Churchill Downs Barn Notes: Closing Day of Fall Meet

Nov 26, 2017

Heading into the final day of racing of the 21-day Fall Meet, perennial top rider Corey Lanerie has clinched his 15^th leading rider crown at Churchill Downs in the last.

Lanerie, 43, entered Sunday with 35 victories through 20 days of racing in the Fall Meet – a 17-win cushion over second-place Ricardo Santana Jr. This is Lanerie’s 15^th leading rider title in the last 17 meets at Churchill Downs.

“I could have never imagined being this successful at Churchill,” Lanerie said. “It’s such a great accomplishment and it’s been a great meet. I have to thank all of the owners and trainers for giving me an opportunity to ride their horses.”

Lanerie surpassed his 2017 Fall Meet total of 31 wins and had earnings of more than $1.3 million, which exceeded last year’s mark by more than $250,000.

Among the highlights of Lanerie’s Fall Meet was a trio of stakes victories in the $100,000 River City Handicap (Grade III) (Shining Copper), $80,000-added Bet On Sunshine Overnight Stakes (Limousine Liberal), and $200,000 Spendthrift Juvenile Filly Stallion Stakes (Sultry).

Lanerie was fifth in all-time wins at Churchill Downs with 922, three behind fourth-place Don Brumfield.

Julien Leparoux entered Sunday’s closing day program in third with 16 victories through 69 starters. Brian Hernandez Jr. was in fourth-place with 15 victories including his 500^th-career win beneath the Twin Spires earlier in the week to become only the 14^th jockey in Churchill Downs history to accomplish that feat. Robby Albarado rounded out the top 5 in the standings with 11 victories.

There was a heated battle in the trainer’s standings to begin Sunday’s 12-race finale between Brad Cox and Steve Asmussen. Cox lead Asmussen 12-11 wins.

Cox’s Sunday entries: Spanky (Race 4); Bloom Baby (Race 5); Take That for Data (Race 7); and Secret House (Race 10).

Asmussen Sunday entries: Faster N Blazes (Race 4); New York Central (Race 8); Flight Risk (Race 12); and La Maquina Gris (Race 12).

In the leading owner’s race there was a four-way tie for first to begin the day between Randy Patterson, Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Stoneway Farm, and Walking L Thoroughbreds. There were nine other owners that still had the possibility to tie or surpass the current top four.

Racing will return to Churchill Downs in just 153 days for opening night of the 2018 Spring Meet on Saturday, April 28, 2018.

PENNINGTON RECOVERING FOLLOWING KENTUCKY JOCKEY CLUB SPILL – Jockey Frankie Pennington was recovering at nearby Norton Audubon Hospital and will scheduled for surgery Sunday one day after he fell from his mount, Diamond King, as the field entered the first turn of the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (Grade II), according to trainer Robert “Butch” Reid Jr.

“We’re sitting up here with Frankie this morning and he’s doing just fine,” Reid said. “He’ll head into surgery in a little while to repair a small issue but is doing fine overall.”

The current leading rider at Philadelphia’s PARX, Pennington and his mount Diamond King raced between Gotta Go and Givemeaminit into the first turn and appeared to clip heels with those rivals and Pennington was dropped. Diamond King was corralled shortly after the race by Churchill Downs’ outriders.

‘ALL OTHERS’ EARLY 2-1 FAVORITE IN KENTUCKY DERBY FUTURE WAGER POOL 1 – The popular #24 “All Others” was the 2-1 early favorite entering the final day of wagering in Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.

The overall individual favorite in the future wager was Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Grade I) beaten favorite #2 Bolt d’Oro at 9-2. Other early favorites in the future wager include McKinzie (#14, 10-1); Good Magic (#10, 11-1); Montauk (#16, 16-1); and Solomini (#19, 20-1).

This week’s Derby Futures pool, which coincides with the lone Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager, is the first of four pool that will be conducted in the months leading up to the 2018 running of the famed “Run for the Roses.” Through three days of wagering, offspring sired by Medaglia d’Oro, including Bolt d’Oro, was the 9-2 early favorite.

Winning mutuel payouts on the $2 minimum bet will be determined by the odds that are in place at the conclusion wagering on Sunday at 6 p.m. (EST).

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Past Performances: http://www.brisnet.com/brisnet_promos/Derby18Future1.pdf

Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager Past Performances: http://www.brisnet.com/brisnet_promos/Derby18SirePPs.pdf

For more information and live odds visit: https://www.kentuckyderby.com/wager/future-wager

MILESTONE WATCH – Entering the final day of the Fall Meet, trainer Greg Foley (399) was one win away from 400 career victories beneath the historic Twin Spires. Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. was one wins away from 200 career victories at Churchill Downs. … Trainer Mike Maker