Kevin Grigsby | Horse Racing Free Tips

Larry Collmus To Move Into Expanded Role With TVG; International Expert Adam McGrath Joins Roster

After joining the TVG broadcast team for select days this summer, Larry Collmus will move into an expanded role at America's horse racing network. Best known as the voice of the Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup on NBC, Collmus will be covering the races from Gulfstream Park this winter as well as joining in on additional broadcasts.

“I have really enjoyed working with the great folks at TVG and doing something new besides race calling has been a fun experience,” said Collmus. “I'm looking forward to expanding this relationship and also returning to Gulfstream where I called races for ten years. It'll be a fun – and warm – winter!”

In addition to his time at Gulfstream Park from 2006 through 2017, Collmus has been the track announcer at major tracks across the country including the NYRA circuit, Monmouth Park and Del Mar, and has worked as the race caller for NBC Sports' coverage of the Triple Crown since 2011 and the Breeders' Cup since 2012. He will be reprising his role as the announcer for the Breeders' Cup which will be held at Del Mar November 5-6.

International expert Adam McGrath, formerly a host at Racing.com with years of experience in Australia, has also joined the TVG talent roster and will be adding his expert insights into coverage of international racing. McGrath currently resides in Ohio but will be relocating to Los Angeles in the new year.

“We are thrilled to continue to bring world class talent to expand our roster,” said Kevin Grigsby, TVG Executive Producer. “Larry brought so much to our coverage this summer at Monmouth Park and I am looking forward to watching his insights from Gulfstream Park and Andrew's global expertise in our coverage of international racing.”

Headquartered in Los Angeles, TVG, a FanDuel Group company, is one of the largest legal online gaming services in the US, processing more than $2 billion in horse racing wagers annually from residents of 34 US states. TVG network airs races from more than 150 racetracks worldwide and is among the most widely distributed horseracing networks in the world, operating TVG and TVG2 in more than 50 million US homes and in HD on Spectrum and DirecTV. The company has demonstrated its commitment to the racing industry, its horse owners, tracks and fans through sponsorship of several prominent races including the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile, the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile, the TVG.com Haskell Invitational and the TVG Pacific Classic. For more information about TVG, visit: tvg.com.

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Pacific Classic Purse Returns To $1 Million; Del Mar Derby Boosted To $250,000

Building on its pre-meet enhancements and the sparkling success of its current racing season, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club today announced a pair of major increases to key stakes races on its 2021 schedule.

The Grade 1 TVG Pacific Classic, the shore track's centerpiece since it was introduced in 1991, has been raised back to its original level of $1,000,000 for its Aug. 21 renewal. Additionally, the track's conclusion to its 3-year-old grass series – the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby slated for September 4 – has had its purse increased to $250,000 for its 77th edition.

The TVG Pacific Classic was scheduled to be presented this year for the 31st time with a purse of $750,000, which was an increase from its COVID-affected 2020 running when the mile and one quarter was dropped to $500,000. The Del Mar Derby ran with a $200,000 purse in 2020 and was designated to do so again this year prior to this current boost for the nine-furlong turf test.

Both raises put the races on equal footing with their 2019 levels. Prior to the meet, Del Mar had increased the values of virtually all of its other stakes from 2020 to equivalent – or in some cases higher – purse standards than the ones that existed in 2019.

“We had fairly aggressive projections going into the meet and I'm pleased to say our business has exceeded those numbers,” said Tom Robbins, a Del Mar executive vice president and its director of racing and industry relations. “We are thrilled to restore our signature race back to its $1 million level, where it had been and certainly belongs.”

Since 2010, Del Mar has joined with its broadcast partner TVG to augment the TVG Pacific Classic and keep it at the forefront of major races nationally.

“We have a spectacular partnership with Del Mar and the TOC and our team at TVG is very excited that our sponsorship of the Pacific Classic is one of the reasons for this purse increase,” said Kevin Grigsby, SVP and executive producer of TVG & FanDuel. “Over the last decade TVG has become one of the largest sponsors of horse racing in the U.S. Along with our investments in distribution and technology, it is part of our commitment to reinvest in the sport.”

The track always works in accord with the Thoroughbred Owners of California in setting and maintaining both its stakes schedule and its overall purse structure. Their chairman of the board, Gary Fenton, addressed the stakes purse increases:

“Thanks to our members, horsemen and horsewomen and the hard work from DMTC we're off to a tremendous start. With added purse account funds we felt returning all stakes, such as Del Mar's signature race, back to their pre-COVID purse levels was appropriate. The momentum of continued purse increases in 2021 with hopefully more to come in 2022 is a great sign of the health of Southern California racing.”

