March, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Del Mar Purses at Record High for 2022

California's Del Mar Thoroughbred Club is set to deliver purses above $25 million for its 31-day summer meet, with the daily average purse payout of more than $800,000 the highest in the history of California racing. Overnight purses and the value of 21 of the seaside oval's stakes will be raised by a blended rate of 15%.

Among the most prominent races to see increases are the GI Bing Crosby S. and the GI Clement L. Hirsch S., both of which will climb from $300,000 to $400,000. Gross purses for all stakes will rise from $7.45 million to $8.275 million. All five of Del Mar's overnight stakes will be increased from $80,000 to $100,000 and 16 additional stakes will get $25,000 to $100,000 bumps in value.

The increase in overnight purses impacts all levels. For example, a maiden claiming race for $20,000 will have its purse climb from $25,000 to $30,000. The top-level allowance horses see purses elevated from $76,000 to $86,000. A $32,000 claiming race now will go for $51,000 instead of $45,000.

“We've been on a roll of late and based on the feedback we're receiving from local and out-of-state stables, I'm very optimistic our positive trend will continue,” said Del Mar's executive vice president for racing, Tom Robbins. “Last year we averaged a record $18.4 million a day in handle and our field size was 8.5 per race. Those are powerful numbers, not only in the West, but all across the country. We're going to try to increase them this year and I believe we've got a good chance to do so.”

Both the track's popular 12-year-old “Ship & Win” program and maiden bonuses are also enhanced. “Ship & Win”, which annually draws hundreds of out-of-state runners, will give owners and trainers a $5,000 starter bonus and a 50% purse supplement to dirt runners, as well as a $4,000 bonus and a 40% supplement to grass starters. In addition, Del Mar has upped maiden special weight purses from $70,000 to $80,000 and the maiden bonus plan (formerly the juvenile bonus) will be expanded to provide horses of any age in maiden special weight, maiden special weight Cal-Bred, and maiden claiming $62,500 and above on dirt a 25% purse bonus for qualifying stables. This means a horse shipping in to run in a maiden special weight dirt race could compete for a purse of $140,000 when the “Ship & Win” monies (50%, or $40,000) and the maiden bonus plan (25%, or $20,000) are included. On top of that, the horse's connections would be awarded a $5,000 starter fee.

A full stakes schedule for Del Mar's 83rd summer season will be released next week, with the track's premiere event–the $1-million GI TVG Pacific Classic–scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 3. The season will open with a three-day weekend Friday, July 22, and conclude Sept. 11, with racing conducted on a Thursday-Sunday schedule through the bulk of the meet.

The post Del Mar Purses at Record High for 2022 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Brian Arrigoni Named Paddock Analyst At Horseshoe Indianapolis

Horseshoe Indianapolis Racing & Casino is proud to add handicapping and wagering specialist Brian Arrigoni to the elite broadcast team. Arrigoni will serve as the new Paddock Analyst, joining “Racing Rachel” McLaughlin, on-air racing analyst and production manager, and Track Announcer John G. Dooley, covering the 2022 Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing season.

A native of Minnesota, Arrigoni has long been associated with horse racing, attending the races from a young age with his father, who he notes as his role model. He has served as the paddock analyst for Canterbury Park the past six years and has a growing following on social media for his exclusive picks, catering to those seeking assistance in multiple race exotic wagers.

“As someone who is always learning and trying to apply new ideas and get better, I have leaned towards the low takeout wagers,” said Arrigoni. “I'm very appreciative of the opportunity I had with Canterbury to grow and fine tune my handicapping skills. With that opportunity, I've learned a lot and enjoy the satisfaction of stringing along multiple winners in a row, which has led me to often play Pick 5's due to minimal takeouts. I'm very excited to join the team at Horseshoe Indianapolis and I'm ready to get to work adding support to both John (Dooley) and Rachel (McLaughlin).”

Arrigoni will be right at home at Horseshoe Indianapolis, which sports several reduced takeouts. The Straight Fire Pick 6 (Jackpot Pick 6) offers an industry low 11.99 percent takeout while the Pick 4 and Pick 5 have a 15 percent takeout. Arrigoni's largest payday was on a Pick 5 ticket cashed at Aqueduct last fall with a reward of $176,719 waiting on him at the conclusion of the wager.

“Brian has quietly made a name for himself as an excellent handicapper who uses advanced wagering strategies and techniques,” said Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing. “As our new Paddock Analyst, his on-camera presence will be the perfect complement to Rachel Mclaughlin and John Dooley during the upcoming racing season.”

An avid hockey fan, this will be Arrigoni's second association with Indiana. He previously relocated to Carmel, Ind. while playing hockey for the Indiana Ice. The 2012 college graduate, with bachelor's degrees in criminal justice and political science, now serves as manager for an insurance company in Minnesota when he's not surveying races.

“We look forward to watching Brian's analytical approach when handicapping the Horseshoe Indianapolis races,” added Halstrom. “We are very excited to have him join our team. His knowledge and enthusiasm for racing is unmatched, and we are fortunate to have someone of his caliber supporting our program.”

