Mick Cronin, coach of the University of Cincinnati men's basketball team, grew up tagging along with his dad, Hep, to River Downs racetrack during the summer months. Hep Cronin was a Renaissance Man, juggling roles as one of the winningest high school basketball coaches of his era in Cincinnati and also serving as a teacher, a baseball scout for the Atlanta Braves and in various roles at River Downs.

“A good farm to know” is the motto of Hurstland Farm in Midway, Ky. That’s been true for almost a century since the farm, owned by the Nuckols family throughout its existence, began breeding and raising Thoroughbreds.