(Churchill Downs press release)
Retired Hall of Fame jockeys Pat Day and Angel Cordero Jr. will captain Team USA and Team World, respectively, in the inaugural “Rider Cup” for charity Nov. 15 at Churchill Downs.
The unique event will showcase American-born jockeys versus foreign-born jockeys in a competition for points in races 4 through 8.
Before each of the five designated races, the celebrity team captains will choose one jockey to represent their respective team with hope of earning coveted points. No jockey can be chosen more than twice in the series.
Points will be awarded on a 3-2-1 scale for first-, second- and third-place finishes in each race. If neither jockey hits the board, the rider with the best finish will be awarded a half-point.
The team with the most points at the conclusion of race 8 will be crowned the winner and a $10,000 donation will be made to the charities of the winning team’s choice. The charities of the second-place team will win a $5,000 donation.
Based on entries for races 4 through 8, Team U.S.A. will be comprised of Robby Albarado (born in Lafayette, La.); E.T. Baird (Chicago, Ill.); Calvin Borel (St. Martin, La.); Kent Desormeaux (Maurice, La.); Julio Garcia (Santurce, Puerto Rico); Tracy Hebert (Erath, La.); John McKee (Cincinnati, Ohio); Brandon Meier (Elk Grove, Ill.); Larry Melancon (Breaux Bridge, La.); Perry Ouzts (Lepanto, Ark.); Hector Rosario Jr. (Fajardo, Puerto Rico); and Bill Troilo (Philadelphia, Pa.).
Team World will be Shaun Bridgmohan (Kingston, Jamaica); Aldo Canchano (Huancayo, Peru); Jesus Castanon (Mexico City, Mexico); Ramon Dominguez (Caracas, Venezuela); Inez Karlsson (Goteberg, Sweden); Julien Leparoux (Senlis, France); Miguel Mena (Lima, Peru); and Diego Rodriguez (Guanajuato City, Mexico).
Before the start of the Rider Cup, Hall of Fame jockeys Pat Day and Angel Cordero Jr. will take part in a free autograph session with area horse racing fans from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EDT on the second floor of the clubhouse near the PEB jockey and trainer murals.
Saturday’s 10-race program also will feature the 36th running of the $100,000-added Cardinal Handicap, a grade III event for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles over the Matt Winn Turf Course. The Cardinal will go as race 9 at approximately 4:37 p.m.
The first race of the day is scheduled for 12:40 p.m. The first 5,000 paid and pre-paid admissions when gates open at 11 a.m. will receive a free collectable hurricane glass that salutes jockey Robby Albarado, courtesy of GE.