Arrigoni and his fiancé, Jessica, have six children. Sons Alijah (14), Isaac (13), Cole (9) and Vincent (2) are joined by seven-month-old twins Nico and Noelle. He will begin his Indiana duties when the 2022 season begins Tuesday, April 19, providing daily analysis on select Thoroughbred races remotely with in-person visits on select racing days throughout the season.

The 20th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing is set to resume Tuesday, April 19 and run through Wednesday, Nov. 23. Racing will be held Monday through Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. with Thursday racing beginning at 3:30 p.m. A total of 12 Saturday racing programs will be held in 2022. For more information on events and racing, go to www.indianagrand.com.

The post Brian Arrigoni Named Paddock Analyst At Horseshoe Indianapolis appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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British EBF To Contribute £1.9-Million To Prizemoney

The British EBF has allocated £1.9-million for total prizemoney contribution in 2022, with £1.7-million designated for over 700 flat races across Great Britain. A further £100,000 has been allocated for a new series for EBF-eligible 2-year-olds, with details to be announced in April. National Hunt prizemoney allocation remains unaltered and will support four series' including the EBF National Hunt Novice Hurdle.

In other British EBF news, Ed Harper of Whitsbury Manor Stud joins the board of trustees while Chris Richardson of Cheveley Park Stud retires after two full terms. Shane Horan is expected to succeed Simon Mockridge of Juddmonte Farms after his six years as a trustee, while Sam Bullard will replace Jono Mills as the Darley Stallions representative.

British EBF Chairman Simon Sweeting said, “Chris Richardson, Simon Mockridge and Jono Mills have been dedicated members of the board; on behalf of the British EBF, I thank them for their time, hard work and being wonderful ambassadors for the organisation. They have helped guide our recent decision making, been conscientious and provided practical support and solutions to the British EBF through a challenging couple of years for British racing.

“We are looking forward to welcoming Ed Harper and Shane Horan to the Board of Trustees from Whitsbury Manor Stud and Juddmonte.”

Harper added, “I am delighted to be joining the EBF Board of Trustees. The EBF continues to be a vital source of prizemoney and I hope to continue its good work for the benefit of both racing and breeding in the UK.”

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Trisha Vance Duncan Saddles First Winner With Second Career Starter

There was a Vance-trained winner Feb. 20 at Oaklawn, but it wasn't for David or his son, Tommy.

Trisha Vance Duncan – David's daughter and Tommy's younger sister – recorded her first career victory in the seventh race, an allowance sprint for older horses, when Heart Rhythm ($16) edged favored Macron by a half-length under Geovanni Franco.

Heart Rhythm marked the second career starter for Vance Duncan, 57, who also co-owns the Flat Out colt with her husband of three years, Kelly. Heart Rhythm and Girls a Bullet, her first starter, previously had been with David Vance, Oaklawn's leading trainer in 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1976.

Vance, on behalf of Vance Duncan and her husband, had claimed Heart Rhythm for $50,000 Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs. Vance Duncan, at one time, worked as her father's assistant and was instrumental in keeping the stable afloat immediately following a December 2007 automobile accident that left him confined to a motorized wheelchair.

Now, Vance Duncan has a winner under her name.

“That's the difference,” she said Sunday morning.

Vance Duncan's decision to go out on her own came after her husband closed his Dallas-area restaurant, Big Daddy's Roadhouse BBQ, in November 2020. They had three horses with David Vance during the 2021 Oaklawn meeting that she groomed and cared for.

“My dad was training the horses and we didn't have anything else to do,” Vance Duncan said. “I worked for my dad for about a year again and then we decided that I would train the ones that we owned.”

Vance Duncan said she officially struck out on her own about seven weeks ago. Girls a Bullet finished third, beaten a head, in a Feb. 13 sprint for older $16,000 female sprinters. She was claimed out of the race by 2020 Oaklawn training champion Robertino Diodoro.

Heart Rhythm toppled heavily favored Macron, who is trained by Hall of Famer and North American all-time wins leader Steve Asmussen.

“That was awesome,” Vance Duncan said. “That's a good horse. We claimed him at Churchill. My dad ran him back up there and he ran third, then we brought him here and he ran second, then we ran him again and he won.”

The only other horse Vance Duncan trains is Alexandros, a Jan. 7 starter/optional claiming winner for her father. Vance Duncan and her husband own the Flatter gelding.

Vance Duncan said she's looking to claim “a couple” of horses and “get up to five” for the Churchill Downs spring/summer meeting that begins April 30. David Vance is among the all-time winningest trainers at Oaklawn and Churchill and one of just 34 in North American history (United States and Canada) with 3,000 career victories, according to Equibase, racing's official data gathering organization.

“I learned everything I know from my dad,” Vance Duncan said.

David Vance, 81, said he's proud of what his daughter has already accomplished in the brief time on her own.

“She's always worked for me,” Vance said. “She does all the work, so why not be the trainer? Hell, she's probably the best groom back there are far as a groom goes. There's no groom back there better than she is. She's been my assistant before, before she went off and came back. After I had my accident, she started being a trainer, too. Not only my assistant, but a trainer, too. Tommy wasn't training at the time and he came and helped her, but she did a great job.”

Tommy Vance saddled his first career stakes winner last year at Oaklawn and has two runner-up finishes and three thirds during the 2021-2022 meeting that began Dec. 3.

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