Keeneland Barn Notes: Closing Day

By Amy Owens —-

SATURDAY, OCT. 27 – CLOSING DAY
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• YOUNG JOCKEYS IN SPOTLIGHT FRIDAY
• JUDDMONTE FARMS ON VERGE OF KEENELAND MILESTONE
• KEENELAND FALL MEET REPRESENTED BY 54 HORSES PRE-ENTERED IN BREEDERS’ CUP
• OWNER’S EXPERIENCE IS A WINNER FOR KEENELAND TOUR GUESTS
• FALL MEET LEADERS

YOUNG JOCKEYS IN SPOTLIGHT FRIDAY
Two young jockeys – Declan Carroll and Virginia Tormey – had notable performances to begin Friday’s card.
In the second race, Carroll recorded the first victory of his career when he rode 16-1 choice
B Deb’s Fortune for owner Hubert Payton and trainer Daniel Pitts. The win aboard the 3-year-old Awesome Patriot filly came in Carroll’s eighth mount.
“At the seven-eighths (pole) I thought, ‘All right. I think I got this,’ ” Carroll said Saturday morning at Churchill Downs. “She was going easy and that is how she likes to run. I had Chris (Landeros on eventual runner-up Cassidy Ave) on my hip, and I was hoping she would keep going and she did.”
After the race, Keeneland riders met Carroll in the Walking Ring as he returned to the Jockeys Quarters, subjecting him to the customary initiation for a first-time winning jockey that included pouring water on him, spraying him with shaving cream, hitting him with eggs and applauding him for his achievement.
Carroll, 19, is the son of David Carroll, assistant to trainer Mark Casse, and Kim Carroll, an exercise rider for the Casse stable. Clickhere for more about Carroll, who is well acquainted with many members of Keeneland’s jockey colony.
“It is a dream come true,” he said about winning his first race. “I have known Julien Leparoux since I was 5 years old.”
Making her riding debut in Friday’s first race was Virginia Tormey, who finished fourth aboard TOLO Thoroughbreds’ Ruthless Child for trainer Tracey Glover.
“It went by so fast,” Tormey said. “I was expecting everything to be normal speed, but everything happens boom, boom, boom. There’s dirt in your face and everyone is all around you, but it was very exciting.”
Tormey, 23, grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she took riding lessons and participated in other equine activities that inspired her to become a jockey. While attending college near Camden, South Carolina, Tormey gravitated toward a job with steeplechase specialist Arch Kingsley Jr.
She honed her skills at Keeneland as an exercise rider before gaining her first afternoon mount.
Tormey first became acquainted with Ruthless Child in training sessions.
“I’d gotten on this horse three times in the mornings, so I got to know her a little bit,” she said. “She’s always worked really nicely for me so I was excited for this race because she usually gives me a lot.”
Tormey said she plans to remain in Kentucky.
“I will be at Churchill Downs in November and then go to Turfway Park for the winter,” she said. “I still exercise ride in the mornings. Riding races is what I’ve been working towards and I finally got here, so I’m gonna do this for as long as I can.”

JUDDMONTE FARMS ON VERGE OF KEENELAND MILESTONE

A win by Hofburg in today’s Hagyard Fayette (G2) will mark the 16th graded stakes win at Keeneland for his owner, Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farms, and earn for Juddmonte a Keeneland Pitcher.

The Keeneland Pitcher is part of the track’s signature Milestone Trophy Program. Only three other owners in Keeneland history have achieved such an accomplishment: Claiborne Farm (Fall 1968), Millard Waldheim’s Bwamazon Farm (Spring 1983) and William S. Farish (Spring 2003).

Juddmonte also bred Hofburg, a stakes-winning 3-year-old son of Tapit who ran in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and Belmont Presented by NYRA Bets (G1).

On Oct. 6, Juddmonte won the Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) with Golden Mischief.

Jose Ortiz will ride Hofburg for trainer Bill Mott in the Hagyard Fayette.

KEENELAND FALL MEET REPRESENTED BY 54 HORSES
PRE-ENTERED IN BREEDERS’ CUP

Fifty-four horses that raced or trained at Keeneland during the 17-day Fall Meet, which concludes today, have been pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs on Nov. 2-3.
They include the winners of Keeneland’s 10 “Win and You’re In” Races, which offered automatic berths to the Breeders’ Cup.
Monday is the entry deadline for the Breeders’ Cup.

Clickhere for information about the pre-entered horses.

