Through the sale's two sessions, 381 yearlings sold for $11,269,400 for an average of $29,578 and a median of $20,000. With 75 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 16.4%.

In 2020, 379 yearlings grossed $9,120,700 for an average of $24,065 and a median of $14,000. The buy-back rate was 21.7%.

“Based on what everybody else was experiencing at previous sales, we were confident it would continue on, but to have the gross up 24%, the average up 23% and the median up 43% was great,” said Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sales Director Paget Bennett.

In its pre-COVID renewal in 2019, 300 yearlings sold for $7,275,900 for an average of $24,253 and a median of $14,000.

“I always hope that we can stay even with last year,” Bennett said. “Even with COVID last year, we were still right in line with the previous year's results. And we exceeded that this year. So that was huge.”

Of the auction's stellar buy-back rate, Bennett added, “People want horses at all levels, which is good for us and good for the breeders.”

First-crop sire Mendelssohn, who was represented by the session topper Monday, secured the sale-topper Tuesday when David Scanlon paid $235,000 for a colt from the Northview Stallion Station consignment. The yearling was one of 16 to bring six figures at the auction, up from 11 in 2020.

Local breeders and consignors supported the sale and were rewarded, according to Bennett.

“We are only as good as what people send to us,” Bennett said. “We've been supported by out-of-town consignors, but we had a lot of the Midlantic breeders and consignors who did well here as well. The top seven prices were sold by local connections. They all brought good horses and they were well-received and they were rewarded.”

The massive increase in median and the sparkling buy-back rate were indicative of a stronger middle market.

“I think the market is strong,” said Northview's David Wade. “It's redundant–it's the same thing everyone says–the market is strong for the right horse. But I think it was stronger for the right horses and there was a middle market that hasn't been here for the last few years. I think that's encouraging.”

Scanlon Gets His Mendelssohn

Dave Scanlon was underbidder on Monday's session-topping son of Mendelssohn, but the Ocala-based pinhooker would not be denied Tuesday when going to a sale-topping $235,000 for another son of Coolmore's first-season sire (hip 415).

“We loved the sire,” Scanlon said after signing the ticket on the youngster. “We think he's going to be a big hit this year. Obviously, he's already been a big sales horse.”

Consigned by Northview Stallion Station, the chestnut colt is out of the unraced Grace is Gone (Malibu Moon), a daughter of Grade I-placed Grace Anatomy (Aldebaran).

“He was just very athletic with a big beautiful walk on him,” Scanlon said of the yearling. “I thought he'd be a nice horse for the 2-year-old sales. We will train him and get him started and see how he fits. He is such a nice, big mature horse, it could be Miami [Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale] or it could be back here [Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale].”

In addition to the $230,000 session topper, Mendelssohn was also represented by Monday's $160,000 top-priced filly. The stallion, winner of the 2013 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and a half-brother to leading sire Into Mischief, was also represented by fillies who sold for $900,000 and $750,000 at Keeneland September. Through Monday, he had 83 yearlings sell for an average of $163,095.

“They just look like athletes,” Scanlon said of the yearlings by Mendelssohn that he has seen. “They have really good bone, good hip and great angles on them.”

Scanlon was making his second purchase of the Midlantic sale. He went to $30,000 to acquire a filly by Uncle Lino (hip 17) Monday.

“The market has been tough,” Scanlon said. “For the right horse, it's been very good. There are a lot of good judges here and if they lead the right one up here, you've got to pay for them. Hopefully, it carries over to the 2-year-old market.”

Monday's session topper was purchased by Conor Foley of Oracle Bloodstock.Scanlon agreed he found himself bidding against more end-users while trying to maintain the discipline necessary for a pinhook prospect.

“Especially with a horse like that, you get your hopes up and you follow them up there and then you go to your limit,” Scanlon said. “It happened to me yesterday when I was underbidder on the other Mendelssohn and an end-user kind of jumps over top of you. You have to set your bar, though. We lost the one yesterday, but we were looking to get this one and stepped our game up here.”

Northview Stallion Station's David Wade purchased hip 415 on behalf of Sycamore Hall Thoroughbreds for $100,000 at last year's Keeneland November sale.

