Breeders' Cup | Horse Racing Free Tips

Records Close Out Keeneland’s Fall Meet; Breeders’ Cup Next

Keeneland concluded a record-breaking fall meet Saturday with all-sources handle of $208.9 million, a season record for the Lexington track. The 17-day fall meet ran from Oct. 7-29 with Kentucky racing scheduled to switch over to Churchill Downs Sunday prior to returning to Keeneland for the Breeders' Cup Nov. 4-5.

The all-sources wagering of $208,907,655 was a 15.41% increase over the 2021 fall meet record of $181,009,626. It was the fourth consecutive season of record handle at the track. The numbers do not include whole-card simulcasting at Keeneland.

“This fall meet embodied everything our founders envisioned for Keeneland–a place where families and friends could gather and enjoy great horse racing–all heightened by anticipation for the Breeders' Cup,” said Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin. “The race meet was special in every way: idyllic weather, terrific racing, and special events like Make-A-Wish Day, Heroes Day, and Teacher Appreciation Day that celebrated many deserving people. We thank everyone involved in making the Fall Meet a success and look forward to the fun continuing as we host the World Championships next weekend.”

On-track wagering for the fall meet totaled $15,351,232, up from last year's $15,162,221 (a 1.25% increase). Fall Stars Saturday (Oct. 8) set records for fall meet single-day all-sources handle ($21,695,896, surpassing the $20,926,640 on the equivalent day in 2021, a previous record) and Pick 5 wagering ($1,431,736, bettering last year's $1,255,080). In addition, a Keeneland record payoff of $72,863.72 for a 10-cent superfecta wager occurred Oct. 20.

All the fall meet leader titles came down to the wire, with all decided on Saturday. Gary and Mary West won their first Keeneland leading owner title with four wins over the 17 days, including the GII Hagyard Fayette S. with West Will Power (Bernardini) on closing day. West Will Power also pushed his trainer, Brad Cox, to the trainer title with 11 total wins. It was Cox's third consecutive fall training title and fourth Keeneland title overall. Todd Pletcher and Wesley Ward tied for second with 10 wins apiece.

Luis Saez nabbed his second Keeneland riding title by winning three races on closing day, including the final race of the meet. He just edged Tyler Gaffalione 21-20. Gaffalione had six stakes wins during the fall meet, one shy of Pat Day's single-season record of seven.

Other highlights of Keeneland's fall meet included:

Average daily purses of a record $1,168,120, up 32.66% from $880,511 during the 2021 Fall Meet
Average daily all-sources handle of $12,288,686, up from $10,647,625 in 2021 (15.41% increase)
Average daily on-track handle of $903,014, up from $891,895 in 2021 (up by 1.25%)

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‘He Went Well’: Taiba Breezes At Santa Anita For Breeders’ Cup Classic, To Ship To Kentucky Saturday Night

Taiba, winner of the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1) and Pennsylvania Derby (G1), had his final major workout for the $6-million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 5 at Keeneland, going six furlongs at Santa Anita Saturday morning in 1:13 flat.

Under Juan Ochoa, Taiba worked in company with Messier, who was also clocked in 1:13.

Messier last raced on May 7, finishing 15th in the Kentucky Derby (G1) after taking a slim lead near the quarter pole then fading.

Taiba finished 12th in the Louisville classic after winning the Santa Anita Derby by 2 1/4 lengths over runner-up Messier. Taiba followed up with a runner-up finish in the TVG.com Haskell (G1) before taking the Pennsylvania Derby Sept. 24 in his most recent outing.

“He went well,” Bob Baffert said of Taiba, a chestnut son of Gun Runner. “He's not a great work horse, so he went with Messier. I was happy with it. He'll ship tonight (for Kentucky).”

As for pulling a major upset and defeating unbeaten Classic favorite Flightline, Baffert understandably is keeping things in perspective.

“We're just focusing on getting Taiba there healthy,” he said. “That's all you can ask for. The rest is racing luck.”

Also on Saturday's work tab at Santa Anita, Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) hopeful American Theorem breezed five furlongs in 1:01.20 for George Papaprodromou.

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Jack Christopher Among Dozen Brown Hopefuls, Others On Breeders’ Cup Work Tab At Keeneland

Trainer Chad Brown sent out a dozen of his Breeders' Cup pre-entrants, with seven working on the dirt and five on the turf.

Working a half-mile on the dirt were Jack Christopher (:48.60, Sprint or Dirt Mile), Goodnight Olive (:47.80, Filly and Mare Sprint), Blazing Sevens (:47.20, Juvenile) and working in company I'm Very Busy and Oxymore (:49.60 Juvenile Turf).

