Lexington in Fayette County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)

Col. Phil T. Chinn

1874 - 1962

Photographed By Ken Smith, July 12, 2012

1. Col. Phil T. Chinn Marker

Inscription. Col. Phil T. Chinn's place in the history of Thoroughbred racing and breeding would be secure on the facts alone, for he bred, trained, raced, bought, and sold a number of important horses. It was as a character and raconteur, however, that Col. Chinn was best remembered by those who knew him.

Son of Black Jack Chinn, a rough-hewn Kentucky politician, horseman, and brawler, Phil Thompson Chinn was about twelve when he won the Somerset Derby on a family mare. He later headed for the racetrack, aligning himself with individuals highly attuned to utilizing the bookmaking system of betting then legal.

In his prime day, Col. Chinn operated Himyar stud in Kentucky, selling more than $3 million worth of yearlings at Saratoga during the 1920s. He stood the leading sire High Time and bred sixty-four stakes winners, including In Memoriam. Chinn seemed emotionally impervious to the ebb and flow of monetary fortune and was as generous a lender in flush times as he was an imaginative solicitor of funding in dry times.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Entertainment • Sports.

Location. 38° 2.509′ N, 84° 29.401′ W. Marker is in Lexington, Kentucky, in Fayette County. Marker can be

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online

reached from the intersection of East Main Street (U.S. 60) and Midland Avenue (U.S. 60), on the right when traveling west. Located in Thoroughbred Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 100 Midland Avenue, Lexington KY 40508, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Allen Paulson (here, next to this marker); Mrs. Henry Carnegie Phipps (here, next to this marker); Capt. Harry Guggenheim (here, next to this marker); Ogden Phipps (here, next to this marker); HRM Queen Elizabeth II (a few steps from this marker); Harry Payne Whitney (a few steps from this marker); Andrew Jackson (a few steps from this marker); Lucille Parker Markey (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lexington.

Photographed By Ken Smith, July 12, 2012

2. Col. Phil T. Chinn Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on October 24, 2020. It was originally submitted on August 11, 2012, by Ken Smith of Milan, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 725 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 11, 2012, by Ken Smith of Milan, Tennessee. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.