Laurel Park
Boyce to return for last ride on Eighttofasttocatch
Eighttofasttocatch was the first horse trainer Tim Keefe bought for longtime owners Arnold and Sylvia Heft. On Saturday afternoon, the 8-year-old will make his final career start in the $125,000 Jennings Handicap at Laurel Park, a race he has won three consecutive years.
"It is bittersweet, not only that it is his last race but it is the last connection I have to Arnold and the Heft stable," Keefe said. "That is probably the most significant thing. That will make it a little more emotional. I always gave Arnold most of the credit for this horse staying sound because he didn't put pressure on me to run. He let the horse dictate when he was ready to run. He was also a great guy to talk to. He was a wealth of knowledge, especially sports. He was like another father/grandfather figure to me. There has been a big void since he passed away in March."
With his third Maryland Million Classic victory on October 18, Eighttofasttocatch joined Hall of Famer Safely Kept (Distaff-1989-90-91), Countus In (Ladies-1989-90-91), Mz. Zill Bear (Ladies-1993-94-95), Docent (Sweepstakes-2001 & Classic-2002-03) and Ben's Cat (Turf Sprint-2010-11-12) as the only runners to win three times on Maryland Million day.
"One of the most special memories was winning the Maryland Million Classic for the first time back in 2011," Keefe said. "When Arnie was interviewed after the race he said he had been chasing the championship his entire life and he finally got one. That was really significant."
Eighttofasttocatch has won 10 of his 11 career stakes at Laurel Park, all since 2011. The son of Not For Love needs to earn $2,030 in the Jennings to become the 24th Maryland-bred to reach millionaire status.
"That would be very special. I got a bunch of texts after the Maryland Million but I think it was Arnold's way of making sure the estate lawyer let me run him one more time for the chance at the milestone. It is no secret he wanted the horse to make a million," added Keefe. "He was just late developing. The biggest thing was maturity. I tried blinkers and changing his running style but I let him do his thing. He enjoys coming back to the stall after training and spending the day with Gigi. The goat really settles him and keeps him relaxed."
Forest Boyce (Garrison Forest), who recently relocated to Fair Grounds for the winter, will be aboard Eighttofasttocatch for the ninth straight race. The two have teamed up for five stakes scores, including the 2013 Jennings when the horse nicknamed Catcher matched the great Little Bold John (1987-88-89) for victories in a race that dates back to 1923.
"When Forest came to tell me the news she was going to New Orleans for the winter, she prefaced it by saying she already bought a ticket for December 6," added Keefe. "When I was galloping for Jack Mobley, I remember horses like Little Bold John and always thought it would always be cool to have a horse like that where people would talk about them years later. Everybody remembers Little Bold John and maybe in 10 years people will remember Catcher."
After the Maryland Jockey Club honors Eighttofasttocatch with a winners' circle special retirement ceremony next Saturday, Keefe will take his star to his Montgomery County farm for a second career as an eventer.
"I will turn him out for a month or two and let him chill out," added Keefe. "Any break he has ever had he has always come to our place. He is familiar with it and mellows out pretty quickly. When the weather starts to break my wife Rumsey and daughter Ryan will start working with him in the round pen and teaching him the basics for his next career."
The Jennings, a one-mile test for Maryland-bred and/or Maryland-sired runners, is one of four stakes races on the nine-race card. The 2014 field features nine runners.
Et cetera
Hounds get UMBC alum Kimener from Outlaws
The Charlotte Hounds traded faceoff specialist Geoff Snider to the Denver Outlaws for midfielder Terry Kimener (UMBC) and a fifth-round 2016 supplemental draft selection. In his seven-year career, Kimener has appeared in 75 games, recording 73 goals, 63 assists and 67 ground balls.
Nationals: Washington center fielder Denard Span underwent sports hernia surgery. The minor surgery was deemed successful, and he's expected to be ready for spring training.
—James Wagner, The Washington Post
Major League Soccer: D.C. United's Bill Hamid was named Goalkeeper of the Year. The 24-year-old finished the regular season first in save percentage (.753), second in shutouts (10), third in goals-against average (1.13), tied for fourth in wins (14) and fourth in saves (110).
Major Arena Soccer League: Blast defender Pat Healey was named to the league's Team of the Week.
College basketball: The National Association of Basketball Coaches nominated UMES senior guard Ishaq Pitt, St. Mary's sophomore guard Nick LaGuerre (Lansdowne), Johns Hopkins senior forward George Bugarinovic, Navy senior guard Kevin Alter and Morgan State senior guard Blake Bozeman to the men's Good Works Team. The Women's Basketball Coaches Association nominated UMBC sophomore forward Pandora Wilson, Johns Hopkins junior guard Kathryn Clark and Stevenson senior guard Kayleigh Guzek to the women's team. Good Works teams recognize players who have made significant contributions to their communities through volunteerism and civic service.
Women's college soccer: Navy senior defender Jade Seabrook was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Division I All-Mid-Atlantic Region first team. Princeton sophomore forward Tyler Lussi (St.Paul's) and Loyola Maryland senior goalkeeper Colleen Folan were named to the second team, and Towson senior midfielder Katie Ponce made the third team.