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Fair Grounds Announces Third Purse Increase

Fair Grounds announced a 10% across-the-board purse increase–the third of the New Orleans track's current meeting–Wednesday. The purse increase goes into effect for the final 13 days of the meet, beginning with the Mar. 11 card.

“Our handle has continued to be strong and we are pleased to be able to raise purses for the third time this meet,” Fair Grounds' racing secretary Scott Jones said. “We'd once again like to thank the owners, trainers and fans who have been supporting our day-to-day racing product. $60,000 for a maiden special weight pot is a very competitive number to get to.”

To make up for the weather-related Feb. 11 cancellation, Fair Grounds has added Mar. 24 to the live racing calendar.

In addition, in order to accommodate the NBC broadcast, first post time for the Mar. 20 Louisiana Derby Day card has been pushed back to 11:20 a.m. CT.

The post Fair Grounds Announces Third Purse Increase appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Weekend Lineup: Breeders’ Cup World Championships Return To Keeneland

For the second time in its 37-year history, the Breeders' Cup World Championships returns to Keeneland on Nov. 6-7 where 14 races will help determine year-end divisional honors. NBC Sports will broadcast live all of the Breeders' Cup races with Friday's five races will be shown on NBCSN during a broadcast from 2-6 p.m. ET. The first four of nine Breeders' Cup races on Saturday will be shown on NBCSN from noon-2:30 p.m. ET, and the final five will air on a national broadcast on NBC from 2:30-6 p.m. ET, culminating with the Breeders' Cup Classic, which has a post time of 5:13 p.m. ET.

The Breeders' Cup World Championships will also be broadcast live on TVG. TVG will also show live racing from Del Mar and other tracks all week as part of its usual coast-to-coast schedule.

Friday, Nov. 6

1:50 p.m.—$200,000 Grade 2 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes at Keeneland on TVG

Stakes winner Ry's the Guy heads up a full field of 14 entered for the 1 5/8-miles Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes. Trained by Ian Wilkes, Ry's the Guy most recently won the Champions Day Marathon at Churchill Downs on September 1.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE110620USA5-EQB.html

2:30 p.m.—$1,000,000 Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland on NBCSN and TVG

Ranlo Investment's Golden Pal is the 8-5 morning line favorite for the 5 ½-furlong race that drew a field of 14. Trained by Wesley Ward, who won this race last year with Four Wheel Drive, Golden Pal broke his maiden by 3 ½ lengths in the Skidmore at Saratoga after returning from Royal Ascot where he finished second in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount and will break from post 14.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE110620USA6-EQB.html

3:10 p.m.—$1,000,000 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland on NBCSN and TVG

Shadwell Stable's Mutasaabeq, who blew past 10 rivals in the stretch to win the Grade 2 Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland on October 4, is the 5-1 morning line favorite for the one-mile test that drew a field of 14. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Mutasaabeq will break from post six and be ridden by Luis Saez.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE110620USA7-EQB.html

3:50 p.m.—$2,000,000 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland on NBCSN and TVG

The Juvenile Fillies drew a field of seven for the 1 1/16-mile test that includes the top runners from California, New York and Kentucky, all of whom are unbeaten. Zedan Racing Stable's Princess Noor is the 9-5 morning line favorite off victories in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante and Grade 2 Chandelier Stakes. Simply Ravishing began her career on grass but won the off-the-turf P.G. Johnson at Saratoga by 6 ½ lengths before a 6 ¼-length blowout win the Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland going 1 1/16 miles. Siena Farm and trainer Tim Hamm's Dayoutoftheoffice comes into Friday's race off a two-length victory in the Grade 1 Frizette.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE110620USA8-EQB.html

4:30 p.m.—$1,000,000 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland on NBCSN and TVG

