Month: November 2020

View From The Eighth Pole: Del Mar Can Add Year-Round Stability To California’s Racing Industry

California's horse racing industry has never been good at long-range planning. Instability will do that. Historic Bay Meadows racetrack in San Mateo in the Bay Area was shuttered for development in 2008. The same company that closed Bay Meadows had purchased Hollywood Park in Inglewood near Los Angeles in 2005 and almost immediately threatened to close that track, too, unless some form of relief from expanded gambling came along. It never did, and the “track of lakes and flowers” ran its last race in 2013. Despite advance warnings, the industry seemed unprepared when the tracks closed.

Thoroughbred breeders and owners like stability. The timeline from planning to breeding to foaling to racing is a four-year process. Owners who buy yearlings or 2-year-olds in training at public auction are looking at months to years before they can see their investments competing on the racetrack.

Instability, along with challenging economics, have led to serious declines in California breeding. The state's Thoroughbred foal crop in 2006 – the one eligible to race in that final year at Bay Meadows – numbered 3,320. The most recent California foal crop was 1,594 in 2019, a 52% drop over 13 years. There appears to be no slowing down, either. The number of mares bred in California fell by 12.5% from 2019 to 2020, from 2,018 to 1,766 mares, according to the breed's official registry, The Jockey Club.

Looking down the road, at least one more California racetrack is destined to close in the not-so-distant future. Dr. Edward Allred, the 84-year-old owner of Los Alamitos in Cypress, has made no secret of the fact his track will be developed in a matter of years. To his credit, Allred stepped up to provide additional stabling when Hollywood Park closed and expanded the Quarter Horse racing surface to accommodate year-round training, plus several weeks of Thoroughbred racing annually. Allred has been sufficiently compensated; in addition to host simulcast revenue during live Thoroughbred race meets, Los Alamitos receives $12,500 daily from the state's Stabling and Vanning Committee for providing 825 stalls.

Stabling at Los Alamitos was a stopgap measure. It's time for the California horse racing industry to develop a longer-term solution that provides some stability to the state's owners and breeders if this industry is to have a future.

Del Mar, just to the north of San Diego, could be the answer. The track races 12 weeks annually, with separate summer and fall meets, then closes its stables the rest of the year.

The racetrack property is owned by the state of California and leased by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club from the 22nd District Agricultural Association, which until 2020 has hosted the annual San Diego County Fair – one of the largest in the United States. The fair represented a sizable percentage of the 22nd District's annual revenue, but so did its lease agreement with the Thoroughbred Club, especially since the races traditionally attract large crowds that spend significant sums on food and beverage.

This year's fair, along with on-track attendance at Del Mar's summer and fall meets, were nixed by the coronavirus pandemic. The 22nd District took an enormous financial hit – revenue is down 90% – and without deep cash reserves it was forced to lay off 60% of its work force of 157 full-time employees.

Year-round stabling would supply a significant financial boost to the 22nd District, provided Del Mar would get the same per diem arrangement Los Alamitos currently enjoys. There would be hurdles to clear to make this possible, one of them being the San Diego County Fair that traditionally begins in early June and runs through July 4 is so big that it spills onto the racetrack and into the stable area. Downsizing the fair, however, may be a necessity in the wake of COVID-19.

Because it is a state-owned facility and not subject to the pressures of development, Del Mar presents an excellent long-term option for year-round training and, if given the opportunity, expanded live race meets. The track has already satisfied federal Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) water runoff requirements, something many other tracks are struggling with.  Another benefit to year-round stabling could put the city of Del Mar in compliance with a state law requiring a minimum amount of housing for low-income families. Stable employees living on the backstretch might check that box.

California trainers surveyed for this story said they would jump at the opportunity to maintain part of their stable at Del Mar. Some speculate that Midwest or East Coast trainers would be more inclined to maintain an auxiliary string of horses in California if Del Mar played an expanded role.

