LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -It's been a tough market lately for real estate appraiser Kelly Colliver, but a modest investment in a horse landed Colliver and some 20 friends and family members a huge payday - and a trip to the Breeders' Cup.
Dream Empress pulled away down the stretch Friday to win the $500,000 Darley Alcibiades Stakes and capture the first of seven ``win and you're in'' Breeders' Cup berths being awarded at Keeneland's fall meet.
And when it was time for the winning connections to meet for the trophy presentation, it was a squeeze to get the 20 part-owners and their families in the picture.
Colliver assembled $60,000, divided into 40 shares, and asked trainer Kenneth McPeek to buy the best Kentucky-bred filly he could find with the money at last year's Keeneland September yearling sale. He settled on Dream Empress, who won Friday for the second time in three lifetime starts.
``We wanted people to have fun,'' Colliver said. ``We didn't want it to be stressful or expensive. That's why there are so many of us. We all don't have the big bucks to own our own horse individually. So by spreading the inherent risk of owning a racehorse, it minimized the cost.''
Colliver, who has owned other horses but never a stakes winner, gave all the credit to McPeek.
``Life's about opportunity,'' McPeek said. ``If they give me a chance, I try to find them the best horse, and we try to have fun.''
The horse was running fourth entering the stretch, then surged under jockey Robby Albarado to win by 4 1/2 lengths over Be Smart.
``Kenny gave me very basic instructions,'' Albarado said. ``He said, 'Get it done.'''
Dream Empress paid $6.80, $3.40, $2.80. Be Smart returned $4.60 and $4.60, and Devotee paid $6 to show.
Going into the race, the focus was on favorite Mani Bhaven, who had won all three previous starts, albeit none against heavy competition. She was in second entering the stretch Friday, but faded and finished last in the seven-horse field.
``She may have gotten a little tired today, but I still believe she's one of the best fillies out there,'' said Alan Garcia, Mani Bhaven's jockey.
The win means Dream Empress will compete in the Juvenile Fillies' division of the Breeders' Cup. Colliver said she wondered how all the owners would get to California for the event.
``Do I have to buy a plane now?'' she said.
The race was one of two Grade I's on opening day of Keeneland's fall meet. In the $400,000 First Lady, Forever Together, trained by Jonathan Sheppard, edged favorite Precious Kitten by 1 1/2 lengths.
Sheppard said his horse had made great strides since a third-place finish last month in Canada.
``She's moved up a notch,'' he said. ``We were pretty confident she would do better on the grass today, but it was such a tough race.''
Forever Together paid $7, $4 and $2.40. Precious Kitten returned $3.20 and $2.10. Rutherienne paid $3 to show.
Keeneland's opening was marred earlier by an ugly spill that sent John Velazquez to the hospital after a race that also injured fellow jockey Jamie Theriot.
Velazquez lay motionless on the track for several minutes after being thrown by Tap Dancing. He was put in a neck brace and taken away in an ambulance. Track veterinarian Barry Schumer said Velazquez was alert and moving his arms and legs, but was sent to the University of Kentucky trauma unit for evaluation.
Theriot also was thrown, by Whacka Whacka, but was able to walk to an ambulance. He was evaluated at the track's first aid unit and cleared to ride, Schumer said.
