Departing among workers for Homecoming Classic

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Five of the six older horses entered in the Homecoming Classic on Saturday at Churchill Downs had their final workouts toward the $125,000 race over the weekend, including a half-mile breeze Sunday by the likely favorite, Departing, who went in 48.80 seconds.

Other preps were recorded Saturday by Perfect Title (five furlongs in 1:00.40), Carve (half-mile in 48.60), and Pick of the Litter (five furlongs in 1:00), and Sunday by Call Me George (half-mile in 49.60).

From the rail, this is the field for the 1 1/8-mile Homecoming: Perfect Title, Call Me George, Carve, Departing, Cigar Street, and Pick of the Litter.

Won last year by the since-retired Fort Larned, the Homecoming is carded as the ninth of 11 races (first post, 12:45 p.m. Eastern). It will be directly followed by the Grade 3, $100,000 Jefferson Cup, a one-mile turf race that drew a field of eight 3-year-olds.

The final three-day weekend of the 12-day September meet starts Friday with a 2:45 p.m. post. Closing day is Sunday.

Van Dyke to ride Wednesday

Drayden Van Dyke, the top apprentice on the Southern California circuit and a leading candidate for an Eclipse Award, will be among the riders back at Kentucky Downs for the closing-day card Wednesday. Van Dyke, who went winless with his six mounts Sept. 6 at Kentucky Downs, is named on three mounts, all for trainer Tom Proctor.

As a boy, Van Dyke, now 19, spent a considerable amount of time in Kentucky. He is the son of Seth Van Dyke, who died last month in Florida. The elder Van Dyke was a former jockey who worked in later years as an exercise rider and valet on this circuit.

Also Wednesday at Kentucky Downs, retired jockey Ron Turcotte, best known for his rides aboard the legendary Secretariat, will conduct autograph sessions. For a suggested $10 donation to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, Turcotte will sign autographs from noon to 1 and from 2 to 4.

Rematch looming in Raven Run

Thank You Marylou and Fiftyshadesofgold could find themselves rematched at Keeneland after the 3-year-old fillies had a mismatch Saturday at Churchill.

Thank You Marylou, wearing blinkers for the first time, ran off to a 6 1/2-length triumph in the seven-furlong Dogwood Stakes, while Fiftyshadesofgold was fifth, beaten 10 lengths, as the 4-5 favorite.

The two could meet again in the Grade 2, $250,000 Raven Run Stakes on Oct. 18 at Keeneland. Trainer Mike Maker said another big effort by Thank You Marylou possibly could lead to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint two weeks later.

Mare dies in paddock accident

A horrific paddock accident Sunday at Churchill resulted in the instant death of a 5-year-old mare named Frannie G, who reared up shortly after jockey Didiel Osorio mounted and fell over backward, crushing her skull on the ground.

Chief steward Barbara Borden said the mare “apparently died on impact.”

Owned by Dennis Lovell and trained by Wayne French, Frannie G had 3 wins and 3 seconds from 18 starts for earnings of $69,149.

Court set to return

Jon Court is named on four mounts Saturday, which will mark his first rides since the 53-year-old jockey injured his hand in a nasty spill in the final race on the May 3 Kentucky Derby program.

Court was scheduled to see the renowned hand specialist Dr. Joseph Kutz on Tuesday.

“If he gives me the go-ahead, I’ll ride Saturday and Sunday and on into Keeneland,” said Court. “I’ve done a whole lot of rehabbing and the hand is finally feeling good.”

Elliott will ride Keeneland

Injured jockey Stewart Elliott will be back in time for the start of Keeneland on Oct. 3 and has purchased a farm in Kentucky, according to agent Nelson Arroyo.

Elliott is nearly recovered from two fractured ribs suffered when he was kicked by a horse during morning training hours at Del Mar on Aug. 11.

Elliott, best known for riding Smarty Jones, was the second-leading rider behind Julien Leparoux at the Keeneland spring meet in April and has 4,649 career victories in his 33-year career.

Night card attendance rebounds

Attendance for the Downs After Dark program amid ideal weather Friday evening was 14,212, a substantial increase over the first night card of the meet on Sept. 5, when the 11,058 in attendance marked the smallest of 31 crowds since Churchill began racing under the lights.

Not including the two cards (Oct. 31-Nov. 1) when the Breeders’ Cup simulcasts from California will be featured, one Downs After Dark card (Nov. 14) is scheduled for the fall meet.

◗ The SEC television network announced Monday that the Oct. 4 football game matching South Carolina against host Kentucky will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Eastern, meaning a huge crowd can be expected at Keeneland that afternoon for the first half of an always-popular “Bluegrass doubleheader.”