Note — Post time for Keeneland’s first live race on Saturday has been changed to 12:55 p.m.
On October 24-25, Keeneland will simulcast the 25th running of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The 14-race event, which is being held on the final two days of the fall meeting, will award a total of $25.5 million to make it the richest prize money event in sports worldwide.
Keeneland will show the Breeders’ Cup simulcast feed, as well as ESPN’s television coverage, throughout the facility.
Friday, October 24
Post time for the first of Keeneland’s 9 live races is 1:10 p.m.
Post time for the first Breeders’ Cup race is 3:35 p.m. Post time for the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1) is 6:15 p.m.
Advance wagering will be offered on Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup races.
Drive-thru wagering will be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wagering also will be available at the tent near the Gatehouse.
Saturday, October 25
Post time for the first of Keeneland’s 7 live races is 12:55 p.m.
Post time for the first Breeders’ Cup race is 1:10 p.m.
Keeneland’s final live race will be the $150,000 Fayette (G3), a 1 1/8-mile race for three-year-olds and older horses. Post time for the Fayette is 4:45 p.m.
Breeders’ Cup action will continue following the conclusion of live racing with the Grade 1 Sentient Flight Group Breeders’ Cup Sprint (5:15 p.m. post time), Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf (6 p.m.) and Breeders’ Cup Classic (6:45 p.m.).
Drive-thru wagering will be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wagering also will be available at the tent near the Gatehouse.
Keeneland will show the UK - Florida football game on the infield LED board and on monitors throughout the track. The game kicks off at 12:30 p.m.
Keeneland fans will recognize a number of horses that are competing in the Breeders’ Cup. Among the horses scheduled to run are Darley Alcibiades (G1) winner Dream Empress, First Lady (G1) winner Forever Together, Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) winner Thorn Song, Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity (G1) winner Square Eddie, Thoroughbred Club of America (G3) winner Indyanne, Phoenix (G3) winner Sing Baby Sing, Juddmonte Spinster (G1) winner Carriage Trail, Woodford Reserve Bourbon (G3) winner Bittel Road and JPMorgan Chase Jessamine winner Laragh.
Other Breeders’ Cup entrants who have raced/and or trained at Keeneland during the fall meeting are Lewis Michael, My Pal Charlie, Mr. Nightlinger, Orthodox, Pioneerof the Nile, Shakis (IRE), Sugar Mom, Terrain and War Monger.
WAYZATA BAY ASSIGNED TOP WEIGHT IN CLOSING-DAY FAYETTE
Wayzata Bay, whose three stakes wins this year include the Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G2), was assigned top weight of 123 pounds for the 50th running of the $150,000 Fayette (G3) on Saturday, October 25, closing day of Keeneland’s fall meeting. Israel Ocampo will be aboard Wayzata Bay, who will break from post 10 in the field of 11 three-year-olds and older horses.
Trained by Judi Hicklin for Isaac Phelps’ World Thoroughbreds Racing Inc., Wayzata Bay is a six-year-old son of Roar who has won 12 races in 45 career starts and has earned $680,198. In 2006, Wayzata Bay ran in the Fayette, finishing ninth behind Eccentric. Running second in that race was Grade 2 winner Ball Four, who also returns to this year’s Fayette in only his second start of the year. Three horses entered in this year’s Fayette also ran in the race last year: Stream Cat (second), Minister’s Joy (seventh) and Dr. Pleasure (ninth).
Stream Cat, a Grade 3 winner, was assigned 121 pounds for this year’s Fayette. George “Rusty” Arnold trains the five-year-old gelding by Black Minnaloushe, who won the Arlington Handicap (G3) in July before running sixth in both the Arlington Million (G1) and Kentucky Cup Classic (G2).
Other notable Fayette entrants include 2007 Toyota Blue Grass (G1) winner Dominican and 2008 Travers (G1) runner-up Mambo in Seattle. In his most recent race, Mambo in Seattle was fourth behind Horse of the Year Curlin in the Jockey Club Gold (G1).
The field for the Fayette, from the rail out, is as follows: Ball Four (J. Garcia, 119), Mambo in Seattle (C. Lanerie, 116), Dominican (J. Castanon, 119), Jade’s Revenge (J. Rose, 119), Dr. Pleasure (O. Thorwarth, 119), Minister’s Joy (M. Mena, 119), Stream Cat (B. Hernandez Jr., 121), Borobudur (R. Homeister Jr., 119), Brother Nicholas (L. Melancon, 119), Wayzata Bay (I. Ocampo, 123) and Secret Getaway (E. Baird, 118).
The Fayette will be the seventh and final race on Keeneland’s closing-day card with a post time of 4:50 p.m. Post time for the first race that day is 12:55 p.m.
