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26-836: It was named for the Bluegrass region of Kentucky , characterized by grass having bluish-green culms, which is known as the "heart" of the thoroughbred racing industry. First run at the Kentucky Association track in Lexington in 1911, the Blue Grass has, from its inception, served as an important prep for the Kentucky Derby . At the Lexington Association track, the Blue Grass was staged from 1911 through 1914 and from 1919 through 1926. The race

52-520: A jockey Most wins by a trainer : Bluegrass region 38°00′N 84°30′W  /  38.0°N 84.5°W  / 38.0; -84.5 The Bluegrass region is a geographic region in the U.S. state of Kentucky . It makes up the central and northern part of the state, roughly bounded by the cities of Frankfort , Paris , Richmond and Stanford . It is part of the Interior Low Plateaus ecoregion. "Bluegrass"

78-568: A deep canyon called the Kentucky River Palisades through the region, preserving meanders that indicate that the river was once a mature low valley that was suddenly uplifted. Particularly near the Kentucky River, the region exhibits Karst topography, with sinkholes , caves, and disappearing streams that drain underground to the river. Before European-American settlement, various cultures of Indigenous peoples of

104-532: A host plant, and Swainson's warbler ( Limnothlypis swainsonii ). Swainson's warbler has recently been found to use pine plantations (widespread across the Southeastern United States) of a particular age, as they may provide the structural features and prey base that the species seeks. Contrary to the characterization of canebrakes as homogenous, they host a great diversity of species, including globally rare species. A survey of canebrakes in

130-481: Is a thicket of any of a variety of Arundinaria grasses: A. gigantea , A. tecta and A. appalachiana . As a bamboo , these giant grasses grow in thickets up to 24 feet (7.3 m) tall. A. gigantea is generally found in stream valleys and ravines throughout the southeastern United States . A. tecta is a smaller stature species found on the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains. Finally, A. appalachiana

156-630: Is a common name given in the United States for grass of the Poa genus, the most famous being the Kentucky bluegrass . Despite its name, Kentucky Bluegrass is native to Europe and was likely introduced around 1600. The Bluegrass region is characterized by underlying fossiliferous limestone , dolomite , and shale of the Ordovician geological age. Hills are generally rolling, and the soil

182-663: Is due to the soil's high calcium content. Within decades of increased settlement, the remaining herds of bison had moved west. The breeding of Thoroughbred horses was developed in the region, as well as of other quality livestock. Kentucky livestock was driven to Tennessee and other areas of the Ohio River valley for sale. Planters , supported by slave labor , also cultivated major commodity crops on plantations, such as tobacco , hemp (see Hemp in Kentucky ), and grapes (see Kentucky wine ). The first commercial winery in

208-645: Is found in more upland areas at the southern end of the Appalachian Mountains . Cane does not do well on sites that meet wetland classification. Instead, canebrakes are characteristic of moist lowland, floodplain areas that are not as saturated as true wetlands. Canebrakes were formerly widespread in the Southern United States , potentially covering 10,000,000 acres (4,000,000 ha), The presence of canebrakes signaled to Native Americans and to early European settlers that an area

234-746: Is highly fertile for growing pasture. The Kentucky Bluegrass is bounded on the east by the Cumberland Plateau , with the Pottsville Escarpment forming the boundary. On the south and west, it borders the Pennyroyal Plateau , (also called the Pennyrile), with Muldraugh Hill , another escarpment , forming the boundary. Much of the region is drained by the Kentucky River and its tributaries. The river cuts

260-434: Is to be seen on the face of the whole earth," writing that the canes grew 10-12 feet tall and so close together they were completely impassable without hacking a trail through them. However, as European settlers came, the cane gradually disappeared as it was used as high-quality forage for livestock that was available all year round. Pigs in particular destroyed canebrakes rapidly by rooting up their underground rhizomes, and

286-675: The Choctaw Nation . This destruction has impacted a number of species. The survival of the Florida panther ( Puma concolor couguar ) has been challenged, and Bachman's warbler ( Vermivora bachmanii ) has probably become extinct . The extinct Carolina parakeet ( Conuropsis carolinensis) also depended on canebrakes, and their demise may have been hastened by the canebrakes' decline. Other species considered canebrake specialists include as many as seven moth species and five known butterfly species dependent on Arundinaria bamboos as

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312-573: The Americas lived in the region. The pre-colonization state of the Bluegrass is poorly known, but it is thought to have been a type of savannah known as oak savanna , with open grassland containing clover , giant river cane (a type of bamboo ), and scattered enormous trees, primarily bur oak , blue ash , Shumard's oak , chinkapin oak , and kingnut hickory . Some of these trees, which are hundreds of years old, still stand in old pastures in

338-491: The Bluegrass. The thickets of giant river cane, known as canebrakes , created a dense undergrowth that made it impossible to find 10 uncleared acres that were not full of cane. The local indigenous peoples hunted its large herds of bison and other game, especially near mineral licks . The name "Kentucky" likely comes from the word for " meadow lands" in Iroquoian , but has several other possible origins. Europeans adopted

