Churchill Downs Barn Notes: Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017 (Closing Day)

Oct 01, 2017 Churchill Downs Communications,Kevin Kerstein

Leading into the final day of racing for the 11-day September Meet, perennial top rider Corey Lanerie has already clinched the meet-leading jockey title for the 14^th time in the last 16 meets at Churchill Downs.

“It’s always special to win races at Churchill Downs,” Lanerie said. “We’ve had a great meet and have to thank the owners and trainers for letting me ride their horses.”

With one day of racing remaining, Lanerie (22 wins) has surpassed his own record (19) for the most wins in the September Meet.

Since 2012, Lanerie has dominated the Churchill Downs jockey colony, winning 564 races. This meet, for the first time in more than a year, Lanerie guided a horse greater than 20-1 odds to victory at Churchill Downs (Sept. 28,Fightingjoewheeler). Of Lanerie’s 564 winners since 2012, only seven have been odds of 20-1 or higher (1.3%) and just 33 have been odds of 10-1 or higher (5.9%).

“That’s a good thing,” Lanerie joked. “That means my agent is putting me on favorites.”

Among the highlights of Lanerie’s September Meet was a stakes double on Sept. 30 aboard Honorable Duty in the $200,000 Lukas Classic (Grade III) and Awesome Slew in the $100,000 Ack Ack (GIII).

Lanerie began Sunday tied with Jim McKnight for sixth in all-time wins at Churchill Downs (883) and was 31 victories behind fifth-place Larry Melancon (914).

The leading owner and trainer titles will be decided Sunday at Churchill Downs. There is a tie atop the trainer standings between Brad Coxand Kenny McPeek with seven victories. Cox does not have any entries but McPeek has four horses entered in Races 5, 6, 9, and 10. TrainerMike Maker is two wins behind in second and has entries in Races 2 and 8. Ian Wilkes has three victories so far this meet but can tie for leading trainer with four entries in Races 5, 6, 9, and 10. Churchill Downs’ all-time leading owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey (5 wins) have clinched at least a share of the owner’s title with five wins. They currently hold a one-win lead over Fern Circle Stables. Ramsey has one entry in Race 2 while Fern Circle Stables has one in Race 9.

Sunday is Family Adventure Day Presented by Kroger at Churchill Downs. The first post for the 10-race card is 2:45 p.m.

Racing resumes beneath the historic Twin Spires at Churchill Downs www.derbygives.com to purchase tickets. … There are 28 days until the start of the Fall Meet at Churchill Downs and 216 days until Kentucky Derby 144.