LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — VERSAILLES, Ky. — For many horse racing fans, the connection to a Thoroughbred begins at the track. At Pin Oak Stud in Versailles, visitors can make that connection much earlier.
The Woodford County farm breeds, raises and trains its horses on-site, giving visitors a look at nearly every stage of developing a racehorse.
“We are one of the only farms, the only Thoroughbred farms to do the entire life cycle of a Thoroughbred racehorse under the Pin Oak Stud umbrella,” Mary Ellet said.
That process begins well before a horse ever steps onto a racetrack.
“Everything from planning our matings to doing all of our own yearling starting, all of our own yearling pre-training,” Ellet said.
Pin Oak Stud has a five-furlong dirt track and a five-furlong turf gallop for training. Visitors can see parts of that operation firsthand through tours offered by Visit Horse Country, including how horses are trained and rehabilitated.
“We want everything to be as interactive as possible,” Ellet said.
For Ellet, that means giving guests more than a behind-the-scenes look at the business. The goal is also to create a personal connection between visitors and the horses.
“I love being able to bring people out to the farm,” she said.
Guests can get close enough to interact with horses after they train, an experience Ellet said has been important to Pin Oak from the beginning.
“That they got to pet them right after they trained, and that’s just something that from the very beginning we wanted to ensure that we could do with our tours,” Ellet said.
The experience also gives racing fans the chance to meet horses they could eventually see compete at the track.
“We want horses that fans will be able to follow,” Ellet said.
The Bernhard family purchased Pin Oak Stud in 2022 and has since become heavily involved in the Thoroughbred industry.