“I love Mendelssohn and this was a very well-balanced horse and a very good walker and he seemed like a good bet,” Wade said of last fall's purchase. “We actually went down there and bought two. We bought an Empire Maker and a Mendelssohn and brought them both home and the owner looked at them and said, 'Let's pinhook the Mendelssohn and race the Empire Maker.'”

Filly Makes Sense for Zacney

Chuck Zacney of Cash is King, who purchased Cathryn Sophia (Street Boss) for $30,000 out of the Fasig Midlantic sales ring in 2014, was back in action in Timonium Tuesday, going to $200,000 to acquire a filly by Street Sense (hip 295) out of the same family as that 2016 GI Kentucky Oaks winner.

The dark bay yearling, bred by the late Robert Manfuso and consigned by Chanceland Farm, is out of graded stakes winner Belterra (Unbridled). The mare is also the dam of Sheave (Mineshaft), who produced Cathryn Sophia.

“Obviously, I loved the page, with Cathryn Sophia,” Zacney said after acquiring the yearling. “I've always been a fan of Street Sense. I can't tell you if I've ever had one. But once I laid eyes on this filly yesterday, she was one that I really wanted. She just stood out. She's an absolutely beautiful filly.”

The Cash is King team had another attachment to the filly.

“Most of my horses have a story,” Zacney said. “My son Alex was with me and he said, 'Dad, did you notice her date of birth?' And I hadn't. It's Mar. 5, which is Alex's birthday, too. So anything like that, we always take a second look.”

Zacney was on the grounds during Monday's first session of the Midlantic sale, acquiring three yearlings, including a filly by Tonalist (hip 90) for $110,000. But he did his bidding on the phone Tuesday and watched on his computer as the filly's price momentarily stalled.

“After $150,000 there was a lull and [Fasig-Tipton's] Peter [Penny] said, 'You may have her.' And then it went up a little bit, but I was done with that. I think it went to $165,000 or $170,000 and I said, 'Peter, let's go to $200,000.' He is yelling and they aren't recognizing the bid until finally they did and I got her for the $200,000. I loved her and I was going to go much higher. I'm thrilled to have her.”

The yearling filly is already a winner, having been named grand champion of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association's Yearling Show in Timonium in August.

“She is a lovely filly, which was why she was champion at the show,” said Chanceland Farm's Katherine Voss. “But the pedigree had nothing to do with that. She has a gorgeous pedigree–they are hard to come by with a Kentucky Oaks winner in the family and by Street Sense as well.”

Manfuso, who passed away last March, and Voss have a long association with the yearling's family. Manfuso bred and campaigned Belterra to a win in the 2001 GII Golden Rod S. and a third-place effort in the following year's GI Ashland S. Manfuso also bred Belterra's dam Cruising Haven (Shelter Half).

“She was one of the last ones that Bob bred,” Voss said of hip 295. “We bred her grandmother. And this is Belterra's last foal. I would have loved to have kept her because she's the kind that you want to keep.”

While Voss acknowledged the Midlantic sale has gained in strength, she still sees a ceiling on the top of the market.

“I think it's better than this sale has been for the last few years–it's definitely better than the last couple of years,” Voss said. “I think the market in general is stronger this year. Keeneland was really strong. But it still feels like there is a little lid on Maryland. They are not going bonkers. We are bringing some nice, solid useful horses and they can go for $75,000 or $80,000 and you get $50,000.”

Nyquist Filly Tops Eventful Sale for Davis

Cary Frommer stayed busy throughout the two-day Midlantic sale, but saved her biggest purchase of the auction for last when going to $200,000 to acquire a filly by GI Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist (hip 441) from the consignment of Becky Davis.

The yearling is out of How My Heart Works (Not For Love), whose first foal is stakes winner and graded placed Monday Morning QB (Imagining). She was bred by Davis's father Tom Bowman and Milton Higgins, III.

“I have liked her since the day she was born,” Davis said of the yearling. “She was always super spunky and had grit. She is super classy to deal with. She has always been an outstanding filly–just a little different than the rest of the fillies at the farm. I thought she was pretty special.”

How My Heart Works, who has a weanling colt by Arrogate and was bred back to Nyquist this year, was also bred by Tom and Chris Bowman and Higgins. She won first-out at Laurel in 2015, but failed to hit the board in three subsequent starts.

