Keeneland Fall Stars 2015

Escape Into the Bluegrass

By: Claudia Lorena

There’s something about Lexington that makes me tear up every single time I fly in. Maybe it’s the simple fact that horses are my life. Every time the wheels hit the tarmac, it’s like clockwork, cue the outrageously wide smile and giddiness – I’m like a little kid at Disneyland for the very first time.

Whether you are a horse lover or not, there’s something to be said about Lexington’s white picket fences, perfectly manicured farms and rolling hills covered in luscious bluegrass. Legends have grazed these lands and future superstars rest in barns not too far off on the horizon.

I’ve been to Lexington a number of times in the past, but never during the month of October, and never during a Keeneland meet. It’s Fall Stars weekend and champions have gathered to duke it out in prep races that serve as qualifiers for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, just three weeks away. October is my birthday month, so I figured, why the heck not book a spontaneous trip that will serve as a teaser for the Breeders’ Cup?

I live in Florida. I wear open-toed shoes 300 out of 365 days of the year. The Weather Channel was forecasting a high of 50° and low of 42° for Friday and Saturday in Lexington. Low of 42°, what does that even mean?! Friends in Kentucky insisted I pack warm clothes and fly in with adequate attire. But Florida’s 90° weather brought out my inner rebel, and I decided to travel in a tank top, jeans and flip flops.

Right before departing Florida, I realized I had left my warm coat draped over the railing at my house… #fail. Thankfully, I had packed a lighter jacket and a black and white wool cover up that got the job done. When I caught a whiff of cold air coming off the plane my inner rebel was nowhere to be found and my voice of reason was scolding me. I made a beeline for the restroom, put on my boots and jacket, then picked up my rental car and headed to the hotel.

That evening I found myself at a cute little restaurant by the name of Azur, right across the street from where I was staying. I took a seat at the bar and waited on the bartender.

Sometimes you just have to be in the right place at the right time.

I had felt someone sit down next to me while I was reading a story on American Pharoah in a magazine. When I looked to see who it was I almost fell out of my chair, because what are the chances that a Hall of Fame jockey would wind up sitting next to me!

“Hi, I’m Mike Smith,” he said with a smirk across his face. I couldn’t help but laugh a little because Mike is no stranger to me. Over the last ten months we’ve talked a multitude of times and have run into one another on a few occasions. It’s funny because if you would have told me two years ago that I would somehow end up befriending Mike Smith, I would have probably said you were crazy. But life is full of surprises, and today I’m extremely fortunate to call Mike Smith a great friend.

“Can you believe this weather?” he said to me as he peeled off his jacket and got comfortable in his seat. “And I have to ride in it tomorrow.”

I have a lot of respect for jockeys, mostly because of how dangerous their job is, but also because of the brutal weather conditions they ride in more often than not. A Hall of Famer like Mike Smith can certainly handle a sloppy track, but I’m sure he doesn’t wake up in the morning chanting I can’t wait to get mud all over myself! Gross! No, thank you!

I’ve bumped into Mike at the racetrack prior to the Kentucky Derby and at an after party following the Belmont Stakes. This time was refreshing, particularly because it was just so unexpected.

Smith and I will handicap big races together from time to time, and sometimes he’ll even call me to ask what I think about one of his horses, or if I see something that he doesn’t. There’s a really funny story involving my analysis of Hard Aces prior to the Santa Anita Gold Cup — it’s absolutely priceless and he’ll never live that one down — but I’ll save that story for another time.

“Beholder or American Pharoah?” I asked Mike. He stopped to think about it and answered, “Well, Pharoah is faster. But if Liam’s Map ends up running in there, he’ll likely go out to set the pace and I imagine American Pharoah will not be far off. That would mean Beholder would be in a perfect position to run at them in the stretch.”

I’m a huge fan of American Pharoah, but Beholder has an impressive turn of foot, one of I have yet to see from our Triple Crown winner — well, at least not like the one Beholder showed in the Pacific Classic. If she can pull it off and massacre the boys in what promises to be the most exciting Breeders’ Cup Classic field ever, I am ALL for it! We sat there pondering the possibilities. “It’s going to be a big race,” he added.

While Mike and I discussed the contenders for this year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, Paul Lo Duca came over to say hello. Needless to say, it was a night full of surprises.

Saturday afternoon, I ended up getting to Keeneland at 3pm and was immediately reminded of its beauty. Santa Anita and Belmont Park are gorgeous racetracks, but Keeneland reaches a new level of gorgeousness. I attempted to capture this in the Fall Stars Video above.

