LONG-TIME WOODBINE-BASED TRAINER, WHO HAS TRAINED IN AIKEN IN WINTER MONTHS SINCE 1994, IS INDUCTED INTO THE CANADIAN HORSE RACING HALL OF FAME

The recent induction of Woodbine-based trainer, Mike Keogh, into the prestigious Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was happily applauded by his friends and associates at the Aiken Training Track, Aiken, S.C. during the long days of the Coronavirus pandemic. “Hats off to Mike Keogh,” said Bill Gutfarb, current Board president at the training track. “He is a true gentleman and a very talented horseman.”

Keogh’s esteemed career as a trainer, winning more than 300 races including a Canadian Triple Crown sweep with Wando in 2003 is very impressive. Another Keogh trainee, Langfuhr, won the Metropolitan Handicapp and Carter Handicapp in N.Y. in 1997. He also scored in the Vosburgh Stakes and the Forego Handicapp in N.Y. in 1996. “Langfuhr is my favorite horse, “ said Keogh in a recent interview.Both Wando and Langfuhr are Canadian Hall of Fame members. Wando was Canada’s 2003 Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male, as well as Aiken Horse of the Year, 2003. Langfuhr was Canada’s 1996 champion sprinter. Woodcarver, another Keogh trained winner, winning the Queen’s Plate in 1999, was Canada’s 1999 champion 3-year old colt.

Keogh and his wife, Lou, have been bringing thoroughbreds to Aiken in the winter season from their stable at Woodbine-Ontario for many years. Keogh’s relationship with Canadian owner and breeder and Aiken Training Track supporter and friend, Gus Schickendanz, who recently passed away, is the story of one horseman appreciating the talents of another horseman. Keogh was Schickendanz’s private trainer for many years and the men shared a love of all things horses and racing.

“I’ve been training horses in Aiken since 1994,” Keogh said. “I kept horses at Gus Schickendanz’s farm in Aiken and rented a few stalls at the training track.” At the Aiken Trials, held in the month of March for the past 78 years, Keogh’s horses have shown off Keogh’s masterful training and their speed. Enoree, in 2016, for example, set a track record of 51 4/5 for the distance. In 2017, Woodbridge won the City of Aiken Trophy and so did Say No More in 2013. In the 1993-1994 period of time, Langfuhr was a yearling turning two, when Keogh first came to Aiken.

“We like coming to Aiken, it’s a nice city, the track is quiet, the surrounding dirt roads are good for the horses, ” said Keogh.

The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 to honor those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness and thoroughbred horse racing in Canada. It is located at the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.The Hall of Fame annually inducts thoroughbreds and standardbred horses, sulky drivers, jockeys, trainers and horse racing industry’s builders. Keogh will share the illustrious membership in the Canada Horse Racing Hall of Fame with the horse, Play the King. Keogh said, like a true blue horseman, “I am happy to be welcomed into the Canadian Hall of Fame with the horse, Play the King.” Keogh galloped Play the King for Roger Attfield.

Once a horseman, always a horseman. Our best and kindest wishes to Mr. and Mrs. Mike Keogh. Love from the Aiken Training Track.

A young horseman and horsewoman from Northern California are establishing themselves as Aiken Training Track’s next generation. With two unique, but horse-centric pasts, Justin Rivera and Logan Beardon now run Poplar Place Stables, their own racing stable at Aiken Training Track, with a passion for Aiken’s Thoroughbred community. Click here to read the complete article (originally published in the April-May 2020 issue of The Aiken Horse).

Courtesy of the TDN

IN ORDER OF PURSE: 4th-Oaklawn, $61,000, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($80,000), 4-11, 3yo, 1m, 1:36.66, ft.
SHOOTERS SHOOT  – sold by CARY  FROMMER for $300,000 – (c, 3, Competitive Edge–Repeat, by Bernardini) was a well-beaten second behind Baffert=s unbeaten buzzsaw Charlatan (Speightstown) at Santa Anita Feb. 16, then successfully stretched to two turns with a powerful maiden breaker in Arcadia last time Mar. 15. Off at 5-2 in this first attempt outside of Southern California, he was sent to the front from his inside draw, but was quickly greeted by favored Blackberry Wine (Oxbow), who has been a lightning rod for conversation since getting disqualified from a pair of wins for medication violations by trainer Joe Sharp while remaining eligible for this condition. Those two threw down through fractions of :23.10 and :45.87, and kept on sluggging it out down the stretch. Shooters Shoot wanted it just a little bit more and got the better of that rival by a neck in a race that didn’t deserve a loser.

Sales history: $90,000 Wlg ’17 KEENOV; $70,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP; $300,000 2yo ’19 OBSAPR.
Lifetime Record: 6-2-1-1, $94,880.
O-ERJ Racing, LLC, Exline-Border Racing LLC & Dan Hudock
B-Nancy C. Shuford (KY)
T-Peter Eurton.

THE AIKEN TRAINING TRACK ANNOUNCES THAT THE USAGE FEE FOR THE TRACK WILL BE SLASHED BY 50% FOR TRAINERS, AS COVID-19 HITS THE THOROUGHBRED RACING INDUSTRY ACROSS THE COUNTRY

April 1, 2020

Aiken, S.C. – The Executive Committee of the Aiken Training Track worked quickly on Monday afternoon, March 30, 2020, to cut in half the track’s usage fee for horses training on the mile and/or 5/8 mile track offered at the historic grounds. The monthly track usage fee of $200.00 per horse has been dropped to $100.00 per horse, at least through the month of April 2020.

“We want to help our loyal trainers at this time of economic uncertainty. We plan to watch over our monthly track usage fee with an eye to assisting our hard-working trainers as they try very hard to withstand the numerous changes in the racing business caused by this Coronavirus pandemic. Racing meets have been cancelled, important thoroughbred sales have been cancelled, even restrictions on where horses can ship have emerged, “said Bill Gutfarb, President of the Aiken Training Track and a member of the Executive Committee. “Owners, trainers and staff have been seriously impacted. We are trying to help them,” he continued.

At a track board meeting on Thursday, March 26, 2020, the purchase of a new John Deere 5100E Utility Tractor was approved, along with a new loader and fixed pallet fork. Jim Rhodes, head of the track’s maintenance program, spearheaded the tractor purchase and will make certain the new equipment is well used in perfecting the track’s outstanding surface.

“The Aiken Training Track is famous for its outstanding surface. My staff and myself are committed to keeping the same level of excellence at our track in these challenging times, “ Rhodes said. The Aiken Training Track is open during the summer months as well as the winter season. Owners and trainers are encouraged to send horses to Aiken now.

The 78th running of the Aiken Trials was held on Saturday, March 14, 2020. Five pony races and five trials were successfully run. Excellent examples of young horses on their way to becoming winners, as well as older horses took to the track with zest. Fans enjoyed the horse racing. During the Trials a famous gentleman from Canada and a long-time friend and owner who brought horses to train at the Aiken Training Track, Gus Schickedanz, was honored. The late Mr. Schickedanz became the 3rd inductee into the track’s Ambassador’s Club. He is remembered for his dedication to the sport of horse racing and to the Aiken Training Track in particular.

End

For more press information,
Contact – Helen Naylor
617-510-9524
Member – Board of Directors
P.R. Representative