The one-mile is headlined by a trio of undefeated runners: Campanelle (IRE), Plum Ali and Aunt Pearl (IRE). Aunt Pearl cruised to a 2 1/2-length front-running victory in the Grade 2 Jessamine Stakes at Keeneland October 7, five weeks after her debut win at Churchill Downs and is listed as the 3-1 morning line favorite. Campanelle, co-second choice at 4-1, won the Group 1 Darley Prix Morny at Deauville and the Group 2 Queen Mary at Royal Ascot as part of her 3-for-3 campaign. Plum Ali comes into Friday's race off a victory in the Grade 2 Miss Grillo Stakes. Trained by Christophe Clement, Plum Ali will be ridden by Joel Rosario from post four.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE110620USA9-EQB.html

5:15 p.m.—$2,000,000 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland on NBCSN and TVG

Kirk and Judy Robison's undefeated Jackie's Warrior is the 7-5 morning line favorite for the Juvenile, which drew a field of 14. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Jackie's Warrior emerged as the top 2-year-old in New York by posting daylight victories in the Grade 1 Champagne, Grade 1 Hopeful, and Grade 2 Saratoga Special Stakes. Second choice at 4-1 is Godolphin's homebred Essential Quality trained by Brad Cox. Essential Quality debuted on the Kentucky Derby card September 5 winning at six furlongs by four lengths and following that up with a 3 ¼-length victory in the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland at the Juvenile distance of 1 1/16 miles.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE110620USA10-EQB.html

Saturday, Nov. 7

11:50 a.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Turnback the Alarm at Aqueduct on FS2

Trainer Todd Pletcher will be represented by three fillies as looks to secure a fifth triumph in the 26th running of the Turnback the Alarm going 1 1/8 miles over the Aqueduct main track. Arriving fresh off a second career stakes triumph in the Lady's Secret at Monmouth Park is Teresa Viola Stable and St. Elias Stable's Nonna Madeline, who owns a consistent 12-4-3-1 record. The 4-year-old Candy Ride (ARG) bay maintained a stalking position in second in the early stages of the 1 1/16-mile Lady's Secret and engaged in a stretch battle with fellow Turnback the Alarm aspirant Royal Flag, holding off the stubborn foe to win by a nose.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/AQU110720USA3-EQB.html

12:02 p.m.—$1,000,000 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Keeneland on NBCSN and TVG

Michael Lund Petersen's Gamine is the 7-5 morning line favorite for the Filly & Mare Sprint that drew a field of nine. Trained by Bob Baffert, Gamine was an overpowering presence in one-turn romps in the Grade 1 Test Stakes by seven lengths and the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes by 18 ¾ lengths. Third in the Kentucky Oaks at 1 1/8 miles in her most recent start, Gamine will be ridden by John Velazquez and break from post position two. Second choice is Joel Politi's Serengeti Empress, winner of the 2019 Kentucky Oaks and third in last year's Breeders' Cup Distaff. Trained by Tom Amoss, Serengeti Empress returned to sprinting this summer and posted a victory going seven furlongs in the Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga and then finished second, beaten a nose going the same distance in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE110720USA4-EQB.html

12:39 p.m.—$1,000,000 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland on NBCSN and TVG

Gary Barber's Got Stormy, runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Mile last year at Santa Anita, is the 7-2 morning line favorite for the Turf Sprint over 5 ½ furlongs. Trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, Got Stormy finished second against males going a mile in two Grade 1 races this year before cutting back to sprints. She responded with a victory going 6 ½ furlongs at Kentucky Downs and then a victory at Keeneland in the Grade 3 Franklin County Stakes at 5 ½ furlongs. Top challengers include Breeze Easy's Imprimis and Leinster, both listed as 4-1 co-second choices.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE110720USA5-EQB.html

1:18 p.m.—$1,000,000 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland on NBCSN and TVG

Klaravich Stables' Complexity, winner of the Grade 2 Kelso Stakes in his most recent start, is the 2-1 morning line favorite for the Dirt Mile that drew a field of 12. Trained by Chad Brown, Complexity will break from post 10 under Jose Ortiz. Second choice at 7-2 is the Korea Racing Authority's Knicks Go who established a Keeneland track record going 1 1/16 miles at the recently completed Fall Meet. Two-for-two this year, Knicks Go is trained by Brad Cox and will break from post five under Joel Rosario.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE110720USA6-EQB.html

1:57 p.m.—$2,000,000 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland on NBCSN and TVG

