Among the most prominent races to see increases are the GI Bing Crosby S. and the GI Clement L. Hirsch S., both of which will climb from $300,000 to $400,000. Gross purses for all stakes will rise from $7.45 million to $8.275 million. All five of Del Mar's overnight stakes will be increased from $80,000 to $100,000 and 16 additional stakes will get $25,000 to $100,000 bumps in value.

The increase in overnight purses impacts all levels. For example, a maiden claiming race for $20,000 will have its purse climb from $25,000 to $30,000. The top-level allowance horses see purses elevated from $76,000 to $86,000. A $32,000 claiming race now will go for $51,000 instead of $45,000.

“We've been on a roll of late and based on the feedback we're receiving from local and out-of-state stables, I'm very optimistic our positive trend will continue,” said Del Mar's executive vice president for racing, Tom Robbins. “Last year we averaged a record $18.4 million a day in handle and our field size was 8.5 per race. Those are powerful numbers, not only in the West, but all across the country. We're going to try to increase them this year and I believe we've got a good chance to do so.”

Both the track's popular 12-year-old “Ship & Win” program and maiden bonuses are also enhanced. “Ship & Win”, which annually draws hundreds of out-of-state runners, will give owners and trainers a $5,000 starter bonus and a 50% purse supplement to dirt runners, as well as a $4,000 bonus and a 40% supplement to grass starters. In addition, Del Mar has upped maiden special weight purses from $70,000 to $80,000 and the maiden bonus plan (formerly the juvenile bonus) will be expanded to provide horses of any age in maiden special weight, maiden special weight Cal-Bred, and maiden claiming $62,500 and above on dirt a 25% purse bonus for qualifying stables. This means a horse shipping in to run in a maiden special weight dirt race could compete for a purse of $140,000 when the “Ship & Win” monies (50%, or $40,000) and the maiden bonus plan (25%, or $20,000) are included. On top of that, the horse's connections would be awarded a $5,000 starter fee.

A full stakes schedule for Del Mar's 83rd summer season will be released next week, with the track's premiere event–the $1-million GI TVG Pacific Classic–scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 3. The season will open with a three-day weekend Friday, July 22, and conclude Sept. 11, with racing conducted on a Thursday-Sunday schedule through the bulk of the meet.

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“We will continue to follow the guidance of local health officials and our medical advisors, but based on what has been announced for other local attractions such as the San Diego Padres and SeaWorld, we are optimistic we will have fans in the stands this summer at some level,” said Del Mar president and COO Josh Rubinstein. “We have the advantages of a 350-acre site and a facility that can host people quite comfortably with appropriate social distancing as needed.”

Heading its traditional opening day feature–the Runhappy Oceanside S.–the July 16 kickoff will initiate a Friday-Saturday-Sunday scheduled beginning to the first two weeks of the season. The remainder of the meet will feature Thursday through Sunday racing weeks with a finale Labor Day Monday, Sept. 6.

First post daily will be at 2 p.m. with the exception of Fridays in which first post will be at 4 p.m.

The post Fans Return to Del Mar For ’21 Summer Meet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Golden Gate’s fall meet, which runs 32 days, begins Thursday, Oct. 22, and runs through Sunday, Dec. 13.

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“He always wanted to do something, was always into something trying to help out,” said his dad, veteran trainer Jeff Barkley. “I'd say he was 5 or 6 when he could start doing a few things, I don't care if it was raking the shedrow or mixing feed.

“Of course he was always small. Well, my feed barrel was kind of tall and he was reaching down in the feed barrel to get the feed out and dump it into the feed tub. One day I was doing some horses up and I hear this 'help! help!' He'd reached into the barrel and fell into it. That's how small he was when he was helping.”

Young Jason remained undaunted and now is barreling along in his lifelong ambition of training horses after starting out with one horse in 2017 at Ellis Park.

The 31-year-old Barkley — who grew up in Evansville and now is based in Louisville at Churchill Downs' Trackside Training Center — has won three of 10 starts, with a second and a third, at the RUNHAPPY Summer Meet at Ellis Park. That puts him in a tie for second with Ron Moquett for the early lead in the trainer standings. Dane Kobiskie tops all trainers with five wins heading into Friday's racing.

Jason Barkley is a fourth-generation horseman from the Tri-State area, graduating from Evansville Central. He clearly was predisposed genetically to become a trainer, not only on his father's side, but through his mother, Sandy. Her mother, Marcella Byers, was the first female trainer to be licensed in Louisiana and married fellow trainer Jack Byers, while Sandy's grandmother Blanche Koring was one of the first women to be licensed as a trainer in Kentucky, Jeff said of his in-laws. Jeff's father, Bill Barkley, owned and trained horses, acquiring his first racehorse when his son was 10.

Jason worked for his dad until enrolling in the University of Louisville's Equine Industry Program in the College of Business, spending his summers working at Churchill Downs for trainers such as Steve Margolis, Paul McGee and Wayne Catalano, along with Nick Zito after graduation. He subsequently worked as an assistant trainer to Wesley Ward and Joe Sharp.

Barkley said wanted to learn from trainers with different styles.

“Wesley was heavily on the babies,” he said. “So I wanted to learn that whole routine. With Joe, it was a little bit of everything. He had the good horses, we had claiming horses, we had babies. You learn how to manage a big stable, not only the horses but the people and everything that goes with it. That was a big benefit to me, from growing up on a smaller track with 10-15 horses.”

Jeff Barkley also was a major influence.

