Tag: Horseplayers

A mere seven hours after Prince of Monaco puts his undefeated record on the line in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, former U.S.-trained mare Princess Grace will chase Group 1 glory in Melbourne, Australia. On the same spectacular Flemington card (of nine graded stakes), Triple Crown winners American Pharoah and Justify are represented by two top chances in the G1 Victoria Derby. Sandwiched between those two events within a 40-minute power-packed window, Sydney hosts a race worth more than the Breeders' Cup Classic. The Golden Eagle has attracted horses from four Australian states plus Japan, England and New Zealand. The first of 10 races at Sydney's Rosehill Racecourse is at 9:10 p.m. Eastern (6:10 p.m. Pacific), with Melbourne's Flemington card kicking off ten minutes later, and will be broadcast live by FanDuel TV and Sky Racing World.

 The Golden Eagle

At Rosehill in Sydney, a purse of US$6.3 million makes the Golden Eagle richer than any Breeders' Cup race. The 7 1/2-furlong event for 4-year-olds (Race 8) was inaugurated in 2019 as a deterrent to the premature retirement of superior 3-year-olds. 10% of purse money will be donated to the owners' charity of choice. The field of 20 features form lines that are diverse and top class:

• Hawaii Five Oh (7-2) finished sixth of 12 in The Everest, the world's richest turf race.
• Amelia's Jewel (7-2) broke the track record for a mile at Melbourne's Moonee Valley Racecourse two starts ago.
• Star New Zealand mare Legarto (7-1) won her only previous race on Australian soil at the Group 1 level.
• Chris Waller adds blinkers to Kovalica (9-1), who's had consecutive unlucky trips; Osipenko (14-1); and Age of Kings (50-1), who makes his Australian debut after a Group 3 score at Royal Ascot.
• Obamburumai (11-1) has raced only five times and will represent Japan minus champion rider Yutaka Take, who was injured when kicked by a horse in Tokyo last weekend. Local jockey Josh Parr has inherited the mount and got acquainted during an impressive morning gallop, saying: “He's not overly big in stature, but makes up for that in his fluid galloping action and long stride.”

Rosehill's card also features a return bout between the Joe Pride-trained stablemates who finished first and third in The Everest. Think About It (4-5) and Private Eye (7-2) head Race 7, the Giga Kick Stakes.

The Flemington Group 1 Races

The Coolmore Stud Stakes (Race 6) will provide the exhilarating spectacle of 19 horses charging down Flemington's iconic straight six-furlong course. The Coolmore is a highly coveted “stallion-making” race for 3-year-olds, although the credentials of the favored runners are already such that this year's renewal might be more of a “stallion-enhancing race.” The trio atop the market filled the trifecta in last season's G1 Golden Slipper Stakes, whose US$3.15 million purse makes it the world's richest juvenile race (Prince of Monaco will be chasing a share of $2 million at Santa Anita). Golden Slipper winner Shinzo (6-1) will carry the sponsor's navy blue colors and is already guaranteed a lucrative breeding future with Coolmore; “Slipper” runner-up Cylinder (3-1 favorite) will carry a different shade of blue – the royal Godolphin variety; while third-placed King's Gambit is listed at 7-1.

The Victoria Derby (Race 7) will see a field of 16 compete at the demanding distance of 1 9/16 miles, which is just over a lap of the spacious Flemington layout. Derby wagering is headed by the Waller-trained Riff Rocket (6-5), who launched to the top of the future book with an explosive win two starts ago. Shockingly, he was edged out of his latest race as the 1-5 favorite (by Sunsets, who remains a 14-1 longshot to pull the same trick twice). Verdad (7-1) also finished second as favorite last start. In this instance, his conqueror, Apulia (7-2), has leap-frogged him in the market. Riff Rocket is a son of American Pharoah, while Verdad is by Justify.

Just as Grace Kelly left the U.S. for another country (marrying Rainier III, Prince of Monaco in 1956), her equine namesake left American shores after being purchased for $1.7 million last November. A five-time graded stakes winner with trainer Michael Stidham, Princess Grace transferred to champion Sydney conditioner Chris Waller and has gone exasperatingly close to a deserved Group 1 breakthrough. Her six Australian starts have yielded a Group 3 win, a pair of Group 2 placings and two close seconds (beaten a neck each time) at the elite Group 1 level. The “Princess of Monaco” is quoted at 7-1 for Friday night's Empire Rose Stakes (Race 8), at a mile for 16 fillies and mares.