“We've had the whole family,” Davis said. “Her mom was a super impressive yearling, but had an injury and didn't race to her full potential, I don't believe. We kept her as a broodmare and her first foal has shown he has talent.”

The filly, one of three to hit the $200,000 mark Tuesday, marked a sweet ending to an eventful sale for Davis, who was forced into an unexpected trip to the hospital Sunday.

“At the end of the day Sunday, we were closing up and I was told one of the horses had banged his head,” Davis explained. “He had a scrape and I had some silver spray and I went in with one of my best handlers because I could tell he was agitated. I put a little bit of spray on the cut and I could tell from the look in his eye he was not ok with it. I wasn't going to spray him again, but his forelock was stuck to the cut, so I put my hand up to move his forelock over and he came at me. I was able to turn around, but he struck me about four or five times in the back of my head. I don't remember if someone opened the door or if I climbed over the door, but I got out. It was pretty scary.”

Davis watched the Nyquist filly sell from the back of the sales pavilion.

“Yes and no,” she said with a laugh when asked if the sale made up for the injuries she suffered Sunday. “The best thing for me is if that filly gets into a good racing home and I get to see her race. I think she can be a superstar. She is all that everybody wants to have in a racehorse. And even beyond that, she has such a great personality, she's going to have a great second career as a broodmare or something else. So I am excited to see her.”

Frommer left Timonium after purchasing seven yearlings. In addition to hip 441, she purchased a colt by Twirling Candy (hip 78) for $115,000 and a Union Rags colt (hip 461).

Lawley-Wakelin Gets His Fairytale Ending

Patrick Lawley-Wakelin got outbid on a filly by Lemon Drop Kid when bidding on behalf of Liz and Michael Burns at last year's Midlantic sale, but the bloodstock agent came back in 2021 to buy that filly's half-sister by Hard Spun (hip 378) for $125,000 Tuesday in Timonium on behalf of the Burnses' Cambus-Kenneth Farm.

“Liz and Michael love Lemon Drop Kid and so they said, 'Why don't you look at her and see if we can buy her,'” Lawley-Wakelin said. “We tried to buy her, but we ended up underbidders. The filly went for $92,000.”

Bred and consigned by Audley Farm Equine, hip 378 is out of Fairytale Ending (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a daughter of Airwave (GB) (Air Express) and a full-sister to group winner Aloof (Ire) and a half to the dam of multiple Group 1 winner Churchill (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

“When I saw Audley was selling the half-sister by Hard Spun, I picked up the phone and said, 'Listen guys we are back at it again.' They said, 'OK, let's look at it,” Lawley-Wakelin said. “The filly vetted great for us. She is a two-turn filly, like the Lemon Drop Kid filly. She's going to need a little bit of time to mature, which falls right into their program.”

Of the Burnses, who are based in Danville, Kentucky, Lawley-Wakelin said, “They are generally looking for a Classic-type of filly. They were introduced to the game by John R. S. Fisher and he introduced me to them. So I've known them for about 25 years. They are a wonderful couple. So I am truly excited we were able to get this filly.”

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Last season, Turfway paid out just $32,000 for MSW races while conducting meets heavily compromised by both the COVID-19 pandemic and a massive grandstand rebuild that kept the northern Kentucky oval closed to on-track spectators.

Turfway's 2021-22 MSW purse projection was disclosed Tuesday during a Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) advisory board meeting by Tyler Picklesimer, the track's director of racing and racing secretary.

Picklesimer did caution that Turfway's MSW purse figure is not yet finalized, qualifying his estimate by saying “I'm guessing $60,000-ish” when asked by KTDF chair Bill Landes III what to expect.

But Picklesimer also added that Turfway's stakes program could be in for an upgrade too: “I think we're going to bring back the historic stakes schedule of years ago; you know, a stakes every weekend,” he said during the Oct. 5 videoconference.

Although Turfway's projections were met with praise by some industry stakeholders and KTDF board members, it must be noted that last season's MSW purses fell well short of what a company executive had told the KTDF to expect.