The TVG Pacific Classic is a “Win and You're In” race entitling its champion a guaranteed spot in this year's $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic, a race that will be run at a mile and a quarter at Del Mar on Saturday, Nov. 6.

The Del Mar Derby follows the Oceanside Stakes and the Grade 3 La Jolla Stakes to make up the longstanding trio of turf test for soph runners at the seaside oval. The La Jolla will be run on Sunday, August 8.

Del Mar's 82nd season will continue to race on a Thursday-to-Sunday schedule through to its closing day, Labor Day Monday, Sept. 6.

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TVG Expands Collaboration With Jockeys

Officials at TVG have announced that members of the Del Mar riding colony will collaborate with the network to enhance its daily coverage of horse racing.

Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, who has appeared in commercial endorsements for TVG in the past, will be joined by his colleagues Umberto Rispoli, Flavien Prat and Jessica Pyfer in contributing to broadcasts, social media content and overall online presence.

In addition to periodically wearing cameras on their helmets during races, all the jockeys will make appearances as special guests on the network when their riding schedules allow to provide previews and analysis of upcoming races. All will also contribute to news.tvg.com.

“We are so excited to welcome some of the brightest stars in the sport to the TVG team,” said Kevin Grigsby, Executive Producer and Senior Vice President of Television. “These riders will further enhance the fan experience through their unique perspectives and experiences both in and out of the saddle.”

In addition to Smith, Prat, Rispoli and Pyfer, TVG may expand its content collaboration with other riders in California and other major racing markets, Grigsby indicated.

“I am excited for the chance to work with TVG as my riding schedule allows,” said Smith. “TVG is part of the fabric of our sport, the network has always been supportive of the riders, and I'm looking forward to being able to further connect with the fans.”

TVG's Del Mar coverage this summer will also include Jockey Cams worn by Rispoli, Prat and Pyfer.

TVG has been a longstanding supporter of the Jockeys Guild PDJF and will again partner with the organization for the charity telethon later in the year.

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TVG Plans Extensive Coverage Of Del Mar Meet

Opening Day at Del Mar begins on Friday, July 16 and TVG, America's horse racing network, will be live on-site for each day of the prestigious meet with enhanced coverage, features and expert analysis. The weekend broadcast will also include the $1 million TVG Haskell Invitational from Monmouth Park featuring TVG Pegasus Stakes winner Mandaloun and Belmont Stakes (GI) runner-up Hot Rod Charlie.

TVG will have a full roster of talent on-site at Del Mar throughout the meet including Todd Schrupp, Simon Bray, Christina Blacker, Joaquin Jaime, Caleb Keller, Dave Weaver and Scott Hazelton with exclusive interviews, insights and handicapping selections. There will be new touchscreen technology on the set which will allow mark-up replays and graphics to introduce enhanced handicapping coverage.

The supersized coverage will utilize a total of 28 cameras – eight more than in previous meets – and will also give fans a behind-the-scenes look through a Jockey Cam utilized every day of the meet by leading riders including Umberto Rispoli, Flavien Prat and Jessica Pyfer.

“We're investing more than ever before and pulling out all the stops to give viewers an immersive experience for the Runhappy Del Mar summer meet,” said Kevin Grigsby, Executive Producer and Senior Vice President of Television. “We're not just covering the races. We plan to follow horses from the barn, to the paddock, to the gate, around the track and back, and we plan to use the jockey cams to give our viewers a closer look at some of what happens before the actual races in a way that helps their handicapping.”

Del Mar has a ten-race card lined up for Opening Day and the featured race is the $100,000 Runhappy Oceanside Stakes. Restricted to three-year-olds, the one-mile contest will be contested on the turf and has drawn a full field of fourteen sophomores. Dream Shake, third in the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (GI) will be making his turf debut for trainer Peter Eurton and will have Joe Bravo in the irons.

The coverage of Del Mar's meet will run through Labor Day and will include the TVG Pacific Classic (GI) on August 21. The TVG Pacific Classic is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge races which will earn the winner an automatic berth into the Breeders' Cup which will be held at Del Mar on November 5-6.

There will be on-site coverage throughout the weekend at Monmouth Park leading up to the $1 million TVG.com Haskell Invitational on Saturday, July 17. TVG's Mike Joyce, Gabby Gaudet, Caton Bredar and Larry Collmus will be reporting live from New Jersey with insights, interviews and analysis leading up to the marquee race for 3-year-olds.

The TVG Haskell (GI) has drawn a field of seven 3-year-olds with the Doug O'Neill-trained Hot Rod Charlie installed as the morning line favorite at 6-5 odds with Flavien Prat aboard. Mandaloun, a homebred for Juddmonte Farms, is the second choice at odds of 2-1 for trainer Brad Cox and jockey Florent Geroux.

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