Averly Jane was foaled and raised at UK's Maine Chance Equine Campus, the university's research and teaching farm on the north end of Lexington. UK purchased the historic property from Elizabeth Arden in 1967 as an expansion opportunity for agriculture research and programs.

The University of Kentucky equine students are hoping that Maine Chance — once home to Kentucky Derby winners Aristides and Jet Pilot — will add a Breeders' Cup champion. Owned by Gatewood Bell's Hat Creek Racing partnership and trained by Wesley Ward, Averly Jane is 4 for 4, with three stakes wins over males: Churchill Downs' Kentucky Juvenile, Saratoga's Skidmore and in her turf debut Keeneland's $200,000 Indian Summer, which gave the filly a fees-paid berth in the corresponding Breeders' Cup race.

“It's been awesome to watch a horse that came up from UK Maine Chance,” Brittany Sparks, a graduate of UK's equine program who was involved in the filly's care, said after the Indian Summer. “We foaled her, weaned her, prepped her, sold her. It's been an amazing process to watch her go along.”

Bell, Keeneland's Vice President of Racing, purchased Averly Jane for $35,000 at the Fasig-Tipton October yearling sale last year.

While he'd never before purchased a horse from the UK consignment, he said: “I always go back there and look at them. I love just looking at all the smaller consignors' stuff. And Dr. (Laurie) Lawrence who runs the program, I took her class like 20 years ago when I was at UK.”

The third-generation horseman, who earned a finance degree with honors from UK in 2004, jokingly added: “I don't think I got a good grade in it.”

More seriously, he said: “It's an awesome program. The kids take a lot of pride in it. They do a great job. (Averly Jane) was at the sale and I kind of just fell in love with her. I bought two fillies off of them.

“It wasn't like a sympathy case,” he said of his purchase. “It wasn't like I was trying to make a bunch of students' day. Because they're not getting the money. The money goes to fund the program. I thought she was a really nice filly.”

Who now is worth far more than her purchase price, Ward observed.

“She's done everything right,” the trainer said. “Undefeated. We've got all of UK rooting for her, so we've got that in her favor as well.”

UK did not nominate Averly Jane to the Breeders' Cup as a foal so Bell and his partners paid $12,000 in July to make her eligible.

“They can't really afford to pay the $400 foal nomination,” Bell said of the UK program. “The nominations (for 2-year-olds) were due in like two days, or it would become $100 grand. I called Wesley and said, 'Hey, we think she's really nice. But $12,000 is $12,000.' He said, 'Nominate her.'”

UK student Claire Wilson, also an intern in Keeneland's publicity department, said of watching a filly go from foal to stakes-winner: “There's not really anything like it, and I think that's why people stay in this business as long as they do. We're having a great time cheering her on.”

The UK program has about 35 mares in its primary herd, with mares and stallion seasons donated by industry participants.

“The University of Kentucky — through our equine education, research and service — serves as the backbone of one of Kentucky's most important and vibrant industries,” said UK President Eli Capilouto. “We are home to the only scientific institute in the United States in which nearly all faculty are conducting full-time research in equine health and diseases. Against this backdrop, we are thrilled to see that a horse of our own — one born and raised by Maine Chance and sold by our UK team — has emerged as a favorite in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.”

Averly Jane is by far the best horse the university has bred. Until Averly Jane, their only prior stakes-winner was Twister in Oz, who won Kansas' $10,000 Anthony Thoroughbred Futurity in 2007, which doesn't really count.

Now, however, UK is the breeder of a Breeders' Cup horse whose combined winning margin is 22 1/4 lengths while earning $313,140.

Daniel Deatrick was the student that led Averly Jane into the ring at Fasig-Tipton. Now he's hoping she is led into another ring: the Breeders' Cup winner's circle.

“I learned a lot from her,” Deatrick said. “It's crazy what she's done in just that time frame. It's a lot of fun, and we're really proud of her.”

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At the Lexington, Ky., track, Averly Jane exited post seven quickly, finding the front in the opening strides of the 5 1/2-furlong sprint. Roman Poet and Diamond City traded second and third as Averly Jane held onto a safe lead, Gaffalione gave the filly a short breather on the far turn. Into the stretch, though, the field had no chance to challenge the favorite as she stretched her advantage with ease, hitting the wire three lengths in front. Kaufymaker was second and Circle Back Jack was third.

The final time for the 5 1/2 furlongs was 1:02.65. Find this race's chart here.

Averly Jane paid $3.80, $2.40, and $2.20. Kaufymaker paid $3.40 and $2.80. Circle Back Jack paid $7.00.

