Tag: The Biz

The Breeders' Cup, Thoroughbred racing's year-end global championship event, announced Thursday that the 2024 World Championships will take place at Del Mar in Del Mar, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 1 and Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, where fans from around the world will gather to witness the best horses, trainers, and jockeys compete over two days. The Breeders' Cup World Championships consists of 14 Grade 1 races with purses and awards totaling more than $31 million.

Fans interested in ticket information for the 2024 World Championships can sign up here.

“We are delighted to announce that the World Championships will be returning to Del Mar next year for what is sure to be an unforgettable two-year-run on the West Coast,” said Drew Fleming, Breeders' Cup President and CEO. “Breeders' Cup has always been a strong supporter of California racing and we look forward to showcasing this wonderful venue once again to our horsemen and fans from around the world.”

Planning with Del Mar management and staff is already underway to bring the best of racing and hospitality to visiting fans, horsemen, and San Diego/Del Mar area locals alike. Located on the Pacific coastline, just north of San Diego, Del Mar is one of the world's most recognizable and scenic racing venues.

“We're excited for the return of Breeders' Cup to Del Mar in 2024. The prestige of the event combined with our venue's iconic, seaside setting makes for an extraordinary weekend,” said Josh Rubinstein, President of Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. “Additionally, we are grateful for the economic support the Championship races bring to our community. This is a milestone event for San Diego and we look forward to building upon the record-breaking success in 2017 and 2021.”

Del Mar, “Where the Turf Meets the Surf,” will serve as the World Championships host site for a third time. With its breathtaking location, Del Mar is unique in its picturesque natural backdrop, and its village town center promises to attract domestic and international visitors seeking beautiful beaches, award-winning cuisine, and boutique hotels.

“We're thrilled San Diego has been selected to host the Breeders' Cup again in 2024,” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. “Hosting prestigious international events like this one gives us the opportunity to showcase our beautiful region to fans and industry leaders from around the world. We look forward to welcoming the best in horse racing talent back to Del Mar for an exciting event.”

As a host site in 2017 and 2021, Del Mar drew fans from around the world to its iconic grounds to celebrate one of international racing's biggest weekends, and set wagering records on both occasions. At the 2017 World Championships, the two-day on-track wagering handle established a Breeders' Cup record of $25,181,317. The Championships were highlighted by Gun Runner's front-running victory in the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Moreover, the 2017 Breeders' Cup generated approximately $96 million in economic impact, including $3.6 million in hotel room revenue, according to the Tourism Marketing District.

In 2021, the World Championship operated at 50 percent capacity due to pandemic reopening protocols. Still, Del Mar propelled a then-record all-sources handle for the World Championships of $183,260,127. The 2021 Championships were highlighted by Knicks Go winning the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic wire to wire, and the first-ever victories by horses based in Japan as Loves Only You (JPN) won the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) and Marche Lorraine (JPN) captured the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1).

This year's 40th running of the Breeders' Cup World Championships will be held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, on Nov. 3 and 4.

The post Del Mar Named Host Site For 2024 Breeders’ Cup World Championships appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The 48th annual Sovereign Awards ceremony, taking place the evening of Thursday, April 13, 2023 at Universal Eventspace in Vaughan, Ontario will be the first event of the year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of The Jockey Club of Canada. Beginning with that evening's Sovereign Awards ceremony, The Jockey Club of Canada will be honoring the legacy of our founding members throughout 2023 with various celebrations of our 50th anniversary.

Chief Steward R. Glenn Sikura notes: “The Jockey Club of Canada is proud to be celebrating its 50th year of existence. Founded by one of the titans of the thoroughbred industry, Mr. E. P. Taylor, master of Windfields Farm and breeder of greats like Northern Dancer and Nijinsky II, the Canadian legacy is rich and accomplished. We tip our caps to those that came before us and will strive to maintain the level of excellence that our predecessors have achieved.”

The Jockey Club of Canada is also pleased to announce two new Masters of Ceremonies for the 2022 Sovereign Awards, Dawn Lupul and Jeff Bratt, who will be reprising the role previously held by Jason Portuondo. Jason has done an exemplary job as host over the years and we are grateful to him for all he has done, and continues to do, for the thoroughbred racing industry in Canada.

Dawn and Jeff are no strangers to working together, having previously cohosted Woodbine's simulcast broadcast. Both bring a wealth of knowledge and respect of Thoroughbred racing throughout Canada to the Sovereign Awards and we are thrilled to have them on board.

Dawn has appeared in numerous network television specials throughout the years and even took her talent as a race caller overseas when invited to call a race at Ascot Racecourse in Perth, Australia in 2020.

You'd be hard-pressed to find shows having aired from Woodbine without Jeff's expertise, be they simulcasts or network programs for such prestigious race days as the Queen's Plate, Woodbine Mile, or Canadian International.

The winner in each of the media and divisional Sovereign Awards categories will be announced during the 48th Annual Sovereign Awards ceremony on Thursday, April 13, 2023 at Universal Eventspace in Vaughan, Ontario.

