Trainer Joe Woodard's impressive 10-race win streak at Churchill Downs came to an end on Thursday as favored Peace and Joy was nipped at the wire by Vacancy in the sixth race. Just two races earlier, in the fourth, Woodard collected his 10th victory on the streak as Buba's Caper outlasted Arcana for a half-length victory and a payoff of $8.20. Woodard broke the record on May 26 with his ninth win. He passed the 1997 Churchill mark of eight set by trainer Patrick Byrne. "It was a fun run for us," said Woodard. "I hope it was great for the racing fans. It sure was for us. We hate to see it end, but all good things come to an end sooner or later. "I've been saying the whole time that getting these claiming horses to come over here and perform time after time, it's tough to do," he added. "I've won 10 races this meet – I can't be disappointed. I'd like to have seen it keep going, but you've got to learn how to lose. You've got to be a good loser to be a good winner. We're happy with everything. We'll just have to try to get some other streak going. Hopefully, it won't be a losing streak." A Louisville-native, Woodard shared nine of his 10 victories with owner Billy Hays. The nine-race win streak by Hays, also of Louisville, is considered a modern-day win streak record for owners since records dating to Churchill's founding in 1875 are incomplete. Hays, a Louisville-area auto dealer, owned the fourth race winner, Buba's Caper, and sixth race runner-up, Peace and Joy.
(Chart, Equibase)
