Robin Goodfellow’s racing tips: Best bets for Friday, September 16
Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow delivers his tips for Friday's meetings at Ayr, Kempton, Newbury and Newton Abbott.
Month: September 2022
‘We’ve Continually Set The Bar Higher’: Despite Weekend Weather Woes, Kentucky Downs Has Record Meet
The FanDuel Meet at Kentucky Downs in Franklin, Ky., concluded Wednesday with record wagering topping $80 million for the seven-day run. Purses again set a record, reaching almost $18 million paid out to horse owners.
With $12,896,355 bet on Wednesday's closing card, total wagering on the meet reached $80,175,928, clipping Kentucky Downs' previous record of $74,088,532 over six days last year for an increase of 8 percent. A record $21,065,982 was bet on Saturday, Sept. 10. The average field size was 10.61 horses, the highest since 2019.
The impact of Kentucky Downs since the introduction of pari-mutuel wagering on Historical Horse Racing in 2011 can be measured through purses. Total purses have increased from $769,810 for 30 races 11 years ago to $17,863,177 for 73 races this year, including purse supplements for registered Kentucky-breds from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund. Kentucky Downs did not have any KTDF money in 2011. This year more than $6.7 million was paid out from the fund during the seven days.
“It started off like you didn't know what to expect here, and now people can't get here fast enough to run,” said Woodford County-based trainer Robert Medina, whose first victory at the track came with the Bill Parcells-owned Kentucky-bred Play Action Pass in Wednesday's inaugural $400,000 Pepsi Gun Runner Stakes. “It's an amazing thing they have done. I know it's money motivated, but it's fun. It's kind of laid back and you have a great time. We need more of that in horse racing.”
The record wagering comes in spite of adverse weather on both weekends during the meet that began Thursday, Sept. 1. The last four races on Saturday, Sept. 3, had to be rescheduled. Both Sundays were significantly impacted, with the entire Sept. 4 card transferred to Monday, Sept. 5, and the last nine of 11 races carded for Sept. 11 moved to Tuesday, Sept. 13.
“It was a fantastic meet, with world-class racing despite the challenges,” said Ted Nicholson, Kentucky Downs' vice president for racing. “Every weekend we ran, we were meteorologists. Losing both Sundays and having to shift one card to a Tuesday is not ideal. It was a testament to track superintendent Butch Lehr and the track crew how well the course held together. For us, along with our horsemen and horseplayers, to persevere and get to $80 million is huge.”
“There certainly is a sense of what might have been if we'd gotten anything close to the perfect weather we had for our weekday cards and our dark days,” said Ron Winchell, the co-managing partner with Marc Falcone in Kentucky Downs and The Mint Gaming Hall properties. “Only a couple of years ago we'd have been over the moon with these numbers. We still are. But we've continually set the bar higher. And through it all, we still had very full fields overall and saw spectacular racing.”
Horseplayers, sports enthusiasts and those just looking for a slice of Americana turned out to watch the racing over the undulating, kidney-shaped 1 5/16-mile turf course.
“We look forward to this every year,” said Jim Robbins, who was in the Finish Line Pavilion on closing day with a group of friends from New Albany, Ind. “You never have so many 12-horse fields anywhere else. We come down here and we fire at 'em. It's wonderful. We go down to the paddock. We take selfies with the jockeys. The trainers are nice to us. It's just a casual, fun atmosphere.”
Trainer Mike Maker, already the track's all-time win leader and money-earner, won a record 12 races and $2,341,636 in purses. That was highlighted by his stakes victories with the New York-bred Somelikeithotbrown in the Grade 3 WinStar Mint Million and Red Knight in the Grade 2 Kentucky Turf Cup.
“We love this place,” said owner Harvey Diamond, whose Skychai Racing owners Somelikeithotbrown. “We run well here. Our trainer runs well here. We'll be back.”
Red Knight and the French-bred Bran earned fees-paid trips to the corresponding Breeders' Cup events Nov. 5 at Keeneland by virtue of winning the $1 million Kentucky Turf Cup and $1 million FanDuel Turf Sprint (G2).
