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NTRA CEO Alex Waldrop Joins TDN Writers’ Room

There's plenty to talk about in racing these days, and NTRA CEO Alex Waldrop joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland Wednesday morning to dig into a good deal of the sport's most pressing topics. Calling in via Zoom as the Green Group Guest of the Week, Waldrop talked about how to capitalize and sustain the positive handle trends of the past year, how to pay for the groundbreaking Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, what movement he expects on H-2B visas with a new administration and more.

“Looking back over the last quarter and even the last half of last year, we were trending five, six, seven percent up over the prior year,” Waldrop said of the increase in handle the sport has seen. “So those trends are very positive. I do think they are related to the fact that new people are coming into the business. They're seeing horse racing as a viable option for the first time. I think that is attributable to a lot of the marketing dollars that were spent in 2020 to get eyeballs on our racing for the first time. And I think that's the way we keep this going. We continue to show our races on television, get more people in front of TV sets, mobile screens, all the distribution channels that we have out there, which are many now and are growing. That's the way to continue to grow.”

“Another way that I think we have to look at in 2021 is to get on more sports betting platforms,” he continued. “Sports betting is spreading across the country. It's a huge and growing business. If we can just get 5% of the number of people who are now betting on these mobile sports betting apps, that would be a huge win for horse racing. And I think in 2021, this is the year to really focus on what we can do to to piggyback on the success of sports betting in this country. To grow our visibility even greater.”

Asked about the tricky issue of funding HISA, Waldrop said that replacing the inefficiencies of racing's current patchwork regulation system will lead to savings on its own.

“HISA and the Authority, is all about centralizing the administration of medication control and racing safety matters. Putting it into one office. There will be significant savings. There'll be efficiencies when you compare costs that we now have for 30 state agencies,” he said. “I think 10 years ago we were spending almost $30 million a year on post race drug testing. That's an astronomical number. I don't think people realized we were spending that much money on drug testing. We're spending more than that now under the 30 state agencies. The second thing to remember is that HISA contemplates a broader-based and more equitable contribution from all industry participants, so not just one group or one tax will be paying for the costs of regulation.”

Elsewhere on the show, the writers reacted to a strong weekend of stakes at Fair Grounds, highlighted some key points from last week's exclusive interview with USADA CEO Travis Tygart and, in the West Point Thoroughbreds news segment, analyzed the passage of a historical horse racing legalization bill in the Kentucky House of Representatives. Click here to watch the podcast; click here for the audio-only version.

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Fincher Looks To Oaklawn, Santa Anita Preps For Late-Running Senor Buscador

Fifth as the second-favorite in last weekend's Grade 2 Risen Star at the Fair Grounds, the late-running Senor Buscador will be aimed toward another Kentucky Derby prep race at at different track. Trainer Todd Fincher told drf.com that the 3-year-old son of Mineshaft, winner of the Remington Springboard Mile in just his second career start, needs a pace setup and track surface that suit his closing style.

“I think he ran a way better race than it looks on paper,” Fincher told drf.com. “He made a big burst in the turn. The way everything was playing it was death to him. Watching all day, nothing closed, really. And the pace wasn't fast to begin with. Everything was against him. When you've got a horse like him, things have to go your way.”

Options on the table for the Joe Peacock homebred include the G2 Rebel at Oaklawn Park on March 13 and the G1 Santa Anita Derby on April 3.

Speedy Elle Z Takes Off-The-Turf Edition Of Mardi Gras Stakes

There were no fans in the stands, the temperatures were frigid, and beads were scarce, but as always, the traditional Fat Tuesday card at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots was highlighted by the 78th running of the Mardi Gras Stakes, and M Bar O's Elle Z turned it into a one-horse show.

With an abundance of rain in the days leading up and record-low temperatures on Tuesday, there was little doubt the Mardi Gras would be taken off the grass. Run over 5 ½ furlongs of fast track, only four of the 10 programmed runners stayed in, and the race was over almost as soon as it started.

With Mitchell Murrill aboard for trainer Chris Hartman, who was stranded in Hot Springs, Arkansas due to the wintery conditions there, the 4-year-old daughter of City Zip wasted no time going to the lead. She led while in the clear through fractions of 23.07 and 45.95 before stopping the timer in 1:03.81, winning by an increasing 4 lengths as the 2.30-1 second choice. Compromised slightly by an awkward start from the rail, .70-1 favorite Into Mystic rallied late for second over She's My Gem in third. Misty Day completed the order of finish.

