Lanerie Clinches 17th Riding Title, Asmussen Cruises to Record-Extending 21st Training Crown

Jun 29, 2019 Kevin Kerstein,Churchill Downs Communications

Veteran jockey Corey Lanerie entered Saturday’s closing day program at Churchill Downs with a commanding 41-29 win lead over Miguel Mena in the jockey standings and clinched his 17^th leading rider title at the 38-day Spring Meet.

Lanerie, 44, has won six of the last eight Spring Meet riding championships. Lanerie was poised to win the 2018 meet title when tragedy struck during mid-June with the sudden loss of his wife, Shantel.

“It’s been refreshing to get things back on track,” Lanerie said. “A lot of trainers and owners have supported me throughout my career here at Churchill Downs and we’ve been working hard every day to get back to the top.”

Lanerie who was represented in 2018 by Richard Price, switched agents for the 2019 Spring Meet to 30-year-old Cory Prewitt. The duo plan to ride at Ellis Park over the summer.

Arguably, the biggest win of Lanerie’s Spring Meet came when Wilbo rallied in mid-stretch to narrowly prevail in the $125,000 Aristides Stakes (Listed). Along with Wilbo’s victory in the Aristides, Lanerie also won the $115,000 Champion’s Day Marathon Overnight Stakes presented by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance aboard Sonneteer.

The leading jockey presentation will take place following the fifth race Saturday at Churchill Downs.

ASMUSSEN CRUISES TO RECORD-EXTENDING 21^ST LEADING TRAINER TITLE – Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen dominated the trainer standings at Churchill Downs’ 2019 Spring Meet with 27 victories to win his record-extending 21^st leading trainer title at the Louisville track.

Asmussen, 53, enters Saturday’s card ready to eclipse 180 starts for the 38-day meet, smashing his previous record of 130 starters at the 2011 Spring Meet. The two-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer won a milestone 700^th victory June 22 at Churchill Downs when 5-year-old gelding Rocky Tough rallied to win the ninth race.

Asmussen accumulated four stakes victories at the Spring Meet including a trio of Grade I wins on Kentucky Derby weekend with She’s a Julie ($500,000 La Troienne); Mitole ($500,000 Churchill Downs); and Mia Mischief ($500,000 Humana Distaff). Six weeks later, Mia Mischief would go on to defeat Awestruck and Covfefe in the $120,000-added Roxelana Overnight Stakes.

Entering Saturday’s 12-race program, Asmussen had 703 career victories at Churchill Downs and trails all-time leader Dale Romans by 26 wins.

Asmussen is scheduled to receive his leading trainer trophy Saturday following Race 4.

OWNERS’ TITLE UP FOR GRABS BETWEEN CALUMET FARM, MAGGI MOSS, KEN AND SARAH RAMSEY – The leading owner of the 2019 Spring Meet could come down to Saturday’s 11^th race as Calumet Farm, Maggi Moss and Ken and Sarah Ramsey begin closing with a three-way tie at six wins apiece.

Calumet, who has nine leading owner titles at Churchill Downs, has two entries Saturday: Red Sorrell (Race 3, 7-2) and Verb (Race 11, 9-2).

Ken and Sarah Ramsey, who have won a record 31 titles beneath the Twin Spires, have Battle Station entered in Race 9 at odds of 8-1.

Moss, who secured her fifth leading owner title in the 2018 September Meet, has no horses entered Saturday.

Mandatory Closing Day Payout for Saturday's Single 6; Massive $327,613 Carryover Could Produce Total Pool in Excess of $1 million – A lucrative total Single 6 Jackpot pool that could eclipse $1 million will be up for grabs Saturday at Churchill Downs on closing day of the Louisville racetrack’s 38-day Spring Meet.

There’s a $327,613 carryover for the 19th straight race day after multiple tickets hit Friday’s six-race sequence.

Because Saturday is closing day, there will be a mandatory payout in the Single 6 Jackpot with all monies distributed to ticket holders with the most winners in the six-race series. Saturday’s Single 6 Jackpot, which only costs 20 cents per combination, will cover Races 7-12 starting at approximately 3:50 p.m. (all times Eastern).

The daily six-race sequence has challenged bettors to select the winners of six consecutive races but the Jackpot pool only is paid if there is a single winning ticket. When multiple tickets contain six winners 90 percent of that day’s pool is paid out and 10 percent is added to the Jackpot carryover.

The last time the Jackpot was paid was Memorial Day.

Takeout on the Single 6 Jackpot is just 15 percent, which is one of the lowest multi-race wager takeout rates in American racing.

Saturday’s sequence features a full-field, first-level allowance at one mile on turf; the $120,000-added Kelly’s Landing at seven furlongs with a field of eight sprinters; a full-field conditioned allowance at 5 ½ furlongs on turf; a field of nine 2-year-old fillies in the $125,000 Debutante (Listed); a field of 10 juveniles in the $125,000 Bashford Manor (GIII); and a full-field maiden special weight for 3-year-olds and up at one mile on turf.

Free past performances, courtesy of Brisnet.com, are available online at https://www.brisnet.com/product/past-performances/FPP.

There also will be a mandatory payout in the $1 Super Hi-5 in the final race of the meet, Race 12.

Fans can wager on the Single 6 Jackpot on track at Churchill Downs; TwinSpires.com, the track’s official online wagering platform; other online wagering outlets; and select satellite betting centers throughout North America.

Saturday’s 12-race closing day card at Churchill Downs starts at 12:45 p.m.

DOWN THE STRETCH – The podcast of Friday night’s “Inside Churchill Downs” radio show that featured Vice President of Racing Ben Huffman is available here: https://omny.fm/shows/additional-programming-0/inside-churchilldowns-w-derbymedia-horseracingkk-4. The one-hour program will take a five-week hiatus but is scheduled to return to the airwaves Aug. 9. … We extend our best wishes to all of the owners, trainers, jockeys and handicappers for a successful summer and are looking forward to the return of the 11-day September Meet on Friday, Sept. 13. … We would also like to extend our thanks to the members of the media for covering our 2019 Spring Meet. Please let us know if we can assist in any of your racing coverage throughout the summer.