Jeremiah Englehart won with his first Kentucky Downs starter, the Kentucky-bred Freedom Speaks in the $500,000 Nelson's Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey Music City Stakes.
“Look at what they have done down there,” the New York-based Englehart said about the purses. “It just keeps getting better and better. It's like winning a race at Saratoga.”
Thrilling finishes proved the norm. Among the nose finishes: the 8-year-old Red Knight in the 1 1/2-mile Kentucky Turf Cup, Campanelle – a star in both America and Europe – in the $1 million Mint Ladies Sprint (G3), Danse Macabre in the $500,000 Ainsworth Untapable and Alms in the $400,000 One Dreamer.
At age 55, jockey E.T. Baird — who since the shuttering of Arlington Park in suburban Chicago has been a man without a home track — won his first race at Kentucky Downs as Kentucky-bred One Timer took the $600,000 Franklin-Simpson (G2).
Chris Emigh, 51 years old and the third-winningest jockey all-time at Arlington, also won his first Kentucky Downs race as Bad Beat Brian prevailed for his wife, trainer Brittany Vanden Berg, in an $180,000 allowance race with an optional claiming price of $80,000.
“I can pay my gas bill this winter,” Emigh joked, adding more seriously, “I can't wrap my head around how big the purses are. I mean, we used to run for $50,000, maybe $100,000 in stakes races.”
Participation was broad-based: An even 100 trainers ran at least one horse, with Maker leading the way with 66 starts – more than double No. 2 Steve Asmussen's 32. Ninety-eight unique owners or ownership groups participated, highlighted by Three Diamonds Farms' 21 starters. Sixty-two jockeys rode at least one race, led by meet-leader Tyler Gaffalione (nine wins) riding 66 of 73 races.
The King of the Turf Handicapping Challenge continued to stamp itself as one of the most popular handicapping competitions in the country. In its third year, the event had a total of 640 entries, including 126 entries participating in all three stand-alone, live-money contests. Tom Rapps of suburban Cleveland prevailed with a cumulative bankroll of $5,760.30 to earn the coveted title of National Turf Handicapper of the Year and the Global Tote King of the Turf Championship Belt.
“The third year of the King of the Turf Handicapping Challenge proved to be the most popular yet,” said tournament director Brian Skirka. “The prize structure of our three contests matches the high quality of racing put on by Kentucky Downs. Congrats to Tom Rapps, a very deserving King of the Turf. Thanks to all the players who supported these contests and adapted to some curveballs from mother nature. It was a record-breaking year for these contests and I look forward to setting some new records in 2023.”
Total betting on Kentucky Downs' live racing since 2011
Year (dates) all-sources total
2022 (7) $80,175,928
2021 (6) $74,088,532
2020 (6) $59,828,444
2019 (5) $41,239,699
2018 (5) $36,421,721
2017 (5) $30,246,888
2016 (5) $22,540,764
2015 (5) $16,887,134
2014 (5) $15,880,755
2013 (5) $12,814,891
2012 (5) $7,570,731
2011 (4) $3,596,354
Evolution of purses at Kentucky Downs
since advent of Historical Horse Racing
Note: 2011 is the last year that purses weren't enhanced by HHR
Total purses since 2011
Year (days) total purses races avg per race
2022 (7) $17,863,177 73 $244.701
2021 (6) $15,974,800 63 $253,568
2020 (6) $11,668,473 62 $188,201
2019 (5) $11,520,380 50 $230,407
2018 (5) $10,273,630 50 $205,472
2017 (5) $8,625,396 50 $172,508
2016 (5) $7,923,476 50 $158,470
2015 (5) $6,609,355 48 $137,694
2014 (5) $4,875,772 50 $97,515
2013 (5) $4,150,687 50 $83,013
2012 (5) $2,086,650 43 $48,526
2011 (4) $769,810 30 $25,660
Average number of starters per race since 2011
2022: 10.61
2021: 10.24
2020: 9.98
2019: 11.26
2018: 11.04
2017: 10.44
2016: 10.96
2015: 10.60
2014: 10.20
2013: 9.90
2012: 9.57
2011: 8.76
The post ‘We’ve Continually Set The Bar Higher’: Despite Weekend Weather Woes, Kentucky Downs Has Record Meet appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Bolt d’Oro Represented By First European Winner
7th-Naas, €16,000, Mdn, 9-15, 2yo, 7fT, 1:31.33, g/y.
