Headache Big Pain to Saturday Foes

May 21, 2011 Gary Yunt

Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Headache swept past early leader Da Da Da Dum midway on the far turn and cruised to a 7 1/2-length victory over Northern Giant to win Saturday’s $54,648 feature race, the 17^th Annual AFA Classic at Churchill Downs.

            Trained by Mike Maker and ridden by Miguel Mena, Headache covered the 1 1/16 miles on a fast main track in 1:42.61. The victory was worth $33,600 and increased Headache’s career bankroll to $265,898 with a record of 23-6-5-5.

            A 5-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Tapit, Headache returned mutuels of $3.80, $2.40 and $2.10. Northern Giant, ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan, paid $5 and $2.80 with Stay Put finishing third a half-length back under Calvin Borel and returning $2.60 to show.

            Earlier on the card, Tim Glyshaw and Deann Baer’s Ready’s Rocket became the first horse in 20 years to win nine races at Churchill Downs. Trained by Glyshaw and ridden by Borel, Ready’s Rocket took the second race by a neck over Red Rally. 

The 8-year-old gelding has all nine of his Churchill Downs victories on the main track on which he has started 23 times. Six other horses had won eight races at Churchill Downs since 1991, which is the first year detailed information was gathered by Equibase.

 Racing continues Sunday with a 10-race program that begins at 12:45 p.m. ET. There’s a three-day Pick 6 carryover of $12,671 on Races 5-10, and a $20,438 Super Hi-5 carryover in the finale.

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: CHDN) also operates Trackside at Churchill Downs, which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 138^th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 5, 2012. The track’s 2011 Spring Meet opened April 30 and continues through July 4. Churchill Downs has hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships a record seven times and the event will return to the track for its next renewal on Nov. 4-5, 2011. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldowns.com.

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