KEENELAND RECALLS SILVER ANNIVERSARY OF ROYAL VISIT
Twenty-five years ago, Keeneland played host to one of the most significant events in its history. On October 11, 1984, Queen Elizabeth II, an avid horsewoman, made her first visit to a racetrack in the United States when she arrived at 12:35 p.m. that day for the inaugural running of the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1). Today, the 1 1/8-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies is the ninth race.
“It was one of those Indian Summer days, with bright skies, a warm temperature and gentle breezes. Absolutely perfect,” recalled former Keeneland President and board chairman Ted Bassett in his autobiography, Ted Bassett: My Life, co-authored with Eclipse Award-winning writer Bill Mooney. “The afternoon at Keeneland had been designated as her only public appearance during her six-day stay here, and the crowd numbered 12,666. Among them was a little girl, who suddenly ducked under the ropes and walked up to the Queen and extended a small spray of mums as a gift.”
To prepare for the Queen’s visit, Keeneland officials were schooled on royal etiquette. The track also made a significant change.
“Back then at Keeneland, we did not have a winner’s circle,” Bassett wrote. “For regular races we’d simply have the clerk of scales draw a chalk circle on the track surface, and the brief congratulatory ceremony would take place there.
“But, after a stakes race was run, people were to walk across the track for the trophy presentation, and it didn’t matter whether rain, snow or sleet was falling, or how thick or gooey the track surface was. If you were the winning owner or trainer, or had been invited to make the trophy presentation, you had to walk across, even if it meant wading through a swamp.
“Well, the British and United States Secret Service, not surprisingly, suggested to us that it wouldn’t really be appropriate for the Queen to do something like this, and said that for a number of reasons, involving security and so forth, they’d prefer to have her present the trophy on the grandstand side. … We (constructed a winner’s circle) so Queen Elizabeth II would have the proper setting to present the trophy for the stakes race that was named in her honor.”
During the afternoon, the Queen also witnessed a mock sale of a Thoroughbred in Keeneland’s sales pavilion. Then, prior to the stakes named in her honor, she greeted each of the jockeys riding in the race. The winner was Cherry Valley Farm’s favored Sintra, a daughter of Drone who was ridden by Keith Allen for trainer Steve Penrod. Seth Hancock of Cherry Valley accepted the trophy from the Queen.
Subsequent winners of the QE II include champion Ryafan (1997); Film Maker (2003) and Riskaverse (2002), both of whom earned more than $2 million in their careers; millionaires Vacare (2006), Sweet Talker (2005), Ticker Tape (GB) (2004) and Affluent (2001); and Perfect Sting (1999), who returned the following year and became a champion.
Today, Bassett and Mooney will sign copies of Ted Bassett: My Life at Keeneland. Other book signings have been scheduled for November 7 during the Kentucky Book Fair in Frankfort and December 5 at the Keeneland Gift Shop. More information about their book is available at tedbassett.com.
HOOH WHY RETURNS TO SCENE OF BIGGEST WIN
“You’re back where it all began, huh, girl,” Mark Hoffman said as he prepared Hooh Why for her morning exercise on Saturday.
Hooh Why is back at Keeneland, albeit on the other side of Barn 22 from where she was in the spring, but she is back for a possible run in next Saturday’s Lexus Raven Run (G3).
When last seen here, Hooh Why was springing a $50 upset in the Grade 1 Ashland at the expense of Gozzip Girl, the morning-line favorite for this afternoon’s Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, and 2008 Eclipse Award winner Stardom Bound.
“If I could do the summer over again, I would have turned her out and had a fresh horse for the fall,” said Hoffman, who co-owns Hooh Why with Gail Gee of Derby Daze Farms. “Now I’ve got a half-fresh horse, but whether she runs or not next week, she is going to be turned out in Ocala Monday a week and that will be it until the Sunshine Millions.”
Hooh Why arrived at Keeneland on Tuesday from Woodbine, where she ran third in the Grade 3 Selene in her most recent start on September 26.
“She has had a long campaign,” Hoffman said. “She won the La Lorgnette, but then she stubbed her toe a couple of times.”
Hooh Why is scheduled to breeze Sunday morning at Keeneland, but that will not determine whether she goes in the Raven Run.
“I am going to have to see who else is in there and I haven’t been keeping up with the sprinters,” Hoffman said regarding the Raven Run, which, at seven furlongs, would be Hooh Why’s first sprint test since January’s Sunshine Millions Oaks at six furlongs.
