FUTURE UNDETERMINED FOR COMEBACK KING CLOUDY’S KNIGHT
Cloudy’s Knight’s narrow victory in Thursday’s Sycamore (G3) represented another remarkable accomplishment for Racing Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard. The Sycamore marked the second Grade 3 win for the 9-year-old gelding, who has raced twice since returning from a year layoff.
“I do take a certain amount of pride in that we did something that’s rather unique,” said Sheppard, who scored his fifth win in the Sycamore, following Crowd Pleaser (2000) and three-time winner Rochester (2001, 2002 and 2005). “But I’ve always said, ‘You can’t go without the horse.’ You have to have the right type of horse to do things like that, and it all came together. I’m very happy for the owners and my staff.”
Sheppard said co-owner Shirley Schwartz earlier this year “called me out of the clear blue sky. She said, ‘I’ve heard some good things about you, and I’ve got this horse I was wondering if you’d consider taking.’ I said, ‘Well, can you tell me something about him.’ She said, ‘Well, he’s a 9-year-old gelding.’ I said, ‘Uh oh.’
Sheppard, whose Rochester was nine when he won his third Sycamore, laughed. The trainer said Schwartz went on to tell him that Cloudy’s Knight had been a “pretty good horse” and had won the 2007 Pattison Canadian International (G1), a Woodbine race the trainer said he had watched on simulcast. The gelding later injured a tendon in a hind leg, and Schwartz’s veterinarian said he thought “the best chance of the horse’s making it back to the races would be a European-type training foundation,” Sheppard recalled. Sheppard, an Englishman who has such a setup at his Pennsylvania farm, would seem to be the perfect fit.
Sheppard decided to start Cloudy’s Knight in the Kentucky Cup Turf (G3) on September 19 at Kentucky Downs, where the undulating turf course resembles what his horses had experienced at his farm. Because jockey Rosemary Homeister Jr. had won for him at the track, he called on her to work Cloudy’s Knight at Delaware Park 10 days before the gelding’s return.
“He’s such a big horse. Some people are rather intimidated by that,” Sheppard said. “I thought it would be good for her to get on him in the morning one time, see how they get along. She liked him; he worked well for her.”
Homeister and Cloudy’s Knight have been a team ever since. However, Sheppard said no decision on their next race has been made, although the $500,000 Breeders’ Cup Marathon over 1 ¾ on the all-weather surface at Santa Anita on November 6 has been suggested.
“I don’t know what we’re going to do,” Sheppard said. “I don’t want to be greedy; I don’t want to push it. To take a 9-year-old and suddenly run him in a world championship-type race over a surface he’s never run on before might be a little much.”
Today, Sheppard will send out Cloudy’s Knight’s 5-year-old half brother, Rainbows Arch, in the fourth race for Jerrold and Shirley Schwartz. The dam of Rainbows Arch, a gelded son of Arch, and Cloudy’s Knight is the Solar City mare Cloudy Spot.
HOMEISTER BLOGS ABOUT SYCAMORE WIN
Rosemary Homeister Jr.’s victory aboard Cloudy’s Knight in Thursday’s Sycamore (G3) marked her first victory in six career starts at Keeneland. Homeister is the first female jockey to win a Keeneland stakes on the flat since Patricia Cooksey rode Gimmeakissee to victory in the 1999 Valley View (G3).
Homeister, who is the second-leading female jockey in Thoroughbred racing with 2,191 wins through Thursday, has a website, JockeyRose.com, on which she blogs nearly every day about her riding career. Yesterday’s Sycamore victory made for lots of copy.
“Thank you to all who were cheering me on,” wrote Homeister, who the day before the Sycamore had ridden at Laurel Park in Maryland. “It is so exciting to fly in to a track and ride against some of the top riders in the country and come out a winner. I got a great reception from the jocks when I got back into the room. I will be buying the jocks room in Keeneland pizzas today.”
The female jockey with the most Keeneland stakes wins is Julie Krone, the all-time winningest female jockey, who won nine Keeneland stakes between 1989-1998. Among them were two runnings of the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, on Captive Miss in 1992 and Danish (IRE) in 1994. Krone, who won 3,704 races in her career, was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 2000.
Cooksey, who won 2,137 races during her career, is third among the winningest female jockeys of all time. She currently works for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
AUGUSTIN STABLE RACES FOR GOLD TRAY IN TODAY’S PIN OAK
George Strawbridge Jr.’s Augustin Stable will attempt to claim its eighth Keeneland graded stakes win – and a milestone gold tray – when it sends out Project Rose in the first division of today’s Pin Oak Valley View (G3).
Keeneland awards a gold julep cup to the winning owner of each graded stakes race. When an owner receives eight julep cups, he or she is awarded the Keeneland Tray, a solid gold serving piece. Only 15 other owners in Keeneland’s history have earned a gold tray.
Augustin has captured four graded stakes at Keeneland this year, including two with Informed Decision, winner of the spring’s Vinery Madison (G1) and Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) on opening Saturday of the fall meeting. Informed Decision also won the Lexus Raven Run (G2) last fall.
Rounding out Augustin’s graded stakes wins at Keeneland are the 2009 Jenny Wiley (G2) and 2008 First Lady (G1) with champion Forever Together; the Grey Goose Bewitch (G3) with Winter View, and the 2005 Sycamore Breeders’ Cup (G3) with Rochester.
FLASHING SETTLES IN WELL AT KEENELAND
Godolphin Racing LLC’s Flashing is coming up to Saturday’s $300,000 Lexus Raven Run (G2), in which she will carry high weight of 123 pounds, in good order, according to Christine Andenaes, assistant to trainer Saeed bin Suroor.
