Tag: The Biz

In yet another sign that the sport is rebounding from the pandemic, the Far Hills Race Meeting Association announced that the purse of the American Grand National will increase from $150,000 last year to $250,000, when the 101st Running takes place on Oct. 15. The increase will make the race the richest on the 2022 National Steeplechase Association calendar.

The Grand National is one of five Grade 1 fixtures on the NSA schedule this year. The Iroquois, in Nashville, is scheduled for May 14, followed by the A.P. Smithwick July 20 and Jonathan Sheppard on Aug. 17, both at Saratoga, and the Lonesome Glory, either at Belmont Park or Aqueduct, on Sept. 15. The purse for each of those races is $150,000.

“This will really put an exclamation point on steeplechasing's biggest day and the overall season,” said Far Hills Race Meeting chairman Guy Torsilieri. “On Oct. 15, all eyes will be on Far Hills, and we want to do everything possible to attract the biggest and best field that includes not only the outstanding American jumpers, but stars from abroad. The larger purse has the potential to achieve that goal and grow the sport, which is our top priority.”

Prior to the pandemic, the Grand National boasted a purse of as large as $450,000, making it a lucrative target for some of Europe's top trainers, including Gordon Elliott, Willie Mullins, and Nicky Henderson, and riders like Ruby Walsh, Davy Russell, Nico De Boinville, Danny Mullins, Jack Kennedy, and Robbie Power. In fact, European jumpers won back-to-back runnings of the Grand National in 2018 and 2019, with Jury Duty and Brain Power, respectively.

Steeplechase racing is enjoying widespread publicity thanks to the spirited rivalry between The Mean Queen, the 2021 Eclipse Award-winning mare, and Snap Decision, who tied the Thrice Worthy's record of nine consecutive wins. The Mean Queen's thrilling triumph in the Lonesome Glory caught the eye of the New York Racing Association and Fox Sports, producers of America's Day at the Races, leading to national television coverage of their highly anticipated rematch at Far Hills in October, which resulted in an even tighter decision between the two titans.

Based on the response that NYRA and Fox received, they have committed to expanding coverage of steeplechase racing in 2022 and are planning to televise this year's Far Hills Races, which will offer pari-mutuel wagering on all six races in partnership with Monmouth Park. The Mean Queen and Snap Decision are on target to clash for the first time this season at The Iroquois Steeplechase on May 14, 2022.

The post Far Hills Sweetens 2022 Grand National Purse To $250,000 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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International runners in the 2022 Melbourne Cup will no longer be subjected to blanket requirements for scintigraphy scans, Racing Victoria announced on Wednesday.

Instead, the scintigraphy scans will be used on a targeted approach: “the RV veterinary team will focus the use of scintigraphy scans on international horses where their mandatory CT or MRI scans; veterinary history; racing history; and/or pre-travel inspections indicate that the horse may be at a heightened risk of sustaining a serious injury.”

A total of 41 new safety measures were adopted after the 2020 edition of the Melbourne Cup, in which Aidan O'Brien trainee suffered a fatal injury. He was the sixth international horse to die in the space of just eight runnings.

“Our number one priority is the safety of horses and riders, and we make no apology for implementing and maintaining world leading safety standards that are aimed at reducing the risk of injuries as we saw in 2021 with a Spring Racing Carnival and Melbourne Cup free of serious injuries,” said RV Chief Executive, Giles Thompson. “When we introduced the new veterinary protocols last year we committed to a thorough process after the Spring Carnival to review their implementation; consider any learnings and participant feedback; and to understand any advancements in technology and research that may be of further benefit.

“Our international working group recommended that, to remain at the forefront of safety in world racing, Victoria should continue the mandatory CT or MRI scanning of all international horses before travelling to Australia; and CT scanning of all horses, both local and international, prior to the Melbourne Cup.

“They also recommended enhancements to our protocols through an increase in the number of pre-travel veterinary inspections for an international horse and the introduction of new gait analysis technology, along with enhanced veterinary oversight of horses travelling to Australia via alternate quarantine centers.

“Upon review of the use of scintigraphy scans, it was determined that they now be used in a discretionary manner by our veterinary team in circumstances where the mandatory CT scans; veterinary history; racing history; and/or pre-travel inspections of any international horse indicate that it may be at a heightened risk of a serious injury. In doing so, our vets will remain vigilant and not hesitate to use a scintigraphy scan where needed to protect the safety of horses and riders.

“The Board has adopted the recommended veterinary protocols for 2022 in the knowledge that they collectively represent a strengthened and comprehensive strategy to reduce the risk of serious injuries in racehorses, in particular among internationals travelling to Victoria.

“In making this announcement, I would reiterate that we remain focused on attracting the best horses, trainers and jockeys to compete in Victoria, as we do on ensuring that those visiting compete safely and return home in good health.

