Tag: The Biz

Spurred by strong support from horsemen and women from California and around the country, Del Mar set new records for average daily handle and field size during its 83rd summer season that concluded Sunday, Sept. 11.

The San Diego County track also continued its exemplary safety record for the fourth consecutive year. Del Mar reported no catastrophic injuries among its 2,688 starters in its 294 races during the 31-day season.

Average daily handle for the 31-day summer race meet was a record $18.69 million, an increase of 1.5% from last year's $18.41 million, the previous record. Total wagering for the meet increased to $579.24 million, compared to the $570.78 million wagered during the 2021 summer session.

On-track business increased over 2021. Average daily wagering of $1.52 million represented 4.8% growth over last year's $1.45 million. Total attendance of 278,702 resulted in a gain of 16.1% from 2021's total of 240,030.

Fueled by record California purses of over $800,000 per day, field size during the summer meet averaged 9.77 for turf races and 8.67 for main track events. Together they combined for a Del Mar record 9.14 horses per contest, well above last year's average of 8.45. The 9.14 mark puts the seaside track at the very pinnacle of all tracks in the country and has served as a great lure for horse players nationwide.

The highlight of the meeting was Flightline's tour de force performance in the TVG Pacific Classic when the undefeated 4-year-old dominated the $1 million race, the track's signature event, by nearly 20 lengths in an awe-inspiring display that led to a standing ovation by the fans on hand and accolades from the racing community throughout the country. Owned by Hronis Racing and partners, trained by John Sadler and ridden by Flavien Prat, Flightline is expected to make his next start in the rich Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland in November.

“Just an incredible meet on all levels,” said Joe Harper, Del Mar's chief executive officer. “All season long the racing was ultra-competitive and extremely safe. Our racing office, led by Tom Robbins and David Jerkens, was phenomenal. We're also very appreciative of the support we received from our fans and our players both here on track and all across the country.”

Seventy different trainers recorded wins at the summer meet, further evidence of how competitive the racing was this season.

The track's innovative “Ship & Win” program had its best season yet with 222 new runners shipping in to race at the shore oval, well ahead of last year's record 186 imports. The majority of those horses, which are primarily owned and trained by California stables, will compete at Los Alamitos, Santa Anita and Golden Gate, boosting field size throughout the state.

Del Mar's jockey championship was a runaway with last fall's leading rider, Juan Hernandez, picking it right back up and proving he belongs with the best of the best. The versatile 30-year-old captured a total of 49 races at the session, a full 22 winners ahead of runner-up Umberto Rispoli. The leading trainer title was a battle down to the very last day and it saw Hall of Famer Bob Baffert tie Phil D'Amato, each with 19 firsts. This was Baffert's eighth training title, but his first since 2003. It was D'Amato's fourth, counting his score in last fall's Bing Crosby meet. The stand's top owners were the trio of Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, who won nine races at the meet (including closing day's Grade 1 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity) and a total of $849,680 in purses.

“This meet is the culmination of a year-long plan to revitalize California racing and return it to its rightful place as one of the best circuits in America,” said Thoroughbred Owners of California chairman Gary Fenton. “A big thank you to our partners at DMTC and our members. Without owners there is no California racing and they continue to make a strong statement that Del Mar is their favorite place to be.”

Racing returns to Del Mar for the track's fall Bing Crosby meet from Nov. 11 through Dec. 4.

The post Del Mar Summer Meet Ends With New Wagering Marks, Exemplary Safety Record appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Buoyed by a record-breaking handle of more than $6.5 million on New Kent County Virginia Derby Day, Colonial Downs shattered all wagering marks this racing season, the fourth under the management of Colonial Downs Group and ownership of Peninsula Pacific Entertainment

Total handle for the 26-day live racing meet (one card was lost to weather conditions) was $74,940,840 for a daily average of $2,882,340, up more than 29 percent from the 2021 average daily handle mark of $2,231,765 during that season's 21-day session. By further comparison, Thoroughbred racing nationwide is up just 0.24 percent for the year. This race meet marked an all-time wagering high in the history of Colonial Downs.

“The revival of Virginia racing continues to grow as we once again set new all-time handle marks,” said John Marshall, Colonial Downs Group Executive Vice President, Operations. “It is gratifying to see Colonial Downs evolve into one of the nation's elite meets which is what our team set out to accomplish just four years ago. We congratulate all of those who aimed and worked at placing Virginia racing in such an admirable position.”

Purses for the season averaged a Virginia record of $612,000 up from 2021's $521,000 per day in purse distribution. Through August 2022, the national yearly average is $299,000.

“The 2022 Colonial Downs race meet was such a great success on all levels thanks to the support of so many. We are grateful to all the horsemen, patrons, fans and industry stakeholders for being a part of this fabulous summer of racing in Virginia,” said Jill Byrne, Colonial Downs Vice President of Racing Operations.

A total of 1,382 individual horses representing 321 trainers made a combined 2,179 starts for the season. Field size averaged 8.35 runners per race compared to the 7.17 national per race average,

Among the trainers stabled on the grounds during the meet included Steve Asmussen, Michelle Lovell, Shug McGaughey, and Graham Motion.

Mike Stidham took home leading trainer honors with 13 victories, two better than Mike Trombetta. Colonial newcomer Larry Rivelli, who moved his stable from Chicago to Virginia for the summer, was next in the standings with nine trips to the post.