The Indian Summer Stakes is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series. Winners of Challenge Series races earn a fees-paid, guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the corresponding event at the Breeders' Cup World Championship Nov. 5-6 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

Bred in Kentucky by the University of Kentucky, Averly Jane is by Midshipman out of the Richter Scale mare Sh Sh Shakin'. Owned by Hat Creek Racing, the 2-year-old filly is trained by Wesley Ward. Consigned by Maine Chance Farm, Averly Jane was sold to Newt Dobbs for $35,000 at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale. With her win in the Indian Summer, she maintains her perfect record, 4 for 4, with career earnings of $313,140.

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The Indian Summer, a Breeders' Cup Challenge race that offers the winner a fees-paid berth into the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) at Del Mar on Nov. 5, will go as the eighth race Sunday with a 4:44 p.m. ET post time.

Trained by Wesley Ward, who won the 2019 Indian Summer with the filly Kimari, Averly Jane is one of two fillies in the race for Ward along with Gregory Kaufman's Kaufymaker.

Averly Jane has won her three starts by a combined 19¼ lengths with stakes victories coming in the Kentucky Juvenile at Churchill Downs and the Skidmore at Saratoga. She won at first asking at Keeneland as did Kaufymaker, who enters Sunday's race off a third-place finish in the Global Tote Juvenile Sprint (L) at Kentucky Downs last month.

Tyler Gaffalione has the call on Averly Jane from post seven, while Irad Ortiz Jr. will pilot Kaufymaker from post two. The two entrants are the race's lone fillies.

Trainer Mark Casse, who sent out Strike Silver to win the inaugural Indian Summer in 2018, is back this year with Canadian invader Diamond City.

Owned by D. J. Stable, Diamond City has won one of three starts at Woodbine with the victory coming in his most recent start in the Ontario Racing Stakes (L) on Sept. 19 going 5 furlongs. Diamond City will start from post position 10 and be ridden by Julien Leparoux.

The field for the Indian Summer, with riders and weights from the inside, is: Sonnyisnotsofunny (Luis Saez, 118 pounds), Kaufymaker (Ortiz Jr., 115), Detroit City (Adam Beschizza, 118), Pure Panic (Flavien Prat, 118), Big Boss Ben (Reylu Gutierrez, 118), Bonus Appreciation (Brian Hernandez Jr., 118), Averly Jane (Gaffalione, 117), Roman Poet (Florent Geroux, 118), Circle Back Jack (Robby Albarado, 118), Diamond City (Leparoux, 120).

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There are hundreds and hundreds of racehorse trainers in the country but few that make it to North America's biggest thoroughbred event. That is not lost on Lund who will make her second Breeders' Cup start, having run Bodenheimer's sire Atta Boy Roy, a graded stakes winner, in the 2010 BC Sprint.

“It'll be tough,” she said, looking at the competition pre-entered. Twenty-four 2-year-olds were pre-entered, the most in any of the 14 Breeders' Cup races. A field of 14 will be allowed. Bodenheimer is guaranteed a stall in the starting gate through a “Win and You're In” victory at Keeneland in the Oct. 4 Indian Summer Stakes.

Lund expects Golden Pal, one of 10 pre-entered in this race by trainer Wesley Ward, to be the favorite based on his impressive Aug. 21 stakes win at Saratoga. That start was his most recent. Lund has watched the progress of Golden Pal, noting the slow works at Keeneland in September followed by quick works in October over the Keeneland turf signaling the foe will be ready.

She also acknowledges that 2-year-olds can improve dramatically in a short time and that the speedy Bodenheimer is “as good as he can be” and fully expects him to take “a step forward” next Friday. The Juvenile Turf Sprint is the sixth race on the program and the first Breeders' Cup race, with a 1:30 central post time.

“Oh my goodness. [Bodenheimer] wasn't galloping like this into the Indian Summer,” Lund said. “It's amazing to me the way he is training.”

She says he is training so well and aggressively that she waits to take him to the track until later in the morning when there is “less traffic” on the Ashwood Training Center oval, just north of Keeneland, home to Lund's stable. “He is so powerful right now. He's just a tiger,” Lund said.

Bodenheimer, whose career began at Canterbury Park, has won three of four starts. The lone loss, a fifth-place finish at Kentucky Downs over a boggy course, can be forgiven according to Lund. The wet and deep turf was just not for him.

“He was body sore after racing at Kentucky Downs,” she said. “It took a week to 10 days to get him back to normal after trying so hard over that course.”

