Tag: Horse Racing

Del Mar Live: Televised, Online Opportunities For Seaside Racing Fans In 2020

They're calling it the next-best-thing-to-being-there when it comes to the races at Del Mar this summer. It's “Del Mar Live” – “From your #HomeTurfClub.”

Though the track plans to run its 2020 summer season with an empty grandstand, televised and online racing opportunities will abound for Del Mar racing fans in shared and exciting environments all around San Diego.

More than 20 local restaurants, hotels and a casino have signed on to be part of “Live,” which will launch when the track begins running this Friday (July 10).

Those locations will offer a full scope of their unique foods and libations, notably the Del Mar signature drinks – the Del Margarita and the Del Martini. Also, they'll be presenting special sign-up betting propositions from TVG – the nation's foremost racing channel and advanced deposit wagering site – with a chance to be part of the action for fans, families and friends.

And that Opening Day jewel – this year's 26th edition of the Opening Day Hats Contest – will strut on stage via Instagram and Twitter for all to see with a panel of celebrity judges ready to declare the 2020 winner of a fashion statement that has become one of Del Mar's most sought-after honors.

The television connection for “Del Mar Live” consists of the TVG Network, DirecTV 602, Dish Network 399, AT&T U-verse 672 (SD) 1671 (HD) and Verizon FiOS 315 (SD) 815 (HD). Additionally, races can be seen on the TVG app.

The location lineup for “Live” includes many establishments in the immediate area of the seaside oval, among them Brigantine Del Mar, Red Tracton's, Truluck's, Jake's Del Mar, Tony's Jacal, Pizza Port (four locations), Fidel's Little Mexico and Jimmy O's. Also on the roster are a pair of popular hotels – the Del Mar Hilton across the street from the track and Pendry San Diego, the boutique hotel in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter. An added starter in the mix is Sycuan Resort and Casino, which will be offering a Del Mar experience complete with guest handicappers, a dedicated area for TVG watch and wagering and a handicapping tournament where the winner can earn two VIP tickets to the 2021 Breeders' Cup World Championship.

Each “Live” location will be offering many TV screens to view the day's 10-race card, the Del Mar drink specials and colorful Del Mar/TVG coasters for all. Fans can watch the majestic Thoroughbreds do their thing and be part of the sporting activity by wagering on their TVG app or at TVG.com.

The Opening Day Hats Contest is available to all who forward pictures using the hashtag #DelMarHatsContest and tagging @DelMarRacing in the photo. The Instagram location is www.instagram.com and the Twitter access is at www.twitter.com and they accept entries anytime on July 10 up until 6 p.m. PST. The profile must be publicly accessible to be viewed and judged.

The grand prize winner gets two VIP tickets to the 2021 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar and a $500 gift certificate for Christine A. Moore Millinery. The total value of the prize is $1,500. Second-place finisher gets a $250 Studio Savvy Salon gift basket and a $250 gift certificate to Christine A. Moore Millinery. Third prize is a $250 gift certificate to Christine A. Moore Millinery and fourth is a $200 gift certificate to Studio Savvy Salon.

The “Hats” celebrity judges are Heather Lake (Fox 5), Lauren Phinney (KUSI), Ashley Jacobs (TV personality) and Deena Von Yokes (Studio Savvy).

Del Mar will race every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from July 10 up to and including Labor Day Monday, September 7. First post daily will be at 2 p.m.

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Maryland’s ‘Mayor Of The Backstretch’ Retiring After Six Decades In Horse Racing

Bobby Lillis, a longtime fixture in Maryland horse racing known as the “Mayor of the Backstretch,” is retiring after a career in the industry that has spanned six decades.

For the past 21 years, Lillis, 66, has served as Benefits and Benevolence Director for the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association. His focus has been on those who ensure that racehorses receive proper care seven days a week, year-round.