BOLD DISCOVERY (c, 2, Bolt d'Oro–Caribbean Babe, by Arch), sent off at 15-2, quickly established a clear advantage. Maintaining the gallop in game fashion in the straight, the bay hit the line strong with 2 1/2 lengths to spare over Peking Opera (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). “That was very impressive and he's a gorgeous horse,” Kate Harrington said. “He only came to us in June and has always done everything so easy. Obviously his sire is a sensation in America on the dirt and it's exciting for him to have a turf horse here. I think he's Kentucky-bred and there are plenty of bonuses and stuff to be won out there. He's very exciting for next season.” The winner, who becomes the first in Europe for his Spendthrift Farm-based sire (by Medaglia d'Oro) and his 16th overall, is the first foal out of a half to four stakes performers including the GII Fayette S. winner Independence Hall (Constitution) and the GIII Spiral S. scorer Black Onyx (Rock Hard Ten). Related to the G1 Fillies' Mile heroine White Moonstone (Dynaformer), Caribbean Babe has a yearling colt by Independence Hall's sire, a filly foal by Improbable and was bred to Tiz The Law for 2023. Sales history: $50,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $9,581.
O-Fergus Galvin & Marc Detampel; B-Chc Inc. (KY); T-Jessica Harrington.
The post Bolt d’Oro Represented By First European Winner appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.
Breeders’ Cup Presents Connections: ‘We Kept Going And We’re Still Going’
It's always exciting to have a Grade 1-winning 2-year-old in the barn, but it is perhaps more so when it's your first graded stakes winner in 11 years and first Grade 1 winner since 1993.
“It's great. We are really, really happy for the people who own this horse,” said trainer Phil Serpe after Leave No Trace captured Saratoga's G1 Spinaway for owner Dr. Robert Vukovich, founder of the WellSpring pharmaceutical corporation. “They're great people, they're deserving, and it's all around a great feeling for everyone.”
Serpe is well-acquainted with the ups and downs of the Thoroughbred business. He's gone from the highs of winning training titles in New Jersey and training for New York's leading owners, all the way down to having just a handful of mid-level horses in the barn.
The tides began to turn when Serpe's longtime owner Carl Lizza (Flying Zee Stable) died suddenly in 2011, and turned further when owner/breeders Chester and Mary Broman decided to cut back on their stock several years ago.
The lowest point was as recent as 2020: aided in part by the cessation of racing caused by the pandemic, Serpe's trainees earned just $406,785, the smallest total since he began training in the mid-1980s.
It has been Vukovich and his wife Laura's support that has helped to keep Serpe in business for the past five years; he and his wife send the trainer four to five 2-year-olds each year. In 2021, Serpe sent out just four winners, though one of those was Vukovich's Safe Conduct to win the prestigious $1 million Queen's Plate at Woodbine, boosting Serpe's annual earnings to $889,785.
With just over three months remaining in 2022, Serpe has already sent out 11 winners for earnings of $747,677.
“My friend, Jim Ryerson, he doesn't go to Florida, so he had a filly for the Vukovichs that he asked me to take to Florida,” Serpe explained. “They send horses to both of us now, and they are just incredibly nice, really down to earth people. As successful as they both are, they're really enjoying the racing success.
“Currently the stable has like 22 horses, so we're still trying to build back the numbers.”
Serpe began riding horses at eight years old and worked for a show farm in his mid-teens. The farm had a few racehorses, and he would sometimes accompany them to Monmouth Park to watch them race. Serpe really got his start on the track shortly after the opening of the Meadowlands in 1976.
“That was a huge thing in its early years,” Serpe said. “When I was a teenager, I would go down there and walk horses for free at night, just for the chance to be around them.”
Serpe started as a groom, then progressed to assistant trainer, and eventually took out his training license with four horses at Monmouth Park in 1984.
