Churchill Downs Closing Day Update: Rigney Racing Clinches Second-Straight September Meet Owners Title; Jockey, Trainer Races Remain Up for Grabs

Sep 29, 2024

As the 14-day September Meet draws to a close Sunday at Churchill Downs, Rigney Racing secured its second consecutive owners title with four wins from 15 starts while banking $436,313 in purse earnings. The jockey and trainer titles, however, remain undecided with Tyler Gaffalione holding a six-win lead in the jockey standings, and trainers Steve Asmussen and Brad Cox each tied with seven wins.

Rigney Racing, owned by Louisville-based entrepreneur Richard Rigney, mathematically clinched the title over Gervais Racing, who had three victories. Jay Lieberman, Kat Kirk and Wayne Sanders, Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm, Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, Kaleem Shah and Godolphin were tied for third with two wins each. Should Godolpin’s two runners in Race 10 Sunday dead heat, they could tie Rigney.

Rigney has been a fixture at Churchill Downs for more than a decade, enjoying long-term success with private trainer Phil Bauer. The duo’s standout moment of the meet came when Jonathan’s Way triumphed in the $300,000 Iroquois Stakes (Grade III) to begin the Road to Kentucky Derby 151.

In the jockey standings, Gaffalione has 22 wins heading into Sunday’s card – a near insurmountable lead over Luis Saez in second with 16 victories. Both jockeys are set to ride in eight races. Veteran rider Rafael Bejarano sits in third with 10 wins from 47 starts, maintaining a 21% win strike rate. Bejarano also celebrated his 4,500th career win earlier in the meet. Jose Ortiz follows with seven victories, while Florent Geroux and Brian Hernandez Jr. are tied for fifth with six wins each.

The trainers’ race is a tight battle between Cox and Asmussen. Asmussen has five horses entered on Sunday, while Cox will saddle two. Joe Sharp, who scratched his only runner on Sunday’s card, will finish just behind the leaders with six wins. Phil Bauer, Chris Hartman, Kenny McPeek and Dallas Stewart are tied for fourth with four wins apiece.

Following Sunday’s conclusion of the September Meet, racing will resume at Churchill Downs on Sunday, Oct. 27, for the start of the Fall Meet. For more information, visit www.churchilldowns.com.