September, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Churchill Completes Purchase Of Ellis Park; ‘Plans To Invest In The Racing Infrastructure’

Churchill Downs Incorporated (“CDI” or “the Company”) (Nasdaq: CHDN) announced Monday that the Company has completed its previously-announced purchase of Ellis Park Racing & Gaming (“Ellis Park”) in Henderson, Ky., for cash consideration of $79 million, subject to certain working capital and other purchase price adjustments.

In acquiring Ellis Park, CDI also assumes the opportunity to construct a track extension facility with historical racing machines in Owensboro, Ky.

“Our team is already hard at work in both Henderson and Owensboro,” said Bill Carstanjen, Chief Executive Officer of CDI. “In the coming days, we look forward to sharing more about our plans to invest in the racing infrastructure at Ellis Park and to drive significant purse improvement through the Owensboro historical racing opportunity.”

CDI's purchase of Ellis Park follows approval of the transaction by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. The transaction was funded with cash on hand and through the Company's existing credit facility.

About Ellis Park

Ellis Park, located north of the Ohio River and just south of Evansville, Indiana, celebrated 100 years of racing this year. In addition to being recognized as the historic home of summer Thoroughbred racing in Kentucky, Ellis Park also features a gaming facility venue with approximately 300 historical racing machines.

About Churchill Downs Incorporated

Churchill Downs Incorporated is an industry-leading racing, online wagering and gaming entertainment company anchored by our iconic flagship event, the Kentucky Derby. We own and operate five gaming entertainment venues with approximately 4,200 historical racing machines in Kentucky. We also own and operate TwinSpires, one of the largest and most profitable online wagering platforms for horse racing in the U.S. and we have eight retail sportsbooks. We are also a leader in brick-and-mortar casino gaming in eight states with approximately 11,800 slot machines and video lottery terminals and 250 table games. www.churchilldownsincorporated.com

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Delaware Fan-Favorite Whereshetoldmetogo Back To Defend His Title In Friday’s New Castle

Delaware Park fan favorite, Madaket Stables, Ten Strike Racing, Michael Kisber and BTR Racing's Whereshetoldmetogo, will be back to defend his title in the $100,000 New Castle Stakes at Delaware Park this Friday. The six-furlong event for Delaware Bred and Certified 3-year-olds and upward has attracted a field of six.

The 7-year-old son of El Padrino has a career record of 16 wins, five seconds and three thirds from 35 starts with earnings of $895,295. His Delaware Park record is six wins and two seconds from eight starts including his victory in the New Castle Stakes last year. The Maryland-bred trained by Brittany Russell also crossed the finish line first in the 2020 New Castle Stakes, but was disqualified and placed second for lugging in on a rival. He has also won the Alapocas Run Stakes at Delaware Park twice including his most recent outing when he posted a 2 ¾-length score in the six-furlong stake.

“This horse is about as cool as they come,” said trainer Brittany Russell. “He is a fan favorite especially at Delaware Park because he has done so well there through the years. He is also Delaware Certified so these kind of races just make sense for a horse like him. He is really doing well, so we are hoping he can win another New Castle. He is an older horse who has been very successful, but he still likes to do his job. He walks over there and shows up every time. He really really likes Delaware, so we are pretty excited for this race.”

For more information on the Delaware Certified of Bred Thoroughbred Program (DCTP) visit the website at https://www.dtha.com/dctp/.

$100,000 New Castle Stakes

For Delaware-bred or Certified 3-year-olds and upward

Six furlongs

#	HORSE	OWNER	TRAINER	JOCKEY	Wg	OD
1	Benandjoe	Larry Rabold	Hugh McMahon	Jean Alvelo	120	8-1
2	Mr. Sandman	Club Risque & Quick	Randy Allen	Angel Suarez	120	10-1
3	Indian Lake	Gap View Stable	Jaime Ness	Jaime Rodriguez	118	6-1
4	Whereshetoldmetogo	Madaket Stables et al	Brittany Russell	Jevian Toledo	122	7/5
5	Tappin Cat	Non Stop Stables	Gary Capuano	Jeiron Barbosa	120	6-1
6	Threes Over Deuces	Pocket 3's Racing	Gary Capuano	Mychel Sanchez	118	9/5

A Delaware Certified weanling or yearling thoroughbred has spent a minimum of 90 days on a certified Delaware farm or training facility before December 31st of its yearling year. Over 3,000 thoroughbreds are Delaware Certified and eligible to participate the during the 2022 Delaware Park meet.

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Omaha Beach Paces First-Year Stallions By Keeneland September Returns

In the select Book 1 of the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Spendthrift Farm's Omaha Beach had 11 yearlings cataloged from his debut crop, and no other rookie stallion had more than four.

With such a large presence among the heavy-hitters of the commercial stallion ranks, expectations were high for the son of War Front with his first yearlings, and it's tough to argue that he did anything less than answer the call.

