2020 kentucky derby | Horse Racing Free Tips

Spectator-less Kentucky Oaks-Derby Day Wagering Down Nearly 50%, Lowest Since 2002.

A historic Kentucky Derby saw Authentic claim the Garland of Roses in what was the first time the race had ever occurred on Labor Day weekend.

Authentic, owned by Spendthrift Farm, LLC, Myracehorse.com, Madaket Stables, and Starlight Racing and bred in Kentucky by Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, led from the start, held off a challenge through the stretch from Tiz The Law and drew away to a 1 1/4-length victory. Trainer Bob Baffert secured his sixth Kentucky Derby win, tying the all-time record and jockey John Velazquez won the Kentucky Derby for the third time.

“We are grateful to our fans and our community for their support of the 146^th Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby,” said Bill Carstanjen, CEO of Churchill Downs Incorporated. “We look forward to seeing our loyal fans at next year's 147^th Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby on the first weekend of May.”

Wagering from all-sources on the Kentucky Derby Day program totaled $126.0 million compared to $250.9 million on the 2019 Kentucky Derby Day program. All-sources wagering on the Kentucky Derby race was $79.4 million compared to $165.5 million from last year's Derby race.

Churchill Downs attributed the decline in handle for this year's Derby Day program to the lack of on-track wagering, fewer horses per race including in the Kentucky Derby race, and a prohibitive favorite in the Derby race.

Similar declines were reported for Kentucky Oaks day on Friday, which saw a decline in wagers from $60.1 million in 2019 to $30.6 million in 2020. The Oaks itself handled $9.8 million compared to $19.3 million in 2019.

Combined Oaks-Derby day wagering totaled $156.6 million, a 49.7% decline from the record $311.1 million wagered in 2019 when the Oaks and Derby were run in May.

In 2019, $31.2 million was bet on-track at Churchill Downs on Oaks and Derby day ($9.9 million on the Oaks card and $21.3 million on the Derby). That's equal to 20.2% of the $154.4 million in lost wagers this year.

Other wagering declines resulted from a contract dispute between Churchill Downs Inc. and the Nevada Pari-Mutuel Association representing race and sports books throughout Nevada. Race and sports books were permitted to book wagers on the races but they were not commingled into the pari-mutuel pools hosted by Churchill Downs or counted in the totals.

The combined Oaks and Derby day wagers were the lowest since 2002.

The Churchill Downs press release added, “Although it is difficult to compare the financial performance to prior years, we are pleased with the profitability of the spectator-less 2020 Derby Week.”

The post Spectator-less Kentucky Oaks-Derby Day Wagering Down Nearly 50%, Lowest Since 2002. appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Is Enforceable Good Enough To Take This Derby Field? Casse Says We’ll Find Out

Trainer Mark Casse will saddle the big gray Enforceable in the Derby this afternoon wondering the same thing the rest of us are — is the son of Tapit good enough to face down Tiz the Law and the other standouts in this year's field?

“I don't know, honestly,” Casse told reporters early Friday. “We think we have a shot. Obviously we have a better shot than most because we're in the race. I know our horse is as good as he can get. Is he good enough? I don't know.”

Enforceable comes to the race off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Blue Grass and a fifth in the G2 Louisiana Derby. Before that though, he was second in the G2 Risen Star and the G3 Lecomte.

The interruption of racing at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which struck just before the running of the Louisiana Derby, provided some advantage to some of this year's Kentucky Derby entrants, and Casse said Enforceable is one of them.

“If we'd ran the Derby first Saturday in May, he would not have run,” he said. “He was a tired horse. We took him home and it took him two months to get back on his feet.”

When Enforceable was turned out at Casse's Ocala farm in the spring, he weighed 960 pounds. Now, he's over 1,100 pounds on a tall and lithe frame.

Certainly some of this week's defections have created disruption to Enforceable's running style, which relies on there being early speed in the race. Expect to see a slight departure in Enforceable's come-from-behind running style this afternoon, though — Casse said while he won't be the early pace, the loss of likely early leaders combined with Enforceable's level of condition now means he may be sharper than usual and a bit closer to the early pace. Casse is also anticipating there will be a bit of cat and mouse between Tiz the Law and Bob Baffert's runners, as either Baffert horse could be dangerous if allowed to run away with the early lead.

In the end, like many Derby trainers, Casse said he's just grateful to be going to the post this afternoon, even if the experience of the Derby is a little more quiet and surreal this year. The absence of the crowd also means he may not be relegated to squinting at the race on the television screens in the paddock, as per his usual habit.

“I'm just happy — there was a long time I didn't know if we'd have a Derby, so I'm just appreciative we are,” he said. “I'll probably get to see the race better than I've ever seen it…I may actually get to watch this one live.”

Thanks to the National Turfwriters and Broadcasters Association (NTWAB), which has assembled a group of pool reporters providing independent reporting to members unable to be on the Churchill Downs grounds this year due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The post Is Enforceable Good Enough To Take This Derby Field? Casse Says We’ll Find Out appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Five Derby Riders Pledge Percentage Of Earnings To Help Injured Jock Bednar

Hall of Fame jockeys Javier Castellano, Mike Smith, John Velazquez, and the sport's rising stars Manuel Franco and Tyler Gaffalione have joined in solidarity to pledge a percentage of their earnings from the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby race cards to help rider Vinnie Bednar with continued expenses resulting from a catastrophic fall at Los Alamitos Racetrack on August 22nd.

