Lanerie Scores Unusual Double at Ellis Park

Jockey Corey Lanerie scored an unusual double July 23 at Ellis Park, where he won publicity races aboard a camel and an ostrich.

Lanerie won the ostrich race at the western Kentucky track for the second time, but broke his maiden in the camel division. Lanerie, who had 3,996 career wins heading into July 24, was asked which was more exciting, approaching 4,000 victories or winning a camel race.

"Winning a camel race," he said with a laugh. "Finally I didn't have Calvin (Borel) to deal with. I got to win. Calvin beat me twice by a hair. That was fun. I finally had a camel run today."

Two races earlier, Lanerie's ostrich was slammed at the start, when Rafael Mojica's bird bore in at the break from the rail. But Lanerie extricated himself unscathed, quickly took a clear lead, and led by so many lengths that he was waving to the crowd well before the wire.

"You just want to keep your balance," he said. "You're so top heavy on them that if you get forward or sideways, you throw them off balance and they can fall."