Keeneland Barn Notes — Saturday, Oct. 28

By Amy Owens —-

SATURDAY, OCT. 28 – CLOSING DAY / TEACHER APPRECIATION DAY

BREEDERS’ CUP HOPEFULS WORK SATURDAY
GAFFALIONE, COX CRUISING TO MEET TITLES
GALLOPING OUT
KEENELAND SPECIAL EVENTS
FALL MEET LEADERS

BREEDERS’ CUP HOPEFULS WORK SATURDAY

Several horses pre-entered in the 40th Breeders’ Cup World Championships Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita turned in their final preparations this morning at Keeneland.

These horses each worked a half-mile on a fast track:

Grade 1 winner Brightwork (Juvenile Fillies/Juvenile Turf Sprint) — :47.80 for trainer John Ortiz.
First Lady (G1) Presented by UK HealthCare winner Gina Romantica (FanDuel Mile/Maker’s Mark Filly and Mare Turf) — :47.20 in company with Liguria for trainer Chad Brown. (Click here for a video of the work.)
Grade 1 winner Proxy (Classic) — :48.40 for trainer Mike Stidham.

Working on the turf course labeled good were:

Woodford (G2) Presented by FanDuel winner Arzak (Turf Sprint), who covered 3 furlongs on :34.80 for trainer Mike Trombetta. (Click here for a video of the work.)
First Lady Presented by UK HealthCare runner-up In Italian (GB) (Filly and Mare Turf/Mile) went 5 furlongs in 1:03.60 for Brown. (Click here for a video of the work.)

Post positions for the Breeders’ Cup will be determined Monday, Oct. 30 at the Rood & Riddle Post Position Draw, which begins at 7:45 p.m. ET. The program will be televised live on FanDuel TV and livestreamed on BreedersCup.com.

GAFFALIONE, COX CRUISING TO MEET TITLES

Jockey Tyler Gaffalione and trainer Brad Cox top the leaderboards going into the final day of Keeneland’s Fall Meet on Saturday.

Prior to the start of racing, Gaffilione has 23 victories for a four-win lead over Luis Saez in his quest for a fourth Fall Meet title and his sixth title overall. Pending scratches, Gaffalione and Saez, last year’s Fall Meet leader, both have nine mounts on today’s 10-race program. Flavien Prat is in third with 15 wins and eight chances on the Saturday card.

Cox, seeking his fourth consecutive Fall Meet title and fifth title overall, is the clear leader with 12 victories this season. He has five horses entered Saturday. Chad Brown is next with seven wins and two entrants today. Steve Asmussen – tied with Chris Hartman, Todd Pletcher and Brendan Walsh – for the third spot with six wins apiece, has a statistical chance to catch Cox with entrants in seven races on closing day.

Among owners, Godolphin leads with four wins before the start of racing today. Godolphin, which has one horse entered today, has earned a total of five meet titles, including two as Darley.

GALLOPING OUT

Lance Rutledge sent out Knockout Thoroughbreds’ Halmstad to win Friday’s Race 1 for his first Keeneland victory. Luis Saez rode the gelding to a 3¾-length victory while racing 6 furlongs in 1:10.04.

KEENELAND SPECIAL EVENTS

Year-round

Official Keeneland Tours. Visit keeneland.com/tours for availability and to purchase.

Through Dec. 8

Keeneland Library Presents the Exhibit The Heart of the Turf: Racing’s Black Pioneers. This fascinating exhibit highlights the lives and careers of 80 African Americans working in the Thoroughbred industry from the mid-1800s to the present. Located on Keeneland’s campus, Keeneland Library is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. To reach the Library, enter Keeneland at Gate 1 on Keeneland Blvd. and take the first right on Entertainment Ct. The Library is to the left of the Keene Barn and Entertainment Center. The exhibit is free.

National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Secretariat Exhibit. Keeneland is hosting the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame’s traveling exhibit, “A Tremendous Machine: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Secretariat’s Triple Crown,” in front of the Sales Pavilion. The free exhibit, which is open to the public, features Secretariat’s 1973 Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Belmont Stakes and Triple Crown trophies along with videos that will take fans through Secretariat’s unique journey and tell the stories of the people who guided him through his legendary career. The exhibit is open from 9 a.m. through the final race.