One year ago this week during a similar KTDF meeting, Turfway executives had expressed a desire to hold average daily purses steady from 2019-20 to 2020-21 levels, which would have put MSW purses in the $46,000-$48,000 range. The actual figure of $32,000 ended up being about 30% lower than that estimate.

Rick Hiles, who is the president of the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association and also a KTDF advisory committee member, said that Turfway's longer-term future now seems so bright that the track should consider upgrading its backstretch area to get ready for the influx of outfits that will want to race there once the frontside construction project is complete.

“If it's true what Tyler said that [MSW races] are going to be around $60,000, that will exceed Gulfstream and Fair Grounds racetrack right there for purses, so a lot of the Kentucky guys that have been going south may elect to stay home because of expenses,” Hiles said.

Chip Bach, Turfway's general manager, concurred with Hiles that stabling improvements are overdue at his track, but he explained they are on the company's radar for future upgrades.

“No one knows that we need work on our backside more than we do,” Bach said. “There's nothing that's been approved yet, but I know that there are things in motion seeking approval and there are plans being brought up. So our eye is definitely on it. I agree with [Hiles] 100% that we've got an old barn area and we want to attract people to it, and right now we need to make some improvements.”

But the much bigger grandstand, clubhouse and gaming facility build-out will still be the dominant project at Turfway for at least the next nine months.

“The target I keep hearing is July 1,” Bach said of a potential completion date for the new Turfway. “There are supply chain issues. There is COVID; labor force issues. So it's really hard to drive a stake on a target date given all that's going on in the world. But everybody's very optimistic how it's proceeding right now.”

As for what horse people can expect in December, Bach confirmed that “you'll be seeing what you saw last year. We have these 'trophy suites' for the judges, for the announcer, for the stewards. We just have a major construction program 15 feet away from it. We won't have parking built for it yet. So there's not a real good way to get fans safely in to park and watch the races. We will make accommodations for some owners and trainers.”

Bach said heated tents that have see-through frontage to watch the races could be an option for license-holders. “But of course, we get a lot of snow in the winter time at Turfway, so some of these tent companies are reticent to lease us a tent in December and January,” he explained, citing fears of damage from the elements. “So we're still trying to figure out how to accommodate everybody.”

Construction is also on the horizon at Ellis Park, which is about to undertake a wastewater mitigation project with guidance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to create horse wash stations on the backside and a retention pond to capture the runoff.

After that, according to Jeff Inman, the general manager at Ellis Entertainment LLC, “the expansion of the turf course will be the first in our line of improvements.”

Lights to race twilight or night programs are also on Ellis's to-do list, as is a new tote board, Inman said.

Inman outlined the timeline for the work like this: “The poles are partially constructed. We don't have lights. Some of the issue with that has to do with the wiring of the poles and the generators. Those generators, due to flood conditions, have to be placed about 15 feet in the air. Because of the EPA work that we have going on in the infield that we're going to have along with the turf course, it makes procedural sense…to start and complete the turf expansion and the horse wash water project for the EPA…before we finalize the wiring for the lights.”

Also during Tuesday's KTDF meeting, Ben Huffman, the director of racing at Churchill Downs, projected that his track's MSW purses for the upcoming November meet would be “probably in the $120,000 range,” which would be the same as at Churchill's just-concluded September meet.

During the pandemic-distorted 2020 November meet, Churchill carded $85,000 MSW races.

For November, Churchill will still be without a turf course, which has been in the process of replacement since the summer.

“It was a bit challenging filling the cards in September without a turf course, no question about it,” Huffman said. “There are plenty of turf horses on our grounds. But all in all, we did good in September and I think we're going to be okay this November. There will be days when it's going to be a little challenging. But we do want to attempt to fill the normal allotment of total races for the November meet.”

During the Oct. 5 meeting, the committee unanimously approved requests from Turfway and Churchill for KTDF funding, which means a recommendation from the advisory committee to release the purse money will be forwarded to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, which votes on the actual disbursement at its next meeting.

The KTDF is funded by three-quarters of 1% of all money wagered on both live Thoroughbred races and historical horse race (HHR) gaming, plus 2% of all money wagered on Thoroughbred races via inter-track wagering and whole-card simulcasting.

