tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6883305680460329957.post482061479641198123..comments2023-10-10T11:15:00.476-04:00Comments on A Saturday Afternoon Horse: Keeneland's Opening DaySusanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13579834663084220823noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6883305680460329957.post-64281535059608868592011-04-09T08:08:26.918-04:002011-04-09T08:08:26.918-04:00Dave,
I HEAR you. And it's never too early to ...Dave,<br />I HEAR you. And it's never too early to start making those Churchill plans. I still haven't given up on MAYBE making the Oaks this year, it's still on my radar. Gotta decide....Susannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6883305680460329957.post-1131978216555416002011-04-09T01:09:04.606-04:002011-04-09T01:09:04.606-04:00Definitely painful not being there. It's been...Definitely painful not being there. It's been too long, even longer for the fall meet. That's looking likely this year though, followed by a return trip to Louisville in November.Davenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6883305680460329957.post-47992458228256104162011-04-08T12:37:35.531-04:002011-04-08T12:37:35.531-04:00Thanks Jason, for the info on Dorochenko. Hope he ...Thanks Jason, for the info on Dorochenko. Hope he has a good Keeneland meet.Susannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6883305680460329957.post-82224280008113526232011-04-08T09:40:16.410-04:002011-04-08T09:40:16.410-04:00RUSSIAN-BORN TRAINER TAKING ON KEENELAND
Russian-...RUSSIAN-BORN TRAINER TAKING ON KEENELAND<br /><br />Russian-born horseman Gennadi "Gary" Dorochenko will make his Keeneland training debut on Friday, opening day of the 2011 spring meeting, when he sends out four horses on the 10-race card. They include Vladamir Kazakov's Legendary King, who began his career in Poland and will race in the $100,000 Transylvania (G3).<br /><br />"I'm excited. This is a big track, big trainers, big horses. We see what we do," said Dorochenko, who has 24 horses stabled here.<br /><br />Dorochenko, 52, first came to the United States in 1993 when he knew only a word or two of English, rode on the West Coast until 1998 and returned to the saddle in 2002 to ride horses he also trained at Delaware Park. He now oversees a sizable breeding and racing operation for his Russian connections. Last night, he was 360 miles away at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort in West Virginia, where he scored a win and a fifth. He left Mountaineer about 11:45 p.m., was back at Keeneland at 5:30 a.m. today and galloped three horses.<br /><br />The seemingly tireless Dorochenko purchased Legendary King and his other Friday starters at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. In fact, he said he purchased 120 horses for his Russian connections at last year's venue.<br /><br />"It's the best sale, a lot of good horses," he said.<br /><br />In 2009, Dorochenko bought Legendary King, a 3-year-old son of Brahms, for $14,000 from breeder Clarkland Farm. The Kentucky-bred colt was sent to Russia and won three of four starts on turf in Poland last year, breaking his maiden by eight lengths. He made his North American racing debut in March at Mountaineer, running fifth in a 5½-furlong allowance over a sloppy track.<br /><br />Legendary King now takes on the Transylvania and is the 50-1 longshot in the morning line.<br /><br />"There's a lot of good horses," said Dorochenko about his rivals in the 1 1/16-mile turf stakes, which has drawn the likes of 2010 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G2) winner Pluck.<br /><br />Legendary King will be ridden by Anthony Stephen, a veteran jockey originally from Trinidad who also will make his Keeneland debut on Friday.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05845211613076508963noreply@blogger.com