Jockey Corey Lanerie Wins Six Races Including Sunday Feature Aboard Professor Fate

May 27, 2012 Travers Manley

Veteran rider Corey Lanerie won with six of his seven mounts Sunday at Churchill Downs, including the $45,168 feature race aboard Professor Fate, to become only the eighth jockey to achieve the feat beneath the historic Twin Spires.

Avalon Farms Inc.’s Professor Fate gave Lanerie his fifth winner of the day when he won the six-furlong feature by a widening 4 ¼ lengths. In the following race, Lanerie rode Southern Parkway to victory for his sixth win of the afternoon, a career-high for the 22-year journeyman rider.

It was just the 11th time in Churchill Downs history that a jockey rode six winners on a card. The last to accomplish the feat was Jamie Theriot on June 18, 2008. Pat Day won six in a day at Churchill Downs on four occasions – the lone rider to collect that many wins on a single program more than once.

The Churchill Downs record for wins in one day is seven, shared by Day (June 20, 1984) and Julien Leparoux (Nov. 11, 2008).

The memorable day for Lanerie, a 37-year-old native of Lafayette, La., improved his win total to 23 through the first 18 days of the 39-day Spring Meet, moving him one ahead of Shaun Bridgmohan for the lead.     

Professor Fate rated in third behind the heavily-favored Thermal Cat and Bucktown through quick opening fractions of :21.23 and :44.24. The 3-year-old son of Lion Heart moved for the leaders with a quarter-mile remaining and held a clear advantage by the time the field reached the eighth pole. Professor Fate then increased his lead from there and crossed the wire in 1:09.48.  

It was the third victory in four starts for the Eddie Kenneally-trained Professor Fate, who increased his career earnings to $68,820 with Sunday’s check of $27,000.   

Professor Fate returned $18.80, $9 and $30.60. Bucktown, ridden by Jon Court, returned $22.40 and $77.80 with Barefoot Bandit, ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., finishing another 2 ½ lengths back in third and returning $37.20 to show.

The unusually large show prices were because more than 90-percent of the $136,000 show pool was wagered on 1-5 favorite Thermal Cat, who finished off the board in fourth.

Racing continues Monday with a special 10-race Memorial Day program that features a Pick 6 carryover of $26,483. Racing kicks off at 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern) and the Pick 6 begins with Race 5 at 2:51 p.m.  

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 139th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 4, 2013, and its 2012 Spring Meet is scheduled for April 28-July 1. The track has hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships a record eight times. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldowns.com.

-- END --