Omaha Beach finished the two-week auction as the leading first-year sire by gross ($12,667,000) and average sale price ($214,695), and he was responsible for the most expensive offering by a debuting sire at this year's sale.

As a multiple Grade 1 winner by a popular commercial sire, Omaha Beach had no shortage of hopeful partners for his debut book at stud in 2020.

Mark Toothaker, Spendthrift Farm's stallion sales manager, said results like the ones Omaha Beach showed during this year's September sale took root over a series of negotiations in late 2019 and early 2020; not between the farm and the breeders, but amongst the sales team itself.

“We sat down at the conference table and went through all the mares, and we had, like, 600 mares that had applied, wanting to breed to Omaha Beach,” Toothaker said. “Each one of us, Des (Dempsey), Brian (Lyle), and I could have filled the horse up ourselves, but you've only got so many spots, so we sat there and literally played 'trump card' with each other. We'd say, 'I've got a Grade 2 winner right here that's eight years old,' and someone else would throw one out there, 'Well, I've got a Grade 1-placed horse here.' We basically went back and forth on each one and came up with about 200 mares to get him started.

“We normally don't sit there and do that, but there are horses that you've got to do it because you have no other choice, because you're overrun with applications,” he continued. “You've got to make it fair for everybody.”

Omaha Beach has 173 foals in his debut crop, and roughly a third of them (59) changed hands during this year's Keeneland September sale. That tied for the sixth-most offered by any stallion during this year's renewal.

His gross sales ranked ninth overall among all Keeneland September sires, while his average ranked 21st.

Toothaker said that he and the breeders have learned a lot about which mares work best with Omaha Beach since the first foals hit the ground and matured into yearlings.

“What we have seen from them is decent-sized horses with good hips on them, and plenty of bone,” he said. “I think the one thing we've found is he's a War Front, and he's 16.2 hands. I have seen some that you wish were a little leggier, but they were bred to very small mares. He's not a horse that I feel like a breeder could breed a small mare to and get the real commercial horse. Even though he's 16.2, out of a good female family with size, I still feel like you need to breed him to medium-sized mares to bigger mares.

“With him, I tell everybody you need to breed a mare with a good, strong hip and a hind leg,” Toothaker continued. “If you do, you've got a really good chance of getting what you want.”

At the top of the market, Omaha Beach had eight yearlings sell for $400,000 or more, which was by far the most of any rookie stallion in this year's sale.

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Leading the way among that group was Hip 336, a colt out of the Grade 1-placed stakes-winning Lookin at Lucky mare Maybellene, who sold to Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables for $900,000.

The colt hails from the family of top sire Elusive Quality, champion juvenile Anees, and Gold and Ivory, who was a champion in Germany and Italy.

Omaha Beach's top yearling was offered as property of Fred Mitchell's Clarkland Farm.

“He just always comes up with them,” Toothaker said, noting the farm's history of producing successful runners and sale horses. “They do such a great job over there, and I'm so happy for Marty (Buckner) and Fred, and all that crew. Clarkland raises a great horse, and he got into great hands, so we'll just see what happens.”

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Virginia’s International Gold Cup Returns To Great Meadow On Oct. 22

The famous International Gold Cup, one of the largest steeplechase events in the U.S., returns to Great Meadow on Saturday, Oct. 22. Gates open at 10 a.m. with the first race at 12:30 p.m. New to the event last year and again this year, tickets are sold only with packages and tailgates, boxes and tents are available.

“The fall International Gold Cup has become the premier fall event in the state,” said Dr. William Allison, chairman of the Virginia Gold Cup Association that oversees both the spring and fall events. “It is just breathtaking to be there in person where you can hear the hoofbeats and see the horses and jockeys as well as the spectacular fall foliage around the area.”

Attendees must purchase a rail spot that comes with 10 tickets (10 wristbands, one reserved tailgate car pass and two general admission car passes.) The cost is $895 for a space along the racecourse fence and $795 for rail spaces one row back from the rail in either north or south areas. A limited number of spaces are available on Members Hill for $795. And there are some smaller spaces for $400 that accommodate a vehicle and up to four attendees. No individual tickets will be sold.

Tailgate packages are available and purchases can only be made by calling 540-347-2612. A limited number of group and corporate tents are also available on Members Hill.

The pandemic had a financial impact on Virginia's equine industry with the cancellation of race. It's an industry that's very important to the Commonwealth's economy. A 2018/19 report by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services reported that the horse industry brings more than $2 billion annually in economic development to the Commonwealth. The report noted that there are more than 183,643 horses in the state that provide approximately 38,874 jobs. It also stated that there are 30.5% or one million households that contain horse enthusiasts.

“We are delighted to see a comeback for the horse industry in Virginia,” stated Allison. “So many jockeys, trainers and industry employees are dependent on these races and the purses they win from them.”

For more information visit vagoldcup.com.

The 2022 International Gold Cup Races are presented by Brown Advisory, the Virginia Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, the Virginia Thoroughbred Association, Virginia Equine Alliance and the Virginia Breeders Fund.

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