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Frank Alexander, 82, Trainer Of Champion Cherokee Run, Passes

Frank A. Alexander, whose training career spanned five decades, died on Friday in South Florida at the age of 82.

Mr. Alexander won 997 races from 1970 until his retirement in 2012, the biggest coming in the 1994 Breeders' Cup Sprint with Cherokee Run, who would be voted an Eclipse Award as the year's outstanding sprinter. Cherokee Run, who won five other stakes and finished second to Prairie Bayou in the 1993 Preakness, went on to a highly successful stud career at Darley at Jonabell in Lexington, Ky.

He trained 73 other stakes winners during his career, including Grade 1 winners K.J.'s Appeal, Wallenda, Nonsuch Bay and Lucky Roberto. Mr. Alexander enjoyed a longstanding relationship with the late Cot Campbell of Dogwood Stable, for whom he trained Wallenda, winner of the 1993 G1 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs. Other prominent owners Mr. Alexander trained for included Barry Schwartz, J. Mack Robinson and David Reynolds.

Born Oct. 18, 1937, in Glen Cove, Long Island, N.Y., Mr. Alexander was based in New York for most of his career, wintering in South Florida. He retired to Hollywood Beach, Fla., in 2012, telling Daily Racing Form's David Grening “I don't have any stock. It's getting harder and harder to get clients. You feel like a mom and pop operation between Lowe's and Home Depot.”

Mr. Alexander is survived by his wife, Linda. Additional information, including funeral arrangements, will be added to this article when it becomes available.

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Breeders’ Cup Turf Slot Up For Grabs In Japan’s Takarazuka Kinen

Led by multiple Group 1 stakes-winning mare Lucky Lilac (JPN) and last year's Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) (G1) winner Saturnalia (JPN), a field of 18 has been entered for Sunday's US$3-million, 1 3/8-mile Takarazuka Kinen (G1) at Hanshin Racecourse. The winner of Sunday's race will receive an automatic berth and fees paid into the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) through the international Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., on Nov. 6-7.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the Takarazuka Kinen winner to start in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, which will be run at 1 1/2 miles over the Keeneland turf course. Breeders' Cup also will provide a travel allowance of US$40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships.

The Takarazuka Kinen, the fourth Breeders' Cup Challenge race to be held in Japan this year, will be run in a clockwise direction. The race will be televised live on TVG at 11:40 p.m. PT on Saturday.

Sunday Racing Co.'s 5-year-old Lucky Lilac, trained by Mikio Matsunaga and ridden by Mirco Demuro, has finished in the top three in her last five starts. She comes into the race off a hard-fought win over the 4-year-old filly Chrono Genesis (JPN), also owned by Sunday Racing, in the 1 1/4-mile Osaka Hai (G1) on April 5 at Hanshin. Blocked in deep stretch, Lucky Lilac finally found room moving off the rail in the last 50 yards to prevail by a neck.

The Osaka Hai was the third Group 1 win for the chestnut daughter of 2011 Japanese Triple Crown winner and 2012 Takarazuka Kinen winner Orfevre (JPN). Lucky Lilac's dam, Lilacs and Lace, won the 2011 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland, and her broodmare sire, Flower Alley, won the 2005 Travers Stakes (G1). Last November, Lucky Lilac won the Queen Elizabeth Cup (G1) at Kyoto, and as a 2-year-old in 2017, she won her initial Group 1 in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies.

Following her Queen Elizabeth Cup victory, Lucky Lilac was sent to Hong Kong for the 1 1/2-mile Longines Hong Kong Vase (G1) on Dec. 8 at Sha Tin, where she finished second to Glory Vase (JPN). In her first start this year on March 1, Lucky Lilac finished second by 1 ¾ lengths to Danon Kingly (JPN) in the 1 1/8-mile Nakayama Kinen (G2).

“After her last race, she went to Northern Farm Shigaraki, and although restrictions on movement meant I wasn't able to check on her, she has come back looking really well,” Matsunaga said to JRA.com. “Her movement is good, and she has filled out in a way that really makes her look bigger and stronger.”

Carrot Farm's 4-year-old Saturnalia, trained by Katsuhiko Sumii, was the 2019 Japanese Male 3-year-old Champion. He sports a consistent mark of six wins in nine starts, highlighted by last year's victory in the 1 1/4-mile Satsuki Sho at Nakayama. He was favored at 3-5 in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (G1) in his next start, but wound up fourth. He returned to his winning ways in September over the firm ground at Hanshin, scoring a three-length win in the 1 1/2-mile Kobe Shimbun Hai (G2). Saturnalia took on the best older runners in his final two starts last year, finishing sixth behind Almond Eye (JPN) in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1) on Oct. 26, but improved next time out on Dec. 22 with a second-place finish behind Lys Gracieux (JPN) in the Arima Kinen (The Grand Prix) (G1).

