Tag: Del Mar

Del Mar Boosts Fall Meet Overnight Purses 20%

Del Mar's eighth fall meeting–starting Wednesday, Nov. 3–will offer horsemen/women a 20% blended raise in overnight purses compared to last year, as well as a continuation of the popular 'Ship & Win' program that has amplified field size and year-round horse population at the track and in the state, Del Mar announced Tuesday.

The 15-day stand, which will run through Sunday, Nov. 28, includes the 38th edition of the Breeders' Cup World Championships Friday, Nov. 5 and Saturday, Nov. 6.

“Our summer meet was extraordinary on all fronts,” said track vice president and racing secretary David Jerkens. “Our racing was just about the best we've ever seen here and our 'Ship & Win' program continues to give Del Mar–and California racing–a tremendous boost.”

Among the all-inclusive increases in purse values during the upcoming four-week session will be the following:

  • Maiden Special Weight races jump from $57,000 to $70,000.
  • First-level allowance races rise from $59,000 to $72,000.
  • $16,000 claimers will now race for $30,000 instead of $26,000.

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Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Returns To NBC Sports This Weekend

The “Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In – presented by America's Best Racing” will be at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto for two live  programs of outstanding turf racing on Saturday, Sept. 18 on NBCSN (5:30-6:30 p.m. ET) ― featuring the $1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile (G1) ― and on Sunday, Sept. 19 on NBCSN (4:30-6 p.m. ET), headlined by the $400,000 Natalma Stakes (G1) and the $400,000 Summer Stakes (G1).

This weekend's programs mark the seventh and eighth telecasts this year in the “Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In – presented by America's Best Racing” on NBC and NBCSN from some of North America's most iconic racetracks. The series leads to the 38th Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, on Nov. 5-6, which will be shown live on NBC and NBCSN. The complete series TV schedule can be accessed here.

NBC Sports' coverage will feature commentary and discussion from its International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn., led by host Britney Eurton, and analysts Randy Moss and Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey, who won 15 Breeders' Cup races including five victories in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Reporter Nick Luck and handicapper Matt Bernier will be on-site at Woodbine.

Additional highlights of NBC Sports' coverage include:

  • The first live race on Saturday's show is the prestigious Pattison Canadian International
  • Saturday's show will include a feature on Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse
  • Sunday's show will feature an interview with celebrity chef Bobby Flay, the owner and breeder of Pizza Bianca, who runs in Sunday's Natalma Stakes

A field of 10 has been entered in the 25th Ricoh Woodbine Mile, which will give the winner a free berth into the $2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile presented by PDJF (G1). The race is led by Juddmonte's 5-year-old gelding Set Piece (GB), trained by Brad Cox. A talented stretch-runner, Set Piece reeled off three straight victories at Churchill Downs earlier this year, taking the Opening Verse Stakes in April, the Douglas Park Stakes in May, and the Wise Dan Stakes (G2) in June. His streak ended with a second-place finish behind Got Stormy in the Fourstardave Handicap (G1) at Saratoga on Aug. 14, which was also a “Win and You're In” for the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile.

Peter Brant's Raging Bull (FR) had a big chance in the 2019 Woodbine Mile, but was impeded in the stretch. He finished fourth but was moved up to third via disqualification. Trained by Chad Brown, Raging Bull has a Grade 1 win this year, taking the Maker's Mark Mile Stakes at Keeneland in April. He will try to rebound from a lackluster performance in the Fourstardave, where he did not accelerate in the final furlong and wound up sixth as the even-money favorite.

The Canadian-based starters are led by Live Oak Plantation's March to the Arch and Gary Barber's Olympic Runner. Both are trained by Mark Casse, who has been inducted into both the Canadian and American Racing Halls of Fame. March to the Arch finished second in last year's race, losing by 1 length after a powerful drive in the stretch came up short. This year, the 5-year-old won the Niagara Stakes over the Woodbine course on July 25, and was recently third in the King Edward Stakes (G3) on Aug. 15. Olympic Runner won the King Edward for his fifth career score. He finished second at Woodbine in the Connaught Cup (G2) prior to the King Edward.

Casse has also entered John Oxley and My Meadowview Farm's 6-year-old Ride a Comet, who has eight wins in 17 races, and is unbeaten in all four of his starts at Woodbine. Racing in the U.S. this year, Ride a Comet has one win in five starts, and was third behind Set Piece in the Wise Dan Stakes.

