Peterson to ride in her first Keeneland race

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Ferrin Peterson, who rode 50 winners last summer and fall at Monmouth Park in New Jersey, is scheduled to ride a Keeneland race for the first time when getting a leg up from Graham Motion on Bernadette the Jet in the fourth race Friday.

Peterson has not ridden since March 21 at Laurel Park, where she won with 3 of 37 mounts this winter after giving the New York circuit a try in the fall. The 29-year-old has quite an interesting back story as a licensed veterinarian who began riding races in February 2018.

“When Laurel shut down recently,” because of an equine herpesvirus scare, “Ferrin began galloping horses for me first at Fair Hill and now here,” Motion said at Keeneland. “She’s quite the worker and I’m glad to give her an opportunity.”

Peterson, who will return to riding at Laurel, isn’t the only jockey making a first appearance at this meet Friday. Umberto Rispoli, who won the Santa Anita Derby last weekend with Rock Your World, will be in from Southern California to ride Friday and Saturday, while Junior Alvarado, in from New York, has five Friday mounts, including Get Smokin in the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile.

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◗ A golf scramble in memory of longtime racing official Rick Leigh will be held May 10 at Triple Crown Country Club in Union, Ky., near Turfway Park. The cost is $150 per player ($600 per team), with dinner and bar included. More information is available at (859) 466-2109.

Leigh, an Ohio native and Air Force veteran, died Oct. 4 at age 73 following nearly 50 years in racing. He worked for 25 years as Turfway racing secretary while also serving as a steward at Keeneland and Churchill.

◗ The Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and Keeneland once again are teaming this week to raffle off $35,000 in college scholarships. The bi-annual event is being conducted virtually because of the pandemic, with some in-person presentations also scheduled to be made between races Friday. Some scholarships already were awarded earlier this week. Lane’s End Farm and Coca-Cola also have made substantial contributions to the giveaways.

◗ The Grade One Gamble handicapping tournament is set for Saturday at Keeneland. At stake are an estimated $200,000 prize pool, six seats to the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge at Del Mar, and 10 seats to the 2022 National Horseplayers Championship in Las Vegas.