Peter Brant's Sistercharlie (IRE) and e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Rushing Fall will represent trainer Chad Brown in the Filly & Mare Turf, a race Brown has won four times. One of those victories came from Sistercharlie in 2018 at Churchill Downs. Winless in two starts in 2020 following a third-place finish in her bid to repeat last year, Sistercharlie will be ridden by John Velazquez and break from post position two. Favored at 5-2 is Rushing Fall, a winner of five stakes in six starts at Keeneland and a Grade 1 winner at age 2, 3, 4 and 5. A winner of 11 of career starts that includes a score in the 2017 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar, Rushing Fall will break from post position six under regular rider Javier Castellano.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE110720USA7-EQB.html

2:36 p.m.—$2,000,000 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland on NBC and TVG

Trainer Steve Asmussen, who won the Sprint last year with Mitole, will send out two runners: Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt's undefeated Yaupon and L and N Racing's Grade 1 winner Echo Town. Joel Rosario rides Yaupon from post 10 while Echo Town breaks from the rail under Ricardo Santana Jr. Adding an element of intrigue into the Sprint is the 3-year-old Frank's Rockette for trainer Bill Mott. Frank Fletcher's homebred filly has compiled a 10-6-4-0 career mark and brings a four-race win streak into the Sprint. Junior Alvarado has the mount and will break from post six.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE110720USA8-EQB.html

3:15 p.m.—$2,000,000 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland on NBC and TVG

Michael Dubb, Head of Plains Partners, Robert LaPenta and Bethlehem Stables' Uni (GB) will take on the boys again as she bids to capture the Mile for a second consecutive year. Trained by Chad Brown, Uni has won two of three starts over the Keeneland turf course with the victories coming in the past two runnings of the Grade 1 First Lady Stakes. Favoritism in the Mile goes to Bonne Chance Farm and Stud R D I's Ivar (BRZ) at 4-1. Trained by Paulo Lobo, Ivar won the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland in his most recent start and will break from post 11 under Joe Talamo.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE110720USA9-EQB.html

3:32 p.m.—$125,000 Grade 3 Maple Leaf Stakes at Woodbine on TVG

Trainer Mark Casse is represented by the duo of Heavenly Curlin and Tappitty Tappitty in the 1 ¼-mile main track Maple Leaf Stakes. Bred in Kentucky by Elevage II, Heavenly Curlin, a daughter of Curlin, has compiled a record of 2-0-1 from four starts. Owned by Gary Barber and John Oxley, the bay is on a winning roll ahead of her spot in the Maple Leaf starting gate. On July 12, Heavenly Curlin rallied to win a 1 1/16-mile Tapeta race at Woodbine, getting up for a 1 ¾-length score in a maiden special weight event.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO110720CAN6-EQB.html

3:54 p.m.—$2,000,000 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland on NBC and TVG

Champion Monomoy Girl, the 2018 Distaff winner, aims to become just the fourth horse to win the Distaff twice when she faces a field that includes 2020 Preakness winner Swiss Skydiver. Owned by Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, The Elkstone Group and Bethlehem Stables, Monomoy Girl is undefeated in three starts in 2020 after missing all of 2019 because of a pulled muscle and bout of colic. Peter Callahan's Swiss Skydiver has won five of nine starts this year in a campaign that has taken her coast to coast. Trained by Kenny McPeek, who is seeking his first Breeders' Cup victory, Swiss Skydiver ran at Keeneland in July, finishing second against the boys in the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE110720USA10-EQB.html

4:33 p.m.—$4,000,000 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland on NBC and TVG

Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier and Michael Tabor's Magical (IRE) is the morning line favorite in a field of 10 for the Turf to be contested over 1 ½ miles. Trained by Aidan O'Brien, Magical was second in this race in 2018 at Churchill Downs to the champion Enable (GB). Owning a 5-3-1-1 record in 2020 with all starts in Group 1 company, Magical will be ridden by Ryan Moore and break from post position two. For the same ownership, O'Brien also will send out Mogul (GB), winner of the Group 1 Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris in his most recent start. Headlining the U.S. contingent are Grade 1 winners Arklow and Channel Maker.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE110720USA11-EQB.html

