Keeneland Diaries, Day 3
Sunday started out as overcast and cold, but due to magic (or weather patterns) by the second race it was sunny and beautiful. A robust crowd came to the races despite the chill in the air, and I had a great time wandering around the track taking in a glorious fall day. I spent a lot of the day in the paddock, enjoying the beautiful foliage and fantastic atmosphere.
Then it was time for some graded stakes action! First on the afternoon’s program was the Bourbon Stakes (G3). Twelve 2-year-olds lined up to take their chance, and it was Balance the Books who scored in a nail-biter. The next stop for the Chad Brown trainee will be the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), since this was a “Win and You’re In” Race.
I love the sights of the racetrack when you’re up close and personal. Some of the unsung heroes of the racing world are the pony riders. These are the folks who escort horses from the entrance to the track to the starting gate, and it’s their job to make sure that all of the participants of the race stay calm and safe as they warm up for the main event.
I also got this neat picture of an outrider here. These guys are serious horsemen – if one of the jockeys has an “unscheduled dismount,” the outrider is charged with catching the loose horse. This is a dangerous and vital job, and I have all of the respect in the world for the men, women and horses who make this their career.
Finally, it was time for the crown of the day – the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (G1). The winner was due for an all-expenses-paid trip to the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1) as well as the majority of the $500,000 purse, so as you can imagine it was a field full of very talented fillies and mares.
Oh, did I also mention that the winning connections (i.e. the owner, trainer and jockey) also get some pretty sweet trophies? Shiny!
Race time!
It was In Lingerie’s day today, which isn’t that surprising. This 3-year-old gal now has run seven times this year, won four times, come in second twice and third once. She’s a serious horse, and I can’t wait to see her run in the Breeders’ Cup next month! Here she is doing her very best impression of the Keeneland logo.
Here’s In Lingerie:
And here’s the Keeneland logo. (Full disclosure: I blatantly just stole this from Keeneland’s website. Sorry, Keeneland! Please don’t take away my credentials!)
That’s it for me tonight – Keeneland won't be racing again until Wednesday, so I hope to see you back here then!