“A lot of the bigger barns, guys will get into a routine. Maybe everything gallops a mile and a half, things like that,” his son said. “But working for Dad, you learned that they are different. If you treat them differently and play to their strengths, in the end it will pan out better for you.”

One thing Jason didn't pick up from his dad was the desire to ultimately have a 100-horse stable.

“He didn't learn that from me,” Jeff said with a laugh. “He's got a whole lot different perspective. I guess the most I ever had at one time was 28. That's what he's at now. More power to him, especially if they're runners. But he's got the 'want to' and the drive to do it.”

Jason last year switched from stabling at Ellis Park in the summer to staying in Louisville. But he enjoys returning home to run horses — all the better when they win.

“Obviously we don't have the fans there, but Dad's there, Mom's there,” he said. “You don't get to go home much in this business; you travel so much. So to go home and see everybody, that's nice. You grow up somewhere, and to be able to go back and win, that's a lot of fun.”

“He's off to a good start,” Jeff said, adding jokingly, “Puts pressure on me to keep up. He's got more horses than I've got, and I can't keep up. Then of course we ran against each other here one day, and he beat me. I'm still hearing about that – not from him but from other people. The other day our buddy Billy Stinson won the first race. Jason won the second. We could have had the Pick 3 but I blew it. I ran second. I've been hearing about that since then, too.”

In another game-changer, Barkley's girlfriend, Shelbi Kurtz, gave birth to their baby girl, Aria Leigh, 11 months ago. Kurtz remains heavily involved in the stable as assistant trainer and exercise rider.

“Everybody seems to make it work,” Barkley said of having a family with horse racing's time-intensive seven-day work week, even on days when the barn doesn't have a horse running. “I get done (training) in the mornings. Before having a family, you'd pour into your condition books and your training chart, getting ready for the next day.

“Now you take time during the day to do other things, then your night's become a lot longer. Because you start pouring into your condition books about 7 at night instead of noon. It adds a little more to your day, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.”

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“Fans flock to Keeneland during our race meets, and we will miss seeing thousands of faces in the stands for the Summer Meet, but we look forward to delivering their favorite race-day traditions so they can hold watch parties at home and enjoy Keeneland,” Keeneland President and CEO Bill Thomason said. “From recipes for Keeneland's favorite foods and drinks such as Maker's Mark Bread Pudding, Keeneland Burgoo and the Keeneland Breeze to details about our daily programming and wagering opportunities, Keeneland has curated a selection of ways to safely enjoy the races at home.”

“Central Bank is excited to be involved with Keeneland at Home, a unique opportunity to make everything we love about Keeneland accessible to people regardless of where they are so they can experience the Summer Meet at home,” Central Bank Chairman, President and CEO Luther Deaton Jr. said. “This program is the latest chapter in Central Bank's long-standing relationship with Keeneland, which, of course, includes sponsorship of the historic Ashland (G1) for 3-year-old fillies. When the Ashland was moved from April 4 to July 11 during the Summer Meet, Central Bank's presentation of Keeneland at Home became a natural partnership.”

Keeneland at Home kits available from The Keeneland Shop

To help fans create the Keeneland experience for their in-home watch parties, The Keeneland Shop is offering a selection of Keeneland at Home Kits that fans are able to craft to suit their taste and style. Kits, which include branded drinkware, apparel and accessories, are available in Pick 2, Pick 3 and Pick 4 bundles via The Keeneland Shop online store. Fans are encouraged to place their orders before the July 8 opening day to be able to enjoy the kits during all five days of racing.

Purchases of Keeneland at Home kits over $35 made through July 12 will come with a commemorative Summer Meet print by Kayla Weber, a bag of Keeneland's Brown Butter Popcorn and a set of Keeneland saddle towel yard flags.

TV Coverage Focuses on Handicapping

During the Summer Meet, races will begin each day at 1:05 p.m. ET, and TVG will present live, on-site coverage of all the day's racing starting at 1 p.m. Meanwhile, Keeneland has expanded its offerings to enable fans to access live racing coverage through new channels at home.

In addition to the live stream on Keeneland.com and KeenelandSelect.com, fans may stream the entire card on Facebook Live and YouTube beginning at 12:55 p.m. daily. Keeneland also has enhanced its viewing experience on its popular Race Day mobile app with new video features that allow users to watch live coverage while navigating throughout the app.

Race-day programming will begin at 11:30 a.m. with “Today at Keeneland,” a 30-minute preview show with handicapping picks and discussion of horses of interest. Racing analysts Gabby Gaudet and Scott Hazelton host “Today at Keeneland,” which airs live on TVG2, The CW Lexington and WKYT.com and is streamed live on Keeneland.com, KeenelandSelect.com and Facebook Live. Fans will also have the opportunity to tune in to a live Winner's Circle Camera Presented by Coolmore.

Wager via Keeneland Select; Download Free Programs at Keeneland.com

During the Summer Meet, Keeneland will offer complimentary race-day programs, which can be downloaded at Keeneland.com or through the Keeneland Race Day app.

Fans may wager on the Summer Meet by signing up for an account with Keeneland Select, Keeneland's online wagering platform. Keeneland Select will offer a special bonus for new sign-ups: wager $100 on the Summer Meet and receive $50 back. This is on top of Keeneland Select's lucrative sign-up bonus, which will earn a player $100 after he or she wagers $300 within the first 30 days.

In addition, Red Mile will conduct drive-thru wagering during the Summer Meet from 8 a.m. until the final post at Keeneland.

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