“We need to have viable long-term racing and training venues in Southern California,” Thoroughbred Owners of California president Greg Avioli said. “There's no question owners and trainers appreciate the opportunity to train at Del Mar, and should the opportunity present itself for year-round training, it's definitely something the TOC would consider.”

California can't afford to wait for the next track to close before developing a better blueprint for training and racing, for stability in the industry. The time is now to work on that plan.

That's my view from the eighth pole.

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New Jersey Fixed-Odds Pilot Program Cleared for 2021

Even as a separate bill to allow fixed-odds wagering on in-state horse races is making its way through the New Jersey Legislature, the state’s racing commission voted 4-0 Nov. 18 to give consent for licensees to try a fixed-odds pilot program during 2021 that would be limited to bets on out-of-state Grade I races.

The vote was unanimous but not without misgivings, as several commissioners voiced concerns prior to the vote that fixed-odds betting would cannibalize the existing pari-mutuel system and eventually erode New Jersey’s racing industry.

And one New Jersey Racing Commission (NJRC) member had to be corrected just prior to the vote because he thought the board had been discussing exchange wagering and not fixed-odds betting (It was unclear who, because commissioners often cross-talked and did not identify themselves when speaking during Wednesday’s teleconference meeting).

But the fact that the current bill, introduced Oct. 31, seems to have considerable political heft behind it appeared to be an overriding factor in the unanimous vote, as the presumed wishes of elected and appointed officials surfaced several times during the discussion.

“The pilot program would be regulated by the Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE),” explained Judith Nason, the NJRC’s executive director. “DGE has the authority to regulate fixed-odds wagers, which [are] also known as sports wagers.

“So, the question before you today is whether the commission wants to grant its consent to fixed-odds wagers [on] Grade I stakes races of national interest that are being conducted in another state through Dec. 31, 2021, which would allow the pilot program to move forward,” Nason continued. “It would allow the attempt to gauge interest [in] fixed-odds wagers on horse racing. At the same time, there is proposed legislation that is moving forward that would broadly allow fixed-odds wagers on horse races.”

Asked by a commissioner what the benefit of the pilot program would be to New Jersey’s horse racing, Nason replied, “It would bring benefits to the sports wagering operators, and to a certain extent to, you know, that the revenue can be shared and some of it can be directed for purse money.”

Dennis Drazin, the chairman and chief executive of Darby Development LLC, which operates Monmouth Park and its sports book, weighed in with a different perspective.

“I think it’s commendable that we start with a pilot program until such time as the legislature has an opportunity [to vote on it] and the governor signs off, assuming we get to that point,” Drazin said.

“We’ve been hung up for six months on whether or not a wager on a horse race is s sports bet or a horse racing bet, because they’re handled differently. The proposed legislation says it’s a horse racing bet,” Drazin said.

“I gather that the attorney general, if I read Judy [Nason] correctly, has weighed in and feels that we should start with the pilot program for Grade I races only,” Drazin said.

Commissioner Michael Arnone expressed doubts about the long-term repercussions of fixed-odds betting prior to casting a “yes” vote in line with the other commissioners.

“I get the feeling like we’re the good monsignor getting called up to give last rites to the pari-mutuel system. I mean, I think the pari-mutuel system will lose out in the end if it has to compete,” Arnone said. “We’ll see what happens, but unfortunately, I’ve got a very negative view of it.”

Drazin said his support for trying the system is based partially on repeated complaints he hears from pari-mutuel customers about fluctuations in odds after a race goes off.

“The Australian [fixed odds] model has proven to grow their industry. And with a significantly less population in Australia than we have here, they out-handle us,” Drazin said. “I think it’s important that we look at this. Nobody knows what the future is going to be…In the early days, it will have a minimal impact [on pari-mutuels]. But five years down the road, a significant portion of the handle will be fixed odds.”

Prior to the unanimous vote, Drazin had asked the NJRC to widen to scope of the pilot program to include all graded North American stakes races, graded international races, and Monmouth’s two in-state Grade Is, the Haskell S. and United Nations S.

