Governor Sam (inside) gets the best of Out On Bail. (Courtney Snow/Past The Wire)
Win gives Lopez milestone 4,000th victory
Keeneland Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Bregman Family Racing and Swinbank Stables’ Governor Sam emerged from a tight pack shortly after the start to take the lead and never trailed again under Paco Lopez to hold on for a neck victory over Out On Bail in the Indian Summer (L) Presented by Keeneland Select.
The victory was the 4,000th of Lopez’s career, making him the 84th North American rider to reach that milestone. Five of those victories have come in Keeneland stakes.
Trained by George Weaver, Governor Sam covered the 5½ furlongs on the firm turf course in 1:02.72.
Governor Sam held a slim lead over Floodlites as they raced through fractions of :20.81 and :44.06. The running order remained unchanged until deep stretch when Floodlites began to retreat and Out On Bail loomed as the new danger only to come up short at the finish.
The victory was worth $141,438 for Governor Sam, who won his fourth consecutive race and third stakes. Now the earner of $334,288, Governor Sam is a Kentucky-bred son of Improbable out of the Into Mischief mare I’m Betty G.
Sent off as the favorite, Governor Sam returned $5.48, $3.60 and $3.26. Out On Bail, ridden by Luis Saez, returned $6.98 and $4.96 and finished 1½ lengths in front of Floodlites, who paid $6.70 to show under Gerardo Corrales.
It was another neck back to Chasing Liberty with G W’s Girl, Moon Sniper, Pharoah’s Dynasty, Just Keep Looking, Fiddling Felix, Bad Gal Party, Jet Sweep Joe and Raise the Bar following in order.
Because the early Pick 5 was not hit at Keeneland today, the carryover of $265,934 will carry forward to the early Pick 5 on Wednesday, when racing resumes with an eight-race program that begins at 1 p.m. ET.
Quotes from the $250,000 Indian Summer (L) Presented by Keeneland Select
Paco Lopez (who rode winner Governor Sam for the 4,000th victory of his career): “(The race) was very good. (Trainer) George (Weaver) said, ‘Paco, the horse is ready. Do whatever you want to do in the race – depending if you get the lead, if you want to sit second, you find out at the break.’ He did it. He’s a very nice colt, and he’s doing very well.”
On earning his 4,000th win: “When you work hard, then coming to America and having the opportunity to ride here, I feel great to have that opportunity every day. Now I’ll try for 5,000.”
Luis Saez (rider of runner-up Out On Bail): “Good trip. He came running pretty fast. But he got beat by a pretty good horse. He ran pretty good. We just tried to keep up. The fractions were pretty fast, but the winner was a pretty good horse. He kept going, he never stopped.”
Gerardo Corrales (rider of third-place finisher Floodlites): “He’s a nice colt, very strong, but a little bit tired.”
