Keeneland, Investing in Racing's Future since 1936.
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20 SUMMER 2016 K KEENELAND.COM SUMMER 2016 COMPILED BY AMY OWENS keeneland news STRONG GAINS IN SPRING ATTENDANCE, HANDLE Sixteen days of racing during Keene- land's 2016 spring meet from April 8-29 generated robust increases in attendance and wagering while delivering thrilling performances on the track. The track set a single-day handle re- cord of $21,736,983 on Toyota Blue Grass Day, April 9, which featured fve graded stakes. Brody's Cause, winner of last fall's Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (gr. I), scored a 1¾-length victory in the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (gr. I). In the $500,000 Central Bank Ashland (gr. I), 30-1 long- shot Weep No More charged from last to secure the win by a neck. Other wagering gains were registered in total on-track handle ($17,974,896; up 11 percent); average daily on-track handle ($1,123,431; up 4 percent); total all-sources wagering ($145,198,361; up 23 percent); and average daily all-sources handle ($9,324,898; up 16 percent). Keeneland recorded its fourth-high- est spring meet attendance of 262,197, up 4.69 percent from last year's 15-day spring season. Attendance of 38,863 on Satur- day, April 16, represented the largest Coolmore Day fgure in track history and third-largest non-Breeders' Cup crowd at Keeneland. "The momentum from last fall's Breeders' Cup carried forward to this spring and contributed to so many pos- itives during this race meet," Keeneland President and CEO Bill Thomason said. Thirty-fve horses that competed in the 2015 Breeders' Cup at Keeneland last fall returned to race at the track this spring, headlined by four Breeders' Cup win- ners: Canadian Horse of the Year Catch a Glimpse, winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IT) who won the Appalachian (gr. IIIT) Presented by Japan Racing Association; champion and Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. I) win- ner Tepin, winner of the Coolmore Jenny Wiley (gr. I); Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) winner Stopcharging- maria, second in the Madison (gr. I); and Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (gr. I) winner Wavell Avenue, third in the Madison. Breeders' Cup horses won six spring stakes. Joining Brody's Cause, Catch a Glimpse, and Tepin were Madison winner Sheer Drama, Shakertown (gr. II) winner Undraft- ed, and Dixiana Elkhorn (gr. IIT) winner Da Big Hoss. Adding to the excitement of the spring meet was the presence of undefeated champion Nyquist, who won the Ken- tucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) on May 7. Winner of the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) at Keeneland last fall, Nyquist trained at Keeneland throughout April, turning in his fnal Derby work on closing day. Leading the meet were owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey (nine wins), trainer Mike Maker (13 wins), and jockey Javier Castellano (17 wins). Brody's Cause wins the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes. Jolley and Vasquez reunite at Keeneland. Jolley and Vasquez Together Again Hall of Fame trainer LeRoy Jolley is not the retiring type. "I got bored. I don't play golf any - more and I don't fsh, so I went back to doing what I know," the 78-year- old said April 20 at Keeneland. Jolley, who had no starters in 2013 and 2014, resumed training in 2015 and now has three runners. "I was on my way to Saratoga from Ocala (Fla.)," Jolley said of making his frst training stop at Keeneland since 2008. "I grew up in Florida and I don't do cold weather well at all. The barn area at Saratoga opens April 15, but it doesn't start to warm up there until about May 10." Jolley has had a long association with Keeneland. His father, Moody, won seven stakes, including a sweep of the Alcibiades, Ashland, and Spinster with Doubledogdare in 1955-56, a feat LeRoy equaled 20 years later with Optimistic Gal. Taking his horses to the track was 72-year-old Hall of Fame jockey Jacinto Vasquez, who won the 1975 Kentucky Derby on Foolish Pleasure and the 1980 Derby on Genuine Risk for Jolley. Vasquez has eight Keene - land stakes wins. "They should call us the Old-Tim - er's Stable, Jacinto," Jolley said with a laugh. "We've got 150 years between us. He galloped for me all winter long … can't get away from him." Jolley, who saddled his frst winner in 1958 and his frst of 51 Keeneland winners in 1961, had an unraced 2-year-old flly named Forres Lily at the track. "She is named for the owner's mother, who lives in Forres, Scot - land," Jolley said. "She seems very quick. I wanted to stop here and get her gate approved by Spec before going to Saratoga." "Spec" is Keeneland starter Robert "Spec" Alexander, who goes way back with Jolley. "Spec galloped for me in 1961 and he galloped Ridan, which was no easy job," Jolley said of the 1962 Blue Grass winner owned by his mother in partnership and the frst of his 10 Keeneland stakes winners. He also won the 1963 Breeders' Futurity with Duel, 1976 Blue Grass with Honest Pleasure, 1977 Blue Grass with For The Moment, 1987 Elkhorn with Manila, and 1989 Pali - sades with Key Flyer. Jolley has no plans for a stable expansion; however, should someone inquire about sending him a young - ster, he might change his mind. "Nobody ever turns down a prom - ising 2-year-old," Jolley said with a twinkle in his eye. ANNE M. EBERHARDT