The First Kentucky

When I was young, I didn’t have a horse of my own—but I had something just as powerful: a mom who saw the spark in my eyes every time I talked about them.

She used to bring me the books of Walter Farley, one by one, each one feeding my imagination that just wanted more each time. I’d lose myself in stories of wild stallions and Kentucky pastures, dreaming of race tracks, green rolling hills, and the lives of legendary horses. One of those books, The Black Stallion’s Filly, introduced me to the thrill of the Kentucky Derby and to a world that lived vividly in my mind—Lexington, the heart of horse country.

One summer (in the 1970s), she asked me where I’d like to go on our trip. And without hesitation, I said, “Lexington, Kentucky.” I can still remember the way she smiled—then quietly made that dream come true.

We went. Just us and a long car drive.

And that’s when I first saw it. The statue of Man o’ War, standing tall and proud—not yet at the Kentucky Horse Park, but at his original gravesite at Faraway Farm, where he had been laid to rest in 1947. Surrounded by tall trees and the hush of reverence, it felt like stepping into one of those storybook scenes. A real legend made stone. I took this Polaroid picture at that time.

Years later, in 1977, that statue (created in 1948 by Herbert Haseltine)—and Man o’ War’s remains—were moved to a newly established state-run facility called the Kentucky Horse Park, just a few miles north of Lexington. The Park officially opened to the public in 1978, created as both a working horse farm and educational theme park, with the intention of honoring the horse’s role in Kentucky history and the world beyond. At its heart, they placed Man o’ War—his statue and grave forming the memorial centerpiece of the Park, where he still rests today beneath a circle of sycamore trees.

But I’ll always hold close the memory of seeing it before then—quiet, sacred, and a little hidden—on a trip that meant everything.

All because my mom believed in my love for horses… long before anyone else could see just how deeply that love would shape my life. She gave me more than memories—she gave me direction, joy, and a passion that never faded. I miss her every day, and I carry her love with me in everything I do.