Month: September 2022

United Tote Fined for Penny Breakage Miscalculations

After failing to properly calculate Kentucky's newly implemented penny breakage at two Standardbred race meets in July, the totalizator services provider United Tote Company has been fined and ordered to “seed” a future exotic wagering pool with $4,445.77, which equals the amount that the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) determined should have been paid out to bettors had the calculations been correct.

According to an administrative ruling dated Sept. 12 and signed by Waqas Ahmed, the KHRC's director of pari-mutuel wagering and compliance, United Tote “provided improper totalizator services” on races conducted at Oak Grove (July 17-19) and The Red Mile (July 31).

The first of those violations occurred two days after Kentucky first rolled out its mandate that dime breakage be replaced by bettor-friendly penny breakage.

According to the ruling, the mistakes also occurred despite the fact that United Tote “completed pre-meet totalizator tests with KHRC personnel using the correct breaks.”

The ruling stated that on July 20, United Tote submitted an Oak Grove incident report “showing that prices were calculated with ten-cent breaks instead of the required penny breaks, with a $1,916.56 liability owed to the public.”

Then on July 31, a separate incident report from The Red Mile stated “that prices were calculated with ten-cent breaks instead of the required penny breaks” but only for “remote sources outside of Kentucky that wagered on Race 2 onward on that date.” The liability owed to the public was $2.529.21, according to the KHRC.

According to the ruling, “ordinarily, the fine would total $1,000 for each day of violation; however, due to mitigating factors, that amount is reduced to $500 from July 17 through July 19  and July 31. According to the KHRC, those factors were:

“Oak Grove Racetrack has been conducting pari-mutuel wagering before the new breakage requirement that went into effect on July 14. The above events only impact the last three race dates of this track's 2022 race meet.

“[United Tote] calculated and paid the correct prices for all Kentucky sources for the wagering conducted on Red Mile Racetrack's meet. However, the penny break was not applied to Race 2 onward for all other sources due to a software defect.

“The violations were not intentional [and] the [United Tote] fully cooperated with the KHRC on determining the liability due,” the ruling stated.

Bettors will theoretically get repaid through the mandated pool seeding, which must occur “at a harness racetrack in the calendar year 2022 [with] all details…approved by the KHRC.”

In addition, United Tote “must submit its process for complying with regulatory requirements related to providing totalizator services,” the ruling stated.

It was unclear at deadline for this story whether United Tote is appealing the penalties.

The post United Tote Fined for Penny Breakage Miscalculations appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Taiba, Cyberknife Renew Rivalry in Pennsylvania Derby

Last seen fighting out a tight finish in the GI TVG.com Haskell Invitational S. in neighboring New Jersey in mid-July, 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba (Gun Runner) and Cyberknife (Gun Runner) are the top two choices on the morning line for what appears a contentious renewal of the $1-million GI betPARX Pennsylvania Derby Saturday afternoon in suburban Philadelphia.

A veteran of just four starts, Taiba–a $1.7-million purchase by Zedan Racing Stables out of last year's Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale–took the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby at second asking, but the GI Kentucky Derby was perhaps too much, too soon, as the chestnut could do no better than 12th. Freshened for the Haskell, he made what appeared to be a winning move down the center of the track, but the rail-rallying Cyberknife spoiled the party. Trainer Bob Baffert, who won this race three times between 2014 and 2018, says it's all systems go this weekend.

“He likes to be in the clear, so that is good. He doesn't like being on the inside,” Baffert said of Taiba, who drew the eight hole and is the 5-2 favorite on the morning line. “I would rather be the five or the six, but this will be OK. Cyberknife is a tough horse; they are all good horses in here. Million-dollar races are not easy; they are not supposed to be easy. As always, you have to break. We had a little bit of a rough trip in the last one [Haskell]. I know he is doing well and we are all set.”

Cyberknife pressed on to the GI Runhappy Travers S., finishing better than five lengths behind divisional leader Epicenter (Not This Time) and narrowly ahead of Zandon (Upstart). He is one of two in the race for Brad Cox, who will also tighten the girth around GIII Ohio Derby hero and GII Jim Dandy S. third Tawny Port (Pioneerof the Nile). The 3-1 morning-line second pick, Cyberknife has post five, while Tawny Port drew gate seven.

“We've pointed Tawny Port for this race since the Jim Dandy,” Cox said. “Everything is going great with him. Once again, he's got to step up to prove that he belongs at this level. With Cyberknife, it wasn't a whole lot of, coming out of the Travers and 'we're going to go to Parx' way of thinking. I thought we might go straight to the Breeders' Cup. He had a really good breeze last weekend. Time-wise it wasn't anything crazy fast, but it's how he's doing, how he looks, how he's acting. This is one last swing at a Grade I around two turns for straight 3-year-olds.”