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With a strong final quarter, the amount bet on U.S. racing for the year could top $12 billion. That would be the most bet during a year since $11.4 billion was wagered in 2010.

The record for most wagered in a year was set in 2003, when $15.18 billion was bet.

The gains in 2021 were achieved despite a decline of 12.32% in September and a 23.98% decrease in the category of average wagering per race day. The September numbers were skewed by the date of last year's GI Kentucky Derby, which was rescheduled due to the pandemic and held in September. The shift in the date of the Derby also led to a 2.18% decline in handle during the third quarter.

Because of COVID-19-related shutdowns, the 2021 and 2020 numbers may not line up perfectly, but there is still plenty of evidence that wagering on the sport has been growing. Equibase also released figures comparing numbers in 2021 to the pre-COVID numbers of 2019, which also point to an upward tick in wagering. The year-to-date handle figures comparing 2021 to 2019 show a 10.52% increase, including a 10.23% increase during the third quarter and a 13.71% increase during September.

In another telling statistic, when comparing 2021 to 2019 year-to-date figures, handle has risen 21.32% in the category of average wagering per race day.

It is believed that the sport may have picked up a significant amount of new customers during the early days of the pandemic in 2020 when it was among the only betting vehicles available while the major sports were shut down.

Purses have also increased during 2021. So far this year, the average amount of purses paid out per day is $274,998, which is a 9.65% increase over 2020 totals and an 8.14% increase over 2019.
Racing did not do nearly as well when it comes to the category of average field size. The number so far for 2021 is 7.16 starters per race, down from 7.87 in 2020 for a decline of 7.67%. That also represents a 1.63% decline from 2019. The 7.16 starters per race represents the lowest number in that category since the Jockey Club began keeping records in 1950.

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“With COVID-19 infection rates climbing again, we just couldn't jeopardize the safety of the participants or the hundreds of fans who come to the game each year, so we decided it was best to cancel it once again,” said NY Race Track Chaplaincy executive director and lead chaplain Humberto Chavez. “We are all disappointed but hopefully we can resume the tradition next summer during the Saratoga meet.”

The game, which was not able to be played last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is one of the most popular events on the Saratoga social calendar and it routinely attracts more than 300 fans.

The jockey team is usually coached by Hall of Fame jockey Ángel Cordero Jr., with trainer Todd Pletcher and agent Kiaran McLaughlin coaching the horsemen team. Mitch Levites of the NYRA television department serves as the announcer and provides lively commentary.

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The spring/summer meet, which began Apr. 22 without spectators in attendance before reopening to a limited number of spectators May 1, boasted 59 stakes races worth $16.95 million in total purse money.

Average daily handle over the 48 days of racing was $13,171,005, a 20.6% increase over 2019. The abbreviated 2020 spring/summer meet saw average daily handle of $15,466,198.

This year marked the return of the GI Belmont S. to its customary spot on the racing calendar and its famed distance of 1 1/2 miles. In 2020, a readjustment to the stakes schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic saw the “Test of the Champion” run without spectators in attendance and as the opening leg of the Triple Crown series for the first time in history.

The June 5 Belmont Stakes Day card, highlighted by Essential Quality (Tapit)'s victory in the Belmont, generated all-sources handle of $112,725,278, a NYRA record for a non-Triple Crown year.

On-track handle for the 13-race Belmont Stakes Day card, which included eight Grade I races among nine total stakes, was $7,532,571.

A total of 454 races were run during the spring/summer meet including 243 on dirt and 211 on the turf. A total of 33 races were taken off the turf due to weather. Average field size over the 454 races was 7.6. This compares to 448 total races run in 2019, including 260 on dirt and 188 on turf. A total of 46 races were taken off the turf due to weather that year. Average field size in 2019 was 7.0.

A total of 248 races were run during the abbreviated 2020 spring/summer meet including 128 on dirt and 120 on the turf. A total of five races were taken off the turf due to weather last year. Average field size over the 248 races was 8.6.

Total on-track handle for the 2021 spring/summer meet was $49,343,664.

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Back in its traditional spot on the calendar and 1 1/2-mile distance after the COVID-19 pandemic turned the world-and Triple Crown-completely upside down in 2020, Saturday's GI Belmont S. will feature a showdown between last year's champion 2-year-old colt Essential Quality (Tapit) and GI Preakness S. upsetter Rombauer (Twirling Candy).