Saturnalia began 2020 in good form, winning the 1 1/4-mile Kinko Sho (G2) at Chukyo on March 15 as the odds-on favorite. Assistant trainer Takashi Kotaki said, “He was helped last time by the lack of noise due to no spectators, and everything went smoothly in the preliminaries. He adjusted well to the slow pace of the race, and ran as a comfortable winner. He's been at the farm since, but on his return to the stable, he's been his usual self as he prepares for this race.”

Chrono Genesis' second-place finish to Lucky Lilac in the Osaka Hai came after the 4-year-old filly by Bago (FR) won her seasonal debut against open company in the 1 3/8-mile Kyoto Kinen (G2) over a yielding course on Feb. 16.

“Last time she drew a wide gate, but quickly got into a position where she settled into stride well,” said trainer Takashi Saito regarding the Osaka Hai. “She finished second in the end, but showed her ability, which has definitely improved as she's gotten older.”

Chrono Genesis, ridden by Yuichi Kitamura, has won five of 10 starts, including the 1 ¼-mile Shuka Sho (G1) at Kyoto last October against fillies. In her first race against older fillies and mares, she finished fifth behind Lucky Lilac in the Queen Elizabeth to close out her 2019 season.

Silk Racing Co's 5-year-old Blast Onepiece (JPN), is another starter coming out of the Osaka Hai, in which he finished seventh. The performance continued a recent inconsistent pattern for the bay son of Harbinger (GB), who won the 2018 Group 1 Amira Kinen. Prior to the Osaka Hai, Blast Onepiece, trained by Masahiro Otake and ridden by Yuga Kawada, opened 2020 with a 1 1/4-length victory as the favorite in the 1 3/8-mile American Jockey Club Cup (G2) at Nakayama.

Going back to August, Blast Onepiece won the 1 1/4-mile Sapporo Kinen (G2), and preparations were made to start him next in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) at ParisLongchamp. He raced in mid-pack in the Arc, but could not sustain a drive in the final three furlongs, and wound up 11th of 12 runners.

Silk Racing also has entered the 5-year-old Glory Vase, a dark bay son of Deep Impact (JPN), who will be making his first start since his 3 ½-length triumph in the Hong Kong Vase over Lucky Lilac. Glory Vase, trained by Tomohito Ozeki and ridden by Damian Lane, has won four of 10 starts, which includes last year's 1 1/2-mile Nikkei Shinshun Hai (G2) at Kyoto. Sunday's race will be his first start at Hanshin.

Also of interest is Tatsue Ishikawa's 6-year-old Kiseki (JPN), who was second in last year's race as the 5-2 favorite, finishing three lengths behind Lys Gracieux. Trained by Katsuhiko Sumii, Kiseki, a dark bay son of Rulership (JPN) out of the Deep Impact mare Blitz Finale (JPN), was sent to France last fall, where he finished third in the Qatar Prix Foy (G2) at ParisLongchamp and was seventh in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Kiseki comes into this year's race off a sixth-place finish in the about two-mile Tenno Sho (Spring) (G1) at Kyoto, leading the race into the stretch before giving way. Yutaka Take, who has won the race four times, including aboard Deep Impact in 2006, has the mount on Sunday.

In the three prior Breeders' Cup Challenge races in Japan earlier this year, the 6-year-old Mozu Ascot won the February Stakes (G1) on Feb. 23 and earned an automatic berth into the $7-million Breeders' Cup Classic; the 5-year-old mare Almond Eye (JPN) won the Victoria Mile (G1) on May 17 and secured a free starting position into the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) and the 4-year-old filly Gran Alegria (JPN) took the Yasuda Kinen (G1) at Tokyo Race Course on June 7 and a “Win and You're In” spot for the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (G1).

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Durkin To Host ‘Champions Talk’ To Benefit New York Race Track Chaplaincy

With its two annual fund-raising events in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the New York Race Track Chaplaincy will instead host “Champions Talk,” featuring five prominent personalities from the world of sports and horse racing, which will premiere on Wednesday, August 5, 2020, at 7 p.m. EDT.

The five individuals are Hall of Fame jockeys Angel Cordero Jr. and Ramòn Dominguez, Kentucky Derby winning owner Terry Finley of West Point Thoroughbreds, Churchill Downs' all-time leading trainer Dale Romans and Pro Football Hall of Fame and two-time Super Bowl winning coach and Thoroughbred owner Bill Parcells.

The legendary former New York Racing Association announcer Tom Durkin will serve as the moderator for the roundtable discussion, which will be streamed on Facebook and YouTube. The discussion will take place at the Fasig-Tipton Sales Pavilion in Saratoga Springs but spectators will not be permitted to attend due to COVID-19 protocols in place.

