November, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Fewer ’23 Dates, Cut in Purses Proposed by Canterbury

Despite coming off a record-handle season, Canterbury Park is proposing a 10-day schedule slice and a $45,000 average daily purse cut for 2023.

The reductions were made public this week as the Minnesota track faced a Nov. 15 racing commission deadline to apply for next year's dates at the same time it is trying to extend or renegotiate an expiring agreement with the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community. Since 2012, that deal has provided purse funding in exchange for the track and horsemen not pursuing additional forms of gambling, and it expires Dec. 31.

The 54-date season would begin May 27, the latest start in Canterbury Park history, and end Sept. 16. The track would cut back by hosting just three-day race weeks for the bulk of the season, although parts of July and August would feature four days of racing.

Rachel Blount of the Minneapolis Star Tribune first broke the story, quoting Canterbury's chief executive officer, Randy Sampson.

“At this point, we need to plan for how we will manage the racing season if there isn't an extension,” Sampson told the Tribune. “We would all like to run more days, but I think this is a great compromise. I'm quite optimistic it will work out fine.”

Canterbury handled $97.6 million in 2022 over a 64-day season that paid an average of $245,000 in daily purses.

Mike Cronin, the executive director of the Minnesota Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, told the Tribune that horsemen are attempting to focus on the longer-term future.

“We knew we would have to make some compromises for next year, and Canterbury would have to make some compromises,” Cronin said.

“The hope is that we can navigate this together. All things considered, we're excited about next year, but our real focus has to be on 2024 and beyond.”

The potential lack of a funding agreement isn't the only issue. Racing in general in the Midwest will be shifting for 2023 in ways that could increase competition to Canterbury from other regional tracks.

Ellis Park in Kentucky is racing under new ownership, and although Ellis is scheduled to race essentially its same block of 24 dates next year over the same summer template, new owner Churchill Downs, Inc., is expected to put a renewed emphasis on racing there by strengthening the racing program.

In Illinois, Hawthorne Race Course will return a summer Thoroughbred season to greater Chicago after a one-year absence in the aftermath of the sudden and permanent closure of Arlington International Racecourse by racing Mar. 4-Sept. 4.

And in Nebraska, casino gaming and sports betting at tracks are in the pipeline for 2023, with Legacy Downs (formerly Lincoln Race Course) and Fonner Park both expanding their schedules.

Extensive renovations are also planned for Canterbury, so the later start to the season at least affords extra time to complete a new barn and a new dormitory, plus replace the track's lighting system.

Canterbury's proposed dates must be still approved by the Minnesota Racing Commission in December.

“A lot of tracks around the country are already running three days per week, so the horsemen are used to it,'” Sampson told the Tribune.

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Expensive Into Mischief Breezer Kicks Off at HQ

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. With plenty of interest from an American-bred perspective this weekend, here are the runners for Saturday's programs at Tokyo and Hanshin Racecourses. A pair of juveniles will be features in this space in Sunday's TDN:

4th-TOK, ¥13,400,000 ($96k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400m
GREAT SAND SEA (c, 2, Into Mischief–Game for More, by More Than Ready), purchased for $385,000 at Keeneland September with an eye on the juvenile sales, was the recipient of a nice pedigree update a short time thereafter when his year-younger half-brother Giant Game (Giant's Causeway) finished third in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. The Apr. 6 foal, also a half-brother to the versatile MGSW & GISP Isotherm (Lonhro {Aus}) and to GISP Gio Game (Gio Ponti), did his part to enhance his value by working a furlong in :10 flat ahead of this year's OBS April Sale and was hammered down for $825,000. Yuga Kawada takes the ride. B-H Allen Poindexter (KY)

5th-HSN, ¥13,400,000 ($96k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1200mT
SMOKIN' BILLY (c, 2, Free Drop Billy–Buy for Less, by Bodemeister) made just $8,500 as a weanling at Keeneland November in 2020, but improved into a $40,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling and fetched a strong $230,000 at OBS April after he breezed in :10 flat. That price ranks as the highest of 17 juveniles (19 ring) reported as sold from the first crop of his sire (by Union Rags). Smokin' Billy is the first foal from a winning daughter of SW Ayla Bella (Touch Gold). B-Mullikin Thoroughbreds (KY)

