The day at the races
Yesterday’s figures: Attendance, 19,093; on-track betting, $1,142,668.70; total betting including simulcast, $9,039,954.39.
This day last year: Attendance, 15,978; on-track betting, $1,375,333; total betting including simulcast, $8,956,210.
FINAL FURLONG
Keeneland closed out its meet Saturday with a fall attendance record: 276,543, passing the mark of 266,466 set in 2013.
▪ Mark Casse and Graham Motion both won four stakes this meet, tying them with Ben Jones, Todd Pletcher and D. Wayne Lukas for most stakes wins by a trainer in a single meet. In the trainer standings, Casse led with 13 wins this fall, followed by Mike Maker with 10, Ian Wilkes with nine and Motion with eight.
In winning the jockey standings with 21 wins, Julien Leparoux took his 11th riding title at Keeneland. Florent Geroux finished second with 17, followed by Robby Albarado with 14, Corey Lanerie with 13 and Chris Landeros with 11.
Ken Ramsey finished as he customarily does at the top of the owner’s standings, this time with 9 wins, followed by John Oxley with 5 wins.
▪ Saturday was a day for close finishes: In the third, two maidens achieved their first win simultaneously when they dead-heated. They were Brisson, with Channing Hill up, and Vagabond Princess, Robby Albarado riding. In the seventh, a close photo saw My Four Funs (Joe Rocco Jr. riding) barely win the sprint over Hippolyte, with only a nose separating them.
▪ The third race was notable for another reason besides the dead heat. Trainer Wayne Catalano was winning his second in a row, with Brisson, after taking the second with Fourth of July (Florent Geroux riding).
▪ Spotted at Keeneland: Steve Cauthen, who rode Affirmed to his Triple Crown triumph over Alydar in 1978.
▪ Thirty-three horses that raced or trained at Keeneland this autumn were among those pre-entered for the Breeders’ Cup Nov. 4-5 at Santa Anita. Post positions will be drawn Monday.
This story was originally published October 29, 2016 at 7:51 PM with the headline "The day at the races."