Home / Sports / Owner Skips Aggies Opener for Million-Dollar Race
Owner Skips Aggies Opener for Million-Dollar Race
5 Sep
Summary
- Owner Reagan Swinbank misses first Aggie football game in decades.
- Cy Fair, a millionaire filly, competes in the $1.5 million Music City.
- Swinbank prioritizes his horse's major race over his beloved team.
Owner Reagan Swinbank is making a significant sacrifice for his horse, Cy Fair. As a generational Texas A&M graduate and diehard fan, Swinbank has never missed the opening football game at Kyle Field. This year, however, he will be at Kentucky Downs for the Grade 2, $1.5 million Ainsworth Music City, where his Grade 1-winning filly Cy Fair is set to compete. This decision marks a rare departure from his lifelong dedication to Aggie sports.
Cy Fair, co-owned by Swinbank, brings considerable success to the race. She is a millionaire daughter of Not This Time, with a notable victory in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. Most recently, she won the Grade 3 Coronation Cup at Saratoga on July 18. Her career bankroll now exceeds $1,016,005 after earning a career-high 97 Beyer Speed Figure in her latest win.
The decision to race at Kentucky Downs involved discussions with trainer George Weaver and jockey John Velazquez. They believe Cy Fair can handle the six-and-a-half-furlong distance, despite the uphill finish unique to the track. She has previously demonstrated her ability to outperform male competitors, including a Grade 1 victory at Woodbine. Her sire, Not This Time, is also significant, having sired Swinbank's first Grade 1 winner, Sacred Wish.
