Popular Churchill Downs-based jockey Calvin Borel, who swept this year’s
The first 7,500 fans through admission gates on Saturday will receive a free
Only 500 Borel bobbleheads with Rachel Alexandra’s silks were made and the
On Sunday, Borel will participate in a free autograph session with fans so
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Borel will also be Jill Byrne’s special guest during Saturday’s “Get in the
Game” seminar in the paddock area at 11:50 a.m. (EST).
Additionally, a new thirst-quenching drink called the “Borel Breezer” — a
mix of Woodford Reserve, cranberry juice and a splash of lemon-line served on
ice in a commemorative racing-themed mint julep glass — has been specially
created for the weekend. Priced at $7, it will be sold throughout the facility
for only $4 immediately after Borel wins a race.
A roast in honor of Borel, complete with praise, outlandish stories and
comedic insults from special guests, will take place after the races on Sunday
in the Triple Crown Room. Tickets for the much-anticipated plated dinner are
$100 and proceeds will benefit the Kentucky Equine Humane Center. A cocktail
reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. with the dinner and ceremonies set to commence
at 6:30 p.m. To make reservations to the roast, call Kelly Danner at
502-638-3825.
Borel, a native of St. Martin Parish, La. who rode his first professional
winner at age 16 on January 14, 1983, at Delta Downs, began the week with 4,678
career victories, including 73 graded stakes wins, from 31,576 career mounts.
His mounts had earned more than $105.7 million.
His career highlights include:
| * | Regular rider for 2009 Horse of the Year candidate
Rachel Alexandra, including victories in the 2008 Golden Rod (G2) at age two and eight 2009 triumphs at age three including the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2), Fantasy (G2), Kentucky Oaks, Preakness S. (G1) against three-year-old males, Mother Goose (G1), Haskell Invitational (G1) against three-year-old males and Woodward (G1) against older colts and geldings. |
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| * | Two wins in the Kentucky Derby: Street Sense (2007) and
Mine That Bird (2009). |
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| * | Two wins in the Apple Blossom (G1): Halo America (1997)
and Gourmet Girl (2001). |
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| * | Additional Grade 1 victories include the 1991 Super
Derby (Free Spirit’s Joy), 2000 Oaklawn H. (K One King), 2006 Stephen Foster H. (Seek Gold), 2006 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Street Sense), 2007 Sword Dancer (Grand Couturier [GB]), 2007 Alabama (Lady Joanne), 2007 Travers (Street Sense). |
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| * | He has lit up the tote board in three major races:
Rockamundo (108-1) in the 1993 Arkansas Derby (G2), Seek Gold (92-1) in the 2006 Stephen Foster and Mine That Bird (50-1) in the 2009 Kentucky Derby. |
Born Nov. 7, 1966, Borel — nicknamed “Bo-Rail” for his penchant of hugging
the inside rail en route to numerous victories — is second to legendary Hall of
Fame jockey Pat Day in career wins at Churchill Downs with 958 trips to the
winner’s circle, and ranks sixth in local stakes wins with 45. He has cracked
the top five of the Churchill Downs jockey standings for 23 of the last 28
meetings since the fall of 1995, including titles during the 1999 and 2006 fall
meets. He has been a runner-up on eight occasions.
Following his victories in this spring’s Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby,
Borel had celebrity-like status with appearances on The Today Show,
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with David Letterman to
name a few. He and Mine That Bird also graced the cover of Sports Illustrated.
Two years earlier, he was invited to the White House for a white-tie dinner
honoring Queen Elizabeth immediately after she witnessed Street Sense’s 2007
Kentucky Derby triumph.
Borel, the younger brother of Churchill Downs-based trainer Cecil Borel,
began riding match races at his home state at age eight before launching his
professional career. Known for his tireless work ethic and horsemanship, he
currently rides the Kentucky-Arkansas-Louisiana circuit with summer stints at
Saratoga. His fiancée is Lisa Funk and his longtime agent is Jerry Hissam.