“Yeah man, she's just one dimension,” Murrill said. “She goes out there and gives it 110% every time. Being a little match race as it was, I was a little iffy as to what (favored) Into Mystic was going to do. As it turned out, it worked in my favor getting out on the lead and stretching them out a little bit and she came through for us. Working her in the mornings you couldn't tell she was a turf horse at all. She definitely has a style that suits both surfaces.”

The 13-1 upset winner of the Pan Zareta while sprinting on turf earlier in the meet, Elle Z would return to finish second behind Into Mystic under similar circumstances in the Nelson J. Menard last time out. They've made up the exacta three times at the meet, with Elle Z now holding a 2-1 advantage over Into Mystic.

Elle Z broke her maiden at first asking in the slop at Will Rogers Downs in May, but she faded to fourth at Churchill in her only previous try on a fast track. With the win, Elle Z enhanced her career record to 9-5-1-0 with earnings of $195,524.

“Mardi Gras is a little different this year,” Murrill said. “Hopefully next year we can have all the people out here and celebrate the way you're supposed to.”

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Mardi Gras Stakes Highlights Fair Grounds’ Fat Tuesday Card

If trainer Chris Hartman had his way, the $75,000 Mardi Gras would be run over the Stall-Wilson Turf Course. But if you've been in New Orleans the past week, you know Mother Nature hasn't been too cooperative with afternoon plans at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Regardless, Hartman's Elle Z figures to be in front from the opening bell in the $75,000 Mardi Gras, which is scheduled for 5 ½ furlongs on the turf, and is once again the centerpiece on the Fat Tuesday nine-race card.

M Bar O's Elle Z (post 2 at 7-2 on Mike Diliberto's morning line with Mitchell Murrill) has been a blur early in a pair of turf stakes at the meet, wiring the Pan Zareta in December and leading early before finishing second to fellow rival Into Mystic in the January 9 Nelson J. Menard Memorial. The 4-year-old daughter of City Zip has run just twice on the main track, but one of those was a win in her debut in the slop at Will Rogers Downs in May of 2020. Elle Z is 4-for-8 lifetime and Hartman knows, whether it's turf or dirt, he won't have to look too hard to find Elle Z.

“She's going to be on the lead regardless,” Hartman said. “Either way (turf or dirt), unless something crazy happens, she's the fastest one in there. I'd prefer turf but it is what it is.”

George Chris Coleman and Brad King's Into Mystic (post 1 at 9-5 with Adam Beschizza) turned the tables on Elle Z in the Menard after running second to her in the Pan Zareta. The 5-year-old daughter of Into Mischief has been one of the better filly and mare turf sprinters in the country over the past year for trainer Brandan Walsh, though she too has proven main track form. Into Mystic is 4-for-10 on the dirt, and would likely still be favored should she start if the Mardi Gras is moved off the turf.

Two Delta Downs invaders with proven main track stakes form could be potential upsetters, as Dale F. Taylor Racing's She's My Gem (post 7 at 15-1 with James Graham) won the Orleans January 5 for trainer Todd Fincher, while Misty Day (post 10 at 20-1 with Dean Saenz) was 3 lengths behind in second for trainer Victor Arceneaux. The former, a 5 -year-old daughter of Into Mischief who has never tried the turf, is 9-4-4-0 in her career, while the latter, a 4-year-old daughter of Race Day, is 4-for-8 and won an optional-claimer at Delta on the dirt two-back by 5 ¼ lengths.

Lothenbach Stables' Winning Envelope (post 5 at 10-1 with Marcelino Pedroza) was third in the Pan Zareta and fourth in the Menard for trainer Chris Block but the 5-year-old daughter of More Than Ready is just 0-for-1 on the main track, while Change of Control (post 6 at 12-1 with Colby Hernandez) was third in the Menard for trainer Michelle Lovell but is just 1-for-8 on the main track.

With the Mardi Gras potentially coming off the turf, trainer Al Stall Jr. indicated Bal Mar Equine's In Good Spirits (post 9 at 8-1 with Miguel Mena) would scratch, while Dalika (Ger) (post 3 at 6-1 with Gerard Melancon) won Saturday's Albert M. Stall Memorial for the same connections. Lothenbach Stables' homebred Ready for Change (post 4 at 10-1 with Florent Geroux) is going to scratch to run in an optional-claimer here February 20 according to trainer Neil Pessin. CJ Thoroughbreds' stable manage C. J. Johnsen indicated that the Mark Casse-trained Jeanie B (GB) (post 8 at 8-1 with Brian Hernandez Jr.) will also scratch if the race comes off the grass.

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