6th-HSN, ¥13,400,000 ($96k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400m
JOVIAN (c, 2, Justify–Runway Doll, by Majestic Warrior) debuts in the yellow-and-red silks of Kazumi Yoshida, with the visiting Cristian Demuro set to take the reins aboard the $250,000 OBS March breezer (:9 4/5). A half-brother to an Uncle Mo colt that sold to Donegal Racing for $200,000 at the Fasig-Tipton July sale, the bay is out of a half-sister to SW Song Warrior (Songandaprayer), who was acquired by this breeder for $380,000 in foal to American Pharoh at KEENOV in 2018. B-DS Stable LLC (KY)

ESSENTIAL ONE (f, 2, Bernardini–Indelible, by Tiznow) was acquired in utero for $130,000 at the 2019 Keeneland November Sale about 12 months before her dam's 'TDN Rising Star' half-brother Essential Quality (Tapit) closed a championship season with a victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. On the heels of that success, Indelible was put through the 2020 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, where she realized a final bid of $1.6 million from Japan's Nobutaka Tada. This is the family of champion Folklore (Tiznow), whose daughter Rhodochrosite (Unbridled's Song) is the dam of Japanese Triple Crown hero Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). B-Ocala Stud, J Michael O'Farrell Jr & William J Terrill (FL)

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TDN en Espanol: La Pionera Jessica Paquette Debutara Como Locutora de Parx

Jessica Paquette nunca imaginó que se convertiría en la narradora a tiempo completo en un hipódromo importante y tampoco nadie más lo hizo. El trabajo, desde que existe este deporte, ha sido una profesión que excluía en gran medida a las mujeres. Pero cuando se estén llegando al punto de salida de Parx Racing para la primera carrera del martes, Paquette estará en lo alto de la tribuna, nerviosa pero emocionada, y lista para hacer historia.

“Lo mejor que todos podemos esperar en este deporte es dejar el juego un poco mejor de lo que estaba cuando lo encontramos”, dijo. “Espero dar un buen ejemplo y hacer el camino más fácil para la generación que viene detrás de nosotros. Si puedo inspirar a una niña que piensa que esto es posible para ella y luego viene y lo hace mejor que yo, entonces estaría encantada”.

Los ejemplos de mujeres narrando carreras son pocos y distantes entre sí. Angela Hermann ocupó brevemente el puesto en Golden Gate Fields en 2016 después de que Michael Wrona se fué, pero finalmente fue reemplazada por Matt Dinerman. A principios de los años 60, Ann Elliott se desempeñó como locutora en Jefferson Downs en New Orleans durante unos cuatro años. Casi 60 años después del tiempo de Elliott en Jefferson, ninguna otra mujer había sido contratada como relatora a tiempo completo en un hipódromo en Estados Unidos.

Paquette entró en esto por accidente. En 2014, trabajaba en los departamentos de marketing y publicidad en Suffolk Down cuando el locutor habitual y colaborador de TDN, T.D. Thornton, no pudo llegar a la pista porque se retrasó, entre otras cosas, por un tornado. Se le pidió que reemplazara. Thornton finalmente llegó a la pista y Paquette volvió a sus otras funciones, que incluían servir como presentadora de transmisión simultánea del hipódromo y analista de paddock.

Permaneció en Suffolk hasta 2019 cuando la pista cerró sus puertas definitivamente. Ella se sintió perdida. “Cuando Suffolk cerró, fue una gran crisis existencial para mí”, dijo Paquette. “Trabajar en las carreras no es sólo algo que hago, es lo que soy. No sabía cómo sería el futuro”. Paquette no le importaba viajar y se daría a conocer como analista de la transmisión simultánea en Colonial Downs y Sam Houston. En Sam Houston el verano pasado, la gerencia le permitió narrar algunas de las carreras de Quarter-Horse. Ella estima que ha narrado 50 carreras en total.

“Cuando relaté los Quarter-Horses en Sam Houston el verano pasado, la pasé muy bien”, dijo. “Al tercer día comencé a sentirme menos como si fuese un reemplazo y más como si fuese algo que realmente quería hacer. Estaba dispuesta a tratar de encontrar un puesto de locutor en alguna parte. Cuando resultó que Chris [Griffin] se estaba mudando, apareció mi nombre y dije '¿Por qué no? Hablemos'”. Tenía el respaldo de Griffin, quien también fue contratado como locutor en Monmouth Park.