The filly counterpart, the GI Cotillion S., drew a field of nine headed by GI Longines Kentucky Oaks heroine Secret Oath (Arrogate). The competition includes the progressive 'TDN Rising Star' stablemates Shahama (Munnings) and Green Up (Upstart) and the Baffert-trained GIII Las Virgenes S. romper Adare Manor (Uncle Mo).

The post Taiba, Cyberknife Renew Rivalry in Pennsylvania Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Taiba Favored Over 10 Rivals For Saturday’s Pennsylvania Derby

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will bid to win the $1 million, Grade 1 betPARX Pennsylvania Derby for a record fourth time Saturday when Zedan Racing Stables' Taiba leads a top field of 11 3-year-olds in the signature event of the season at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pa.

The 1/18-mile Pennsylvania Derby is the 12th race on the 13-race card that also co-features the $1 million, Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. The Pennsylvania Derby post time is 6:10 p.m. ET.

Taiba, a son of Gun Runner, was installed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite by Parx racing secretary David Osojnak. Taiba finished second in the $1 million, Grade 1 TVG.com Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park, in which he was defeated by Gold Square's Cyberknife, who is trained by Brad Cox and also entered in the Pennsylvania Derby.

Taiba, who will be ridden by Hall of Famer Mike Smith from post eight, has won two of four starts in his career, all of them this year. Included in his resume is a win in the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby. Baffert won the Pennsylvania Derby in 2014 (Bayern), 2017 (West Coast) and 2018 (McKinzie).

“He likes to be in the clear, so that is good,” Baffert said of the draw. “He doesn't like being on the inside. I would rather be the five or the six, but this will be ok. Cyberknife is a tough horse; they are all good horses in here. Million-dollar races are not easy; they are not supposed to be easy. As always, you have to break. We had a little bit of a rough trip in the last one (Haskell). I know he is doing well and we are all set. Both horses (he also has Adare Manor in the $1 million Cotillion). I like the way they are training and we will be shipping tomorrow (Tuesday).”

Cyberknife won the Haskell by a head. He finished second last time out in the $1.25 million, Grade 1 Runhappy Travers Stakes at Saratoga. The son of Gun Runner is the 3-1 second choice on the morning line and the only member of the field with two Grade 1 wins. Cyberknife drew post five and will be ridden by Florent Geroux, while stablemate Tawny Port drew post seven and will get the services of Irad Ortiz, Jr.

“I'm happy with the draw for both horses,” Cox said. “We've pointed Tawny Port for this race since the Jim Dandy. Everything is going great with him. Once again, he's got to step up to prove that he belongs at this level. He ran a great race last time, but we need to see some improvement to get him a Grade 1. Irad (Ortiz Jr.) likes him. He's ridden him the last few starts and we're excited to have him back on him. He's doing well, so we'll see how it goes. With Cyberknife, it wasn't a whole lot of, coming out of the Travers and 'we're going to go to Parx' way of thinking. I thought we might go straight to the Breeders' Cup. He had a really good breeze last weekend. Time wise it wasn't anything crazy fast, but it's how he's doing, how he looks, how he's acting. This is one last swing at a Grade 1 around two turns for straight 3-year-olds.”

Other Grade 1 winners in the field include Jeff Drown's Zandon (Toyota Blue Grass) and C2 Racing Stable's and La Milagrosa Stable's White Abarrio (Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa).

Trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr., who won the 2019 Pennsylvania Derby with Math Wizard, will send out both White Abbario (post 11) and Skippylongstocking (post 4).

“Both posts are all right,” Joseph said. “Parx has a pretty good run to the first bend. I just hope we break; the draw we can't control. White Abarrio will be forwardly placed. He will be on the lead or near the lead. That is the plan. Skippy is a horse that is improving. Both horses are in Saratoga and will ship on Wednesday.”

The full field, with jockeys and morning-line odds:

1. Zandon, Joel Rosario, 5-1;

2. Icy Stormy, Jeremy Laprida, 40-1;

3. B Dawk, Frankie Pennington, 20-1;

4. Skippylongstocking, Edwin Gonzalez, 10-1;

5. Cyberknife, Florent Geroux, 3-1;

6. We the People, Flavien Prat, 12-1;

7. Tawny Port, Irad Ortiz Jr., 6-1;

8. Taiba, Mike Smith, 5-2;

9. Simplification, Paco Lopez, 10-1;

10. Naval Aviator, Abner Adorno, 20-1;

11. White Abbario, Luis Saez, 8-1.

The post Taiba Favored Over 10 Rivals For Saturday’s Pennsylvania Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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