Fall meet wraps as Breeders' Cup looms

The Keeneland fall meet technically wrapped Saturday, though the Lexington, Ky., track will host its first Breeders’ Cup next week. For statistical purposes, the track officially concluded a 17-day meet with a final day of racing that capped slight declines in handle and attendance, according to initial figures.

Keeneland reported total ontrack handle of $15,813,986 for the meet, a daily average of $930,234. Both categories were declines of 10 percent from the 2014 levels of $17,625,834 and $1,036,814, respectively. All-sources wagering on the meet was $119,051,901, a 3 percent drop from last year’s $122,844,887.

With rain the first two days of the front-loaded meet, when the majority of stakes were run, as well as closing day Saturday, total ontrack attendance was 240,709, a daily average of 14,159, down 4 percent from 2014 figures of 251,574 and 14,798, respectively.

Trainers Steve Asmussen, Mark Casse, and Ken McPeek each won nine races to tie for the meet training title. This is the third Keeneland meet title for Asmussen, the second for Casse, and the fifth for McPeek.

Veteran jockey Corey Lanerie secured his first Keeneland riding title with 25 wins to Julien Leparoux’s 19.

Ken and Sarah Ramsey swept the early double on closing day to extend their record with their 16th Keeneland meet owner title.

Action returns to Keeneland with the Prelude to the Cup card Thursday and the Breeders' Cup cards Oct. 30 and 31. In addition to the 13 Breeders’ Cup races, seven stakes will be run in those three days, including a pair of Grade 2 events Friday.