“Several years later I had 50 horses at Monmouth and was leading trainer both there and at the Meadowlands,” said Serpe. “Then I got the opportunity to make the move to New York.”
He first trained for multiple Eclipse Award-winning breeder Fred Hooper, then was introduced to Lizza, another owner-breeder.
“You have to understand that when you're training for breeders, the horses don't come along as easily as they do when you're hand-picking 2-year-olds, so that can hurt your percentages a little bit,” said Serpe. “I feel very successful at what I've done for them.”
A few years into the partnership, Lizza made a strange request.
“Mr. Lizza was having serious health issues, and he asked me to come to the hospital to see him one day,” Serpe remembered. “I was thinking, 'Well, this can't be good,' but he told me he wanted to upgrade his stable and change his whole breeding operation. So myself and my partner, Lisa Bartkowski, went to work.
“The first thing was to upgrade his broodmare band, to move on some horses that we didn't want to keep. The hard thing was to make sure they ended up in a good spot; there wasn't such a focus on aftercare back then, so it was a bit tougher finding homes for older mares and ones with not-so-great pedigrees, but we were able to get it done.
“Five years into the breeding operation, we started winning a lot of races. Carlos Martin also trained for them, as did my friend Jimmy Jerkens, and when all was said and done, Flying Zee Stable had won like 13 owner titles, which included the most coveted Saratoga leading owner title and the year-end New York owner title.
“Just as the thing had gotten rolling along, Carl unexpectedly passed away one night in his sleep. That left a big void, both emotionally and in the business, because we would have 25-30 new horses for him every year.
“We were fortunate enough to then get horses for Chester and Mary Broman. We did very well with them because they really do an incredible job breeding them, but now he's scaled way back so that was another void.”
The acquaintance with Vukovich was the latest to fill the void in Serpe's barn.
“We kept going and we're still going,” Serpe said. “The thing about this business is that there's a lot of good guys out there like myself with not a lot of horses. We know what we're doing, but trainers are only as good as the horses in their barns.”
Horses like Safe Conduct and Leave No Trace have certainly buoyed Serpe's hopes in the past two years. Vukovich prefers to select the horses himself: Safe Conduct was a $45,000 weanling at the Keeneland November sale, and Leave No Trace was a $40,000 yearling at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic fall sale.
“We have a lot of great conversations about his programs and theories, and he's willing to take a shot on horses that other people might pass over,” said Serpe. “He's not going to spend 200 or 300 thousand on a yearling; he likes to have horses as a pet project, and he likes coming to the races and watching his horses run.”
That pet project has been a success thus far. Leave No Trace first showed her talent to the world with a big maiden win at Saratoga on July 20, which was a bit of a surprise because Serpe's stable isn't known for winning with first-time starters.
“I think we really don't wind our 2-year-olds up or our first-time starters up, at all. We have them fit and ready to run,” Serpe said. “When she won that day like that, she was impressive and that shows something in our barn. So, she was impressive and she's been impressive since before we ever left Belmont. She was working well, easily 47 and change, and you have to be impressed with a horse like that. If you look at her, she's gorgeous. She went through a growth spurt in the spring. She's grown six inches in every direction which is what you want a horse to do in August going into September. It was everything you would like.”
The filly could provide the stable with its first Breeders' Cup starter: the filly earned a $30,000 credit via the “Breeders' Cup Dirt Dozen” program towards entry fees for the Grade 1 Juvenile Fillies in November at the Lexington oval.
It would be Serpe's third starter at the World Championships, following Birdonthewire in the 1994 Sprint and Pure Gossip in the 2011 Juvenile Fillies Turf.
“I'm more settled than I used to be, so I try to keep my feet on the ground,” Serpe said. “But Leave No Trace didn't just win: she seemed pretty dominating to me. We'll probably take her to the Frizette next, moving from seven furlongs to the one-turn mile, and go to the two-turn Breeders' Cup from there. She's bred for ground, so I think the distance is not really a question. It's whether we keep her the way she is right now for a couple more months.
“She's answered all the calls so far.”
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