Cubs’ Alex Bregman Celebrates Churchill Downs Win — Then Loses the Horse in a Claiming Draw

A celebratory off-day trip to Louisville ended with a twist for Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman, whose 3-year-old colt Act of Parliament won at Churchill Downs on Thursday — only to be transferred to new owners minutes later through the track’s claiming system.

The colt overcame a rough break out of the gate under jockey Axel Concepcion, rallying to a three-quarter-length victory that paid $8.68 to win. It was the first career win for Act of Parliament, who earned $27,108 for the effort.

Bregman Family Racing, the player’s stable, purchased the colt for $65,000. But because the race was run under claiming conditions, the colt became available for purchase at a set price — and six separate owners filed claims. With multiple bids submitted at the same $20,000 tag, track rules dictated a random blind draw to determine the new owner. Act of Parliament was assigned to a new stable and transferred to a different trainer, ending Bregman’s ownership run after a single start.

The Cubs, in Louisville on their off day ahead of a three-game series opening Friday in Cincinnati, turned the evening into a full team outing. Manager Craig Counsell led the colt into the winner’s circle, while MVP candidate Pete Crow-Armstrong gave the horse a paddock pep talk before the race. Several rookies leaned into the theme with costumes — pitcher Ryan Rolison in a full horse outfit and Pedro Ramirez dressed as a jockey.

“It was electric,” winning trainer Will Walden said, noting that having Bregman and the entire roster on hand made the victory a memorable one — however brief the celebration of ownership proved to be.

Claiming races are a long-standing fixture of American racing, designed to create a liquid market for horses by making every starter available at a posted price. The blind-draw mechanism used Thursday at Churchill Downs is the standard tiebreaker when multiple claims land on the same horse, meaning owners can win a race and lose the horse in the same afternoon — an outcome Bregman experienced firsthand despite the purse money and the winner’s-circle photos.

Churchill Downs Incorporated, which operates the historic Louisville track along with a portfolio of racing venues, wagering businesses, and regional casinos, saw its shares close at $81.91, down 1.66% from the prior close of $83.29, valuing the company at roughly $6.07 billion. The company’s consumer-facing racing calendar continues to draw celebrity owners and casual fans alike, particularly during marquee meets.

What to watch

• Whether Act of Parliament appears again under his new trainer, and at what claiming level.
• Churchill Downs’ next scheduled race meets and any follow-up entries from Bregman Family Racing.
• The Cubs’ weekend series in Cincinnati, which began Friday after the Louisville visit.

Source: original release