Team World

(November 15, 2008) – Team USA beat Team World by the slimmest of margins, 10 points to 9 ½, in Saturday’s inaugural “Rider Cup” for charity at Churchill Downs.

The five-race series, which awarded points to team representatives for their respective placings in each race, came down to the final leg. Team USA had an 8-6 ½ advantage, but Team World, which showcased jockeys born outside the United States, had Ramon Dominguez aboard 4-5 favorite Game Face in Race 8. With three points awarded for a win, Calvin Borel aboard 6-1 fourth choice Miss Isella had to secure two points for second to secure the victory for Team USA.

Game Face edged Miss Isella by head and Team USA prevailed.

“I knew I had to run second to get it for the team,” Borel said. “Heck, she ran so good I almost won the race. She ran a heck of a race, she’s a real runner. I knew we had to run second if [Game Face] won to hang on. We did it and got lucky. It was a lot of fun.”

“Those guys actually thought they were going to beat us,” said Robby Albarado, who earned five points for Team USA with a win aboard O’Sotopretty in Race 4 (the first leg in the series) and a runner-up effort on Orangspangledgator in Race 7. “We had a lot of fun; we should do this again.”

One mount for each race was selected by celebrity team captains. Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day represented Team USA and Hall of Fame rider Angel Cordero Jr. captained Team World. No jockey could be chosen more than twice in the series.

Points were awarded on a 3-2-1 scale for first-, second- and third-place finishes in each race. If neither jockey hit the board, the rider with the best finish was awarded a half-point.

Team USA had the most points at the conclusion of Race 8, was crowned the winner and a $10,000 donation will be made to the charities of the winning team’s choice. The charities of the Team World will receive a $5,000 donation.

“I can’t say enough about the jobs the jockeys had done and Churchill Downs for stepping forward and making these donations available to our charities,” Day said. “It’s been a great day. Thank you, Churchill Downs, for hosting this event and to all the riders who participated. Angel and I had a great deal of fun. We’re all greatly appreciative of the effort.

“We’ll get together with the riders and see where they want the money to go. They’re the ones out here working on this miserable day (rainy and 39 degrees).”

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(November 14, 2008) – Retired Hall of Fame jockeys Pat Day and Angel Cordero Jr. will captain Team USA and Team World, respectively, in the inaugural “Rider Cup” for charity on Saturday, Nov. 15 at Churchill Downs.

The unique event will showcase American-born jockeys versus foreign-born jockeys in a competition for points in Races 4-8.

Before each of the five designated races, the celebrity team captains will choose one jockey to represent their respective team with hope of earning coveted points. No jockey can be chosen more than twice in the series.

Points will be awarded on a 3-2-1 scale for first-, second- and third-place finishes in each race. If neither jockey hits the board, the rider with the best finish will be awarded a half-point.

The team with the most points at the conclusion of Race 8 will be crowned the winner and a $10,000 donation will be made to the charities of the winning team’s choice. The charities of the second-place team will win a $5,000 donation.

Based on Saturday’s entries for Races 4-8, Team U.S.A. will be comprised of Robby Albarado (born in Lafayette, La.); E.T. Baird (Chicago, Ill.); Calvin Borel (St. Martin, La.); Kent Desormeaux (Maurice, La.); Julio Garcia (Santurce, Puerto Rico); Tracy Hebert (Erath, La.); John McKee (Cincinnati, Ohio); Brandon Meier (Elk Grove, Ill.); Larry Melancon (Breaux Bridge, La.); Perry Ouzts (Lepanto, Ark.); Hector Rosario Jr. (Fajardo, Puerto Rico); and Bill Troilo (Philadelphia, Pa.).

Team World will be Shaun Bridgmohan (Kingston, Jamaica); Aldo Canchano (Huancayo, Peru); Jesus Castanon (Mexico City, Mexico); Ramon Dominguez (Caracas, Venezuela); Inez Karlsson (Goteberg, Sweden); Julien Leparoux (Senlis, France); Miguel Mena (Lima, Peru); and Diego Rodriguez (Guanajuato City, Mexico).

Before the start of the Rider Cup, Hall of Fame jockeys Pat Day and Angel Cordero Jr. will take part in a free autograph session with area horse racing fans from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the second floor of the clubhouse near the PEB jockey and trainer murals.

Saturday’s 10-race program also will feature the 36th running of the $100,000-added Cardinal Handicap, a Grade III event for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles over the Matt Winn Turf Course. The Cardinal will go as Race 9 at approximately 4:37 p.m. ET.

The first race of the day is scheduled for 12:40 p.m. ET with the Rider Cup covering Races 4 (2:06 p.m. ET) through 8 (4:06 p.m. ET).

The first 5,000 paid and pre-paid admissions when gates open at 11 a.m. on Saturday will receive a free collectable hurricane glass that salutes jockey Robby Albarado, courtesy of GE.