The Rosehill card will be broadcast live on FanDuel TV this Friday night (First Post: 9:10 p.m. ET / 6:10 p.m. PT) alongside cards from Flemington, Newcastle and Eagle Farm. All races will be live-streamed in HD on the new Sky Racing World App, skyracingworld.com and major ADW platforms such as TVG, TwinSpires, Xpressbet, NYRABets, WatchandWager, HPIbet, FanDuel and AmWager. Wagering is also available via these ADW platforms. Fans can get free access to live-streaming, past performances, and expert picks on all races at skyracingworld.com.

About Michael Wrona

A native of Brisbane, Australia, Michael Wrona has called races in six countries. Michael's vast U.S. experience includes; race calling at Los Alamitos, Hollywood Park, Arlington and Santa Anita, calling the 2000 Preakness on a national radio network and the 2016 Breeders' Cup on the International simulcast network. Michael also performed a race call voiceover for a Seinfeld episode called The Subway.

The post Australia: Golden Purses and Group 1 Glory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager is set for its three-day run Tuesday through Thursday and features 40 betting interests, including recent Grade I winners Locked and Timberlake. Once again, the popular “All Other Colts and Geldings from the 2021 Foal Crop” not listed among the individual interests is expected to be the heavy favorite.

Wagering will begin Tuesday at noon (ET) and close Thursday at 6 p.m. in advance of the Breeders' Cup World Championships' Future Starts Friday. Like previous years, bettors can make $2 Win and Exacta bets.

The 15-1 individual favorite is Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm's Breeders' Futurity (GI) winner Locked. Trained by two-time Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Todd Pletcher, Locked is among the top interests in Friday's $2-million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita.

Here is the complete field with morning line odds: #1 Agate Road (99-1); #2 Agoo (99-1); #3 Air of Defiance (60-1); #4 Balta (99-1); #5 Be You (99-1); #6 Bentornato (99-1); #7 Bergen (99-1); #8 Billal (99-1); #9 Booth (60-1); #10 Catching Freedom (99-1); #11 Dancing Groom (99-1); #12 Domestic Product (99-1); #13 Dornoch (60-1); #14 Drum Roll Please (99-1); #15 Fierceness (99-1); #16 General Partner (80-1); #17 Generous Tipper (80-1); #18 Glengarry (99-1); #19 Informed Patriot (99-1); #20 Liberal Arts (60-1); #21 Lightline (99-1); #22 Locked (15-1); #23 Moonlight (80-1); #24 Nash (99-1); #25 Normandy Hero (99-1); #26 Otto The Conqueror (99-1); #27 Noted (99-1); #28 Nutella Fella (80-1); #29 Private Desire (50-1); #30 Raging Torrent (99-1); #31 Risk It (99-1); #32 Rocketeer (99-1); #33 Seize the Grey (99-1); #34 Stretch Ride (50-1); #35 Stronghold (99-1); #36 The Wine Steward (30-1); #37 Timberlake (20-1); #38 West Saratoga (80-1); #39 “All Fillies from the 2021 Foal Crop” (80-1); “All Other Colts and Geldings from the 2021 Foal Crop” (3-5).

In the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Locked will face Siena Farm and WinStar Farm's Champagne Stakes (G1) winner Timberlake who was tabbed at 20-1 in Pool 1. Trained by 2021 Kentucky Derby winning-conditioner Brad Cox, Timberlake jumped onto the Road to the Kentucky Derby with his 4 ¼ length victory four weeks ago in the Champagne.

In total, there are eight betting interests in Pool 1 who are trained by Cox: Air of Defiance (60-1); Bergen (99-1); Catching Freedom (99-1); Drum Roll Please (99-1); Lightline (99-1); Nash (99-1); Rocketeer (99-1), and Timberlake (20-1)

As was the case last year, Pool 1 will assume that horses under the care of trainers suspended from competing in the 2023 Kentucky Derby will not be under consideration. Instead, they will be included within the pari-mutuel field.

All told, there are six Future Wager pools scheduled in advance of the 2024 Kentucky Derby: Oct. 31-Nov. 2 (Pool 1); Nov. 23-26 (Pool 2); Jan. 19-21 (Pool 3); Feb. 16-18 (Pool 4); March 15-17 (Pool 5); April 4-6 (Pool 6). The Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager, which debuted in 2015 and requires bettors to wager on the winning sire for next year's Kentucky Derby winner, will be held concurrently with Pool 2. The lone Kentucky Oaks Future Wager will coincide with Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 5

There are no refunds in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. Should Churchill Downs officials determine during the duration of this week's four-day pool that one of the wagering interests has experienced an injury, illness or other circumstance that would prevent the horse from participating in the Kentucky Derby or Oaks, betting on the individual horse will be suspended immediately.

More information, Brisnet.com past performances and real-time odds on the Kentucky Derby Future Wager will be available before the pool opens Thursday online at https://www.kentuckyderby.com/wager/future-wager.

