Winner of the Tennessee History Book Award. During the latter half of the nineteenth century, Belle Meade became probably the most important nursery for Thoroughbred race horses in America. Since that time, virtually every Kentucky Derby winner can trace its lineage back to Belle Meade. Belle Meade also holds a place in American history as a stage for the comings and goings of great people and events. Weaving together family and regional history, Wills provides his reader with a fascinating account of the land, people, buildings, and horses that for a century made Belle Meade a significant focal point for Tennessee and the South.