Keeneland: 12,013 attend frigid opening day
The Day at the Races
Friday's figures: On-track attendance, 12,013; on-track betting, $1,176,050.30; total betting including simulcast, $9,705,727.69.
This day last year: On-track attendance, 12,527; on-track betting, $548,686; total betting including simulcast, $3,921,097. (Note: On opening day of 2015, inclement weather forced the cancellation of the final four races, including the Transylvania.)
Coming up: Five graded stakes including the Grade I Toyota Blue Grass, Grade I Central Bank Ashland and Grade I Madison Stakes, headline the Saturday card. The Grade I Ashland features unbeaten Cathryn Sophia while the Madison has two Breeders’ Cup winners set to face off in Distaff winner Stopchargingmaria and Filly & Mare Sprint victor Wavell Avenue.
Final furlong
▪ Unbeaten champion Nyquist remained in the barn Friday but is slated to go to the Keeneland track to jog at 7:30 a.m. The Florida Derby winner was originally set to go back to the track Thursday but trainer Doug O’Neill has kept him walking in the shedrow the last couple days after he was found to have a slightly elevated white blood cell count. “We just wanted to give him one more day,” said Jack Sisterson, assistant to O’Neill. “He is fine and happy. He was dragging his hot walker around the shedrow this morning.”
▪ Catch a Glimpse, winner of all four of her grass starts including a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland last October, worked a half-mile in :49.40 in preparation for her start in the Grade III, $125,000 Appalachian Stakes on April 14. Keeneland clockers caught the Mark Casse-trainee going her first quarter in :24.40 and galloped out 5 furlongs in 1:03.20.
▪ Two-time Grade I winner Curalina, unraced since a third-place finish in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff, worked 5 furlongs in 1:00.40. Curalina was timed in :36 for her first three-eighths and galloped out 6 furlongs in 1:14 in preparation for the Grade III, $100,000 Hilliard Lyons Doubledogdare on April 22.
Alicia Wincze Hughes: 859-231-1676, @horseracinghl
This story was originally published April 8, 2016 at 7:21 PM with the headline "Keeneland: 12,013 attend frigid opening day."