The Indian Summer win makes Bodenheimer just one of two expected to start Friday with a race over the Keeneland turf.

“That should be to my advantage,” Lund said.

Lund trains the Washington-bred Bodenheimer, a $27,000 yearling purchase, for her mother, Marylou Holden, and sister Kristin Boice. The colt has earned $141,225.

Bodenheimer was supposed to work Thursday at Keeneland on the grass but persistent rain caused a change in plans.

“If the main track is okay I'll work him on main track Friday or Saturday,” she said, expecting that turf workouts might not be allowed.

Breeders' Cup rules require all entrants to arrive at Keeneland no later than Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. Until then Bodenheimer will remain at Ashwood.

“He is comfortable at home,” Lund said.

Entries for the Nov. 6 and 7 Breeders' Cup close Monday with post positions announced that afternoon. Lund is hoping for an inside post draw allowing Bodenheimer to take advantage of his early speed.

Advance wagering at Canterbury Park begins Thursday, Nov. 5 at noon. The BC Advance past performances from Daily Racing Form are on sale now at Canterbury.

Lund made the decision this summer to move her operation to Kentucky, leaving her former base of Turf Paradise in Phoenix where there was uncertainty. The track recently announced a race meet beginning in January but that has come too late for several that called Turf Paradise home for years. Lund has put her Phoenix home up for sale and has shifted everything to Kentucky. She intends to race in Shakopee this summer and currently has run at Keeneland and Churchill as well as Indiana Downs.

Lund also revealed that she reached an agreement to purchase, along with Boice, Atta Boy Roy and will move the stallion to Kentucky where he will stand stud at War Horse Place. She has had success with the sire who produced Minnesota-bred Mr. Jagermeister, stakes winner of $590, 194.

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“Overall, he was a really good individual,” Lund said of that first encounter. “He favors the (broodmare sire) A.P. Indy line when I looked at his head, neck and shoulders. He was stout as a yearling but sleeker now as a racehorse.”

Another attraction for Lund was the colt's Grade 2-winning sire, Atta Boy Roy, a Washington-bred who Lund had trained and exercised throughout his career and raced in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Churchill Downs. Bodenheimer's dam is stakes winner and stakes producer Beautiful Daniele, an $800,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale graduate whose pedigree page includes champion Countess Diana.

Lund had the final bid on the yearling Bodenheimer for $27,000 at a Thoroughbred auction in Washington. She said he soon stood out from the crowd in his early training.

“You can pick out the good ones by their action,” she said. “He was a beautiful mover and when the 2-year-olds started doing their early breezes, he showed he was really fast. We thought so highly of him that we purchased his dam privately from Kentucky before he made his first start.”

Owned by Lund's mother, Marylou Holden, and sister, Kristin Boice, Bodenheimer is named for Boice's husband, Entz Bodenheimer Boice. Both are known as “Bo.”

On July 29, the equine Bo sailed to an 11¼-length victory on turf at Canterbury Park in his career debut. He then captured the Aug. 22 Prairie Gold Juvenile Stakes on dirt at Prairie Meadows. He checked in fifth in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint on Sept. 12 in his third career start.

Formerly based at Turf Paradise in Arizona each winter and racing in the summer at such tracks as Canterbury, Lund has relocated to Kentucky. She now trains Bodenheimer at Ashwood Training Center, 10 miles northeast of Lexington. She and the colt will commute to Keeneland for his turf workouts in advance of the Breeders' Cup.

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Trained by Valorie Lund, Bodenheimer – a 2-year-old son of Atta Boy Roy bred in Washington by Larry Romaine – ran 5 1/2 furlongs on firm turf in 1:02.70. He paid $10.20 for the win.

Cowan, sent off at 5-2, closed well in the stretch to be second but was never a threat to the winner. Agog finished third, with Good With People fourth in the field of a half-dozen juveniles.

The Indian Summer is a Win and You're In Breeders' Cup Challenge Series race giving the winner a fees-paid berth into the Juvenile Turf Sprint to be run at Keeneland on Nov. 6.

Bodenheimer, purchased by Lund for $27,000 at the Washington Thoroughbred Breeders Association Yearling Sale in 2019, ran his record to 3-for-4 with the victory, starting with an 11 1/4-length maiden win on turf at Canterbury Park on July 29 and a neck win in the Prairie Gold Juvenile Stakes on dirt at Prairie Meadows. He was coming off his lone defeat when fifth in the Juvenile Turf Sprint behind Outadore at Kentucky Downs.

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