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Blue Grass-Breds Notable in Derby Sixty-Four Winners Foaled In Kentucky; Many Visitors Will Inspect Breeding Farms LEXINGTON, Ky., May 1.— The number of Kentucky Derby visitors from all sections of the country who take advantage of their presence here or in Louisville to make a tour of inspection of the breeding farms in the Blue Grass area continues to increase markedly each year. Perhaps the best prof of the growing popularity of this is seen in Lexington, where one new suburban hotel is under construction and another city hotel is building an addition which is larger than its existing facilities. Still another of the large hotels plays host to a constant stream of thoroughbred lovers who spend a day or a week in the thoroughbred capital of the world before or after attending the "Run for the Roses." Lexington is only 80 miles from Louisville and there is plane, train and bus trans-potation, and good roads for motorists. The hospitality of the owners of Blue Grass breeding farms is far famed. At Derby time the countryside is usually at its beautiful best. This spring the farms emerged from one of the regions most severe winters with hardly a trace of the record cold and heavy snowfall. From Lexington the farms fan out in all directions, beginning at the very borders of the city. Persons established in the thoroughbred sport find Derby time ideal for tours of inspection of the yearlings who will be offered later in the year at the public auctions at Keeneland or Saratoga or at private sale. Farm managers express surprise at the number of visitors who just wish to see thoroughbreds at home. Others seek out favorites of their racing days, now retired to stud duty. The young foals this spring present a challenge to anyone whose interest in thoroughbreds may be only lukewarm. Winners From Blue Grass Area The Derby is presented during part of the foaling and mating season when the breeding picture is enhanced by the majestic stallions, watchful broodmares, friendly, frisky yearlings and gangling, suckling foals at the side of their dams. Numerous visitors ask to see, as a yearling, the foal that entranced them the previous year. There is a strong definite link between the Blue Grass and the Kentucky Derby. No less than 64 of the 78 Derby winners were foaled in Kentucky and most of the other winners had close family ties to the state. The open nature of the Derby this season finds owner representation from many parts of the country, but the roots of most of the starters trace to Blue Grass farms. One scene that is becoming more familiar each year is the pleasant surprise of the regular Blue Grass visitor from New York, California or Texas where he finds a neighbor from back home joining him to enjoy a few days in the country. A mistake that an uninitiated visitor to the Blue Grass might make is to be satisfied with a visit to one or two of the more prominent farms. These must be seen, to be sure, and each offers something different from the other. But the less prominent farms hold an intimate charm of their own that is an integral part of the way of life in the Blue Grass and their masters will not be outdone in hospitality. Here in the Blue Grass are stout stallions who won the Kentucky Derby. There are broodmares who are the dams of Derby w i n n er s. It is fascinating to conjecture which of the clear - eyed, quick yearlings and sucklings will duplicate the feats of their foorebears. There can be no question that many future winners of the Derby and other classic races will emerge from the Blue Grass cradle of the thoroughbred.