The Godolphin homebred was unstoppable in his first five career starts, headed by a win in the 2020 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Sent off as the 5-2 favorite in the GI Kentucky Derby, he covered all the ground that day and reported home a respectable fourth, beaten just a length.

How will he handle the added distance of the Belmont? His leading sire Tapit is shooting for a record fourth success, and if his training is any indication, the longer the better, per trainer Brad Cox.

“I remember the first time we breezed him,” Cox said in a recent feature in TDN. “I looked at my assistant and said, 'Wow, this horse acts like he can win the Belmont.' He just never stopped.”

Cox added of the Belmont 2-1 morning-line favorite, “He ran what I thought was a winning race in the Derby; he didn't have the trip, but he showed up and he's been improving in every start.”

Cox also saddled the Derby second-place finisher Mandaloun (Into Mischief), who could be elevated to first after a split sample confirmed the prohibited corticosteroid betamethasone in the race's winner Medina Spirit (Protonico) earlier this week.

Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) sat just behind the leaders in the Derby, and, after making his way through some traffic, outfinished Essential Quality by a head to place third. Hot Rod Charlie's resume also includes a 94-1 second-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and a front-running victory in the GII Louisiana Derby Mar. 20.

The half-brother to champion sprinter Mitole (Eskendereya) retains the services of Flavien Prat, who also guided home Rombauer to an 11-1 upset in the second leg of the Triple Crown.

“With the distance, I think it will suit him well,” trainer Doug O'Neill said. “He's won going 1 3/16 in the Louisiana Derby. I think his gate speed and versatility will be an asset as well. I'm super excited having Flavien back on him.”

The versatile Rombauer, also a winner of the El Camino Real Derby over the Golden Gate synthetic Feb. 13, finished behind Essential Quality in each of their two previous meetings, reporting home fifth in the Juvenile and third in the GII Blue Grass S. Excluding recent Triple Crown winners American Pharoah and Justify, Rombauer seeks to become the first sophomore to complete the Preakness/Belmont double since Afleet Alex did so in 2005.

The John and Diane Fradkin homebred will be piloted for the first time by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, his seventh different rider in eight-career starts.

“He's had several different riders and it's not something that's bothered me,” trainer Michael McCarthy said. “It would have been nice to have Flavien back, but I feel we have a wonderful substitute.”

The former assistant to Todd Pletcher added, “I have a lot of good memories here. To win any Triple Crown race is fantastic, the Belmont is really the 'Test of the Champion' and it would certainly be nice to hoist a trophy like that on Saturday.”

Pletcher will have three chances to capture his fourth win in the Belmont, led by GI Curlin Florida Derby winner and Kentucky Derby ninth Known Agenda (Curlin). Irad Ortiz, Jr., booked to ride the St Elias Stable homebred, went down in a spill on Friday's card and will be sidelined for two weeks. A replacement rider for Known Agenda has yet to be named.

Pletcher will also saddle longshots Bourbonic (Bernardini) and Overtook (Curlin). The former followed a narrow upset in the GII Wood Memorial S. with a 13th-place finish in the Derby. Overtook, a $1-million KEESEP yearling, enters off a third-place finish in the local prep GIII Peter Pan S.

Never a factor after getting wiped out at the start in the Derby, GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) looks to atone for his 17th-place finish as the 9-2 second choice. The Hronis Racing and Michael Talla colorbearer appears to be the controlling speed, with a better break this time, of course.

“We always thought the longer the better for him,” trainer John Sadler said. “He's come back and done real well since the Derby. We think he can run a long way. He's got Candy Ride on top and with him being out of an Empire Maker mare, he's got the stamina to go the distance.”

Japan's France Go de Ina (Will Take Charge), sixth after a slow start in the G2 UAE Derby Mar. 27 and seventh in the Preakness, rounds out the field of eight. A $1-million bonus–offered to the connections of any Japan-based horse who wins the Belmont– will be on the line.

A year after being conducted spectator-free, around one turn at 1 1/8 miles and as the first race of the Triple Crown on the third Saturday in June, sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 80s will greet a capped crowd of approximately 11,000 for Saturday's loaded 13-race program.

