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Barn Notes: Wednesday, May 09, 2012
In Today's Notes:
· Arlington's Jockey Champion Graham Cracks Again at Keeneland
· Reminder: Night School in Session Thursday Evening This Week
What a year it's been for Irish-born jockey James Graham! After winning his first riding championship at Arlington last summer, Graham finished second in the standings at Keeneland last fall, journeyed on down to New Orleans for the winter and where he was runner-up in the Fair Grounds standings, and then returned to Keeneland for its spring meet to win three stakes – two of them Grade I affairs.
Arriving back in Chicago in time for Sunday's races at Arlington, Graham won the second race of the day aboard Gary and Beth Leverton's Mr Num Num for trainer Frank Kirby in a dead-heat finish, won his second by taking the fifth on Thad Ackel's Mop Head for trainer Mike Stidham and completed a riding triple by winning the sixth on Terry Hamilton and Robert Morgan's Gleam of Hope, again for Stidham.
Graham, born in Finglas,
Regular guests at
"I ride for good people and they put me on good horses," Graham said during training hours this week at
Of course, there's some truth to that, but there's also the fact that Graham is a "heady" enough rider to know when to take advantage of a situation. In Keeneland's Grade I Ashland, for instance, Graham was aboard Alex Campbell's
"Looking at the replay makes me laugh," said Graham. "I can't believe they let me get away with early splits like that. I don't know what they were thinking.
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Barn Notes
May 9, 2012
Page 2
"I didn't think they'd let me go as slow as they did," Graham said. "I was the only one in the race that had any speed."
One week later, in the Grade I Jenny Wiley, Graham used the same tactics astride James Miller's Daisy Devine to be clearly best by a length at the wire. That daughter of Kafwain was also overlooked by the fans, returning a $16.20 win mutuel. It was the first time Graham had registered two Grade I wins during the same meeting at the
On April 26, Graham piloted Stone Farm et al.'s Upperline to a length and a half-tally in Keeneland's Grade III Bewitch Stakes after coming from off the pace with a bold late move in the stretch. That win, aboard the heroine of the Arlington Oaks two years ago, was for the Chicago-based Stidham.
Despite earning his first riding championship honors at
"Winning the title last summer was nice," said Graham, "because it's such a major circuit and I love it here. But it's hardly the most important thing for me – no matter where you are riding. The most important thing is for everyone to stay safe. It's a long meeting here. For now, we're here and just very happy to be back at
REMINDER: NIGHT SCHOOL IN SESSION THURSDAY EVENING THIS WEEK
Racing fans are reminded that "Night School" will be held Thursday at 7:30 p.m. central time this week and concentrate on a preview of the upcoming
Hosted by Arlington line maker Joe Kristufek, this week's session will feature Arlington's senior director of marketing Howard Sudberry and be can be accessed through arlingtonpark.com.
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