4:52 p.m.—$175,000 Grade 2 Autumn Stakes at Woodbine on TVG

Trainer Mark Casse, who won the Autumn in 2008 with Marchfield, will be represented by a pair of graded stakes winners, Salute With Honor and Skywire, and graded stakes placed Dream Maker, in the 1 1/16-mile main track Autumn for three-year-olds & upward. A six-year-old son of To Honor and Serve, Salute With Honor arrives at Saturday's race off a one-length score in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Durham Cup on October 11. Bred and owned by Live Oak Plantation, the chestnut gelding bested his stablemate Skywire by a length in the Tapeta race.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO110720CAN8-EQB.html

5:18 p.m.—$6,000,000 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland on NBC

WinStar Farm, CHC Inc., and SF Racing's Improbable has been installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite in a field of 10 for Saturday's Classic to be run at 1 ¼ miles on the main track. Fifth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile last fall at Santa Anita, Improbable has posted a 4-3-1-0 record in 2020 with the victories coming in his past three starts in Grade 1 tests. One of three Classic entrants trained by three-time Classic winner Bob Baffert, Improbable will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. and break from post position eight. Baffert's other two entries are Maximum Security, the champion 3-year-old of 2019, and Authentic, winner of the 2020 Kentucky Derby. Sackatoga Stable's Belmont and Travers Stakes winner Tiz the Law is the second choice on the morning line at 3-1.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE110720USA12-EQB.html

Sunday, Nov. 8

3:47 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Nashua Stakes at Aqueduct on FS2

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Isolate has done no wrong in his first two career starts and puts a perfect record on the line when shipping to New York for the 44th running of the Nashua going a one-turn mile. Trained by Kathy Ritvo, Isolate did just as his name suggested in his last-out gate-to-wire effort where he defeated winners over a sloppy main track at Gulfstream Park by 10 lengths. The Florida-bred son Mark Valeski was a three-quarter length winner against his Sunshine State-bred counterparts in a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight on August 6 at Gulfstream, where he defeated next out-winner and subsequent stakes winner Poppy's Pride.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/AQU110820USA9-EQB.html

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IFHA: COVID-19 Has Demanded Creativity, Yielded Innovation For Racing Broadcasters

The second of four digital panels of the 54th International Conference of Horseracing Authorities was released last week and focused on the evolution of racing media in the time of COVID-19

The conference, organized by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), normally takes place in person in Paris the day after the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. This year's conference program focuses on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the international racing world. In this digital panel, broadcast media members were asked about the way their outlets have adapted to a socially distanced racetrack.

A few takeaways from the panel of media experts:

In Britain, viewership that would normally spike for main events and decrease for more pedestrian race days in between has remained more consistent throughout the past months, according to ITV's Francesca Cumani. It's hard to tell what this may mean, but Cumani hopes it's a sign fans are becoming more engaged with racing as they've had more time to devote to watching a horse prepare for a classic run.
In Japan, Japan Racing Association's Shigeru Suzuki said the country has seen a drastic increase in new account sign-ups for online wagering platforms. The number of registrants increased by 250,000 compared to pre-pandemic numbers, bringing the total to 4.7 million users. Suzuki also said the Green Channel, normally a pay-per-view way to watch the races at home, has been made available free of charge (though the online app is still paid). Total turnover in Japan year over year is similar to 2019 despite the lack of fan access during COVID-19.