Clipper Logistics' Space Traveller (GB) will be making his second start in the U.S. this year for trainer Brendan Walsh, after 19 races in the care of Richard Fahey. The 5-year-old Space Traveller rallied well to finish fourth in the Mr. D. Stakes (G1) at Arlington Park on Aug. 14. In 2019, Space Traveller finished eighth in the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (G1).

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On Sunday, the 1-mile Natalma Stakes for 2-year-old fillies will award an automatic starting position into the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), and the 1-mile Summer Stakes for 2-year-olds will offer a free berth into the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).

Mark Casse has entered four runners in the Natalma, led by D.J. Stable and Nexus Racing Club's undefeated Diabolic (IRE). After breaking her maiden in May at Gulfstream Park, Diabolic won her last two starts at Woodbine, taking the 5 ½-furlong My Dear Stakes on July 31 on the all-weather surface, and the 6 ½-furlong Catch a Glimpse Stakes on Aug. 21 on the turf course. Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber's Canadian-bred Baksheesh broke her maiden by 4-lengths when she won the Muskoka Stakes at Woodbine on Aug. 29 on the all-weather surface.

Godolphin's Wild Beauty GB) has won two races in England this year for trainer Charlie Appleby. After breaking her maiden and winning a novice race, Wild Beauty comes into the Natalma off two-second place finishes, the most recent one being a 1-length defeat as the 5-2 favorite in the Sweet Solera Stakes (G3) on Aug. 7 at Newmarket.

Casse has also entered four starters in the Summer Stakes. His best chance appears to be with Harlequin Ranches' Canadian-bred First Empire, a son of 2016 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner, Classic Empire, out of Silsita by 2000 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Macho Uno. First Empire has two wins in three starts, with a 1 ¾-length victory last time out in the Soaring Free Stakes at Woodbine on Aug 21.

Godolphin's Albahr (GB) has won his last three races in England, and each time as the odds-on favorite. Also trained by Appleby, in his most recent start, Albahr captured the 1-mile EBF Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury by three-quarters of length on Aug. 20. The American runners are led by West Point Thoroughbreds, John Ballantyne, and Titletown Racing Stables' Dripping Gold.  A son of Lemon Drop Kid, Dripping Gold was an impressive debut winner at Saratoga on Aug. 7, taking a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight by 2 ¼ lengths for trainer Shug McGaughey.

The post Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Returns To NBC Sports This Weekend appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Shear, Smith, Shulman, Byk Named 2021 NTWAB Award Winners

John Shear, who retired from his post as Santa Anita Park's paddock guard this year at age 100, will be honored along with retired Del Mar publicist Dan Smith, Turf writer Lenny Shulman and radio personality Steve Byk during the National Turf Writers And Broadcasters' 61st annual Awards Dinner Wednesday, Nov. 3.

The NTWAB Awards Dinner is the organization's only fundraiser and a portion of the proceeds of the event are used toward scholarships for prospective racing journalists and to support other Thoroughbred industry charities. The NTWAB Awards Dinner returns to its traditional date on the Breeders' Cup Week calendar after a one-year hiatus and will be held at the iconic Brigantine Seafood and Oyster Bar in Del Mar, California.

Shear will be honored with the Mr. Fitz Award for “typifying the spirit of racing”. During his time with Santa Anita, Shear was entrusted with keeping horses and patrons safe, and famously risked his life in that endeavor 10 years ago at age 90 to put his 5-foot, 115-pound body between a loose horse and a child–resulting in multiple fractures. He was one of the most recognizable employees at Santa Anita and worked as a paddock guard for nearly 60 years, retiring this past summer.

Smith, who served more than 40 years as full-time director of media relations at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, will be honored with the Joe Palmer Award for meritorious service to racing. Smith was at the forefront of Del Mar's innovations that attracted new fans and enhanced the experience of traditional customers, while always putting the racing product front and center. Prior to his career in media relations, Smith covered racing and other sports for the Los Angeles Times. Prior to his retirement in 2021, the Dan Smith Press Box was christened at Del Mar.

Shulman, the features editor at BloodHorse magazine for 20 years and the author of four books including “Justify: 111 Days to Triple Crown Glory,” will be honored with the Walter Haight Award for career excellence in Turf writing. Shulman also wrote “Ride of Their Lives,” a look at the troubled lives of some jockeys, and two novels, “Long Way From Home” and “Points.”