Those with Keeneland racing/training connections are:

Nov. 2 races

$2 million Sentient Jet Juvenile (G1)
Horse Trainer Keeneland race/latest Keeneland work
Derby Date D. Wayne Lukas 5th in 10/6 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1)
Knicks Go Ben Colebrook Won Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity; worked 10/19
Signalman Kenny McPeek 2nd in Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity; worked 10/20
Standard Deviation Chad Brown 3rd in Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity; worked 10/21

$2 million Tito’s Handmade Vodka Juvenile Fillies (G1)
Horse Trainer Keeneland race/latest Keeneland work
Reflect Keith Desormeaux 2nd in 10/5 Darley Alcibiades (G1)
Restless Rider Kenny McPeek Won Darley Alcibiades; worked 10/25

$1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1)
Horse Trainer Keeneland race/latest Keeneland work
Belle Laura Norm Casse 3rd in 10/10 JPMorgan Chase Jessamine (G2)
Concrete Rose Rusty Arnold Won JPMorgan Chase Jessamine; worked 10/25
Pakhet Todd Pletcher 2nd in JPMorgan Chase Jessamine
Princesa Carolina Kenny McPeek 5th in JPMorgan Chase Jessamine; worked 10/25
Stellar Agent Jorge Abreu Worked 10/20
Winning Envelope Chris Block Worked 10/21

$1 million Juvenile Turf (G1)
Horse Trainer Keeneland race/latest Keeneland work
Current Todd Pletcher Won 10/7 Dixiana Bourbon (G3)
Henley’s Joy Mike Maker 2nd in Dixiana Bourbon
Pico Entry Dale Romans Won 10/5 maiden
Tracksmith Joe Sharp 6th in Dixiana Bourbon
War of Will Mark Casse 4th in Dixiana Bourbon; worked 10/25

$1 million Juvenile Turf Sprint
Horse Trainer Keeneland race/latest Keeneland work
All About It George Weaver 4th in 10/7 Indian Summer; worked 10/19
Chelsea Cloisters Wesley Ward 2nd in Indian Summer; worked 10/21
Dragic Wesley Ward Worked 10/21
Mae Never No (IRE) Wesley Ward Worked 10/21
Moonlight Romance Wesley Ward Worked 10/23
Shang Shang Shang Wesley Ward Worked 10/13
Stellar Agent Jorge Abreu Worked 10/20
Stillwater Cove Wesley Ward Worked 10/23
Strike Silver Mark Casse Won Indian Summer; worked 10/25

Nov. 3 races

$4 million Turf (G1)
Horse Trainer Keeneland race/latest Keeneland work
Arklow Brad Cox 2nd in 10/18 Sycamore (G3)

$2 million Dirt Mile (G1)
Horse Trainer Keeneland race/latest Keeneland work
Dak Attack Dale Romans 2nd in 10/10 allowance
Limousine Liberal Ben Colebrook 3rd in 10/5 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2); worked 10/20
Promises Fulfilled Dale Romans Won Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix
Whitmore Ron Moquett 2nd in Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix

$2 million Distaff (G1)
Horse Trainer Keeneland race/latest Keeneland work
Blue Prize (ARG) Ignacio Correas IV Won 10/7 Juddmonte Spinster (G1); worked 10/19
Champagne Problems Ian Wilkes 2nd in Juddmonte Spinster
Fuhriously Kissed Anthony Quartarolo 4th in Juddmonte Spinster

$2 million Maker’s Mark Filly and Mare Turf (G1)
Horse Trainer Keeneland race/latest Keeneland work
A Raving Beauty (GER) Chad Brown Won 10/6 First Lady (G1)
Fuhriously Kissed Anthony Quartarolo 4th in 10/7 Juddmonte Spinster (G1)
Mom’s On Strike Joe Sharp Worked 10/20

$2 million Mile (G1)
Horse Trainer Keeneland race/latest Keeneland work
Almanaar (GB) Chad Brown 8th in 10/6 Shadwell Turf Mile (G1)
Analyze It Chad Brown 4th in Shadwell Turf Mile
A Raving Beauty (GER) Chad Brown Won 10/6 First Lady (G1)
Great Wide Open (IRE) Conor Murphy 2nd in Shadwell Turf Mile
Next Shares Richard Baltas Won Shadwell Turf Mile; worked 10/21
Oscar Performance Brian Lynch Worked 10/25
Qurbaan Kiaran McLaughlin 3rd in Shadwell Turf Mile

$2 million TwinSpires Sprint (G1)
Horse Trainer Keeneland race/latest Keeneland work
Happy Like a Fool Wesley Ward 5th in 10/6 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2); worked 10/21
Limousine Liberal Ben Colebrook 3rd in 10/5 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2); worked 10/20
Mr. Crow Ben Colebrook Worked 10/24
Promises Fulfilled Dale Romans Won 10/5 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix
Whitmore Ron Moquett 2nd in Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix

