Bucheron can add to Reed's success story

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A quarter of a century into his training career, Eric Reed is starting to get rolling. After winning a total of just 18 races during a three-year span (1997-99) not too long ago, Reed already has passed the 100-win milestone for 2010 and couldn’t be much happier with how his stable has grown and flourished.

Reed and his wife, Kay, bought the old Spendthrift training center in Lexington, Ky., several years ago, renaming it Mercury and using it as their primary base in building what has become one of the winningest outfits in Kentucky. Through last weekend, Reed, 46, had sent out 108 winners this year, surpassing his former high of 81 set last year.

“It’s all come together real well for us,” said Reed, who had his first Breeders’ Cup starter this year when Rinterval finished eighth in the Nov. 5 BC Filly and Mare Sprint at Churchill Downs.

Reed will be making the 80-mile drive from Lexington to be on hand for the Thursday feature at Churchill, where a $52,300, first-level turf allowance serves as the highlight of a 10-race card. Reed will saddle a 3-year-old Woodman gelding named Bucheron as one of the top contenders in the 1 1/2-mile turf race.

“He’s turned a corner for us since we had him gelded,” said Reed, who has about 60 active runners from the 140 or so horses in his care, a total that includes yearlings and unraced 2-year-olds. “He used to be hot-blooded, use up a lot of energy. As his races get longer, he gets better. I think he could be tough in that race down there Thursday.”

Bucheron, owned by Robert Sims, will have Rosemary Homeister Jr. aboard when he breaks from post 8 in the three-turn feature, which is carded as the ninth race and is the lone allowance of the day. Homeister, riding her first Churchill meet, continues to have an outstanding fall, having notched 7 wins and 8 seconds from 42 mounts through last weekend, good for sixth in the jockey standings.

Besides Bucheron, other possibilities in a well-matched feature include Harrods Creek, second in a similar turf marathon last month at Keeneland, and Lejadami, who figures to be on the lead a long way under Robby Albarado.

First post Thursday is 12:40 p.m. Eastern.