Byk, the host of the popular “At the Races with Steve Byk” show on SiriusXM, will be honored with the Jim McKay Award for career excellence in broadcasting. Byk's five-day-a-week news magazine has become a must-listen for many industry participants and fans. Byk began writing about racing in 2002, eventually developing DerbyTrail.com. He joined 'At the Races and Beyond' on Sirius in 2005 and took over the show in 2007.

Tickets for the NTWAB Awards Dinner, which can be purchased through EventBrite, are $80 for NTWAB members and Breeders' Cup credentialed media and $100 for non-members and guests. Invitations will be mailed to NTWAB members, and non-members can request an invitation by contacting Jessie Oswald at jboswald68@gmail.com.

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2022 CA Race Dates Include April Break at Santa Anita, Del Mar Racing Past Labor Day

The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) on Wednesday unanimously approved a 2022 race dates schedule that looks similar to this year's version, with two significant tweaks: 1) Santa Anita Park will take a mid-April break in the midst of its six-month meet; 2) Del Mar Thoroughbred Club (DMTC) will have a summer-meet closing date of Sept. 11, a departure from tradition that will extend the meet six days beyond Labor Day.

The dates allotment was unanimously approved at the Sept. 15 CHRB meeting. The process itself was surprisingly streamlined and without controversy compared to the contentious annual calendars put together in the back half of the 2010s decade, when both commercial and county fair tracks routinely battled each other and the CHRB over choice dates while the arguing often dragged on for months.

Nate Newby, Santa Anita's senior vice president and general manager, said his track is a willing participant in the CHRB's proposal for it to go dark for the three racing dates on the weekend that follows the GI Santa Anita Derby.

Santa Anita (32 weeks of racing, the same as in 2021) will also have the option of staying closed for another “flex week” after that that will be dependent on weather, the condition of the turf course, and field sizes.

“We're hearing the [positive] feedback from basically all of the stakeholders and we support [the scheduled time off], not only to give the horses and horsemen a little bit of a break during a six-month meet, [but to] reset the horse population,” Newby said. “It also gives us a chance to do our turf course maintenance, which our team really needs to do.”

Given Santa Anita's now-customary Friday-through-Sunday race week, that would mean scheduling a dark weekend Apr. 15-17 with the flex week option involving Apr. 22-24. Including the in-between weekdays that are normally dark dates anyway, that could mean a gap in the racing schedule that extends from Monday, Apr. 11 through Thursday, Apr. 28.

“Our thought there is if we had quite a bit of rain in February and had to cancel some days and the horse population was built up and horsemen needed opportunities to run and the turf course was in good shape, then we'd look at running [Apr. 22-24],” Newby said. “But if it was a dry winter/spring we'd probably look at taking two weekends off.”

Del Mar will still be running an eight-week meet in 2022. But even though its dates allocation begins July 13, opening day won't be until July 22 because of a calendar quirk related to the San Diego County Fair, which annually precedes the race meet at the same venue.

The CHRB awards race dates in Wednesday-Tuesday weekly blocks to determine simulcasting privileges, so Del Mar will take that first week as “dark,” thus creating a 10-day cushion of no SoCal racing leading into its meet.

In a letter to the CHRB that was included in the meeting packet, Del Mar president Josh Rubinstein wrote that, “Due to the way the calendar falls in 2022, the timeline of the San Diego County Fair and track maintenance scheduling to provide for the safest racing and training environment, DMTC will need to begin racing a week later as compared to 2021. This also will result in our summer meet running the week after Labor Day.”

The 2022 SoCal schedule will be as follows (again, the dates allocations are in blocks, with actual race dates to be approved by the CHRB just prior to each meet):

Santa Anita–Dec. 15, 2021 to June 21, 2022
Los Alamitos–June 22 to July 12
Del Mar–July 13 to Sept. 13
Los Alamitos–Sept. 14 to 27
Santa Anita–Sept. 28 to Nov. 8
Del Mar–Nov. 9 to Dec. 6
Los Alamitos–Dec. 7 to 20

The 2022 NorCal schedule will be as follows:

Golden Gate–Dec. 22, 2021 to June 7, 2022
Pleasanton–June 8 to July 5
Cal Expo–July 6 to 26
Santa Rosa–July 27 to Aug. 9
Ferndale–Aug. 10 to 23 (week overlap with Golden Gate)
Golden Gate–Aug. 17 to Oct. 4
Fresno–Oct. 5 to 18
Golden Gate–Oct. 19 to Dec. 20

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