$1 million Filly and Mare Sprint (G1)
Horse Trainer Keeneland race/latest Keeneland work
Bixby Lou Tracey Glover 2nd in 10/18 allowance
Chalon Arnaud Delacour 2nd in 10/6 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2)
Golden Mischief Brad Cox Won Thoroughbred Club of America
Happy Like a Fool Wesley Ward 5th in Thoroughbred Club of America; worked 10/21
Kirby’s Penny Wesley Ward Worked 10/23
Miss Sunset Jeff Bonde 4th in Thoroughbred Club of America
Shamrock Rose Mark Casse Won 10/20 Lexus Raven Run (G2)

$1 million Turf Sprint (G1)
Horse Trainer Keeneland race/latest Keeneland work
Bucchero Tim Glyshaw Won 10/6 Woodford (G2) Presented by Keeneland Select
Chanteline Steve Asmussen Won 10/12 Buffalo Trace Franklin County (G3)
Extravagant Kid Brendan Walsh 3rd in Woodford; worked 10/24
Insta Erma Richard Baltas 6th in 10/6 First Lady (G1); worked 10/21
Will Call Brad Cox 2nd in Woodford

OWNER’S EXPERIENCE IS A WINNER FOR KEENELAND TOUR GUESTS

The debut of Keeneland’s innovative Owner’s Experience Tour during the 2018 Fall Meet was an overwhelming success. All 16 sessions of the 90-minute experience with a 10-person limit were sold out. Guests came from 20 states and Australia.
For the first race on selected days, a Keeneland tour guide accompanied each group into the Saddling Paddock for pre-race activities. Guests saw the Thoroughbreds’ connections and watched trainers saddle horses. They continued to the Walking Ring and saw trainers and jockeys discuss strategy before the call for “Riders Up.” Participants proceeded through the Tunnel and into the Winner’s Circle, where they watched the race and the Winner’s Circle ceremony.
They then conducted their own mock trophy presentation complete with a personal visit from Keeneland Bugler Steve Buttleman.
“We are always looking at new ways that we can engage with our fans and provide unique experiences that they can’t get anywhere else,” Keeneland Director of Employee and Patron Experience Kara Heissenbuttel said. “The average fan will never have the chance to experience Keeneland in a way that owners do with access to the Paddock and Winner’s Circle and the opportunity to see the smallest details executed by Keeneland staff to create an impeccable race day.”
Heissenbuttel said guests had a variety of knowledge about racing. Some were first-time visitors to Keeneland, while others were long-time fans who never had a chance to be so close to racehorses and their owners and trainers.
“Loved the Owner’s Experience Tour and getting to go where only owners can stand to view all the Thoroughbreds,” one participant wrote. “What a thrill.”
“The most common comment I heard from our guests was ‘Wow,’ but my favorite might have been from a California couple celebrating the husband’s birthday,” Keeneland Tour Guide Carol Sue Ray said. “Three different times along the tour they hugged each other and said, ‘Best birthday present ever.’ ”
“Our fans crave these intimate experiences, and we love having the opportunity to provide that for them,” Heissenbuttel said.
Click here for more information about Official Keeneland Tours, which will include Behind-the-Scenes Sales Tours on selected days during Keeneland’s November Breeding Stock Sale.

 
FALL MEET LEADERS
Through Oct. 26 (16 days of 17-day season)

Jockey Starts Wins 2nd 3rd Purses

Tyler Gaffalione 69 13 7 5 $1,283,018
Julien Leparoux 73 12 6 6 $729,212
Jose Ortiz 79 10 13 13 $734,290
Ricardo Santana Jr. 73 9 6 9 $567,093
*Edgar Morales 64 9 5 7 $340,770
Florent Geroux 70 8 10 12 $791,891
Brian Hernandez Jr. 75 8 6 11 $822,151

*Apprentice

Trainer Starts Wins 2nd 3rd Purses

Todd Pletcher 17 8 2 1 $469,036
Mike Maker 43 7 3 5 $332,293
Eddie Kenneally 32 6 7 3 $266,111
Steve Asmussen 38 6 3 5 $311,416
Ian Wilkes 44 5 4 5 $407,964
Joe Sharp 23 5 2 4 $230,779
Ben Colebrook 31 5 1 4 $507,126

Owner Wins

Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey 5
Susan and Jim Hill 3
G. Watts Humphrey 3

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