The owners' race ended in a dead-heat between David Ross's DARRS, Inc. and R. Larry Johnson each of whom visited the winner's circle on six occasions.

Jevian Toledo won his first Colonial riding crown with 25 victories. Leonel Reyes and Horacio Karamanos tied for second with 18 wins apiece. Notably, three-time Eclipse Award winning jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. won nine races in the meet's final two days including both the Grade 3, $300,000 New Kent County Virginia Derby aboard Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Robert V. LaPenta, Gainesway Stable, Winchell Thoroughbreds and Stonestreet Stables Capensis and the $200,000 Woodford Reserve Virginia Oaks with Michael Nentwig, Michael Dubb, Beast Mode Racing LLC, John Rochfort, Robert N. Falcone Jr.'s Spirit and Glory.

New for the 2022 meet was a reduced takeout 12 percent Pick 5 wager which for the first time offered a carryover provision. With an $80,000 carryover from the previous day, a record $761,000 in new money was bet into the pool on August 9. For the season, the Pick 5 averaged more than $187,000 per day vs. $102,271 in 2021 (an 83 percent increase).

The season went out with a bang as the final three days of the meet resulted in more than $15 million in all-sources handle with $2,597,728 bet on the Labor Day card Sept. 5, a record $6,512,667 wagered on Virginia Derby Day Sept. 6, and $6,082,926 pushed through the windows closing day Sept. 7.

The post ‘Revival Of Virginia Racing’: Colonial Downs’ 2022 Meet Shatters Wagering Records appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

British racing remains in mourning Friday regarding the death of Her Majesty The Queen.

As an ongoing mark of respect it has been determined that, alongside the cancellation of fixtures on Sept. 8 and 9, all racing will also be cancelled tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 10. Scheduled fixtures and racing events will return on Sunday, Sept. 11.

An additional day of racing at Doncaster will also be scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 11, to ensure that the Group 1 Cazoo St Leger and other important races lost as result of the cancellations can take place.

However, the fixture scheduled for Musselburgh racecourse on Sunday will be cancelled as a mark of respect for the fact that the Queen's body will be lying in rest in Edinburgh.

Julie Harrington, Chief Executive of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), said:

“Her Majesty the Queen's affinity and bond with British racing was enduring and unique, and a number of our sport's participants have a close, direct relationship with her.It is out of respect for this, and in sympathy with her family including King Charles III, that the sport has taken the decision to continue our suspension of fixtures into Saturday.

“The return of racing on Sunday will see the running of the Cazoo St Leger, one of Britain's five Classic races and a race which the Queen won with her filly Dunfermline in 1977. This will also provide an opportunity for the sport and its supporters to pay its respects to Her Majesty, for the contribution which she has made to the sport to be marked, and for racing to express its deep gratitude to her and sympathies to her family.”

Cancelling racing on Saturday will also allow the sport, and in particular those people involved who had a close relationship with the royal family, to take in the formal proclamation of King Charles III's reign on Saturday afternoon.

A nine-race card has been scheduled at Doncaster as follows:

12:30 £134,220 THE CORAL CHAMPAGNE STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 2)

13:00 £50,000 THE CAZOO HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 2)

13:35 £115,000 THE CORAL FLYING CHILDERS STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 2)

14:10 £100,000 THE CORAL PORTLAND HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 2)

14:45 £130,000 THE CORAL DONCASTER CUP STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 2) (British Champions Series)

15:20 £120,000 THE CAZOO PARK STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 2)

15:55 £786,000 THE CAZOO ST LEGER STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 1) (British Champions Series)

16:30 £50,000 THE P J TOWEY CONSTRUCTION HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 2)

17:05 £60,000 THE CORAL MALLARD HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 2)

David Thorpe, Chairman of Arena Racing Company said:

“The British horseracing industry has lost a true patron and figurehead. As a mark of respect, we collectively took the decision to cease all racing from Thursday evening but will return with meetings on Sunday, including the amended fixture at Doncaster. It will feature the Cazoo St Leger Stakes and other races that were due to take place on Friday and Saturday. Our gratitude goes to all of our customers, our sponsors and our fellow industry stakeholders and hope that the day might offer an opportunity to mark Her Majesty's lifelong love for our wonderful sport.”

The five races from 1:35pm through to 3:55pm will be shown live on ITV4, whose coverage will run from 1pm to 4.30pm, as well as all races being broadcast on Sky Sports Racing. British racing is grateful to everyone at ITV and Sky for the flexibility in programming these races.

All racecourses racing from Sunday and over the mourning period will continue to mark Her Majesty's passing with tributes on-course. Flags will fly at half-mast, jockeys will wear black armbands while riding in each race and a period of silence will be observed prior to the opening race at each meeting. These marks of respect will continue to be observed until Her Majesty's funeral next week, and further updates will follow in due course.

Decisions will be made in due course about other important days in the mourning period, such as the commencement of Her Majesty lying in state and the day of the funeral, as details are confirmed. We remain in close consultation with Government as part of this process. We would highlight that this decision has been made to reflect Her Majesty the Queen's special relationship with racing, and that other sports will, in line with national mourning guidance, make their own decisions as they see appropriate.

The post Britain’s St Leger Postponed To Sunday After Queen’s Passing appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post