October is finally here! Seems like we’ve been waiting for the Keeneland Fall Meet, and the first-ever Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland forever.
We started off on Thursday with the news that Sweet Halory had her first work at Santa Anita. She worked 5 furlongs from the gate, and the best part was she had Gary Stevens riding her. Having a Hall of Fame jockey ride your unraced 2-year-old filly for a morning work is almost as much fun as a win! Here’s the video…she’s the horse on the outside.
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Back here in Kentucky, Mother Nature did NOT get the memo that Friday was Opening Day at Keeneland….or maybe she (Mother Nature) is doing the “in like a lion, out like a lamb” thing and Breeders’ Cup on October 30 and 31 is going to be glorious! (Hope so.)

GOMO
The Darley Alcibiades Gr I – 64th Running
Keenland Race Course Lexington, Kentucky
October 2, 2015 Race #09
Purse $400,000
1-1/16 Miles 1:45.55
Reddam Racing, LLC, Owner
Doug O’Neill, Trainer
Mario Gutierrez, Jockey
Dothraki Queen (2nd)
Ma Can Do It (3rd)
$12.60 $6.00 $4.00
Please Give Photo Credit To: Keeneland / Coady Photography
At any rate, Friday was rainy, windy, damp and in the 50s. I saw one news account that said “11,601 brave souls” were in attendance. They saw yet another juvenile star emerge for Sweet Halory’s trainer, Doug O’Neill as GOMO won the $400,000 Grade I Darley Alcibiades S. by almost three lengths. See this link for details about the win. And check out the Keeneland / Coady Photograph at right to see how muddy she got!
That’s potentially the fourth 2-year-old headed for the Breeders’ Cup Races for Team O’Neill — including Ralis, who runs in today’s Champagne S.-G1; Nyquist, the likely favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile; and Land Over Sea, second in the Chandelier S.-G1 recently.
If Doug has the babies learning from each other, we hope the TV monitor was in front of Sweet Halory’s stall on Friday afternoon!!!!
Sweet hallo ry is a beauty. Look forward to seeing her at SA. What a first opener at Keeneland. Send some of that rain to CA! Have a wonderful BC. And hope to visit soon. I miss Ky and all it’s beauty and hospitality.
Sweet Halory looks great. Can’t wait to see her run her first race!