Churchill Downs Selections by John Gaver III: Friday, September 15, 2017
Churchill Downs’ 11-day September meet commences on Friday, September 15 with a 10-race program on tap highlighted by a tough $62,500 optional claiming/second-tier allowance race going as the eighth on the card and a competitive entry-level allowance race going as the featured ninth.
Churchill will play host to live Thoroughbred racing over three weekends in September and October through Sunday, October 1 with racing on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Post time is 12:45 P.M. daily (Eastern) with the exception of a pair of 5:00 P.M. “Twilight Thursday” programs and a 6:00 P.M. first post on Saturday, September 23.
Jockey Robby Albarado landed the riding title at Churchill last September with 15 wins, three better than Corey Lanerie and Brian Hernandez, Jr. Lanerie booted home 58 winners during Spring Meet to collect his 13th riding title in the last 15 meets at Churchill Downs.
Dale Romans, a 14-time leading trainer under the Twin Spires, was last September’s leading trainer with six wins. He has 16 horses entered on opening weekend at Churchill and needs three victories to surpass Bill Mott’s mark of 701 wins, a record that has been held for more than 31 years, to become the all-time leading trainer at the venerable Louisville, Ky. racetrack.
The leading owners last September at Churchill were Ken and Sarah Ramsey, who have won a record 28 owner’s titles and 469 races under the Twin Spires.
For FREE selections and comments for the Friday, September 15 program at Churchill Downs, click HERE.
Header image: “Start Of A Steeplechase,” oil on canvas by Sir Alfred J. Munnings (British, 1878-1959)