The post Grade 1 Winners Locked, Timberlake Top Individual Interests In KDFW Pool 1 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The Thoroughbred Idea Foundation (TIF) will sunset its active operations, announced its founder and chairman Craig Bernick.

TIF executive director Patrick Cummings has accepted a role leading the new National Thoroughbred Alliance (NTA), an initiative launched by Mike Repole.

“After more than five years of advocacy and successful improvements initiated through TIF and with Pat's progression to a new role, I thought now was an opportune time to wind down TIF's active work,” said Bernick.

“I can't say enough great things about Pat Cummings and how thankful I am that he agreed to come back from his work in Hong Kong, lead TIF, and accomplished as much as he has over these five years. We didn't have a blueprint but I am so proud of how it all turned out and wish he and Mike all the best in their new initiative. I have every expectation that it will be successful and improve the sport for all of its participants.

“It is important to preserve our papers and reports as a reference for the future, so we will maintain RacingThinkTank.com.”

TIF's advocacy began with a series of foundational white papers with the intention of driving awareness of four key issues – attention to pricing for bettors, rules evolution and transparency, modernizing wagering products and improved access to accurate information.

TIF's first paper, “Penny Breakage,” became the inspiration for Kentucky legislators to include a clause in a sweeping pari-mutuel taxation reform package which rounded down winning dividends to the penny, as opposed to the dime. Kentucky became the first state in America to adopt such a provision, which alone has yielded more than $7 million returned to winning horseplayers on Kentucky races in from its win, place and show pools alone since its implementation in July 2022.

In its second publication, “Changing the Rules,” TIF advocated for North American racing jurisdictions to adopt the internationally recognized interference philosophy known as “Category 1.” Oklahoma became the first to do so in September 2022 and has operated Thoroughbred racing since, without controversy or changes in riding, but a reduction in the number of demotions, over the last 13 months. An increase in transparent reporting around such incidents was also central to this topic and has become a reality in some states, led by Oklahoma's stewards.

Both topics, inspired by TIF's work and advocacy, were leading successes for the organization and more jurisdictions are actively considering following the leads of Kentucky and Oklahoma in these initiatives.

“Customers always decide the fate of businesses, and of course for any business to thrive, it has to present a product that is competitive on quality, price, and service,” Bernick said.

“Everything TIF has advocated for would make the horse business better for the sport's two optional participants – racehorse owners and horseplayers. The horse business will only survive if we attract these core participants – in what is now a strikingly more competitive landscape.”

TIF also pushed for modernization in racing's wagering and information businesses, advocating for the evolution of fixed odds options to complement pari-mutuel betting, a daily reality now for New Jersey-based horseplayers, as well as a pursuit for more affordable, modern options for racing data.

Myriad wagering issues were addressed, responded to, or resolved because of TIF involvement, led by Cummings. This included raising awareness to the need for common-sense policies and wagering options while also drawing attention to flaws or concerning developments, such as incidents of pari-mutuel pool manipulation, which led several operators to cease offering pools subject to manipulation.

TIF's landmark 12-part series, “Wagering Insecurity,” drew praise from readers for highlighting still existing deficiencies in America's pari-mutuel betting system.

TIF routinely lobbied for the elimination of jackpot-style bets which drive effective takeout rates to usurious levels. In recent years, several tracks have dropped the jackpot provision on bets, including Keeneland, Horseshoe Indianapolis, the tracks of the New York Racing Association and most recently, Santa Anita and Del Mar. Sound policies which encourage and build mass market participation through wagering were at the heart of TIF's suggestions.

Major papers highlighted the concurrent growth of computer-assisted wagering (CAWs) and decline of mass market participation via wagering. The 2020 publication “Racing Not Only For (the) Elite” introduced the subject while “Sharks & Minnows” drew attention to alarming data from the state of California reflecting how much betting participation had changed in recent years and the need for racing operators to enact proactive policies to better manage the evolution of high-frequency betting.

“It was an absolute pleasure to lead TIF's efforts over the last five years,” said Cummings. “On behalf of all of TIF's supporters, our board of directors and especially horseplayers, my sincerest thanks go to Craig for launching TIF and backing his vision to seek improvements in areas that have long been ignored. I am so thankful for the support from Craig, our board, and several invaluable advisors who were all instrumental in our achievements.”

“While our work helped to accomplish some American firsts with the support of forward-thinking legislators, operators, regulators and many others in the racing industry, there are still some glaringly obvious issues that exist, including many in the wagering space. I look forward to tackling those in an ongoing capacity in my new role and helping deliver more to improve the sport for those who love it and commit so much to it.”

TIF's work was accomplished with spending of less than $750,000 over its operational period.

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