Elmendorf Farm, Horse breeding farm in Fayette County, Kentucky, United States.
Elmendorf Farm is a thoroughbred horse breeding farm in Fayette County, Kentucky, set on a large property with multiple barns, paddocks, and training areas. The grounds are divided into separate sections for broodmares, stallions, and young horses at different stages of their development.
Milton H. Sanford founded the property in 1874 and named it Preakness Stud after one of his racehorses. Daniel Swigert purchased it in 1881 and renamed it Elmendorf, which is the name it has carried ever since as it grew into one of the country's leading breeding operations.
Elmendorf Farm sits in the heart of Kentucky's horse country, where breeding thoroughbreds is deeply woven into local life. Visitors can watch daily routines in the barns and paddocks, where handlers work closely with mares, foals, and young horses throughout the day.
Tours can be arranged in advance and take visitors through the barns and outdoor areas of the farm. Comfortable shoes are a good idea, as much of the visit is spent walking on unpaved paths around the stable buildings.
The stallion Virgil, who stood at the farm, produced three Kentucky Derby winners in a span of ten years during the late 19th century. That record puts him among the most successful sires in the history of American racing.
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