Homecoming Classic returns for Churchill Downs September Meet

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Louisville, KY (SportsNetwork.com) - Eight stakes races have been slated for Churchill Downs' 12-day September Meet which will be held from Sept. 5 through Sept. 28.

Once again headlining the meet will be the second running of the $125,000 Homecoming Classic which was won last year by 2012 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Fort Larned.

Trained by Ian Wilkes and ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., Fort Larned went off as the 3-10 favorite in the six-horse field. He took the lead shortly after the start and set the pace the rest of the way in the 1 1/8-mile event.

Owned by Janis Whitham, Fort Larned posted a final margin of victory of 1 1/2 lengths over Windswept with Worldly finishing third. He covered the Classic in 1:48.58 on a fast track.

Fort Larned closed his career with a fourth-place finish to Mucho Macho Man in the Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita. He retired from racing with career earnings of $4,471,322 with 10 wins in 25 starts.