364-473: The Carolinas found 330 taxa living in the canebrake habitat, a number that would likely increase with more study. Canebrakes provide habitat for the critically endangered Alabama canebrake pitcher plant ( Sarracenia alabamensis) , which is only found in 11 sites in just two counties of the state of Alabama . Cane can propagate itself rapidly through asexual reproduction, allowing it to persist quietly in

390-813: The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service in the effort to replant 15 acres of cane per year. In South Carolina, the Chattooga Conservancy has formed a collaboration with the Eastern Band of the Cherokee and the USDA Forest Service to restore 29 acres of canebrake. Revitalization of Traditional Cherokee Artisan Resources (RTCAR) has also coordinated the restoration of river cane on a 109-acre site in North Carolina . This restoration area will include educational signage in

416-541: The United States was opened in the Bluegrass region in 1801, in present-day Jessamine County by a group of Swiss immigrants. It was authorized by the Kentucky General Assembly . Since the antebellum years, the region has been a center for breeding quality livestock, especially thoroughbred race horses . Since the late 20th century, the area has become increasingly developed with residential and commercial properties, particularly around Lexington ,

442-590: The business center. Farms are losing ground to development and slowly disappearing. In 2006, the World Monuments Fund included the Bluegrass region on its global list of 100 most endangered sites . Although Bluegrass music is popular throughout the region, the genre is named after the band Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys , which in turn took their name from the state nickname of Kentucky. Canebrake A canebrake or canebreak

468-460: The following rare plants: Canebrakes are considered a critically endangered ecosystem by many biologists, but they have been studied very little. Southern Illinois University conducts some ongoing research on restoring canebrakes. There is also a great interest among the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and other regional tribal nations to restore canebrakes, to preserve the crucial roles

494-418: The material cultures of Southeastern Native American nations, but relatively little study has been devoted to them, partially because virtually all canebrakes that still exist are isolated and fragmentary. Canebrakes are unlikely to be reestablished significantly under current methods of land management, but there is interest in finding out how to restore them. Canebrakes have been found to provide habitat for

520-543: The name to apply to the state. "Bluegrass" is a common name given in the United States for grass of the Poa genus, the most famous being the Kentucky bluegrass . During the decades which followed the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), Americans settled in great numbers in the region. They migrated mostly from Virginia . By 1800 these planters noticed that horses grazed in the Bluegrass region were more hardy than those from other regions; this

546-506: The plant must usually be done by dividing existing colonies or growing rhizome cuttings. Conducting studies has been challenging; experimental plantings of cane in a study conducted by researchers at Mississippi State University to test the erosion mitigation potential of canebrakes yielded no results because only 1.2% of seedlings survived the following year. Southern Illinois University researchers have located 140 patches of giant cane and collaborate with many conservation organizations and

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572-575: The plant plays in Cherokee culture and to stop the art of river cane basket weaving from dying out. The various insect species that are Arundinaria specialists are at risk due to their sensitivity to habitat fragmentation. A major obstacle to restoring canebrakes is the reproductive habits of Arundinaria bamboos; Arundinaria typically reproduces asexually using rhizomes, forming clonal colonies that spread outward. The plant only flowers every few decades, and usually dies after flowering; additionally, seeds are often not viable. Therefore, propagating

598-405: The settlers intentionally used pigs to clear out canebrakes so they could be converted to agricultural land. The absence of the controlled burns used by Native Americans to maintain the canebrakes, conversion to agricultural land, and grazing by livestock has almost eliminated the canebrakes. Destruction of habitat for development and construction is also implicated as a cause of the decline by

624-467: The shade of a forest for years and rapidly take advantage of disturbance such as wildfire. Historically, canebrakes were maintained by Native Americans using controlled burns . The fire would burn the aboveground part of the plant but leave the underground rhizomes unharmed. Canebrakes have been identified as important ecosystems for supporting over 70 wildlife species, possibly ideal candidates for mitigating nitrate pollution in groundwater, and crucial to

650-472: Was fertile and ecologically rich. The canebrakes were a striking feature of the landscape to the earliest European explorers, who remarked upon how densely the cane grew and how difficult it was to travel through. For example, in 1728 William Byrd described hacking through a "forest" of cane "more than a furlong [220 yards] in depth" as he blazed a trail along the border of Virginia and Carolina. Likewise, William Bartram described "the most extensive Canebreak that

676-706: Was revived at Keeneland in the spring of 1937. In 1943–1944, the Blue Grass was renewed as a part of the Keeneland-at- Churchill Downs meeting. In 1945, the Blue Grass was run as part of the Churchill Downs meeting. Today it is part of the Keeneland program. From 2007 to 2014, the race was held on a synthetic "all-weather" surface . Otherwise, it has been run on a dirt surface. Fastest Time: (at Current Distance of 1 + 1 ⁄ 8 miles) Most wins by an owner Most wins by

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