Rob Hyland of NBC Sports said that although the disappearance of fans from the racetracks took away some of the magic from big races like the Kentucky Derby, the channel did its best to expand its use of technology to bring the fan experience to viewers at home. Capturing ambient sound became a bigger priority, now that conversations between riders and the sounds of horses galloping could be heard without background noise. More jockeys at this year's major races were wearing microphones and cameras. These extra points of access enabled remote analysis from anchors who were covering the race from out of state. The restrictions on media attendance also forced NBC to be more efficient — NBC's crew is normally over 300 for the Kentucky Derby, while this year it was less than 100.
In some ways, the silence at racetracks enhances the experience — Jason Richardson of Channel 7 and Racing.com recalled a moment when a jockey got a first Group 1 victory at Royal Randwick. Because there were no crowds shouting at the wire, Richardson was able to hear a group of jockeys behind the winner cheer for their colleague as the race finished.
In Australia, Channel 7 has brought the experience of celebrating owners to its viewers by asking ownership groups to film themselves watching the races or providing recordings of Zoom parties they use to virtually gather and watch races. Their energy doesn't translate exactly the same way, but still elevates the production, according to Richardson.
Cumani said that as racing has returned in Britain, broadcasters have had to be mindful of public perception when sending out images from the track. As happy as racing media were to be back, they had to be sensitive to the fact that daily life in the country remained disrupted.
“In England I think there's a big danger that racing is is seen as an elitist endeavor, and why should racing continue when other things can't?” she said.

Katherine Ford of Equidia and Sky Sports Racing echoed those sentiments from her viewpoint in France, agreeing that camera operators had to be careful not to inadvertently film someone who had pulled down their mask temporarily for a cigarette or a drink, lest viewers think racing personnel or racegoers were not masking properly. Hyland agreed, citing camera framing choices on Kentucky Oaks Day for some presenters whose backdrops were chosen so that the physical distancing between themselves and others would be clear to viewers.
Hyland recalled preparing for this year's Kentucky Derby weekend, when he tried to have more racing participants than usual wearing microphones for ambient sound. Trainer Bob Baffert, who Hyland characterizes as a bit superstitious, declined to wear one on Oaks Day since he felt confident about his chances with Gamine, worrying it would jinx him. He did agree to wear one for the Derby, where he felt less confident in his contenders. Of course, that meant NBC ended up with audio of his emotional reaction during Authentic's run.

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Wagering, TV Ratings Drop Sharply During ‘Pandemic’ Triple Crown

Like the Triple Crown-opening Belmont Stakes in June and the delayed Kentucky Derby in September, Saturday's 145th running of the Preakness Stakes from Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., saw significant declines both in wagering and television viewership.

Normally run on the third Saturday in May, two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, this year's Preakness – like all three Triple Crown races – was run without spectators on site, meaning on-track wagering was minimal. The Preakness encountered not only increased competition from the sports world – it was up against six televised NCAA football games including Texas A&M at Alabama, Oklahoma State at Kansas and Ole Miss at Kentucky – but both Belmont Park and Keeneland offered a full slate of late afternoon graded stakes races serving as major preps for the Nov. 6-7 Breeders' Cup world championships.

For the day, according to Equibase, wagering on Pimlico's 12-race card was $51,242,631, a decline of 48.7% from the record $99,852,653 bet on the 14-race Preakness Day card in 2019. The Preakness race itself handled $31.7 million, down 49.5% from 2019 when $62.8 million was wagered on the classic race for 3-year-olds.

The wagering declines were similar to those experienced by Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby day Sept. 5 and on the Derby itself, when handle dropped by 49.8% and 52.0%, respectively. Derby Day wagering fell from a record $250.9 million to $126.0 million and the Derby itself handled $79.4 million compared to $165.5 million in 2019.

The Belmont Stakes, which on June 20 kicked off a Triple Crown reshuffled because of the coronavirus pandemic, saw smaller wagering declines compared to 2019. The $67.8 million bet on this year's Belmont Stakes card was down 33.7% from $102.1 million in 2019 and the Belmont Stakes saw a 35.9% decline from $53.2 million to $34.1 million.

Combined, wagering on the three Triple Crown cards fell by more than $200 million, from $453 million in 2019 to $245 million this year, a decline of 45.9%.

Just as many other major league sports have struggled to maintain television viewership, so too have horse racing's marquee events. The combined viewing audience for the NBC Sports telecasts of the three Triple Crown races fell by 47.3% from 26.6 million in 2019 to 14 million in 2020. The Belmont's 2.0 rating was the lowest in 24 years and the 4.8 rating for the Derby – traditionally the highest-rated racing telecast of the year – sank to a 32-year low. The Preakness rating of 1.4 represented a viewing audience of 2.4 million compared to 5.4 million in 2019.

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