The card features eight Grade I contests, including the prestigious GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H. Post time for the Belmont is 6:49 p.m. ET. NBC will have live coverage beginning at 5 p.m.

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Last year none of the Oregon fairs raced because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The state's lone commercial track, Grants Pass Downs, has been in action since May 10, and meets are to follow at Eastern Oregon Livestock Show in Union (June 11-13), Crooked River Roundup in Prineville (July 14-17), and Tillamook County Fair in Tillamook (Aug. 11-14).

ORC executive director Jack McGrail said that as coronavirus restrictions ease, those venues could be racing in front of full-capacity crowds by the summer.

Jordon Bennett, the fair manager for Harney County, thanked commissioners for the work they had put into trying to get Harney up and running, including by providing the fairs circuit tracks with additional operations funding. As of last month's ORC meeting, Harney had intended to race in 2021.

In turn, commission members thanked Bennett for his candid remarks on how Harney can do better next year.

“I feel as if horse racing here has been kind of haphazard,” Bennett admitted to the board. “We haven't given our full effort, which is something I'm trying to work on. So we're trying to get all of our ducks in a row for 2022…. We're committed. We just want to make sure we do it right.”

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This, of course, wasn't the case last year, far from it, as the COVID-19 pandemic turned the world upside down and forced both the GI Kentucky Oaks and Derby to be held spectator-free over Labor Day weekend.

Masks, temperature checks and social distancing are more of the norm these days as limited crowds of between 40,000-50,000 (40-50% reserved seating, 60% premium dining areas and 25-30% infield) have been welcomed back beneath the Twin Spires.

Last year's Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox will look to become the first native of Louisville to saddle a Derby winner.

He has unbeaten 2-year-old champion and 2-1 morning-line favorite Essential Quality (Tapit) as well as Mandaloun (Into Mischief). The latter, despite a no-show in his final prep in the GII Louisiana Derby, has become a bit of a talking horse on the Churchill backstretch leading up to the main event.

Redemption for jockey Luis Saez? Disqualified from first for causing interference aboard Maximum Security in 2019, Saez has the call aboard Essential Quality.

Chad Brown has been in good form as he prepares the very live GII Blue Grass S. runner-up Highly Motivated (Into Mischief), beaten just a neck by Essential Quality. Looking for his first win in the Derby, Brown asked to sit next to Hall of Famer Bob Baffert at the Kentucky Derby Trainers' Dinner for some advice.

“I've been working him over there all night and I finally cracked him,” Brown said at the event. “He leaned over to me and said, 'If you want to win the Derby, you're best chance is, you got to sneak into Churchill Friday night and put grass seed all over the main track.' He actually didn't say that, but it's something he would say!”

Baffert, currently tied with Ben Jones for the most Kentucky Derby victories with six, will be represented by the overachieving GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby runner-up Medina Spirit (Protonico). The GIII Robert B. Lewis S. winner, just a $1,000 OBSWIN yearling, brought a mere $35,000 as an OBSOPN juvenile.

The unbeaten Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}), meanwhile, figures to go off as the race's second choice. He will look to emulate unbeaten Derby winners Big Brown and Barbaro, who also kicked off their careers on grass.

Two-time Kentucky Derby winning-trainer Todd Pletcher will saddle four–GI Curlin Florida Derby winner Known Agenda (Curlin); GII Wood Memorial S. one-two Bourbonic (Bernardini) and Dynamic One (Union Rags); and GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks second Sainthood (Mshawish). There's been plenty of talk about Known Agenda drawing the rail, but we'll see how much of factor it is with the new 20-horse starting gate, which debuted in 2020.

Who's made the best physical appearance during training hours? Mandaloun, as previously noted, the stunning gray Soup and Sandwich (Into Mischief) and Rock Your World are certainly right at the top of the list.

As far as getting over the surface, Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow), Known Agenda and Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) were all traveling very nicely during their morning preparations.

In case you missed it, the aforementioned GII Louisiana Derby winner Hot Rod Charlie has been sporting a special blanket honoring the late Jake Panus, who passed away at 16 last August when he was a passenger in a car involved in a DUI accident. The blanket features a University of South Carolina logo to help spread awareness for The Jake Panus Walk-on Football Endowed Scholarship. Donations to the scholarship fund can be made here: https://donate.sc.edu/JakePanusScholarship.