But Nason wouldn’t allow those modifications to the template for the pilot program, which had been handed down by the DGE. That leaves New Jersey’s bet-taking licensees with about 90 to 95 Thoroughbred races on which to offer fixed-odds wagering in 2021.

Based on Drazin’s comments, Monmouth appears set to embrace the pilot system. When asked by the commission, a Meadowlands official declined the opportunity to comment on the program.

“Lastly, I would ask you to just consider what you’re going to do if one track–and I’ll just give you an example, let’s say Churchill Downs–decides they’re going to authorize fixed odds on the [GI] Kentucky Derby, but they’re not going to give it to anybody else except to [the] Churchill [advance-deposit wagering system that] operates online in New Jersey. Do you think that that would have a negative impact on the rest of us?”

Thoroughbred Dates Approved for 2021

Also on Wednesday, the NJRC unanimously approved 2021 Thoroughbred dates at Monmouth (53 days, May 28-Sept. 26) and for a turf-only meet at the Meadowlands (nine days, Oct. 1-30).

John Heims, Monmouth’s racing secretary and director of racing, said that the track is going back to “more of a traditional” Memorial Day weekend opening like in past seasons. That calendar, he added, allows Monmouth to better dovetail with the closing meets at Oaklawn Park and Tampa Bay Downs, “so I think it actually bolsters out ability to offer a better racing product.”

In 2020, the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association had approval to run 56 days at Monmouth and 19 at the Meadowlands. But the pandemic lopped off the start of the Monmouth meet and caused the cancellation of what was supposed to be the first dual-surface Thoroughbred meet at the Meadowlands since 2009. Those dates were transferred to Monmouth instead, where a total of 60 programs were run this year.

The topic of running both dirt and turf races at the Meadowlands in 2021 did not come up at Wednesday’s meeting.

 

Monmouth Reports $2.5 Million-plus Racing Loss

A separate section of the agenda dealt with the distribution of monies from the Casino Simulcasting Special Fund, which requires New Jersey racetracks to show evidence that their financial well-being has been negatively affected by casino simulcasting and/or that the racetrack is “financially distressed” in order to receive those funds.

During that agenda item, Nason said all three state tracks (Monmouth, Meadowlands, Freehold Raceway) met those requirements. Although a specific time frame for the financials was not mentioned, Nason read into the record that “Monmouth Park reported losses in excess of $2.5 million from racing operations while also citing the [NJTHA’s] debt obligations to the [New Jersey] Sports and Exposition Authority, which exceed $9 million through 2024.”

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Pink Lloyd, Mighty Heart Top Saturday Stakes Contenders At Woodbine

Multiple stakes winner and 2017 Canadian Horse of the Year, Pink Lloyd, looks to add to his black-type bonanza with a win in the $175,000 Kennedy Road Stakes (G2), while Canadian Triple Crown standouts Mighty Heart and Belichick meet again, this time in the $125,000 Ontario Derby Stakes (G3), this Saturday at Woodbine.

Multiple Sovereign Award recipient and 23-time stakes champion Pink Lloyd will seek to top the Kennedy Road charts for the third time, having won the event in 2017 and 2019.

Trained by Robert Tiller for Entourage Stable, the 8-year-old gelded son of Old Forester is unbeaten in four starts – all stakes – this year.

His latest tour de force was a victory in the Vigil Stakes (G3) on Sept. 5, an effort that pushed Pink Lloyd's career earnings over $2 million (CDN). It was also his fourth straight Vigil Crown.

Pink Lloyd launched his 2020 campaign with a triumph in the Jacques Cartier (G3) on June 25, followed by a win in the Shepperton Stakes on July 23, a Bold Venture (G3) score on Aug. 15, and a one-length win in the Vigil.

“We're both very happy,” said Tiller. “He's doing well. We haven't run for two-and-a-half months, so we're in new territory. That's the big question, 'Is it going to help him or is it going to hurt him?' He's eight, but I can't worry about all of that stuff. I've done my job and he's doing his job. I think he's in good order. There are going to be some tough horses in there, some tough competition. But as far as Pink Lloyd's concerned, it's a horse race. We're going into it very happy and I think he'll be very fit and happy. Hopefully, he's not too sharp because when he does, he sometimes can get a little goofy at the gate.”