Keeneland racing officials on Saturday had 10 fillies listed as probable for the Raven Run headed by the 1-2 finishers in Saratoga’s Grade 1 Test, Flashing and Pretty Prolific. Other probables include All of Her Twist, Devil by Design, Ivory Empress, Jardin, Kiddari, Satans Quick Chick, Sky Haven and Strike the Bell.
Entries for the Raven Run will be taken Wednesday.
NO PICTURE, BUT NO WORRIES FOR PINO
Trainer Michael Pino said Saturday morning that David Ross’ Libor Lady came out of her runner-up effort in Friday’s Buffalo Trace Franklin County in good order.
“The soft turf did not seem to bother her,” Pino said of Libor Lady, who finished 1 ¼ lengths behind Dubai Majesty but 8 ¼ lengths clear of third-place finisher Nadeshiko. “I wish the ground could have been a little more firm to give me a little help with a speed horse.”
Libor Lady, who is based in Maryland, won an allowance optional claiming race this spring on the main track, and her Friday effort improved her turf record to six wins in 11 starts. Her stablemate, Cherokee Spirit, who also is owned by Ross, ran third in the fifth race.
“We didn’t get our picture taken, but we’ve got a couple more to run,” said Pino, who plans to return to Fair Hill after his two other Kentucky invaders, Zubani and Atticus Kristy, run on Sunday.
ON THIS DATE
One year ago today, Rachel Alexandra made her only Keeneland appearance, winning a non-winners of two races lifetime allowance race by three lengths. The leading candidate for 2009 Horse of the Year honors, Rachel Alexandra ran the six furlongs in 1:09.60 and paid $7 under jockey Brian Hernandez Jr.
GALLOPING OUT
Leading rider Robby Albarado picked up two victories on Friday’s nine-race card to hike his meet total to nine. Albarado, who won his first fall riding title last year with 22 victories, has a career total of 364 wins at Keeneland, fourth best all time. Albarado has won two spring titles (2002 and 2003). Pat Day is Keeneland’s all-time leading rider with 918 victories, followed by Don Brumfield with 716 and Shane Sellers with 398.
THE WORKTAB
Blue Nine Stables’ Ballynoe, a nominee for next Sunday’s Rood & Riddle Dowager, worked five furlongs in 1:03 for trainer Tom Proctor. … Melnyk Racing Stable’s Bridgetown, a candidate for the November 7 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G2) at Santa Anita, worked five furlongs in 1:01 for trainer Ken McPeek. Bridgetown is scheduled to ship to Southern California on Monday. … Allshouse Racing Stable’s Gangbuster, winner of this spring’s Fort Harrod here, worked five furlongs in 1:02.20 in preparation for Thursday’s 12-furlong Sycamore (G3) for trainer Keith Desormeaux.
PREVIEW THE WORLD EQUESTRIAN GAMES ON SUNDAY AT KEENELAND
Keeneland will feature a preview on Sunday of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, scheduled for next September at the Kentucky Horse Park. Fans will be treated to on-track demonstrations by the various equine disciplines that will compete in the World Games, and have the chance to win ticket packages to the event.
2009 KEENELAND FALL MEET LEADERS
(Stats Through Friday, October 16)
Current Meet Leading Jockeys
Name Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Purses
Robby Albarado 51 9 9 3 $663,444
Julien Leparoux 46 6 7 8 $499,777
Kent Desormeaux 33 6 2 10 $647,980
Rajiv Maragh 15 5 5 1 $906,468
James Graham 30 5 3 2 $147,269
Jamie Theriot 34 3 4 0 $234,023
E.T. Baird 10 3 1 1 $ 78,810
Shaun Bridgmohan 19 3 0 1 $114,799
Jeremy Rose 13 2 2 4 $137,283
Jesus Castanon 27 2 1 2 $109,585
Current Meet Leading Trainers
Name Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Purses
Ken McPeek 31 6 4 6 $614,234
George Arnold II 12 4 3 1 $270,790
Hugh Robertson 9 4 0 0 $ 83,955
Tom Proctor 10 3 1 1 $ 83,138
Todd Pletcher 12 3 1 0 $225,919
Michael Maker 11 2 1 1 $ 55,223
W. Bret Calhoun 4 2 1 0 $105,357
Jonathan Sheppard 7 2 0 2 $219,885
Dale Bennett 7 2 0 0 $ 33,271