Longshot Golden Country Wins Wednesday's Churchill Downs Governor's Scholars Day Purse

Nov 04, 2009 Gary Yunt

Theodore Bates Jr.’s Golden Country reaffirmed his affinity for the main track at Churchill Downs by scoring an upset victory in Wednesday’s featured $50,597 Churchill Downs Governor’s Scholars Day Purse.

    Ridden by apprentice Freddie Lenclud, Golden Country assumed command shortly after the start of the seven-furlong sprint, surrendered the lead briefly in the run down the backstretch to Maltese Dog, regained the advantage on the far turn and then repulsed a couple of challenges to prevail by two lengths over A Diehl.

    Trained by Tom Bergin, Golden Country is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Menifee who has posted all three of his career victories at Churchill Downs. Golden Country earned $30,510 for the victory and increased his career bankroll to $118,024.

Golden Country covered the seven furlongs on a “fast” main track in 1:23.88 under Lenclud, who had a riding double on the afternoon.

Golden Country returned $48.80, $17.80 and $9. A Diehl, ridden by Robby Albarado, paid $5.60 and $3.80 with Posse Cat finishing third, another length back under Francisco Torres and returning $7.40 to show.

The 21-day Fall Meet resumes Thursday with a 10-race card beginning at 12:40 p.m. ET. There is a two-day Pick 6 carryover of $6,028.93 for Races 5-10 and a two-day Super Hi-5 carryover of $14,584.13 for the final race.

Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875. Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN) also operates Trackside at Churchill Downs, which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 1, 2010. The track will conduct its 2009 Fall Meet from Sunday, Nov. 1 through Saturday, Nov. 28. Churchill Downs is scheduled to host the Breeders’ Cup World Championships for a record seventh time on November 5 and 6, 2010. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldowns.com.

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