Keeneland Fall Meet an exciting time for trainers as Breeders’ Cup approaches
October 8, 2015
By Morgan Lafferty
Through the dense morning fog, horses galloped down the stretch as their trainers observed their morning workouts on Wednesday.
Ever since the Fall Meet began, Keeneland has been filled with trainers, jockeys, exercise riders and many horses, all preparing for their races every morning before sunrise.
The Keeneland Fall Meet began Friday, Oct. 2. Despite the wet weather, Airoforce won the Dixiana Bourbon grade 3 stakes race, a “Win and You’re In” race that ensures Airoforce an entry in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
As of Wednesday night, Mark Casse is the leading trainer and everyone on his team is working to maintain that status.
“We threw in a lot of really nice horses in the first weekend,” said Jamie Begg, whose job as an assistant trainer is to oversee the day-to-day training of Casse.
The second day of opening weekend included five stakes races, where every horse that placed first was sold through Keeneland.
Filly Harmonize won the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine on Wednesday, which was another “Win and You’re In” race with all expenses paid. Harmonize is trained by Bill Mott and his son Riley Mott, a UK graduate who now works with his dad as an assistant trainer.
“It’s one of the best meets in the country, so it’s fun to be a part of,” Mott said about the Keeneland Fall Meet. “If you run well in these prep races hopefully you can go on and compete (at the Breeder’s Cup), I guess that’s everyone’s long term goal.”
The Fall Meet is not only exciting for trainers and jockeys — it is exciting for college students as well.
Friday is College Scholarship Day at Keeneland. Keeneland gives out ten $1,000 scholarships to college students who register at the track.
After each race, the winner is drawn, their name is announced, and is shown on digital screens by the gates, as well as by the registration table in the College Zone.
Students must have their student ID to receive free admission and register for the scholarships. Students who register will have the chance to win hats or t-shirts.
The first 1,000 students to arrive at the meet will also receive either a t-shirt or a hat from Southern Proper.