Racing secretary Bob Umphrey reports that leading jockeys Jerry Bailey, Pat Day, and Jorge Chavez have committed to ride at Calder Race Course on Dec. 8, Grand Slam I Day, a program that will have four stakes races worth $100,000 each.
The three Eclipse Award-winning riders have ridden at Calder over the years, with Bailey and Chavez having won Tropical-at-Calder riding titles early in their careers. Both riders rode here on 'estival of the Sun Day, Oct. 13, while Day and Chavez each made a rare summer appearance on Summit of Speed Day, July 14.
Nominations close Saturday to the four Grand Slam I races:
*$100,000 My Charmer Handicap (gr. III), fillies & mares, 1 1/16 miles (turf)
*$100,000 Tropical Turf Handicap (gr. III), 3yos & up, 1 1/16 miles (turf)
*$100,000 Three Ring Stakes, 2-year-old fillies, 1 1/16 miles
*$100,000 What a Pleasure Stakes, 2-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles
One commitment for Bailey will be David Hutson's Rulebook in the What a Pleasure for trainer Marty Wolfson. The two have teamed up successfully with stakes runners over the years, including The Vid, Golden Pond, and Chaposa Springs.