Pink Lloyd previously reeled off 11 consecutive victories from 2017 into 2018, and is currently riding a 10-race win streak following an unblemished season in 2019. He has delivered his connections six Sovereign Awards.

Although coming up with more superlatives to describe the star of his barn isn't an easy task, Tiller finds a way.

“He's doing very, very well, and I expect a big race out of him. If you look at his record, he does well about 14 months out of the year. Well, at least 13. All you have to do is look at his record. He runs well in the cold and he runs well in the hot.

“I talk to him 10 times a day. He's bobbing his head outside the door. It's almost like he can hear you. He's just a super-amazing animal. I'm getting older and he's getting older, and maybe we're getting long in the tooth, but he owes us nothing. We'll always love him.”

As will local racing fans, who regard Pink Lloyd as a bona fide rock star.

“I don't know what people say on social media,” said Tiller, who has his own Instagram account. “But they do say nice things? Well, that's just great to hear. I'm going to be 71 on Dec. 11, so I'm not a big computer guy. I've been doing this for 54 years, and I'm still doing it. But you realize that you're only as good as you are because of your horses. It's like a hockey coach – if you don't have the good players, you're in trouble. Good players make you. But I think we've done very well managing this horse and our other horses. As far as 'Pinky,' there are just no words for him. He's running because he wants to run. He just likes what he does. And it's nice to know people appreciate that. It will be a sad day when this all ends, but it will also be a happy day. I never thought he would turn into this monster that he is. He's a legend.”

In 31 career starts, Pink Lloyd is 26-1-1. His dam, Gladiator Queen, was 2-2-2 from 17 starts. David Sorokolit bred the grey daughter of Great Gladiator.

Dual Hall of Fame conditioner Mark Casse sends out the pair of Ride a Comet and Souper Stonehenge.

Owned by John Oxley and My Meadowview Farm LLC, Ride a Comet, a 5-year-old son of Candy Ride (ARG), made a spectacular return to racing after a 25-month absence.

Under Patrick Husbands, the Kentucky-bred, who took the 2018 Del Mar Derby (G2T), recorded a two-length win at seven panels on the Woodbine main track on Oct. 16.

“Ride a Comet is an extremely, extremely talented horse,” praised Casse. “I was very impressed with his first race in over two years. I thought it was a tremendous race. He won with ease. This race is a little shorter than he prefers, but we've got to give him a shot. He's had a couple of injuries along the way, but he's very healthy now. If he can stay healthy, he will be a horse to be reckoned with throughout North America, not just Woodbine, in 2021.”

A 4-year-old son of Speightstown, bred and owned by Live Oak Plantation, Super Stonehenge also comes into Sunday's engagement off a victory.

The Florida-bred powered to a one-length win over 5 ½ furlongs on the Woodbine Tapeta on Oct. 4.

“Super Stonehenge is a horse that we've always thought was extremely talented. He had a throat issue that set him back, and we gave him some time. I thought his last race was really good. This is a big step for him. Unlike Ride a Comet, who has competed with the best horses in North America, Super Stonehenge hasn't got there yet, but he's a horse we like a lot. We think he can be an extremely good 2021 horse.”

Other starters include Silent Poet, a 5-year-old son of Silent Name (JPN), who goes for his third straight score. The Stronach Stables' homebred arrives at the Ontario Derby off a half-length triumph in the Nearctic (G2T).

Sporting a record of 10-4-2 from 18 career starts, Silent Poet tries the Tapeta for the first time since a runner-up performance in the Sir Barton Stakes, on Dec. 2, 2018.

Casse is looking forward to what should be one of the most compelling stakes on the 2020 Woodbine calendar.

“This is going to be a heck of race… it's a great race.”

Queen's Plate and Prince of Wales Stakes champion Mighty Heart will meet up with stablemate and Breeders' Stakes victor Belichick in the $125,000 Ontario Derby, set for 1 1/8 miles on the Woodbine Tapeta.

