July, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Wagering Down Slightly in June from 2020

Wagering on U.S. races has dipped slightly from $998,331,984 in 2020 to $993,147,243 this season, according to the Thoroughbred Racing Economic Indicators released by Equibase Tuesday. The drop represents a 0.52% change over a year ago. Conversely, wagering rose 0.22% from pre-COVID-19 figures in 2019 when $990,923,384 was wagering during the month of June. In 2021, purses rose 49.17% to $103,624,634 from last year as did race days which increased to 437 from 300 in 2020. Purse figures for the comparable time frame in 2019 were $115,194,83, with 499 race days conducted in June of that year. Also up over last year, 3,413 races were contested in the U.S. (+37.34%) as was number of starts, rising 18.49% to 23,870. Average purse size fell 13.73% to 6.99 last month, while average wagering per race day tumbled 31.71% to $2,272,648. Average purses per race day increased by 2.4% to $237,127.

Generally speaking, the year-to-date figures showed increases, including U.S. wagering rising 24.20% to $6,277, 894,486 and U.S. purses rising 58.85% to $514,950,882. Also showing big gains from 2020 to 2021, U.S. race days rose 44.58% to 1,881 and U.S. race days increasing to 15,792 from 10,906 in 2020. Average field size fell to 7.43 from 8.08, while average wagering per race day also dipped to $3,337,530 from $3,885,109.

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Parx Trainer Vega Handed 730-Day Suspension By Pennsylvania Stewards, Plans Appeal

Trainer/owner Ricardo Vega, who operates Richard Vega Racing Stable, was hit with a 730-day suspension on June 29 for possession of 21 loaded syringes, 18 needles, one filled IV bag and an IV catheter. Vega was summarily suspended by emergency order in late May after a large-scale raid at Parx turned up prohibited items, though previous rulings had not included many details about what was found.

The ruling, which was issued by the Pennsylvania board of stewards, stated the contraband was found in a locked tack room belonging to Vega, though Vega's attorney, Alan Pincus, has said previously the tack room was utilized by multiple trainers and was not kept locked.

The ruling did not specify what substances were in the equipment found in the raid. Pincus said he has not been provided with test results on the substances but pointed to comments made by Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission executive director Tom Chuckas at a June 29 commission meeting saying the May raids turned up “nothing of substance.”

The suspension is scheduled to run from June 29, 2021 to June 28, 2023. Pincus told the Paulick Report he filed an appeal of the June 29 stewards' ruling with the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania.

Vega has not saddled a horse since May 19 due to the summary suspension that was put in place ahead of the stewards' hearing on the matter. Pincus has also filed a request for a stay of the summary suspension, and said July 6 the courts have not yet decided whether Vega will be permitted to train while the appeals process is worked out.

Vega is a member of the Parx Hall of Fame and has trained winners of over 1,100 races to earnings of more than $19.5 million. He took out his trainer's license in 1992 after starting in the business as a hotwalker in Florida in the 1980s and working as an assistant to Al Hinson. He is a graded stakes-placed trainer and is the conditioner of Dulce Realidad, Philadelphia Park's Horse of the Year and Champion Three-Year-Old Filly in 2008 and 1999 Philadelphia Park Claiming Horse of the Year Open Ice Hit. Among other clients, Vega has trained horses for Dun Roamin Farm, the nom de course for Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association president Sal DeBunda, who represents the THA as a member of the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission.

According to a report presented at a regular meeting of the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission May 25, state investigators searched six barns, six tack rooms, five grooms' quarters and five external tack rooms. They also completed 66 out-of-competition tests. Although he could not reveal specifics, commission executive director Tom Chuckas said at that meeting the raid revealed “a significant amount of contraband … dealing with medications, either unlabeled, compounded, or expired.

“I regret to say that there were contraband that have no business on the backside, like needles and syringes and some other things that we discovered,” Chuckas said.

Pennsylvania state code prohibits anyone other than licensed veterinarians from possessing syringes, needles, or injectable medications on the backstretch.

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Belmont Fall Stakes Schedule Released

The New York Racing Association, Inc. announced the stakes schedule for the 28-day fall meet at Belmont Park, which will include 20 graded stakes, including 47 stakes worth $11.15 million in purses. The fall meet, which will run from Thursday, Sept. 16 through Sunday, Oct. 31 will offer four Grade I races and five “Win and You're In” qualifiers to the Breeders' Cup in November at Del Mar. The first Breeders' Cup qualifier is the $1-million Jockey Club Derby for 3-year-olds going 1 1/2 miles on the turf Sept. 18. That card will also feature the GI Jockey Club Oaks and Grand Prix American Jockey Club Invitational.

