Breeders' Cup Diary: Countdown to the action in Keeneland

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‘UK, UK, UK, UK!’ shouted the cheerleaders and baton twirlers as we strolled into the Rupp Arena, in the heart of downtown Lexington, for the Breeders’ Cup draw. A lovely welcome, if not for us then draw host Rishi Persad, was echoing round the 23,000-seater arena. What a nice touch.

Alas, the chant was for the University of Kentucky, home of 30,000 students just down the road, their blue and white colours draping the venue. The university’s hugely successful basketball team Kentucky Wildcats play at the Rupp and head coach, local legend John ‘Coach Cal’ Calipari, is here to draw the post positions for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

With his near $10,000,000 annual salary, what better man to be in charge of the starting berths for a $6,000,000 horse race? Unfortunately it almost went wrong as early as the first ball, a seven called for Flightline before a quick correction to a four – it was upside down and he missed the vital line.