Tag: The Biz

Godolphin LLC, which campaigned 15 North American graded stakes winners, including two Breeders' Cup winners, repeated as leading owner by earnings, and Irad Ortiz, Jr., again established a single-season earnings record as the leading jockey according to final statistics released today by Equibase Company LLC, the Thoroughbred industry's official database for racing information. Brad Cox ended the year on top as the leading trainer by earnings; his first earnings title came in 2021.

The year-end compilations are distributed annually by Equibase and include results from Thoroughbred racing in North America from January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023. Expanded North American racing leaders' lists that include all trainers, jockeys, owners, and horses are available within the statistical section at equibase.com. These lists include the ability to look at leaders in a variety of categories, including age, sex, surface, graded races, foaling year for horses, and the inclusion of designated foreign races, such as the Saudi Cup and Dubai World Cup races.

Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (Gr. 1) winner White Abarrio, who also won the Whitney Stakes (Gr. 1) and finished third in the Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap (Gr. 1), led all Thoroughbreds in North American earnings with $3,883,800. When including earnings from Dubai World Cup and Saudi Cup days, Japan-based Ushba Tesoro ended the year with earnings of $7,140,000 on the virtue of his Dubai World Cup win and fifth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Completing the list of top 10 horses by North American earnings were Mage with $2,507,450, Up to the Mark with $2,427,650, Idiomatic with $2,400,280, Auguste Rodin (IRE) with $2,080,000, Art Collector with $1,898,800, Proxy with $1,793,750, Cody's Wish with $1,773,900, Arcangelo with $1,742,300, and Pretty Mischievous with $1,703,250.

Some of the leading horses also were the top earners from their respective foal crops. The leading earners by foaling year from the past five years were Just F Y I (by Justify, 2021 foal crop), Forte (by Violence, 2020 foal crop), White Abarrio (by Race Day, 2019),  Essential Quality (by Tapit, 2018), and Authentic (by Into Mischief, 2017).

For the third consecutive year, Godolphin – with 86 North American wins from 442 starts – was a dominant force among owners in 2023 with earnings of $17,270,223, down slightly from its single-season earnings record of $17.4 million set in 2021. When including earnings from the Dubai and Saudi Cup Days, Godolphin's earnings for the year were $18,480,223. Completing the list of top 10 owners by North American earnings in 2023 were Klaravich Stables, Inc., $9,503,875 (87 wins / 339 starts); Juddmonte, $6,904,508 (33/128); Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables LLC, $6,840,790 (41/136); Winchell Thoroughbreds, $5,695,428 (39/195); Bruno Schickedanz, $3,981,812 (178/1,185); Repole Stable, $3,960,117 (32/150); Rigney Racing LLC, $3,924,319 (33/125); Three Diamonds Farm, $3,865,990 (44/286); and Calumet Farm, $3,818,305 (51/462).

Cox sent out the winners of 266 races from 346 starters with 963 starts for earnings of $30,947,677 in 2023. Completing the list of top 10 trainers by North American earnings were Steve Asmussen, $27,514,712 (379 wins / 599 starters / 2,152 starts); Todd Pletcher, $27,072,704 (186/352 /980); Chad Brown, $25,715,901 (207/331/909); William Mott, $17,437,147 (103/198/649); Mark Casse, $16,874,630 (206/325/1,250); Michael Maker, $15,679,866 (199/349/1,211); Bob Baffert, $12,648,992 (91/115/329); Brendan Walsh, $11,441,262 (109/197/614); and Jamie Ness $11,179,891 (347/283/1,362).

Ortiz, Jr., reached the winner's circle 366 times from 1,560 mounts in 2023 in  establishing a single-season earnings record of $39,192,585, eclipsing the previous record of $37 million he set last year. Rounding out the list of top 10 jockeys by North American earnings in 2023 were Tyler Gaffalione, $29,979,112 (1,398 starts / 270 wins); Flavien Prat, $26,746,503 (183/922); Luis Saez, $23,191,560 (251/1,344); Jose Ortiz, $22,577,022 (248/1,377); Joel Rosario, $20,918,384 (125/899); Javier Castellano, $19,492,859 (146/1,009); Florent Geroux, $18,191,379 (124/609); Manuel Franco, $17,680,105 (241/1,241); and John Velazquez, $15,527,186 (91/572).

Equibase Company is a partnership between The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Racing Associations of North America and serves as the Thoroughbred industry's official database. Through its website and mobile applications, Equibase offers a comprehensive menu of wagering products, statistical information, and video race replays in support of the North American Thoroughbred racing industry. Additional information is available at equibase.com.