The supporting cast on the Kentucky Derby undercard includes: the GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic, GI Churchill Downs S., GI Derby City Distaff S. and three other graded races.

Saturday's Kentucky Derby coverage begins at 12:00 p.m. ET on NBCSN. The action shifts to NBC Sports at 2:30 p.m. ET for a live five-hour telecast. Post time for the Derby is 6:57 p.m. ET.

Happy Derby!

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With a forecast calling for sunny skies and temperatures in the low 70s, the GI Kentucky Oaks returns to its traditional spot on the calendar Friday.

While last year's delayed GI Kentucky Derby and Oaks were both conducted spectator-free over Labor Day weekend due to the COVID-19 pandemic, limited crowds of between 40,000-50,000–health and safety protocols in place and all-are expected to be on hand at Churchill Downs this weekend.

Following the withdrawal of Ava's Grace (Laoban) earlier this week, a field of 13 sophomore fillies will line up, headed by undefeated 'TDN Rising Star' Malathaat (Curlin). The Shadwell Stable colorbearer and $1.05-million KEESEP graduate punched her ticket to Louisville for Todd Pletcher just getting up for a narrow victory over Pass the Champagne (Flatter) in the GI Central Bank Ashland S. at Keeneland Apr. 3.

Malathaat, the 5-2 favorite on the Oaks morning line, is a daughter of the brilliant Dreaming of Julia (A.P. Indy), who finished a troubled fourth as the favorite in the 2013 Oaks.

The aforementioned lightly raced Pass the Champagne has made a nice appearance during the special training session reserved for Derby and Oaks runners this week for the husband-and-wife team of George Weaver and Cindy Hutter. Aboard his stable pony, Weaver has accompanied Pass the Champagne to the track while his other half is in the irons aboard the chestnut.

Like Malathaat, Search Results (Flatter) also heads to the Oaks with an unblemished record. The Klaravich Stables representative made it a perfect three-for-three for Chad Brown with a good-looking score in Aqueduct's GIII Gazelle S. Apr. 3.

'TDN Rising Star' Travel Column (Frosted) and Clairiere (Curlin) will renew their rivalry once again with the former currently holding a 2-1 advantage. Travel Column got the better of Clairiere in the GII Golden Rod S. Nov. 28 as well as the GII Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks last time Mar. 20. Clairiere defeated Travel Column by a neck in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. Feb. 13, respectively.

In addition to Travel Column, two-time Oaks winning-trainer Brad Cox, represented by last year's upsetter Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil), will also saddle longshot Coach (Commissioner). Cox, of course, also trains the favorite for Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby, unbeaten 2-year-old champion Essential Quality (Tapit).

Juddmonte homebred Millefeuille (Curlin) wasn't done any favors drawing wide in post 14 (she'll move in a slot), but is another who has caught the eye during training hours beneath the Twin Spires this week. She was second behind Crazy Beautiful (Liam's Map) after leading in the stretch in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks Mar. 27.

Friday's loaded Oaks program also features: the popular Maxfield (Street Sense) in the GII Alysheba S.; returning GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine and 'TDN Rising Star' Aunt Pearl (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) in the GII Edgewood S.; last year's Oaks heroine Shedaresthedevil in the GI La Troienne S.; GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Dayoutoftheoffice (Into Mischief) in the GII Eight Belles S.; and a field of 11 for the GII Twin Spires Turf Sprint S.

Six hours of live Kentucky Oaks coverage begins Friday at 12 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

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Average daily handle over the 11 days of live racing was $7,765,368, an 11.5% increase over 2019, when average daily handle over the 12 days of live racing was $6,964,947.

The 2020 spring meet at Aqueduct Racetrack was canceled in its entirety due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In accordance with New York State guidelines instituted to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, the 2021 Aqueduct spring meet was conducted without spectators and with only a limited number of owners and essential employees in attendance.

On-track handle, which includes wagering from New York residents utilizing NYRA Bets, was $5,734,531 compared to $9,987,247 in 2019.

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