Midwest Connections and Their Girls Highlight Fall Keeneland Meet
Keeneland's 2011 Fall Meet concluded this past weekend with an attendance record of 250,163 passing through the gates during the 17-day gathering. Many of that record crowd thrilled to the exploits of two champions with Midwest connections.
The 6-year-old Never Retreat, owned by Team Block, in perhaps the final race of her career, captured the $350,000 (G1) First Lady Stakes. The Grade 1 victory was the 5th win in 10 outings for the Chris Block-trainee who raised her career earnings to $1,268,769 with the victory. The win was also the first Grade 1 title for Team Block, who over the years have produced Illinois-bred Horse of the Year champions Mystery Giver, Fort Prado and Amazing Results.
Locally-based trainer Wayne Catalano, who has won two Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies championships with Dreaming of Anna ('06) and She Be Wild ('09), may have found a contender for the 2011 crown after Stephanie's Kitten captured the $400,000 (G1) Darley Alcibiades. The two-year-old Ken and Sarah Ramsey filly, who was sent off at 9-1, completed the 1 1/16 race in 1:43 under jockey John Velazquez.
The following gallery highlights Never Retreat's and Stephanie's Kitten's championship days at Keeneland:
Team Block's 6-year-old mare Never Retreat prepares for the (G1) First Lady Stakes. Photo: Tom Ferry
Never Retreat has won 5 of 10 starts in 2011, including 4 graded stakes.
Photo: Tom Ferry
Never Retreat's stakes-record time of 1:34.08 broke the mark set by Gorella in 2006 of 1:34:14. Photo: Tom Ferry
Jockey Julien Leparoux leads Never Retreat to the Winner's Circle following the race. Photo: Tom Ferry
David and Patricia Block celebrate their first Grade 1 championship.
Photo: Tom Ferry
Trainer Neil Pessin and the connections of Never Retreat celebrate her (G1) First Lady Stakes championship. Photo: Tom Ferry
Stephanie's Kitten prepares in the paddock for the running of the (G1) Darley Alcibiades. Photo: Tom Ferry
Jockey John Velazquez aboard Stephanie's Kitten in a pre-race warm-up. Photo: Tom Ferry
Stephanie's Kitten springs the 9-1 upset in the Alcibiades.
Photo: Tom Ferry
