Kentucky Derby: Authentic beats favourite Tiz the Law to take victory
Authentic secures a dominant Kentucky Derby win as heavy favourite Tiz the Law finishes second at Churchill Downs.
Tag: Horse racing news
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 146th 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 147th 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.”
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Frontrunning Raymundos Secret Just Lasts In John C. Mabee
Going straight to the front at the outset under Flavien Prat and setting all the fractions, Sierra Racing and Sterling Stables LLC's Raymundos Secret reached the wire just in time to hold off a fast-finishing Lady Prancealot and Umberto Rispoli to win Saturday's Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes at Del Mar near San Diego, Calif., by a nose.
Catch the Eye was third and Zee Drop fourth in the field of eight fillies and mares going nine furlongs on turf. Raymundos Secret was timed in 1:48.60 on firm turf after fractions of :24.87, :48.60, 1:12.52 and 1:36.16 were posted.
Raymundos Secret was favored at 7-5 with Lady Prancealot the 8-5 second choice.
The victory was Prat's fourth of the afternoon, giving him 46 for the summer session in 25 days of racing. Rispoli, who was blanked on Saturday, has 45.
“The plan wasn't necessarily to go to the front; just to break her out of there and see what happens,” said Prat. “She broke super sharp and we were on the lead. From there I just tried to get her to relax and to slow it down as best as I could. Then when we went for home, she gave me a good kick. She just had enough at the end.”
The Mabee was Prat's 13th stakes success of the meet, equaling the record number set by Rafael Bejarano in 2012.
“It's a good accomplishment. I'm glad for it. I'm hoping I've got one or two more before we're done here, too.”
Trained by Phil D'Amato, Raymundos Secret earned her first black-type win in the Mabee and fifth win overall in seven starts. Bred in Florida by Edward Seltzer, Beverly Anderson and Joseph Barbazon, Raymundos Secret was produced from the Greatness mare, Paulette Caveat.
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Fourth Win In Vigil Pushes Canadian Icon Pink Lloyd Over $2-Million Mark
Canadian racing icon Pink Lloyd took the biggest slice of the pie and boosted his cash stash past the $2-million mark in career earnings with another winning effort in Grade 3 Vigil Stakes on Saturday, Sept. 5 at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.
Trained by Canadian Hall of Famer Robert Tiller, Pink Lloyd nearly matched his own track record on the Tapeta, sprinting six furlongs in 1:08.06. He came within one hundredth of a second of his mark while carrying 128 pounds.
Track announcer Robert Geller called it one of the best starts of his career as the popular chestnut gelding broke well from post seven with a head in front early. He settled into stalking position behind a quartet of early leavers before making his winning move on the final turn for Rafael Hernandez.
Pink Lloyd rallied home a clear winner with Olympic Runner, who finished a neck back in their last Grade 3 Bold Venture match-up, closing from the backfield for the runner-up honors once again.
City Boy, among the dueling front-runners through early fractions of :21.97 and :43.92, finished 1-1/2 lengths behind in third and just a half-length in front of Eskiminzin, Malibu Secret, Blind Ambition and Roaring Forties. Silent Jimmie and Not So Quiet completed the order of finish.
“He's so dear to my heart. We believe in him so much,” said Tiller, though admitting he was the most nervous he's been in a long time today. “He's going to get two months off now and he deserves it. We'll be back in the fall.”
Bred in Ontario by John Carey and owned by Entourage Stable, the gelded son of Old Forester is now four-for-four during his eight-year-old campaign and has won 26 of his 31 starts lifetime.
He previously reeled off 11 consecutive victories from 2017 into 2018, and is currently riding a 10-race win streak following a perfect season in 2019.
The newly minted double millionaire boasts a record four Vigil Stakes victories, six Sovereign Awards, and a total of 23 stakes wins among his accomplishments. Taking the $90,000 winner's share of the purse, he now has $2,066,330 in career earnings.
“I don't think you're going to find another horse like him again. He's a Canadian racing icon,” said Tiller. “This is a true, true champion. And I've said it many times, I just love him to death and he just keeps amazing me.”
Send postward as the 4-5 favourite, Pink Lloyd paid $3.80 to win.
Live Thoroughbred racing continues this long weekend at Woodbine, with post time set for 1 p.m. on both Sunday and Labour Day Monday.
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