Rise and shine! It’s another beautiful day in sunny Del Mar, California. The race track will soon be packed with fans from all over the earth to watch the last day of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. Today, the final 9 races will take place where each contending Thoroughbred will stake their place in history.
The best 17 days of Fall are over in the Bluegrass. Keeneland Racetrack, in Lexington, KY ended their Fall Meet yesterday on a high note filled with many records and new memories. It was a special meet filled with quality Thoroughbreds, trainers, jockeys and owners. An outstanding 31 horses that raced and trained at Keeneland this October are pre-entries for the Breeders’ Cup. The BC World Championships will be held at Del Mar in California on November 3rd and 4th. Final entries for each of the lucky 13 races will post tomorrow. Return to this same post for updates. For now, here is a bit more on the BC bound Thoroughbreds that came through Keeneland this month.
Share This: Zing Zang, competes in a maiden for Steve Asmussen at Keeneland.
Although it seems we have only just begun, Keeneland initiates its final week of the Fall meet today. The meet is brief but jam packed with quality racing. Thoroughbreds took to the track for live racing on October 7th and will continue to race there until the 28th. I will be present for the final two days of action. There have been several stand out horses, trainers, jockeys and owners involved in this October racing season. I met and had my picture made with one of my long time favorite jockeys, Big Money Mike Smith. A stand out trainer I have been following this Fall, at Keeneland, is Steve Asmussen.
Today, I attended A Celebration of Life for the late, great, Penny Chenery. Helen Bates “Penny” Chenery Tweady entered the world on 1/27/1922. Though she lived a full 95 years, she left too soon when she passed last month on 9/16/2017. Gone but never to be forgotten, the legends Penny and her horses like Secretariat and Riva Ridge blazed will last eternally.
Miss Temple City, winner of the 2016 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland
Alas, Keeneland is open for live racing again. I have long awaited, since the end of April, for live Thoroughbred racing to return to my hometown. Friday, October 6, 2017 at 1:05 PM EDT marks the start of Keeneland’s October meet. Racing continues through the 28th. There are so many fantastic things taking place this meet, including two Win And You’re In Breeders’ Cup races the very first day and so many more to follow. It is hard to know where to begin. I’m pretty interested in the return of Miss Temple City to my hometrack, where she always finishes in the money!
The Scat Daddy fillies are really turning my head. On a mission to find this sire’s beautiful Lady Aurelia, I was wildly entertained by another of his gorgeous daughters, Daddys Lil Darling.
This week started with some sad news. Social media was on fire with reports that Helen “Penny” Chenery, owner of the great Secretariat had died Saturday, 9/16/17, following a stroke. There have been countless stories and posts on her passing. It is wonderful to have this opportunity to reminisce about all the great things Penny did for Thoroughbred racing. It is equally fascinating that the passing of Penny has created an increased focus on women in racing. I am really enjoying all of the focus pieces on unique “Queens” that are important to “The Sport of Kings”. I want to share a bit on the legacy of Lucy Gay Bassett.
Share This: Man o’ War, photograph by Bert Clark Thayer
The 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale is underway and while attending I visited their magnificent library. Currently, the Keeneland library is featuring a photographic exhibit honoring Man o’ War in celebration of the 100th anniversary of his birth.
Last Sunday, August 6th, Mohaymen was eased in the Alydar Stakes. The dirt race of 1 and 1/8 miles (9 furlongs) was not the comeback we had hoped for and thus his connections chose to send him home for some rest and relaxation. Home for Mohaymen is Shadwell Farm.
Another weekend presents itself and I’m taking a little road trip to catch some live racing! I will be driving North of the Horse Capital of the World for my first race in Ohio, my first race at Thistledown, my first Ohio Derby!
Miss Temple City, winner of the 2016 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland