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The Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, Maryland Horse Breeders Association, and 1/ST Racing on Friday announced a one-year deal to continue live horse racing in Maryland until December 31, 2024. The deal ensures that the Preakness Stakes will be run at Pimlico in May and provides for ongoing racing operations throughout 2024. 

“We are pleased to come to terms on a one-year extension to the 2012 agreement with The Stronach Group, 1/ST Racing and Maryland Jockey Club and appreciate the work by all that went into finalizing this deal,” said David Richardson, executive director of MTHA. “This agreement provides our horsemen, the state's breeders, and backstretch workers stability while the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority continues their important work on a long-term plan for our industry. We look forward to the final Authority report and a bright and sustainable future for Thoroughbred horse racing in Maryland.”

During the 2023 legislative session, Gov. Wes Moore, Senate President Bill Ferguson, House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones, and members of the Maryland General Assembly created the Maryland Thoroughbred Racing Operating Authority by law to outline a plan for the future of Maryland racing. Over the past decade, Maryland leaders have dedicated funding to stabilize this historic industry but needed more legal authority to implement a plan. 

“The Stronach Group, 1/ST Racing and the Maryland Jockey Club are committed to a successful 2024 racing season as we work in good faith with other stakeholders to develop a long-term, sustainable racing model for Maryland,” said Craig Fravel, executive vice chairman, 1/ST Racing. “We are pleased to have worked constructively with Maryland stakeholders on this agreement and look forward to continuing to work with the Maryland Racetrack Operating Authority in the best interests of racing in Maryland.”

The Maryland racing industry, one of the oldest in the United States, has an economic impact of more than $2 billion in addition to preserving thousands of acres of open space statewide. 

The Authority, chaired by Gregory A. Cross, veteran attorney at Venable LLP, is expected to issue its interim recommendations next month.

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The impending closure of Golden Gate Fields in Northern California, scheduled for the summer of 2024, is wreaking havoc on the confidence of horse owners and breeders in California. According to stakeholders speaking to the Los Angeles Times, however, that is not the only problem facing horse racing in California.

Scott Chaney, executive director of the California Horse Racing Board, said low purses are the biggest threat to the state's racing industry.

“Our purses just have to be higher or there is a definite expiration date for racing,” Chaney told the LA Times. “At the end of the day everything is going to be driven by purses. At some point we aren't going to be competitive to other states and horsemen are not going to be incentivized to come here. It's quite amazing that currently California has extremely high-level racing with much smaller purses.”

Bill Nader, president and chief executive of the Thoroughbred Owners of California, echoed those sentiments.

“[Without a purse increase,] we are going to keep having this discussion with a cloud hanging over our head and no one will be entirely comfortable that we will be sustainable over the next five to 10 years,” Nader relayed.

Read more at the LA Times.

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The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has announced its 2024 racing schedule, which includes 195 live race days at Aqueduct Racetrack and Saratoga Race Course.

The ongoing construction of a new and re-imagined Belmont Park will require significant adjustments to the customary NYRA schedule. Most notably, as previously announced, the 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will be held at Saratoga Race Course from June 6-9. In addition, the fall and spring/summer meets traditionally held at Belmont will take place at Aqueduct Racetrack in 2024.

Following the conclusion of the 2023 Aqueduct fall meet on December 31, the 47-day winter meet begins Monday, January 1 and continues through Saturday, March 30. Live racing will be conducted Thursday-Sunday for the first three weeks of January and Friday-Sunday from January 26 through the first week of March. Aqueduct will host a Presidents' Day card on Monday, February 19. Four-day race weeks resume on March 7.

The 16-day Aqueduct spring meet will run from Thursday, April 4 through Sunday, April 28. The NYRA circuit will then remain at Aqueduct for the 31-day Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet, which will open on Thursday, May 2 and continue through Sunday, July 7. Racing will be conducted Thursday-Sunday throughout the spring/summer with the exception of a Memorial Day program on Monday, May 27.

The 40-day summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Course will open on Thursday, July 11 and continue through Labor Day, September 2. Following the four-day opening weekend, live racing will be conducted Wednesday-Sunday with the exception of closing week, which will conclude on Labor Day, September 2.

The NYRA circuit will then return downstate for the 31-day Belmont at the Big A fall meet, which will open on Friday, September 13 and continue through Sunday, November 3. Apart from the opening weekend, racing will be conducted Thursday-Sunday throughout the Belmont at the Big A fall meet.

2024 will conclude with a 26-day fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack, which will open on Thursday, November 7 and continue through Sunday, December 29. Apart from closing week, live racing will be conducted Thursday-Sunday throughout the Aqueduct fall meet.

For the 2024 calendar of live race dates, visit NYRA.com/2024.

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