After Mighty Heart took the first two legs of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown series, Belichick turned the tables on the bay colt in the 1 ½-mile Breeders' Stakes on Oct. 24, putting an end to Mighty Heart's quest to become the country's first horse to sweep all three races since Wando achieved the feat in 2003.

The Ontario Derby, for 3-year-olds, will mark the first race for both since the Breeders'.

Hall of Fame trainer Josie Carroll, enjoying an outstanding 2020 campaign, is looking forward to seeing them back in action.

“I couldn't be happier with how they both came out of that last race and how they are coming into this one. They're doing really, really well.”

Owned by NK Racing and LNJ Foxwood, Belichick is now 1-2-1 from four starts in his career.

The son of Lemon Drop Kid, unraced at two, finished third in his career bow on July 4, following it up with a runner-up performance in his second start on Aug. 1. After his second-place finish in the Plate, Belichick broke his maiden in style, taking the Breeders' Stakes by four lengths.

“They kind of broke early in the race so I just tried to see them and relax my horse as much as I can,” said jockey Luis Contreras after the Breeders' win. “He was very uncomfortable; this horse has a different style to run so I just let him be happy wherever he wants to be.

“Turning for home, I was just in hand all the way to the quarter pole and I asked him to run from the stretch home and he did. I was just watching, just feeling my horse at the same time. And he was doing great the whole way. He came into this race very ready, good thing for Josie and all the crew.”

Carroll is hoping for a similar performance on Saturday.

“It might be a little short for him, but he's just continuing to get better and better with each race. Obviously, it was a tremendous effort in the Breeders'. It was very impressive.”

One-eyed Mighty Heart, who garnered big attention in his quest to win the Canadian Triple Crown, will look to rebound off his seventh-place effort in the Breeders' Stakes.

Bred and owned by Larry Cordes, Mighty Heart, a bay son of Dramedy, was at the top of his game in taking the Queen's Plate at Woodbine on Sept. 12 and the Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie on Sept. 29.

Carroll expects a strong effort from the Ontario-bred, who will have Rafael Hernandez in the irons on Saturday.

“He's a horse that just tries every time he runs. He'll give you his all every race.”

Mark Casse will be represented by Deviant, who was fourth in the Breeders' Stakes, and Lucky Curlin, who has two runner-up stakes results to his name.

A chestnut son of Daredevil, Deviant will chase his third career win in what will be his 11th lifetime start.

“I thought he ran really well in the Breeders',” offered Casse. “He had a crazy thing happen to him. We trained him about two-and-a-half months ago, and he trained on the main track and came back. When he got back to the barn, he was lame. Somehow, through his training and walking back, he had about a three-inch screw stuck in his foot. We don't where he got it. So he missed a bit of time and I was worried he might miss the Breeders' Stakes. But he ran well and had a little bit of a troubled trip turning for home. I'm not positive he's as good on the synthetic as he is on the turf, but we're going to give him a try.”

Bred and owned by John Oxley, Lucky Curlin, a chestnut son of Curlin, comes into the race off back-to-back second-place finishes in the Marine Stakes (G3) and Toronto Cup Stakes.

The Kentucky-bred is 2-2-3 from 11 career starts.

“Lucky Curlin is a horse we had high hopes for early on in his career, and he disappointed us,” admitted Casse. “But he's come around really well. I thought his last two races have been improved. He's equally effective, turf or synthetic, I would expect him to run well.”

Casse is happy to have the Ontario Derby contested at this point in the season.

“This is the time of the year when you're trying to run against straight 3-year-olds. I think it's extremely smart that Woodbine moved this race back. I think it gives the three-year-olds one more chance, the horses that ran in the Queen's Plate and those types of races. It gives them one more shot to race against their own age group, which I think is a good thing. That was a great move by Woodbine.”

Malibu Mambo, considered at one point a top Queen's Plate contender, will make his third start of the season.