KEENELAND TURNS PINK ON FRIDAY FOR PINK DAY
On Friday, Keeneland’s familiar shade of green will take a back seat to pink as the track holds Pink Day to benefit two organizations devoted to breast cancer awareness and treatment: Horses and Hope, an initiative of First Lady Jane Beshear that is centered on the women who work in the barn areas of Kentucky tracks, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the noted national organization.
Pink Day is in conjunction with the all-female card of racing during the first day of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the track, where the first 1,000 women with paid admission will receive a pink Keeneland scarf. The day’s other events include:
A special race for fillies and mares, called the Horses and Hope, which is the fifth race with a 3:15 p.m. post time. Horses in the race will wear pink Horses and Hope saddle towels, while the jockeys will wear pink armbands and helmet covers. Beshear will present a julep cup and a Horses and Hope blanket to the winning owner.
Turf Catering will sell pink jockey cookies and hot chocolate with pink marshmallows in the paddock. Proceeds from snack sales will benefit Horses and Hope.
Ladies’ Only Pick the Ponies Wagering Contest, benefiting Horses and Hope, will take place in the paddock area. Women who enter will make a mythical $2 across-the-board wager on one horse only in Keeneland Races 4 – 9. Prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place and will include deluxe gift baskets from The Keeneland Shop and an overnight stay and spa package from the Griffin Gate Marriott Resort and Spa in Lexington.
Representatives of Susan G. Komen for the Cure will also be on hand to promote breast cancer awareness. Komen is a supporter of Horses and Hope.
Established this year, Horses and Hope is initially focused on and outreach, enabling women – many of whom are underinsured or do not have insurance -- to receive free breast-cancer screenings. Breast-cancer screenings were held at Keeneland’s Track Kitchen in the barn area on October 13 and also at The Thoroughbred Center on Paris Pike in Lexington on September 22. The 38 women who participated in the screenings included four women who never before had received any type of screening.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Keeneland’s Pink Day falls on the first day of the two-day Breeders’ Cup. Racing fans will be able to watch and wager on all 14 Breeders’ Cup races held on Friday and Saturday. Post time for Keeneland’s first race on Friday is at 1:10 p.m., and the first Breeders’ Cup race is at 3:35 p.m.
ADDITIONAL CLOSING WEEK SPECIAL EVENTS
Thursday, October 23 – 2009 Keeneland Wall Calendar Giveaway – First 2,500 patrons with paid admission receive a colorful pictorial calendar.
Saturday, October 25 – Breakfast With the Works – Bring the family out for Breakfast With the Works, from 7 – 8:30 a.m. Enjoy a Southern-style breakfast and free children’s activities. This Saturday, Asbury Equine will give a demonstration in the paddock at 8:45 a.m.
Saturday, October 25 — Handicapping Seminar – Listen to expert handicappers trackside each Saturday during the meet, beginning at 11:30 a.m.
2008 KEENELAND FALL MEET LEADERS
(Stats Through Sunday, October 19)
Current Meet Leading Jockeys
Name Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Purses
Robby Albarado 98 21 19 20 $1,741,872
Julien Leparoux 104 18 13 7 $1,108,312
Kent Desormeaux 55 9 6 5 $820,342
Jesus Castanon 70 8 8 4 $259,901
John Velazquez 31 7 3 5 $784,185
Jamie Theriot 73 6 9 8 $557,464
Rene Douglas 84 6 8 9 $443,043
Shaun Bridgmohan 61 6 0 8 $222,662
Miguel Mena 89 5 14 9 $315,745
Calvin Borel 71 5 7 6 $327,714
Rafael Bejarano 12 4 3 4 $710,052
Current Meet Leading Trainers
Name Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Purses
Ken McPeek 35 7 4 4 $521,198
Michael Maker 29 7 2 2 $150,230
Albert Stall Jr. 15 5 5 1 $279,543
Bill Mott 27 5 3 4 $324,737
Kiaran McLaughlin 17 4 3 1 $594,822
Ian Wilkes 15 4 1 3 $136,007
Tom Proctor 23 3 3 2 $186,774
Robert Holthus 13 3 3 2 $ 98,951
Jonathan Sheppard 9 3 2 0 $508,523
Current Meet Leading Owners
Name Wins
Ken & Sarah Ramsey 6
Adele B. Dilschneider & Claiborne Farm 4
Augustin Stable 3
Zayat Stables LLC 3
Glen Hill Farm 2
B. Wayne Hughes 2
Lewis G. Lakin 2
A. Stevens Miles Jr. 2
Pin Oak Stable LLC 2
David A. Ross 2
Shadwell Stable 2