“She shipped down (from Belmont) fine and is in great form,” Andenaes said of the showy 3-year-old chestnut daughter of A.P. Indy. “She’s been training well over the Polytrack and was just super when she schooled in the paddock yesterday.”
Andenaes described Flashing as “the barn pet. She has a very sweet disposition; very easy to work around.” However, her good nature belies a distinct competitiveness on the racetrack, where she has posted five wins in eight career starts. Among those victories are scores in the Nassau County (G3) on May 2 at Belmont, run at the same seven-furlong distance as the Raven Run, and the Test (G1) on August 8 at Saratoga.
In her most recent start on September 12, Flashing finished third behind Informed Decision in the Presque Isle Masters (G3), her first start on an all-weather surface.
GALLOPING OUT
Champion Forever Together and Grade 1 winner Informed Decision, both of whom were returned to trainer Jonathan Sheppard’s Pennsylvania farm after racing at Keeneland on October 10, will work on Sunday at the farm and then be back at Keeneland by Monday morning, Sheppard said. The trainer said the two would turn in their final work prior to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships on Sunday, November 1, at Keeneland and leave for California the next day.
On November 6 at Santa Anita, Forever Together will defend her title in the $2 million Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) and Informed Decision is set to run in the $1 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1).
Trainer Joseph Cheeks scored his first Keeneland win when he sent out 20-1 longshot Valid Supreme to win the first race on Thursday. With John McKee aboard, Valid Supreme took the seven-furlong race for maiden-claimers by 5 ½ lengths. The 3-year-old daughter of Valid Reprized races for Gayle Woods.
SUPPORT MILITARY MISSIONS AT KEENELAND ON SUNDAY
As part of Keeneland’s Military Family Day on Sunday, Keeneland will partner with Military Missions to collect items to include in holiday care packages for deployed Kentucky servicemen and –women.
Patrons wishing to donate to “Operation SEND Christmas” may drop off any of the items listed below at the Keeneland Sales Pavilion between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Keeneland will give a free admission pass (valid for Sunday, October 25 only) to all patrons donating.
Requested items are as follows:
T Travel-size toiletries (no bar soaps or razors, please)
Granola or snack bars in boxed packaging
Long solid white cotton socks (calf length or taller)
Foot powder
Insoles
KEENELAND FALL MEET SPECIAL EVENTS
Saturday, October 24 —
Breakfast with the Works – Take a behind-the-scenes look at racing’s stars during Breakfast with the Works, from 7 – 8:30 a.m. Enjoy a Southern-style breakfast and free children’s activities. This Saturday, representatives from Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital will be featured in the paddock demonstration at 8:45 a.m. Presented by WLEX-18.
Budweiser Clydesdales – Fans have two opportunities to see the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales at Keeneland on Saturday. Immediately following Breakfast with the Works, from 9-9:45 a.m., fans can have their photo taken with a Clydesdale at the Grandstand South Gate. The full team, including mascot Dalmatian Barley, will make a special appearance on the main track following the fourth race, at approximately 2:50 p.m. All appearances are weather permitting.
Handicapping Seminar – Hosted by Caton Bredar; begins at 11:30 a.m. trackside.
Sunday, October 25 —
Military Family Day – (see note above for details)
Leslie Guttman Book Signing – Leslie Guttman will sign copies of her new book, Equine ER: Stories From a Year in the Life of an Equine Veterinary Hospital, in front of the Keeneland Gift Shop from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The book captures the often dramatic, sometimes heartbreaking, but inspiring cases Guttman witnessed during the past year as the proverbial “fly on the wall” at Lexington’s world-renowned Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, the sponsor of Sunday’s Dowager Stakes.
2009 KEENELAND FALL MEET LEADERS
(Stats Through Thursday, October 22)
Current Meet Leading Jockeys
Name Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Purses
Robby Albarado 69 13 10 5 $742,134
Julien Leparoux 66 11 10 11 $653,513
Kent Desormeaux 50 9 3 16 $832,341
James Graham 57 8 5 3 $533,296
Rajiv Maragh 21 5 6 1 $949,459
Jamie Theriot 51 5 5 0 $301,180
Jesus Castanon 47 5 2 2 $191,580
Calvin Borel 50 3 3 8 $166,308
Jeremy Rose 18 3 3 4 $204,700
Shaun Bridgmohan 36 3 3 2 $156,071
E.T. Baird 16 3 2 4 $ 90,720
Javier Castellano 8 3 2 0 $204,749
Current Meet Leading Trainers
Name Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Purses
Ken McPeek 42 9 7 7 $713,088
George Arnold II 20 4 4 2 $292,383
Michael Maker 15 4 3 1 $113,823
Hugh Robertson 14 4 3 0 $106,682
Todd Pletcher 19 4 1 2 $277,720
Tom Proctor 14 4 1 1 $119,295
Dale Romans 16 3 4 1 $129,340
W. Bret Calhoun 5 3 1 0 $126,957
Jonathan Sheppard 8 3 0 2 $294,885
8 trainers tied with 2 wins each
Current Meet Leading Owners
Name Wins
Ken & Sarah Ramsey 4
Augustin Stable (George Strawbridge Jr.) 2
Darley Stable (Mohammed al Maktoum) 2
Glen Hill Farm (Leonard Lavin) 2
G. Watts Humphrey Jr. 2
IEAH Stables (Michael Iavarone) 2
Melnyk Racing Stables Inc (Eugene Melnyk) 2
Wertheimer & Frere (Alain & Gerald Wertheimer) 2
WinStar Farm LLC (Bill Casner, et al) 2
For more information contact Amy Gregory at 859 288-4376 or Jim Williams at 859 288-4220.