“Ella sabe lo que esto significa y significa mucho para muchas personas”, dijo Griffin. “Espero con ansias que ella entre en la cabina y estoy emocionado de que haga su debut el martes. Tenemos un tremendo equipo en Parx y ella encajará perfectamente, es genial verla. Es hora de algunas voces nuevas en este deporte. Ella es una profesional de pies a cabeza y puede manejar esto. Estoy muy emocionado de que ella tenga esta oportunidad y, como todos los demás, estoy deseando que llegue”.

Paquette dijo que Griffin se encuentra entre un grupo de hombres locutores que la han tomado bajo su ala y la animaron a buscar un trabajo de narradora. “Algunos de mis amigos más cercanos en la industria son narradores”, dijo. “Jason Beem es uno de mis mejores amigos. Chris Griffin y yo nos hemos vuelto muy cercanos. Ambos fueron realmente alentadores. Por supuesto, pasando por Suffolk Downs tenemos a Larry Collmus y T.D. Thornton y pusieron la marca muy alta. Frank Mirahmadi ha sido extremadamente alentador y ha ofrecido críticas constructivas desde que empecé con los Quarter-Horses”.

Habiendo tenido relativamente poca experiencia como relatora, Paquette dijo que se ha estado preparando practicando carreras en la televisión. “No es lo mismo cuando no es real porque no tienes esa sensación de pánico que te palpita en el estómago cuando las puertas están a punto de abrirse”, dijo. 'Eso es algo que no puedes imaginar'.

¿Desaparecerá esa “sensación de pánico” el martes? “Espero que no sea así porque se trata de la emoción y la adrenalina que implica ser parte del deporte que amamos”, dijo. “Mi nivel de ansiedad es probablemente un 7 1/2 en una escala del 1 al 10. Entonces, voy a estar emocionada y nerviosa. Pero eso es algo bueno”.

Ella recuerda ese último día en Suffolk Downs y dice que vio la última carrera en la pista de East Boston desde el techo y estaba llorando. Nunca imaginó lo que estaba por venir.

“He sido muy afortunada de que los caballos y las carreras de caballos me hayan llevado a lugares que nunca creí posibles en la vida”, dijo Paquette. “Para mí, en este momento de mi carrera, me he divertido mucho en el paddock, hablando de handicap y carreras. Pero esto, el trabajo de narrador, es una oportunidad de hacer algo donde puedo ser la única. Es un verdadero honor.”

Traducción de Herman Guanipa. Para suscribirse a la TDN en español email noticias@thetdn.com.

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Durenberger Named HISA Equine Safety and Welfare Director

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) has appointed Dr. Jennifer Durenberger as Director of Equine Safety and Welfare, effective Nov. 28, 2022, HISA announced Thursday.

Dr. Durenberger will advise HISA's leadership and Standing Committees on equine health and welfare strategies and oversee HISA's relationships with industry veterinarians and other key stakeholders to ensure consistency in the implementation of HISA's equine safety and welfare policies nationwide.

“HISA is thrilled to have Dr. Durenberger sharing her insight and expertise to help protect the health and welfare of our sport's magnificent equine athletes,” said HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus. “Dr. Durenberger's leadership will be crucial to ensuring the success of HISA's cooperative relationships with Regulatory, Association and Attending Veterinarians, and other industry stakeholders, as we continue to fulfill our mandate to enhance safety and integrity.”

Dr. Durenberger has more than 30 years of experience in Thoroughbred racing, most recently serving as the Jockey Club Steward for the New York Racing Association. She is a member of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's Safety and Integrity Alliance, where she serves as Senior Veterinary and Regulatory Consultant, and a board member of the Racing Officials Accreditation Program.

“It's a privilege to join the exceptional team at HISA in its effort to improve equine health and safety through the introduction and enforcement of strong uniform rules,” said Dr. Durenberger. “I look forward to working with HISA's experts as well as the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit to further position veterinarians and all racing participants for compliance and success.”

An accredited senior steward, Dr. Durenberger previously worked as the Chief Examining Veterinarian for NYRA, a Commission Veterinarian for the California Horse Racing Board, an Association Steward at Delta Downs in Louisiana, a Steward at Canterbury Park for the Minnesota Racing Commission and as Director of Racing for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. Dr. Durenberger received a veterinary degree from Cornell University and a law degree from Western State University College of Law at Fullerton.

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