Keith Asmussen gets first victory since sidelined by bad finger break
Keith Asmussen, son of Hall of Fame trainer Steve and Julie Asmussen, is unique. Name another jockey who launched their career while earning two degrees from the University of Texas’ esteemed McCombs School of Business. But like his dad and granddad and namesake, Keith J. wanted to ride. The 24-year-old's riding career had picked up steam at Oaklawn Park, including going 3-for-3 on the speedy Ryvit, and he was set to try to win his first graded stakes on the Preakness undercard in the G3 Chick Lang. Then he gruesomely broke his finger in the starting gate two days before Preakness Day. Off two months, Keith J. resumed riding at Ellis Park on July 16. On Aug. 4, he earned his first victory since his return and his first at Ellis Park as Ship It won by seven lengths. On Ellis Park's dark days, Asmussen is at Churchill Downs, getting on horses for his dad's division there. Racing days he's at Ellis, and he hopes to start riding at Horseshoe Indianapolis on Ellis' dark days.