“I have always held backstretch and farm workers near and dear to my heart as I know firsthand the sacrifices that come with their jobs and environment,” Lillis said.

Lillis was 15 when he started working as a hot walker for trainer Bob Holthus and lived in a tack room at old Detroit Race Course in Livonia, Mich., in 1969. In 1972 he went to Sugar Hill Farm in Ocala, Fla., under the guidance of retired jockey Sherman Armstrong to learn how to break yearlings and become a jockey, which he did not long after.

Lillis worked at many East Coast racetracks and met his wife, Ruthanne, in 1975 at Monmouth Park in New Jersey. They moved to Maryland in 1976 because the state had four tracks and year-round racing at Bowie Race Course, Laurel Park, Pimlico Race Course and the Maryland State Fair at Timonium, and currently reside in Westminster in Carroll County.

“The horse racing industry is the only work I've known,” Lillis said. “It is an industry with countless career opportunities, and the trick is to see and take the opportunity when it presents itself,” Lillis said. “For me, it was taking a shot at being a jockey and then later a small-potatoes horse owner and breeder. For the last 21 years I have been Benefits Director, serving as an advocate for backstretch workers facing hardships and offering financial assistance to those in need with the help of funding of the Maryland Horsemen's Assistance Foundation and the MTHA.

“I want to thank you to all owners, trainers and racing fans—past and present. Because of their investments, hundreds of thousands of compassionate people who have a love for horses have employment and careers. I am very confident that our Maryland backstretch employees are left in good hands with in my coworkers.”

Lillis has been recognized over the years with various awards, most recently the Godolphin Thoroughbred Industry Community Award and the Maryland Horse Industry Board Touch of Class Award, both in 2019. He also garnered the Maryland Racing Media Association President's Award, the Maryland Jockey Club Circle of Excellence Award, the MTHA Outstanding Service to Maryland Horsemen Award and the Thoroughbred Charities of America Distinguished Service Award, and was the Honorary Postmaster at the Alibi Breakfast.

Though he is retiring, Lillis, who has helped educate many fans during the annual “Sunrise Tours” Preakness week at Pimlico, will not be a stranger at Maryland racetracks. He will continue to work for the MHAF Board of Directors.

“On a limited basis I will help the Maryland Horsemen's Assistance Foundation,” Lillis said. “I was asked to stay on through the end of the year while the organization determines its future. I will be at the racetrack periodically.”

The MTHA and those he has assisted thank Lillis for his many years of contributions to the Maryland racing industry.

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Economic Indicators: Pandemic, Derby Date Change Have Year-To-Date Wagering Down 10.88 Percent

Equibase, LLC released its monthly report on Economic Indicators in Thoroughbred Racing this Monday, June 6. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Equibase is currently providing monthly reporting of its Economic Indicators Advisories. The Advisory is typically disseminated on a quarterly basis to provide key metrics used to measure racing's performance throughout the year.

June's numbers show a slight increase in total wagering, up 0.76 percent over the same month in 2019, a small positive change as racing across the country has resumed in the past month.

Most tracks are operating without fans in attendance, though some have begun to allow a small number of fans and owners to attend racing or morning training.

Still, the numbers for the second quarter demonstrate the affect that the pandemic has had on the racing industry. The total wagering from April through June of 2020 is down 18.85 percent over the same three-month period of 2019; considering that the rescheduled Kentucky Derby was not included in that period this year, that difference is not as significant as it might otherwise seem.

Overall, year-to-date wagering has decreased 10.88 percent compared to the first six months of 2019.

Due to the cancellation of almost every major sporting event across the world, average wagering per race day showed a dramatic increase of 67.60 percent from April 2019 to April 2020. The average racing per race day in the second quarter is up 101.28 percent over the same period of 2019, while year-to-date average wagering per race day has increased 44.12 percent from the first four months of 2019 to the first four months of 2020.

