Registration for the 12th Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC), which will be held in conjunction with the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Keeneland Racecourse Nov. 6-7, is now available at www.breedersCup.com/BCBC. This year’s BCBC total cash prize pool is expected to be $1 million based upon a minimum of 400 players registered. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, players will not be able to participate at Keeneland this year. All BCBC tournament play will be conducted online at www.TVG.com, the official Breeders’ Cup wagering partner, www.Xpressbet.com, NYRA Bets and at designated satellite locations at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., and Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fl. Additional satellite locations, such as Santa Anita Park and Del Mar in California, will be announced at a later date if they are able to host players.
For the 2020 BCBC, a $2,500 buy-in and $7,500 betting bankroll ($10,000 total) are required of each player. All buy-in monies are applied to the prize pool. Players can bet into the Win, Place, Show, Exacta, Trifecta and Daily Double pools with their $7,500 bankroll over the two days and keep all monies earned from their betting.
“The excitement and prestige of playing in the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge continues to grow as the ultimate test in live-money Thoroughbred racing tournaments, with horseplayers tackling the large and ultra-competitive fields of the World Championships races,” said Tim Schram, BCBC Tournament Director.
Additionally, the 2020 BCBC will feature a $3 million National Horseplayer Champion (NHC) Tour bonus that will be awarded to any horseplayer who wins the BCBC and the NTRA Horseplayers Championship (NHC) in January 2021. As part of a reciprocal agreement with the NHC, Thomas Goldsmith, winner of this year’s NHC in February, is eligible for a $3-million bonus should he win this year’s BCBC. Players can earn free entry into the BCBC by winning a BCBC Qualifying Tournament. For details on upcoming live and online qualifying tournaments, go to www.Horseplayers.com.
In the 2019 BCBC, a record 457 players entered the competition and Brad Anderson of Sarasota, Fl. won after making a $25,900 wager on 9-2 Vino Rosso in the Longines GI Breeders’ Cup Classic, the final race of the tournament. Anderson finished with a total score of 145,040 points and, with a first-place prize of $343,000, saw total winnings of $488,040.
Taylor Made Stallions has purchased the trotting stallion Pastor Stephen (Cantab Hall) and will stand the horse next year in Indiana, it was announced Tuesday.
The purchase marks the second time since 2018 that Taylor Made has made an investment in harness racing. In 2018, the Taylor operation was part of a deal to import New Zealand champion Lazarus. A pacer, he won two of six starts in the U.S. in 2018 and now stands at stud at Deo Volente Farms in New Jersey.
In its early days, Taylor Made was heavily invested in Standarbreds and its president, Duncan Taylor, has said the recent investments in Standarbreds has been a way to help return the operation to its family’s roots.
Pastor Stephen was the champion 2-year-old trotting colt in 2010 when winning six of 11 starts and earning $653,748. He went four for 11 during his 3-year-old campaign before retiring due to an injury. He was later sent to Sweden to stand at stud.
According to the press release announcing Pastor Stephen’s purchase, he was bought for an undisclosed sum.
The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association has launched a digital campaign promoting the successful history of Florida-breds born and raised in the Sunshine State.
The series titled “Florida Thoroughbred History Moment” features an opening and closing image of an old-timey newsreel much like those featured in movie theaters in the 1940s. Along with the sound of the whir of the newsreel, each video is narrated by the distinctive voice of Robert Clotworthy giving an even more nostalgic feel. Clotworthy is the narrator for the History Channel series Ancient Aliens and The Curse of Oak Island and he lends his voice perfectly to the series.
Each 'Florida Thoroughbred History Moment' vignette highlights a significant achievement in Florida-bred history focusing on the people, the horses and the farms that have contributed to its success since the industry kicked off in earnest after Needles' 1956 Kentucky Derby win.
The first history moment on Needles launched the series with the signature line given in Clotworthy's deepest voice, “And now a Florida Thoroughbred History Moment… “
Needles put the state on the map as the first horse born in Florida to win the Kentucky Derby and he later set another milestone winning the first Belmont Stakes. His acclaim led many to visit Central Florida to see for themselves the Thoroughbreds raised on limestone rich soil and drinking from the spring fed aquifers. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, local lore has it that more people bought real estate in Marion County thanks to Needles' fame more than any realtor's effort.
The second video in the series focuses upon the O'Farrells' Ocala Stud, the oldest active stud farm in the state. Still using their original stud barn and training barn, which is the oldest wooden horse barn in the state, Ocala Stud's 1960's slogan 'If you want a runner look to Ocala Stud' is featured prominently.
In 1968, Dr. Fager became the world's fastest miler and still holds the record today. The swift horse is featured in the series with a reminiscence photo of him coming home to Ocala greeted by school children holding signs saying, “Dr. Fager is No. 1” and “Welcome Home Champion.” Also, as part of that welcome back, local police pulled over the trailer with the horse inside on Highway 200. Dr. Fager was issued a speeding ticket for 'reckless speed' for his stellar performance ontrack, and the ticket noted his make and style as 'horse' and 'fast'. Additionally, he was inducted into the local Chamber of Commerce.
The next video in the series features Unbridled and the great television moment between trainer Carl Nafzger and owner Mrs. Francis Genter. The poignant moment was captured by NBC during the horse's legendary Kentucky Derby run. His legacy as a sire of champions for more than four decades is also highlighted.
Winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, Silver Charm showcased the talent coming out of the Ocala Breeders' Sales and gave rising stars Bob Baffert and the McKathan Brothers the limelight. The gray gained international fame winning the Dubai World Cup, then later joining the stallion ranks in Japan. The vignette also points out Michael Blowen's love for the horse which led to the creation of Old Friends farm and the moment Blowen's dream came true when Silver Charm came back to the states and retired there.
Of course, no Florida series would be complete without Affirmed, the state's Triple Crown winner and longest title holder at 37 years. His hard fought wins in the classics over Alydar are some of the greatest moments in sports rivalry history.
The videos also feature the FTBOA logo and the Discover Florida Horses logo developed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The campaign is an example of the global promotions of thoroughbreds and the thoroughbred industry in state of Florida. The video series is available for use by farms and businesses promoting Florida Thoroughbreds and is also aired regularly on Horse Capital Television.
The series is also part of a newly launching campaign on social media focusing on Facebook groups that have an interest in Thoroughbred history and the sport of horse racing. The series can also be seen on the FTBOA YouTube channel.
The goal is to expand the series into 'Florida Thoroughbred History Profiles' over coming years to include the oral history handed down from horseman to horseman. The first two profiles aired in September and featured 2017 Godolphin award honoree Lugusta “Gus” Gray who has worked more than 50 years on farms, first for Fred Hooper and now Donald Dizney's Double Diamond Farm.
FTBOA's Associate Vice President-Membership Services and Events, Tammy A. Gantt scripts and produces each segment. The series was a brainchild of hers thanks to her love of the history of the sport and her more than 25 years in the Florida industry.
Lonny Powell, CEO of FTBOA said, “The goal of our video series and social media campaign is to showcase the history of success of Florida horses, horsemen and farms. We began this program more than two years ago and have added to the series, expanded it and now rolled it into other platforms like social media which we've seen significantly grow since the pandemic began earlier this year.”
He added, “The series can continue for quite some time as we've had 52 national champions, six Kentucky Derby champions, seven Preakness winners, six Belmonts, 28 Breeders' Cup wins, 66 Eclipse Awards and more than 170 Florida-bred millionaires and growing.”