The NY Chaplaincy will be honoring the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NYTHA) as part of the event for its longtime dedication and support of the backstretch community at Aqueduct, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course.

“While it's disappointing to cancel our immensely popular brunch at Saratoga National Golf Club and our jockeys versus horsemen basketball game, we know that racing fans all over the world will enjoy hearing some of the colorful anecdotes that these five gentlemen experienced through the years,” said Humberto Chavez, the chaplain of the New York Race Track Chaplaincy. “We are hopeful that organizations and individuals will lend their support to this event because the needs of the backstretch workers are even greater in the midst of this pandemic.”

Those wishing to sponsor the event or make a contribution can visit the NY Chaplaincy website at www.rtcany.org. Additional information is available by contacting Eleanor Poppe of the chaplaincy staff at info@rtcany.org.

The New York Race Track Chaplaincy ministers to the heart and soul of the backstretch community with children's enrichment, social service, recreational, and educational programs, as well as non-denominational religious services.

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Thoroughbred Idea Foundation: Competition From Fixed-Odds Betting Good For Racing’s Customer

Legal, fixed-odds betting on horse racing in America, which has essentially been limited to big races offered by Nevada books, will take a big leap forward this summer when Monmouth Park, in partnership with Australian firm The Betmakers, will introduce a daily fixed-odds market for Monmouth's races and enable other bet-takers in the state to do the same. It is thought that fixed odds on simulcast races imported to New Jersey might be offered soon as well.

There should be little question that this is both a work-in-progress and a potentially massive step forward for racing, presenting customers with a new set of wagering options. Dennis Drazin, CEO of Darby Development, operators of Monmouth Park, has been the driving force behind the fixed odds play. He led a prolonged battle to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), which yielded legal sports betting in New Jersey and other states since.

Pari-mutuel betting has dominated the American landscape for decades. The only routine source of fixed odds betting for Americans on American racing is through “off-shore” options, which generally contribute nothing to tracks or horsemen. The evolution of regulated, fixed-odds wagering on racing in America will serve as a much-needed competitive volley against pari-mutuel options which have done little to modernize their product over the years.

As it grows, fixed odds betting on American racing should improve tote betting on American racing. It should inspire investment to modernize the tote system, to better serve customers and present a better betting experience. Without the competition, the American tote wagering experience has stagnated. Some examples

– Bet pricing is high.

– Tote breakage, the rounding down of tote dividends, is an archaic practice that has long-served as an additional tax on customers.

– Late odds changes make it near impossible for customers to know what they would expect to receive should they win.

– New bet types have favored higher takeout, lower-churn wagers.

– Markets are only visible for short periods, roughly only the 25 minutes between races. A majority of money wagered comes in the last minutes before a race is run.

– Projected payouts in exotic bets like trifectas, superfectas and pick “n” wagers (beyond doubles) are not offered.

In a more competitive landscape, bettors should expect service upgrades.

In Great Britain, a jurisdiction which has been dominated by fixed-odds betting for decades, pari-mutuel wagering (often called pool betting in the UK) has been a minor player. The UK Tote Group, a consortium of key owners and breeders in British racing, completed an acquisition and took-over pool betting in the country in late 2019.

Faced with a market that has been dominated by fixed odds betting, bolstered with a strong retail business through betting shops in nearly every British town and an online product supported by a near endless marketing blitz, the UK Tote Group had to devise a method to attract interest in a more sustainable source of betting for racing through pools betting.

Their idea – guarantee that the final tote win price at least match that of the final “starting price” offered by fixed odds providers on win bets (a single “starting price” is agreed upon for placement in the permanent record of the race). If the tote price falls short, the UK Tote Group will chip in to top-up the win dividend to winning customers, with protections in place to avoid manipulation.

Now, there are some very clear deficiencies with the British racing funding model.

Contributions from fixed-odds bookmakers represent a source of funding for purses, governed by the rules set out by the Horseracing Betting Levy Board (HBLB).

“The Levy on off-course betting…is collected from bookmakers as a percentage of the gross profit on their horserace betting business. The majority of Levy income is expended in direct support of horseracing.

“HBLB is among the most important contributors to horseracing's finances. The original intention of establishing the Levy, and therefore HBLB, was to provide a means of compensating racing for the loss of attendance that was anticipated when off-course betting shops were legalised in 1961. Today, HBLB applies Levy funds to a wide range of schemes in direct support of horseracing.”

Per-race prize money in the UK is some of the lowest in the world. There is no suggestion this funding model should be replicated in America, in fact, the funding model should be the opposite.

Establishing fair splits of existing tote betting and new fixed-odds betting on racing should be the key. New Jersey is seeking to prove and refine the model, the rest of the country should follow along enabling fixed-odds betting on racing.

It should be good for racing and the trickle down benefits felt by all of the sport's stakeholders.

It's beyond time.

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