I wasn’t there to watch the breakdown happen in the Woodford, but when I walked onto the track apron there was a general feeling of discomfort. I had no idea what had happened until I ran into Todd Schrupp of TVG, who told me it was one of the worst breakdowns Keeneland has seen in a long time.

I have yet to witness one in person, but breakdowns are not occurrences I brush off easily. I cannot begin to imagine how horrifying it must be as an owner or trainer to watch your horse go down and never get back up. Some people at the track were acting like it was no big deal, the show goes on. It’s people like this that give racing a bad name. In my mind, horses are not numbers on a spreadsheet. They are living, breathing beings with blood pumping through their veins, they have hearts and souls, and they should never be considered commodities. If you view a horse as a money making object, you have no business owning one.

Sunday was particularly difficult for me because I woke up in a funk and could not shake it off. I spent the day at Keeneland on my own, enjoying the sights and sounds of everything around me, but there was a weight on my chest that took the pep out of my step.

The Dixiana Bourbon and Juddmonte Spinster weren’t scheduled to run until 5:30pm, so in an attempt to rid myself of the funk I was in I decided to get away from the crowd and clear my head.

My phone needed charging, so I spent an hour in the parking lot while my phone charged in the car. I put my favorite song, “Take Me Home,” by Cash Cash, on replay. Since hearing it on Dancing with the Stars I’ve been completely obsessed with it. I lost myself in the lyrics, and that’s when it hit me. This was the perfect song for the Fall Stars video I had been envisioning in my head.

From a very young age, horses have been my passion. They are the reason I live and breathe; they drive me and provide solace for me when life becomes too overwhelming. I desperately needed solace on Sunday, and I found it at Keeneland.

I wanted to use that emotion in the video, and the lyrics for “Take Me Home” provided just that.

Lyrics

I’m falling to pieces, but I need this, yeah I need this You’re my fault, my weakness, when did you turn so cold You cut me down to the bone, now you’re dancing all over my soul I’m falling to pieces, to pieces, to pieces

But I still stay ‘cause you’re the only thing I know So won’t you take, oh won’t you take me home Take me home…

When I got to the paddock, the field for the Dixiana Bourbon Stakes was making its way through the grandstand tunnel and onto the track. I followed behind and found a spot on the rail right next to Norman Casse. It was nice to run into a friend, especially since I hadn’t seen him since the Kentucky Derby.

Norman and his father, Mark Casse, had two horses running in the Gr.3 Dixiana, Airoforce and Siding Spring. Half way through my conversation with him, I noticed he was fidgeting more and more as time ticked on.

“Nervous?” I asked him. He laughed under his breath, “I’m so nervous right now. I never know what to expect from two-year-olds… I just really want this horse to do well for Mr. Oxley.”

When the gates swung open I couldn’t help but observe Norman, who shook his head a few times and continuously shifted his weight from one foot to the other, doing what appeared to be pacing in place.

The horses were flying — the quarter in 23.08 and half in 47.67, and this was a 1 1/16-mile race on the turf! From my vantage point, I couldn’t make out who had hit the wire first. I figured Norman would have jumped or something if one of his horses had won, but his reaction was much more conservative than what I had expected.

When he walked away I asked the lady that had been with us on the rail, “Oh my gosh, did he just win?” She had a horse in the race, too. “Oh, our horse didn’t win, but the Casse’s just ran first and third.” Siding Spring was third three lengths behind winner Airoforce, the Kentucky-bred colt owned by John Oxley that Norman had hoped would come through. When he came back off the track he looked happier than a little kid in a toy store. “I really wanted that horse to win,” he told me with a huge smile that stretched across his face.

It’s moments like these – seeing an assistant trainer overjoyed by the effort his horses had put forth – that make me appreciate racing. There is so much blood, sweat and tears put into this sport that many do not comprehend. It’s not just about winning, it’s about hard work, dedication, and passion. If you have a dream, go out there and turn your dream into reality. That’s what the Casse’s are doing. And it’s certainly paying off.

On a side note: For those of you that have not yet been to Keeneland before, it’s not hard to realize the time and thought that went into constructing the sights here. The drive up to the track, the entrance to the paddock, the creativity and quaintness of the paddock with its well groomed greenery and lovely saddling area, the way the barns line up so you can see through one all the way to the very last. And then there’s the jaw dropping track itself. It’s truly breathtaking, especially when the light is beaming down upon it. If you have yet to visit, I highly recommend you put it high on your bucket list. Keeneland’s beauty and class is unparalleled, and will leave you utterly mesmerized.