Please call us at (416) 675-7756 or email jockeyclubcanada@gmail.com for more information and to reserve your tickets today! Tickets can also be purchased online at: https://jockeyclubcanada.com/online-payments/.

The Jockey Club of Canada was founded in 1973 by E.P. Taylor to serve as the international representative of the Canadian Thoroughbred industry. The mission of The Jockey Club of Canada is to promote and maintain a high standard for Thoroughbred racing and breeding in Canada at a level which is recognized internationally for the benefit of all those interested in the sport including the general public by operations and services such as, but not limited to: evaluating all Graded, Listed and Black-type races in Canada annually; conducting the annual Sovereign Awards for outstanding achievement in Thoroughbred racing and breeding in Canada; maintaining a field office in Canada for the Jockey Club of the United States and the Jockey Club Registry Service; and by representing Canada as a Member of the IFHA.

The post Sovereign Awards Set For April 13; Jockey Club Of Canada Announces 50th Anniversary Celebrations appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission voted to reclassify levamisole as a Class B drug during its regular meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 21, reports the Daily Racing Form. The Equine Drug Research Council recommended the reclassification three weeks ago.

The DRF report explained how KHRC equine medical director Dr. Bruce Howard clarified that a new research study completed in 2022 provided guidance on how long it takes for levamisole to clear a horse's system when used as a deworming agent.

Levamisole was the subject of five vacated KHRC rulings against trainer Joe Sharp in 2022. Sharp used an FDA-approved deworming product designed for cattle, sheep, and goats on his horses, after which five of them tested positive for levamisole in November of 2019.

The rulings on those positives, issued in 2021, stated that levamisole was a Class B drug, even though the KHRC had voted in 2015 to declassify levamisole. The 2015 declassification decision was made after detangling the association between levamisole and another drug called aminorex. Aminorex is a stimulant which has the potential for performance enhancement and was the primary substance of concern, commissioners concluded. Initially it had been unclear whether one was a sign that the other had been administered, but it's now generally accepted that levamisole can metabolize into aminorex, and not the other way around.

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In the midst of recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle, Hawke's Bay Racing is showing that they are much more than an organization for racing horses.

Since the cyclone devastated the Hawke's Bay region in New Zealand a week ago, Hastings Racecourse has become an important center for the community, helping people and animals recover, and providing a base to help clean-up efforts.

Hastings was due to hold a race meeting on Sunday, Feb. 19, but decided once the decision was made to abandon that day that the focus should be on helping the community.

“It wouldn't really have been the right thing to do to be running a race meeting while everyone's attention is on trying to respond and help each other in the community,” Hawke's Bay Racing chief executive Aaron Hamilton said.

“Once we had the abandonment, we turned our focus to the support and response, to play our part for Hawke's Bay, to make sure we're getting utilized and not sitting idle.

“Whilst we're doing a great thing for the human side and the animals, we're also doing our bit for the community here as well. We're showing that racecourses do more than just hold racing. We're a massive community asset and we're here to support this response however we can.”

Hastings Racecourse came out relatively unscathed from Gabrielle, barring a few leaks. The first task was to help displaced people who were without power and food, serving some meals and offering showers and wireless internet for locals.

As power has been gradually restored, the focus has been on other activities. A clothing distribution center has been set up, as has an animal shelter.

“There's been quite a bit of traction, especially around the animal shelter, which has taken off quite massively,” Hamilton said.

“We're getting dogs, cats, pigeons, goldfish – you name it, we've got it here really.”

With most people in rural communities helping each other out with livestock accommodation, it's been mainly urban residents who have been benefiting from the shelter.

“We've got animals coming in from people who've had their houses red-stickered. They have got to find temporary accommodation somewhere, so they might be put in a shelter for people that don't accept pets.

“In those cases, they've been able to accommodate their pets here while they're in temporary accommodation, and when they're ready to move, they'll be reunited with their pets again.”

In addition, the animal shelter has been getting animals that have become separated from their owners during the floods.

“We've had dogs found on the side of the road covered in mud, and they have been brought to the shelter, cleaned up and housed, and the shelter will then try to find their owners.

“For most of the animals the owners have fortunately been found, but we were on media this morning saying we're trying to find the owners of five goldfish, so if anyone's lost five goldfish, we might have them.”

The racecourse also received a large refrigerator in the past day to store dog food which has been helicoptered out to people unable to get in to the racecourse.

In addition, the Defense Force has set itself up at the track as a base as it gets ready to help with the clean-up.

Hastings is next due to host a race day on Wednesday March 1, where the Gr.2 Little Avondale Stud Lowland Stakes (2100m) is due to be held.

Hamilton said there should not be any difficulties in staging that race meeting barring something unexpected, and they were looking at ways to make it an event to help bring residents together.

“We want to make sure that one of the benefits is to have something for our trainers to look forward to. They're still working their horses and it gives them an opportunity to race, and it gives an opportunity for the community to come together as well,” he said.

“It's not really the right time to be selling hospitality packages. It's more about the community and we want to make sure that the race meeting is community focused.”

The post New Zealand: Hastings Racecourse Doing Its Part To Aid In Cyclone Recovery appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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