The meet's first graded races will take place Sept. 25-26, headed by the GII Kelso H. and the GIII Athenia S. The following day will offer the GII Gallant Bloom S., with the undercard rounded out by the Bertram F. Bongard S. for New York-bred juveniles going seven furlongs.

Seven graded stakes make up the weekend of Oct. 2-3, highlighted by Saturday's GI Woodward S. and the GI Champagne S. affording a spot in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile to the winner. The undercard will feature the GII Miss Grillo S. and the GIII Belmont Turf Sprint. Grade I action continues on the following day with the GI Frizette S., Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' for the Juvenile Fillies. The day will also include the GII Pilgrim S. and GIII Fasig-Tipton Waya S.

The Saturday, Oct. 9 card includes the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, the GII Vosburgh S., a 'Win and You're In' event for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint and the GIII Matron S. The following afternoon will offer the fall meet's final Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint qualifier with the GIII Futurity S. in addition to the GII Beldame S. and GIII Knickerbocker S.

Closing weekend will offer eight stakes for New York-breds on Empire Showcase Day Oct. 30, led by the Empire Classic. A trio of $250,000 stakes includes the Empire Distaff, Sleepy Hollow S. and Maid of the Mist S. Also on tap are a pair of $200,000 contests in the Mohawk S. and Ticonderoga S., in addition to the $150,000 Iroquois S. and Hudson S. The meet will conclude with five stakes–the Zagora S., the Pumpkin Pie S., Awad S. and the Chelsey Flower S.

A trio of stakes have been added to the fall schedule–the $100,000 Glen Cove for sophomores fillies sprinting seven furlongs on the turf Oct. 15; the $100,000 Carle Place S., for 3-year-olds also going seven furlongs on the turf Oct. 22; and the $100,000 Oyster Bay S. for 3-year-olds and up going seven furlongs on the turf will be run Oct. 29.

For the complete Belmont Park fall meet stakes schedule, please visit www.NYRA.com/stakes.

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Oaklawn Boosts Arkansas Derby Purse To $1.25 Million, Shifts Race To April 2

Oaklawn will dramatically impact the 2022 Triple Crown trail by making two major changes to the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby – boosting the purse to $1.25 million and moving the date to Saturday, April 2. The date shift is a departure from the traditional three weeks before the Kentucky Derby and the increased purse makes the race the richest event among Derby preps.

All total, Oaklawn is planning a record 36 stakes worth $12.3 million. In addition to the Arkansas Derby, three stakes will carry million dollar purses and 15 other stakes will offer purses ranging from $200,000 up to $750,000. Every stakes race will have at least a $150,000 purse. With the historic shift in the track's racing calendar that now begins in December, Oaklawn will stage its first 2-year-old stakes since 1973 – the Advent Stakes on opening day, Friday, Dec. 3.

“When we launched our $100 million expansion program two years ago, we said our goal was to take Oaklawn to a new level of excellence,” Oaklawn President Louis Cella said. “When you look at next season's stakes schedule, that includes five new stakes, you can see that is exactly what we are doing.”

The new positioning of the Arkansas Derby on the racing calendar will have a ripple effect on Oaklawn's other major 3-year old races. The $1,000,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) will be run on Saturday, Feb. 26. The $750,000 Southwest (G3) will be run Saturday, Jan. 29. The Smarty Jones Stakes will kick off the series on New Year's Day with a purse that has been increased by $100,000 to $250,000.

“Historically, Oaklawn's 3-year-old series has offered the most Kentucky Derby qualifying points of any track in the country,” Cella said. “With the extra timing between races and added purse money, we believe Oaklawn will only grow as 'the' place to prepare for the Triple Crown races.”

“Oaklawn has such a wonderful racing history going back 117 years,” General Manager Wayne Smith said. “When racing begins on December 3, fans will get to experience our new hotel overlooking the race track, a world class spa, new event center, and endless casino action. There has never been a more exciting time at Oaklawn.”

Older horses and older fillies and mares will also benefit from rich series leading up to the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) and $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1), respectively, on Saturday, April 23. Prior to the Oaklawn Handicap, older horses will have the $150,000 Fifth Season on Jan. 15, $600,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) on Feb. 12, and the $500,000 Essex Handicap on March 19. The opportunities for older fillies and mares prior to the Apple Blossom include the $150,000 Pippin Stakes on Jan. 8, $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) on Feb. 5, and the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) on March 12.

The Arkansas-bred program continues to be one of the richest state-bred programs in the country and will now feature six stakes races after the addition of the $150,000 Natural State Breeders' Stakes for 3-year-old fillies and older at one mile on Friday, May 6. The highlight of the series is the $200,000 Arkansas Breeders' Championship for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on May 7.

The 2021-2022 Oaklawn live meet runs Friday, Dec. 3 – Sunday, May 8. There is no racing Dec. 24 – 26 for Christmas or April 17 for Easter.

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