The Day at the Races: Big afternoon for jockey Albarado at Keeneland

Thursday’s figures: Attendance, 8,353; on-track betting, $564,454.10; total betting including simulcast, $5,413,186.42.

This day last year: Attendance, 10,686; on-track betting, $870,551; total betting including simulcast, $5,274,199.

Coming up: Two days remain for racing fans to get their Keeneland fall “fix,” as the meet ends Saturday. The final stakes race of this autumn’s racing will be the $200,000, Grade II Hagyard Fayette at 1 1/8 miles.

FINAL FURLONG

▪  Robby Albarado had an outstanding day Thursday, riding back-to-back winners in the sixth and seventh races and also winning the ninth. His winners were J Boys Echo, Minister’s Strike, and Tizzarunner.

▪  Albarado got clear in the stretch to win the sixth with J Boys Echo by 5 1/2 lengths, but the race was not declared official as the stewards called inquiries into two incidents. The first concerned jockey Trevor McCarthy coming off Gervais going into the first turn after his mount ran up onto the heels of a horse in front of him; the second concerned bumping at the top of the stretch between J Boys Echo and Big Bend. Stewards did not change the order of finish, after they determined the bumping was mutual. Big Bend finished second.

▪  Rare Art, winner of the second race under jockey Didiel Osorio for trainer Angel Montano Sr., has had a busy month, running fourth at Keeneland on Oct. 9, running second at Indiana Downs on Oct. 21 and following that with his win at Keeneland.

▪  Debby Oxley and John Oxley, owners of Fawn Leap Farm, kept it all in the family Thursday, with Debby winning the seventh as owner of Minister’s Strike and John winning the ninth with Tizzarunner. John Oxley owned the 2001 Kentucky Derby winner, Monarchos.

▪  Students in the Introduction to the Racing Industry class visited Keeneland on Thursday. The class is part of the curriculum at North American Racing Academy, which trains future jockeys and others interested in various jobs in the Thoroughbred business.

▪  Clear the Mine, with Joe Bravo up, won his second race of the Fall Meet in the eighth.

▪  Julien Leparoux increased his lead on fellow Frenchman, Florent Geroux, Thursday after winning two in a row. Leparoux has 18 wins over Geroux’s 14 during the Fall Meet. Robbie Albarado is third with 12.

This story was originally published October 27, 2016 at 6:17 PM with the headline "The Day at the Races: Big afternoon for jockey Albarado at Keeneland."