Bednar, 28, is experiencing what his family hopes is a temporary lower-limb paralysis following initial surgery at USC Medical Center in Los Angeles. He remains hospitalized while awaiting transfer to the Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colorado, a world-renowned, premier center for spinal and brain injury. The accident occurred in the seventh race when Peek It Up, the horse Bednar was riding, broke down 100 yards from the finish line in the 300-yard race.

“Vinnie was overcome with emotion when I told him that some of the country's top jockeys had reached out and wanted to help. He couldn't believe that they were thinking about him while they are amid their big race weekend at Churchill Downs,” said Karen Bednar, Vinnie's mother.

“The support our family has received is unbelievable and it's been so inspiring to Vinnie. He wants to use the attention and the generosity to help other paralyzed jockeys who don't have the exposure and need help,” Bednar continued.

Castellano who is third on the all-time North American earnings leaderboard will be aboard Money Moves for seven-time Eclipse Award winning trainer Todd Pletcher in the 146th running of the Derby today. Franco will ride the heavy favorite and sole Triple Crown contender Tiz the Law who won the Belmont Stakes and the Travers Stakes for trainer Barclay Tagg. Tyler Gaffalione who is third in earnings on the North American Leaderboard will have the mount on South Bend for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. Mike Smith, who piloted Justify to a Triple Crown title in 2018 will be in the irons for trainer John Sherriffs on Honor A.P. who is the morning line second favorite in the race. Velazquez will ride Authentic for two-time Triple Crown winner Bob Baffert who is the third favorite in the year's 146^th edition of the Run for the Roses.

“This could have been any one of us,” said North America's all-time leading money earner Velazquez. “The injuries Vinnie sustained are going to require a tremendous amount of financial support for his medical bills and rehabilitation. We will be riding with Vinnie and his family in our thoughts and prayers today.”

Fellow Hall of Famer Mike Smith echoed the sentiment, adding, “I know Vinnie well. He's a great young rider and an even better person. He has a wonderful family and we will all help him get through this.”

Vinnie Bednar is a former motocross rider who began riding thoroughbred and quarter horses in 2011. He has enjoyed a successful career and at the time of his last race ranked second in the jockey standings at Los Alamitos. Since mid-December, Bednar has won four major stakes – the Champion of Champions last December with 2019 World Champion He Looks Hot, the Vessels Maturity on Chocolatito on July 5, the Governor's Cup Derby with Nomadic on July 26, and the Golden State Derby on Aug. 16 aboard Circle City. This season Bednar had 41 Quarter Horse victories from 201 starts with earnings of $635,959 and is ranked 23^rd in the country. He also rode Thoroughbreds this year, garnering 18 wins from 94 mounts.

Close friends of the Bednar family have created a GoFundMe campaign for continued medical support: https://gf.me/u/yvsusr

The post Five Derby Riders Pledge Percentage Of Earnings To Help Injured Jock Bednar appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Fanticipate Launches With Tiz The Law Items For Auction To Benefit Charity

Fanticipate, an online marketplace that allows athletes, teams, and leagues to offer unique experiences and items for their fans to bid on before an event starts, launches its first auction for the 146^th annual Kentucky Derby.

Competitors (sellers) are officially verified through Fanticipate to provide unique and authentic items or experiences desired by the fans (buyers), who are competing to win the fan engagement of a lifetime. This process gives the seller the ability to increase fan loyalty, brand identity, and create a lasting relationship with their fans. Additionally, Fanticipate offers a platform for competitors to create a new revenue stream for themselves, their team, or their favorite charity, giving the competitor complete control over the proceeds. Since the auction takes place ahead of the event itself, fans who win the bid have the rare experience of watching their prized items being used in the event before taking a piece of the action home.

“Fanticipate is excited to launch our online marketplace just in time for the 146^th Kentucky Derby, so we can elevate the fan experience in new and novel ways,” said Jim Chiapetta, Co-Founder of Fanticipate. CEO and Co-Founder, Ed Blach, added, “Fanticipate gives fans who have an appetite to compete and be a part of the action, the ability to do so. During a time when there are fewer fans in the stands, this new form of engagement allows spectators to feel the excitement from home, and we look forward to building on this concept for all of our future events.”

Items available through the 146^th Kentucky Derby auction include:

Famed racehorse Tiz the Law's horseshoe
A Zoom call with Jack Knowlton, the Operating Manager of Sackatoga Stable
Halters worn by 2020 Kentucky Derby competitors and other history-making racehorses

Many of the current sellers will be giving back to the community and donating their proceeds to charities, such as Race for Grace and Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm. All items purchased at the auction have the potential to increase in value based on the outcome of the event, providing unique opportunities for fans to experience high-level events with newfound engagement and increased anticipation. While the Kentucky Derby is Fanticipate's current live auction, it is only the first of many sporting events that the company will feature, such as hockey and baseball.

For more information on Fanticipate or to view its live auctions, visit: www.fanticipate.com.

The post Fanticipate Launches With Tiz The Law Items For Auction To Benefit Charity appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post