Friday: ESPN V Day to raise money for cancer research
Saturday: Wiener dog trials
Sunday: four $100,000 turf stakes
We raise money for cancer research through Valvano’s Kentuckiana Friends of V, which is closely aligned with the Jimmy V Foundation but has more flexibility to keep grants local and regional, including in this case targeting funds toward breast-cancer research in the memory of Shantel Lanerie, jockey Corey Lanerie’s wife who died at 42 in June while undergoing treatment for breast cancer.
Valvano and Pratt will be broadcasting live from the track their Fast Break Friday sports-talk show that airs 11a-2p Central on ESPN radio affiliates in Louisville and Lexington. They will stick around afterward to mingle with fans and sign autographs and …
After the sixth race we’re trying to Pack the Picture, where for a $5 donation to Kentuckiana Friends of V (or a $5 purchase of raffle tickets), anyone can jump in the winner’s circle presentation with Mike and Bob and members of the jockey colony.
A focal point of the day are two silent auctions, one exclusively for ontrack patrons and one with bidding online through WinningCause.org, with all proceeds to Kentuckiana Friends of V. In addition we’ll have a raffle ($1 a ticket, $5 for 6) with winners choosing from available prizes. We also will be selling the meet posters signed by the jockey colony for a $20 donation.
Action will be in the beer garden area near the paddock.
Also: We hope to have University of Evansville coach Walter McCarty for a brief period. His first priority will be a brief interview with Bob and Mike. I’m trying to convince his staff to make him available for a GROUP interview with other media that would only be a few minutes. He also will sign some autographs. But again, his time there we’re told will be short. I recommend anyone interested in trying to catch him be at the track and ready to go before 1.
Kentucky Wesleyan first-year coach Drew Cooper should be getting to the track around 12:30 and says he’s in no hurry to leave.
Also on hand Friday will be a large group of Japanese who are visiting Owensboro and the surrounding area as part of a Friendship Force International trip known as an English Speaking Journey. Ages are 12 to 71. They will tour the barn area, starting at 8:30 by the starting gate, advancing to John Hancock’s barn and visiting the jocks’ room (not necessarily in that order) before Li’l Rocco gives them a handicapping lesson. The first race is named for them and we’ll do a blank blanket presentation. They will be leaving after the second race for another event in Owensboro. Rita English of Owensboro is the local coordinator of the event, with Friendship Force based in Atlanta and in which President Jimmy Carter and his family all have been involved. Brianna Vitt, Ellis Park’s special-event
Saturday — Our wiener dog races, with two qualifying heats (about 2 and 3 oclock, or after the third and fifth races). The other trials are Saturday Aug. 11, with the semifinals and the Wiener Dog Derby championship on Aug. 25. The day starts with our weekly Saturday Inside Track with Jimmy Mac handicapping seminar with announcer Jimmy McNerney and 24-year-old Ellis paddock analyst Li’l Rocco (10:30 a.m. CT in the clubhouse second-floor Gardenia Room)
Sunday — What will be one of the best days of racing ever at Ellis Park, with four $100,000 turf stakes, going off as races 5 (2:42), 6 (3:10), 8 (4:10) and 9 (4:40).
Caton Bredar will be on hand throughout the afternoon as a guest analyst with Ellis Park paddock handicapper Li’l Rocco.
We’ll have a special Sunday handicapping seminar with Li’l Rocco and guest analyst Joe Kristufek of TwinSpires.com (and our paddock analyst in 2017 before going to work full-time for Churchill Downs Inc. and TwinSpires). Also at 10:30 in the Gardenia Room.
Sunday’s fourth race, which is not a stakes, will be the Forrest Kaelin Memorial in honor of the dean of Kentucky-based trainers who died last week at age 83. Friends and colleagues of Forrest’s are invited into the winner’s circle presentation, and Ellis Park announcer Jimmy McNerney will sum up what Forrest meant to Kentucky racing and racetrackers.
The four $100,000 Ellis Park stakes, distance (with their corresponding race at Kentucky Downs and its distance):
Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Sprint, 5 1/2 furlongs ($500,000, Grade 3 Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint, 6 1/2 furlongs on Sept. 8)
Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf, mile ($500,000, Grade 3 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf, mile on Sept. 8)
Kentucky Downs Preview Tourist Mile ($750,000 Tourist Mile on Sept. 1)
Kentucky Downs Preview Calumet Farm Turf Cup, 1 1/4 miles ($750,000, Grade 3 Kentucky Downs Calumet Farm Turf Cup, 1 1/2 miles on Sept. 8)
