Cox Takes Keeneland Fall Title in Final Race of Meet

The trainer's title for the Keeneland fall meet came down to the last race on closing day Oct. 30, and Godolphin's Famed , a half sister to top 3-year-old and classic winner Essential Quality  , sealed the deal for Brad Cox with a 7 3/4-length victory to break her maiden in the slop.

The victory by the 2-year-old Uncle Mo   filly wrapped up Keeneland's 17-day stand, which produced a track record all-sources wagering total of $181,009,626, surpassing the previous record of $164,680,229 from the 2021 spring meet and the fall meet record of $160,207,916 set in 2019. This year's handle is a 22% rise over last fall's $148,229,708, run under COVID-19 restrictions.

Famed's win was the 14th win of the meet for Cox, who bested Wesley Ward for his second consecutive Keeneland fall meet title, and it was the fourth for Godolphin, who tied Calumet Farm as the winningest owner of the meet. Leading rider was Tyler Gaffalione, who noticed 29 victories to take home his second straight and third overall fall title. Florent Geroux was second among jockeys with 16 wins.

"We are so appreciative of the tremendous support from our fans, our horsemen, the Central Kentucky community, our horseplayers, and our corporate partners," Keeneland president and CEO Shannon Arvin said. "Welcoming fans back to Keeneland this fall, along with the return of our special events and tailgating on The Hill, felt like a breath of fresh air after the (COVID-19) restrictions of the past year and a half. It was a terrific way to mark our 85th year of racing and to celebrate the important role Keeneland plays in our community and the horse industry."

Keeneland introduced a new wager for the fall meet, the Keeneland Turf Pick 3, with a $3 minimum and 15% takeout, tying together the final three turf races of each day. The wager netted a total handle of $1,683,502, averaging $112,233 a day. The average payout was over $1,300 for a $3 wager.

On-track wagering for the fall meet totaled $15,162,221, averaging $2,477,890.The track sold out tickets some days of the meet while capping attendance below the highest pre-COVID-19 crowds it produced in 2019.

Purses at Keeneland this fall remained among the richest in North America, averaging $880,511 per day, up 29% over the 2020 fall meet. Average starters per race was 8.7.  

"Fans enjoyed a spectacular fall season of racing, and we say a sincere 'thank you' to our owners, trainers, and jockeys for their loyalty and support," Keeneland vice president of racing Gatewood Bell said. "We are proud of the lucrative purse money and expanded racing opportunities offered during the fall meet, and look forward to continuing to strengthen the quality of our program."