Trained by Kevin Attard for Stronach Stables, the dark bay son of Point of Entry won his most recent start, a three-length victory over 1 1/16 miles on the Woodbine main track on October 11.

Also on tap Saturday, the $175,000 Bessarabian Stakes (G2) for fillies and mares, three-year-olds & upward, contested at seven furlongs on the Tapeta, and the $150,000 Ontario Damsel for Ontario-bred three-year-old fillies, run at 1 1/16 miles on the Tapeta.

Post time for Saturday's 11-race card is 1:25 p.m. Fans can watch and wager on all the action via HPIbet.com.

$175,000 KENNEDY ROAD STAKES (Race 9)

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Souper Stonehenge – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Mark Casse

2 – Ride a Comet – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

3 – Eskiminzin – Darryll Holland – Carlos Grant

4 – Silent Poet – Justin Stein – Nicholas Gonzalez

5 – Dixie's Gamble – Luis Contreras – Josie Carroll

6 – Roaring Forties – Kazushi Kimura – Daniel Vella

7 – Pink Lloyd – Rafael Hernandez – Robert Tiller

$125,000 ONTARIO DERBY (Race 8)

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Field Pass – Kazushi Kimura – Michael Maker

2 – Belichick – Luis Contreras – Josie Carroll

3 – Mnemba Island – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Julia Carey

4 – Lucky Curlin – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

5 – Deviant* – Jerome Lermyte – Mark Casse

6 – Mighty Heart – Rafael Hernandez – Josie Carroll

7 – Dune of Pilat – David Moran – Brendan Walsh

8 – Malibu Mambo – Justin Stein – Kevin Attard

* denotes supplemented

$175,000 BESSARABIAN (Race 10)

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Souper Escape – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Michael Trombetta

2 – Boardroom – Luis Contreras – Josie Carroll

3 – Painting – Patrick Husbands – Josie Carroll

4 – Artie's Princess – Kazushi Kimura – Wesley Ward

5 – Amalfi Coast – Justin Stein – Kevin Attard

6 – Jakarta – Daisuke Fukumoto – Michael Maker

7 – Our Secret Agent – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse

8 – Outburst – David Moran – Eddie Kenneally

$150,000 ONTARIO DAMSEL (Race 3)

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Curlin's Voyage – Patrick Husbands – Josie Carroll

2 – Merveilleux – Rafael Hernandez – Kevin Attard

3 – Afleet Katherine – Justin Stein – Kevin Attard

4 – Ann of Cleves – Keveh Nicholls – Ricky Griffith

5 – Ami's Samurai – Daisuke Fukumoto – Josie Carroll

6 – Justleaveitalone – David Moran – Nicholas Gonzalez

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COVID-19: Golden Gate Fields To Remain Temporarily Closed Through November

With the continued regard for the safety and well-being of 1/ST RACING employees, those working on the backstretch and the community at large, and in following the best guidance from local health authorities, Golden Gate Fields' leadership has decided to continue its suspension of live racing through November at the Albany, Calif. track.

Since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Golden Gate Fields has implemented stringent health and safety measures including, strict social distancing, masking policies and regular COVID-19 testing with isolation requirements for any positive cases or identified close contacts.

On Nov. 13, Golden Gate Fields announced a one-week temporary closure to address a COVID-19 outbreak. Since then, all track facilities have undergone thorough cleaning and track-wide COVID-19 testing has been administered to all 1/ST RACING employees and to all those who work on the backstretch. All testing data have been shared with the Berkeley Public Health Division (BPHD).

All positive cases are overseen by the BPHD through their case managers. Positive cases are required to isolate as per BPHD protocols and are not able to return to Golden Gate Fields until health clearance has been provided by the BPHD.

The 1,300 horses stabled onsite will continue to receive the daily care and exercise they require.

Golden Gate Fields will continue to monitor the situation in collaboration with the BPHD and will look forward to resuming live racing with the announcement of a reopening date as soon as possible.

For more information please visit www.goldengatefields.com or @GGFRacing.

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