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First Horses Were Brought To Kentucky Back in 1750 CHURCHILL DOWNS, Louisville, Ky.. May 1.— Authentic Kentucky historical files reveal that Thomas Walker brought the first horses into the state in 1750. Walker crossed the mountains from Virginia and hunters brought pack horses into the Blue Grass region. In the early days, horse power was used for farming and the principal crop was tobacco. Kentucky racing history dates back more than 170 years. There were horse races on the streets of Lexington as early as 1780, but the betting was not regulated until many years later. Wagering was done among the owners as to the respective merits of their charges. The Phoenix Handicap, Americas oldest stakes, had its ninety-first running at Keeneland last month.
