Who Says Horses Don’t Run Enough These Days?

 

The eighth race at Churchill Downs On Sunday, November 16, 2014 drew ten horses for a six and half furlong sprint. With four of the entries having won well over $100,000 you might have expected a stakes race or at least some kind of upper level allowance condition. On the contrary, this eighth race had a purse of $14,000 for a starter allowance that was restricted to horses that had started for “A Claiming Price Of $5,000 Or Less in 2013-2014.”

Going into today’s race this salty field of veteran fillies and mares had made a total of 411 starts, won 87 races, and earned $1,209,095. The ten runners ranged in age from four to twelve, with an average of six-years-old. So, who says that horses don’t run enough any more?

1) She’s Lying Again – 5YO mare – 34: 4-7-1 - $52,966 – The Daily Racing Form described this one as, “… a steady check earner.” Her highest level win can in 2012 in $30,000 N2L claimer.

2) Lovely Leeann – 6YO mare – 27: 6-6-5 - $181, 643 – As a two-year-old this Indiana-bred won a restricted Indiana Stallion series stakes race with an $88,000 purse.

3) Tully’s Dreamer – 5YO mare – 21: 2-2-5 - $35,883 – This mare won at first asking as the 8-5 favorite at Churchill Downs with Calvin Borel up.  She has been in the barn of trainer Dallas Stewart for her entire career.

4) Gettem Up Girl – 5YO mare – 45: 14-8-7 - $202,244 – She won eight times in 2014, while running at five different tracks including a five-race winning streak from Feb. 20 to Apr. 29.

5) Hot Wacs – 4YO filly – 15: 3-4-3 - $36,163 – All of this filly’s wins came in 2014 including her initial victory in a Md10,000 race.

6) Missing Sefa – 12YO mare – 103: 28-19-15 - $345,736 – The DRF described this mare, who had won at least once every year except 2008 since she broke her maiden in 2004, as a “True warhorse”.

7) Makenzie’s Magic – 5YO mare – 48: 7-4-5 - $75,303 – This mare has been having the best year of her career after a three race win streak during the summer.

8) Slavic Princess – 7YO mare – 51: 12-12-11 - $160,215 – This consistent performer, who had been claimed five times in her career, had finished in the money 75% of her twelve 2014 starts as a seven-year-old.

9) Prom Theme – 5YO mare – 40: 6-7-6 - $83,351 – Prom Theme had run 15 times in 2014 with at least one start in every month of year. She was in the money in 10 of those races.

10) Reachfortheclouds – 4YO filly – 27: 5-5-0 - $45,591 – This filly also had a start in every month of 2014. She last won in July at Belterra Park in an $8,000 claimer.

In the end Prom Theme drew away from the competition down the stretch and got her seventh career victory. Moving into the turn it looked like the twelve-year-old warhorse Missing Sefa was going to be factor in the race, but she faded down the stretch.

On Twitter after the race @Keeneland Dan said of Missing Sefa, “Yes she did good, safe and sound back for some carrots and cuddling w Jamie [owner trainer Grubbs]!”

All ten runners were competitive and appeared to return in good condition. They will be ready to run in another few weeks.