High in the saddle

At WinStar, the Ordos delegation visited stallions Distorted Humor, Daredevil and others. Last year, YTDS acquired eight brood-mares impregnated at WinStar by Daredevil — the fastest two-year-old colt since 2010.

At Ordos, seven mares have given birth to seven foals, with one more on the way.

In addition, YTDS signed an MOU (memorandum of understanding) with WinStar for a strategic partnership to bring its breeding practices and experience to China.

Another MOU between YTDS and Keene-land Association, Inc in Lexington calls for a strategic partnership to promote horse trading between Keeneland and China.

Keeneland is the largest thoroughbred horse auction house in the United States. Last year, its sales volume reached $690 million, a quarter of which was from international sales. Justify was purchased at Keeneland in 2016 for $500,000.

"The Chinese marketplace is such a dominating market around the world," said William Thomason, president and CEO of Keeneland. "We have been looking at it with interest. We know the history of Chinese people with the horse. I think there is great potential for our two countries to work together to introduce and grow the sport, and do it in a way that we know will be at a level of excellence that people will respect."

The delegation also conducted in-depth conversations with Kentucky government officials and key horse industry players during their visit. Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin took time to personally meet the visitors from China.

"We are very excited about strengthening the relationship between Kentucky and China in the horse race industry," Bevin said.

"Nothing makes us happier than seeing a Kentucky-raised horse running somewhere in the world and winning," he added.

Lexington Mayor Linda Gordon organized a forum to talk about the horse business with the Ordos delegation. Lexington and Ordos are in discussions to form a sister-city relationship.

"Both Lexington and Ordos share the horse industry. I think there is great potential for more partnerships and relations in the thoroughbred industry and other industries we share in common," said Gordon. "It's just unlimited."

Qi Bixiletu, director of the Standing Committee of the Ordos Municipal People's Congress, concurred: "Ordos is at the same latitude as Lexington, has preserved a traditional horse culture, and is the place where the legendary Genghis Khan began. There is great potential for the two cities to work together."

According to Chauncey Morris, executive director of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association, five counties in a 40-mile radius in central Kentucky are responsible for producing 40 percent of all horses in the United States, and 238 stallions in this region are responsible for covering 50 percent of brood-mares in North America.

"Lexington is really the heart of horse industry here," Morris said. "In 200 years we were able to figure out the relationship between universities, government private industries to make the infrastructure necessary to have the most valued breeding industry in the world.

"Thoroughbred racing exists in 69 countries. At any given sale, we will have individuals from 50 countries coming here to buy horses. As the horse industry develops in China, we are certainly keen to increase our export there," said Morris.

Mayor Gordon is proud of Lexington's reputation as the horse capital of the world.

"This year, all but two of the 20 Derby contenders were foaled and raised in central Kentucky," she said.