June 2020 vs. June 2019
Indicator June 2020 June 2019 % Change
Wagering on U.S. Races* $998,448,300 $990,923,384 +0.76%
U.S. Purses $69,463,605 $115,194,834 -39.70%
U.S. Race Days 300 499 -39.88%
U.S. Races 2,485 3,905 -36.36%
U.S. Starts 20,146 27,726 -27.34%
Average Field Size 8.11 7.10 +14.18%
Average Wagering Per Race Day $3,328,161 $1,985,818 +67.60%
Average Purses Per Race Day $231,545 $230,851 +0.30%

2nd QTR 2020 vs. 2nd QTR 2019
Indicator 2nd QTR 2020 2nd QTR 2019 % Change
Wagering on U.S. Races* $2,546,352,350 $3,137,805,499 -18.85%
U.S. Purses $118,929,007 $316,882,492 -62.47%
U.S. Race Days 508 1,260 -59.68%
U.S. Races 4,290 10,167 -57.80%
U.S. Starts 36,101 73,409 -50.82%
Average Field Size 8.42 7.22 +16.55%
Average Wagering Per Race Day $5,012,505 $2,490,322 +101.28%
Average Purses Per Race Day $234,112 $251,494 -6.91%

YTD 2020 vs. YTD 2019
Indicator YTD 2020 YTD 2019 % Change
Wagering on U.S. Races* $5,055,522,519 $5,672,774,271 -10.88%
U.S. Purses $324,156,658 $544,002,132 -40.41%
U.S. Race Days 1,301 2,104 -38.17%
U.S. Races 10,906 17,457 -37.53%
U.S. Starts 88,074 130,239 -32.38%
Average Field Size 8.08 7.46 +8.25%
Average Wagering Per Race Day $3,885,874 $2,696,185 +44.12%
Average Purses Per Race Day $249,160 $258,556 -3.63%

 

* Includes worldwide commingled wagering on U.S. races.

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10-Year-Old Pay Any Price Prevails In Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint

Pay Any Price, the 10-year-old gelding owned by Averill Racing LLC and Matties Racing Stable LLC, held off a late rally by Ambassador Luna to win Sunday's $75,000 Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint by a nose over a 'good' turf course at Gulfstream Park.

A son of Wildcat Heir trained by Georgina Baxter, Pay Any Price has won 19 of 33 races, including nine stakes. The gelding won the Umphrey in 2017 and 2018, the Crystal River in 2018 and 2019, and was second in the Jim McKay Turf Sprint in 2017.

The win was especially pleasing to Baxter after Pay Any Price lost his three previous starts.

“This horse is amazing, isn't he?” Baxter said. “I know his last two runs were questionable but you can never write this horse off. You have to respect him every time he steps on the racetrack.

“He's special to me. He's special to everyone in the barn. He's 10 years old. His worst enemy is his attitude, but he's turned into be our best friend – the fact that he is so goofy and quirky. He's still so good and so fast and still running well at 10 years old.”

Pay Any Price popped out of the gate under jockey Edgard Zayas and set fractions of :21.84 and :44.03 before hitting the wire first. The gelding was bred in Florida by Brent and Crystal Fernung and has now won 16 of 24 starts at Gulfstream.

Earlier in the afternoon, GU Racing Stable LLC's Belle Laura split horses around the turn and drove to an impressive victory in Sunday's $60,000 In The Breeze, covering a good mile turf course in 1:35.32.

The 4-year-old daughter of Mucho Macho Man, facing 10 others, including six stakes winners, was fifth down the backstretch before moving between pacesetter Dangerous Curves and Rosa Star around the turn and then driving away to a 4 ½ length victory over Great Sister Diane. Midnight Soiree was third.

Belle Laura is now two-for-two this year under the shedrow of trainer Juan Avila and jockey Hector Berrios. The filly finished third in the Jessamine (G2) and seventh in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) as a 2-year-old, and third in the Herecomesthebride (G3) last year.

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