Giving Tuesday – The Thoroughbred Racing Edition

Silver Ray enjoys helping hands at Old Friends Farm!
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Little Mike is so grateful for helping hands at Old Friends Farm!
Little Mike is so grateful for helping hands at Old Friends Farm!

Another year is swiftly passing and thus my annual charity post is due.  I hope everyone had a most blessed Thanksgiving holiday and now we have been thrust into the season of shopping.  First,  Black Friday then Cyber Monday and don’t forget to shop for those in need of a helping hand, today is Giving Tuesday!  The fans get so much out of Thoroughbred racing and so now or anytime is the perfect moment to give back.  Read on to find easy links to donate to retired or injured thoroughbreds,  jockeys and farm and backstretch employees.

 

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Fifteen Years of Old Friends Farm

Silver Charm stands out as a favorite at Old Friends Farm!
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Little Silver Charm is the only non-thoroughbred equine at Old Friends.
Little Silver Charm is the only non-thoroughbred equine at Old Friends.

Old Friends Farm is celebrating its 15th year of rescuing retired Thoroughbreds.  Operating at 3 locations and home to hundreds of horses, the Georgetown, KY farm is full of famous champions and a broad spectrum of former Thoroughbred racehorses.   On a beautiful Kentucky Fall day I paid the farm another visit.

 

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Breeders’ Cup Summed Up

Mendelssohn preps for the Breeders' Cup Classic
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The Breeders' Cup Trophy on the grounds of Churchill Downs
The Breeders’ Cup Trophy on the grounds of Churchill Downs

Today, we welcome the world back to my old Kentucky home!  Once again, Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY welcomes visitors and viewers from all corners of the earth.   This racetrack continues to take the international spotlight for grand Thoroughbred racing!  Churchill Downs is known  for delivering the “Greatest Two Minutes In Sports” for over 144 years and is now hosting it’s ninth of 35 Breeders’ Cup Events.  The Breeders’ Cup is serving up 2 days of 14 World Championship races with $30 million in purse money.  I just could not help but attend Dawn at the Downs to see the last morning workout before Breeders’ Cup 2018 (BC18) begins!

 

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Kings Of Keeneland

Keeneland's paddock is beautiful.
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Lawn jockeys decorated with the winners of previous stakes decorate Keeneland.
Lawn jockeys decorated with the winners of previous stakes decorate Keeneland.

It’s been exactly one week since things really heated up at Keeneland racetrack in Lexington, KY.  The October meet opened Friday, October 5th and served up some hot temperatures and hotter stakes races.  Fall Stars Weekend delivered 10 stakes races.  Since then they have held another stakes as well.  What has sire power meant to Keeneland’s racetrack so far and who may we expect to win this weekend’s stakes?

 

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Coming Up at Keeneland

Thoroughbreds train on the main track just days before the Keeneland Fall Meet begins.
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Training becomes very serious in the days leading up to the start of Keeneland's Fall Meet.
Training becomes very serious in the days leading up to the start of Keeneland’s Fall Meet.

Hooves are up and ready to race at Keeneland’s Fall Meet!  I checked in on the action at Keeneland’s main track yesterday morning.  There was an enormous feeling of anticipation as fans, staff, and connections gathered to watch Keeneland’s next contenders as they got in some prep work for the upcoming Fall Meet.  There is a large amount of talent, purse money, stakes races and Breeders’ Cup berth races at Keeneland, over the next month.  Racing begins Friday as Keeneland presents, Fall Stars Weekend.

 

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One Mo Weekend (Mo Yearlings/Mo Money/Mo Racing)

Uncle Mo in his stall at Coolmore's Ashford Stud.
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Uncle Mo has sired many stakes winners and his yearlings are in high demand.
Uncle Mo has sired many stakes winners and his yearlings are in high demand.

The site of a Thoroughbred always leaves me wanting More!  As the 13 session long, Keeneland September Yearling Sale has 3 more days to go we have one Mo weekend to see Mo yearlings, spend or make Mo money and meanwhile enjoy some Mo racing.  Uncle Mo was well represented at Keeneland’s sale and he has a couple more hips in the final 3 sessions.  Additionally, he has sired several horses racing word-wide over these next 3 days.  If you are looking for something Mo, please, read on.

 

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Seventy-fifth September Sale

Gun It, was a Keeneland September Sale grad of 2017. He sold for the second highest price for a North American yearling.
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Hip 69, a filly sired by Tapit, her dam is Pretty n' Smart, was 2017's top priced yearling sold in North America, at the Keeneland September Sale!
Hip 69, a filly sired by Tapit, her dam is Pretty n’ Smart, was 2017’s top priced yearling sold in North America, at the Keeneland September Sale!

Suddenly it’s sales time!  I love attending the September Yearling Sales at Keeneland in Lexington, KY.  You never know what you’re looking at the first time you see it.  Justify, our latest Triple Crown winner, is a Keeneland September sales grad.  Today’s yearlings are classic champions in as little as 2 years time.  Be sure I will follow up with results, pictures and tales from the sales.  For now, I’ll keep it simple with the sales stats and story.

 

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Breeders’ Cup has Broad Borders

Breeders' Cup World Championships is enjoyed by many countries.
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Breeders' Cup World Championships is enjoyed by many countries.
Breeders’ Cup World Championships is enjoyed by many countries.

With just 60 days to go before the 2018 Breeders’ Cup World Championships the entries for the contenders of each race are filing up fast.  While the BC races take place in America and Canada, we have entries from all over the world.  85 Challenge Series races held in 12 countries help to define the field of each race.  The 35th year of BC races will be hosted by Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY on November 2nd and 3rd.  Several of the entries in the 14 BC races are contenders that were bred or live abroad.  BC18 welcomes the world!

 

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A Trio for Travers Day

Saratoga is happy to tie in Runhappy with the Travers and H. Allen Jerkens Stakes!
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Saratoga is happy to tie in Runhappy with the Travers and H. Allen Jerkens Stakes!

Saratoga is happy to tie in Runhappy with the Travers and H. Allen Jerkens Stakes!

  1. Saturday at Saratoga serves up several stakes!  The Midsummer Derby is only one of seven graded stakes on the day’s card of a lucky 13 races.  Five of the stakes offer an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup!  ‎Three stakes will be covered by NBC.  Who will win the Forego, the Sword Dancer or the Travers Stakes?

 

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Following the Classic Path

Game On Dude, Pacific Classic winner from 2013, enjoys his retirement at Old Friends.
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California Chrome's saddlecloth from his 2016 Pacific Classic win!
California Chrome’s saddlecloth from his 2016 Pacific Classic win!

The Breeders’ Cup Classic field is filling up fast!  Who will earn the next berth?  We will find out this coming Saturday following the great Pacific Classic Stakes.  After the 2016 edition, when California Chrome won, the Pacific Classic will always be a favorite stakes race of mine.  Does this stakes hold a special memory for you or will you have a new found interest after this 2018 running?

 

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