Working five furlongs on the dirt were Search Results (1:01.20, Distaff) and Pipeline (1:01, Dirt Mile).

On the turf rated as good were Regal Glory (four furlongs, :49.80, Mile) in company with Rougir (four furlongs, :49.80, Filly and Mare Turf), In Italian (four furlongs, :50.80, Filly and Mare Turf) and Virginia Joy (five furlongs, 1:02.60, Filly and Mare Turf) in company with Domestic Spending (five furlongs, 1:02.60, Mile).

“We did great,” a beaming Brown said following the works.

Other horses pre-entered in the Breeders Cup worked this morning.

On the main track were Kimari (five furlongs, 1:01.40, Sprint or Filly and Mare Sprint) and Chi Town Lady (five furlongs, 1:01.80, Filly and Mare Sprint) in company for Wesley Ward; Willy Boi (four furlongs, :49.20, Sprint) for trainer Jorge Delgado and Simplification (five furlongs, 1:00.40, Dirt Mile) for Antonio Sano.

Working on the turf course were Reckoning Force (four furlongs, :50.40, Juvenile Turf) and Cazadero (four furlongs, :50.40, Turf Sprint) for Brendan Walsh; Arrest Me Red (five furlongs, 1:03.60, Turf Sprint) and Campanelle (five furlongs, 1:03.80, Turf Sprint) for Wesley Ward; Private Creed (three furlongs, :39, Juvenile Turf Sprint) for Steve Asmussen; Tyler's Tribe (three furlongs, :38.20, Juvenile Turf Sprint) for Tim Martin, and Caravel (four furlongs, :51, Turf Sprint) for Brad Cox.

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Life Is Good, Hot Rod Charlie Have Final Breeders’ Cup Works Ahead Of Showdown With Flightline

Two horses who figure to be among the top choices behind Flightline in next Saturday's $6-million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) – Life Is Good, trained by Todd Pletcher, and Hot Rod Charlie, trained by Doug O'Neill – turned in their final major works Saturday morning at Keeneland.

WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.'s Life Is Good worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 on his own with fractions of :12, :24.60, :49, 1:00.60 then out six furlongs in 1:13.20, seven furlongs in 1:25.80 and the mile in 1:39.80.

“He is a superior work horse,” Pletcher said. “Today was typical of what we have seen his whole career.”

Pletcher is optimistic about Life Is Good returning to the 1¼-mile distance in the Classic after his fourth-place effort in the Dubai World Cup (G1) in March.

“He is hard to pull up at the end (of his workouts),” he said. “We are eager to run on a real track not like in Dubai, which was really deep that night. I think that played against him.”

Pletcher's other Saturday workers:

His other Classic pre-entrant, Happy Saver, owned by Gerard and Alain Wertheimer, strategically had what the trainer called a “spirited gallop” in lieu of a timed breeze.

“We let him two-minute clip the whole way around,” Pletcher said. “We are going to do similar to what we did before the (Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan-G1): just one breeze two weeks out. He tends to run better when he is fresh. He'll have a few more strong gallops. He won't breeze again.

Also working this morning on the main track for Pletcher were Nest and Malathaat for the Distaff (G1). In company with recent maiden winner Inventing, Nest worked a half-mile in :50.40. Malathaat worked a half-mile in :49.60 with the 3-year-old maiden Old Point.

Working on the grass together were Annapolis (Mile) and Major Dude (Juvenile Turf), who were timed in :50.40 for a half-mile.

Hot Rod Charlie, Others Work For O'Neill

Shortly after Life Is Good finished his exercise, Hot Rod Charlie began a six-furlong work in company with Roses N Gold, a 3-year-old maiden winner.

With Tyler Gaffalione aboard, Hot Rod Charlie started four lengths in back of his workmate, cut the deficit in half by the quarter pole and cruised past at the eighth pole en route to a six-furlong time of 1:12.80.

“He looked good and I got him in 1:12 and 4,” O'Neill said.

Four other O'Neill runners who are pre-entered for the Breeders' Cup worked this morning.

They were Awake At Midnyte (five furlongs, 1:01.20, Distaff), Slow Down Andy (five furlongs, 1:00.40, Dirt Mile), Vegas Magic (five furlongs, 1:02.20, Juvenile Fillies) and Sharp Aza Tack (five furlongs, 1:01 on the training track, Juvenile Turf Sprint).

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