legal form of gam- bling; and the obstructions of the present, as faced by a Texan who might want to open a wagering account. "Texas!" he exclaims. "A major population center that's historically invested in agricul- ture: the rancher, the Texas ranger, horses there are probably even more prevalent than here. But the horsemen cannot come together to pass ADW (Advance Deposit Wagering). That's no Houston, no Dallas, no Austin. Now there are horseplayers in those places, but they have to set up accounts in places like Delaware. We're looking for a ca- sual fan, for someone to be able to log onto their phone and get that palm-sweat pull- ing for their horse." And Horse Country is a mass-transit vehi- cle for intimate engagement. Things have come full circle since the days when the farms required no gates, just cattle grids. That era ended with discarded cigarettes razing ancient tobacco barns, and trash strewn across paddocks. The Kentucky Horse Park has done a sterling job, taking up that slack—but the Bourbon Trail clari- fied a modern taste for authenticity. And, as Price's grandmother likes to say: "Let a horse breathe on you, and you'll fall in love." One lady was so captivated by her visit to Mill Ridge that she ended up work- ing a yearling sale for the farm. "People are so respectful, so appreciative," says Price. "There'll be days you're full of headaches, and you think: 'Do I really want to take round a tour right now?' And then, every time, it's just incredibly energising. I end up getting as much out of it as the guests. People ask: 'Do you realise how lucky you are?' And you're filled with ap- preciation. That's the reward we have. To remind you never to take it for granted. To have humility. It's very motivating."