“International participation has been a feature of our Spring Racing Carnival for close to 30 years, and the win of State of Rest in last year's Cox Plate demonstrated both the competitiveness of international horses in our elite races and their ability to travel here, satisfy our veterinary protocols and perform at an elite level.”

The detailed Racing Victoria statement is available below:

Racing Victoria (RV) has today announced that the 2022 Spring Racing Carnival will again feature world leading safety standards for horses with the release of stringent veterinary protocols for international and local competitors.

The announcement reaffirms Victorian racing's ongoing commitment to minimizing the risk of injuries, particularly among international horses travelling to compete in Victoria and for all horses contesting the Melbourne Cup.

The confirmation of the 2022 veterinary protocols follows the completion of a detailed review of the 2021 Spring Racing Carnival and the implementation therein of wide-ranging recommendations aimed at reducing the risk of injuries.

The objective of the review, which was led by RV's international working group including integrity, veterinary, equine welfare, and racing experts, was to examine the effectiveness of the ground-breaking veterinary protocols introduced in 2021; to consider any learnings obtained via their implementation; and to analyze any significant developments in research and technology.

In conducting the review, RV engaged with a broad range of stakeholders, including Australian and international private veterinarians; international regulatory veterinarians; Australian and international trainers, jockeys, and owners; primary service providers, including those involved in applying the protocols; and Victoria's metropolitan racing clubs.

Upon recommendation of the international working group, the RV Board has endorsed the retention of the following primary veterinary protocols for horses competing in the 2022 Spring Racing Carnival:

a) All international horses must undergo a Computed Tomography (CT) scan of their distal limbs, or where CT is not available Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of their distal limbs, prior to travelling to Australia;

b) Following their arrival in Australia, all international horses must undergo a CT scan prior to each start during the Spring Racing Carnival;

c) All horses – international and local – must undergo a CT scan of their distal limbs before being permitted to compete in the Melbourne Cup. This scan must again be conducted after the Caulfield Cup race meeting;

d) A panel of RV-appointed international experts in equine surgery and/or veterinary diagnostic imaging will again review all scans and help determine a horse's suitability to travel to Victoria via the Werribee International Horse Centre and/or race during the Spring Racing Carnival; and

e) All Melbourne Cup starters will undergo two pre-race inspections by a panel of RV veterinarians, the first on the Thursday/Friday prior to the race and the second on the day prior (Monday).

Upon recommendation of the international working group, the RV Board also endorsed updates to several veterinary protocols for international horses seeking to compete in Victoria year-round, together with potential enhancements to the veterinary technology in place within the state as follows:

f) Any international horse that leaves an Australian quarantine facility after 1 August, being the commencement of the racing season, may have only one race start in Australia prior to competing in the Melbourne Cup of that season;

g) Regardless of the time of year, any international horse that enters Australia via a non-RV quarantine centre, principally Canterbury Racecourse (NSW) and Mickleham (VIC), will require RV veterinary approval to start in a trial or race in Victoria within 10 weeks of departing post-arrival quarantine in Australia. The approval process will include a detailed veterinary report, two inspections by an RV-appointed veterinarian and a CT scan of the horse's distal limbs. Should the results indicate that the horse is at heightened risk of a serious injury, the RV veterinary team may also request a scintigraphy scan. These inspections and scans may be conducted outside of Victoria; and

h) The exploration of situating a second standing CT scanner within Victoria and the introduction of an Australian-first portable Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanner subject to necessary approvals and operating agreements. If introduced, such technology would serve to expand the capabilities of RV's year-round Subsidised Diagnostic Imaging Program for locally trained horses (colloquially known as 'Medicare for Horses'), in addition to building further capability for future Spring Racing Carnivals.

Upon recommendation of the international working group, the RV Board has also endorsed the use of scintigraphy scans in a targeted manner from 2022 onwards for international horses travelling to Victoria via the Werribee International Horse Centre as opposed to a blanket order.

The RV veterinary team will focus the use of scintigraphy scans on international horses where their mandatory CT or MRI scans; veterinary history; racing history; and/or pre-travel inspections indicate that the horse may be at a heightened risk of sustaining a serious injury.

This change aligns European horses with Japanese horses where a discretionary protocol was in place for 2021 due to the absence of such technology in Japan.

The adoption of a targeted approach considers both the benefits and challenges of utilising scintigraphy scans on racehorses in active training, along with analysis of scintigraphy results from the 2021 Spring Racing Carnival and of ongoing research into the prevalent causes of serious injuries in racehorses.

This includes the greater benefits of mandatory CT scanning – which caters best to the detection of the most prevalent causes of serious injuries in racehorses – on average one week prior to a race compared to scintigraphy scans which may be conducted up to three months prior to an international horse starting in Victoria.

As part of the change to discretionary scintigraphy scans, the following veterinary protocols have also been enhanced for international horses seeking to compete in the 2022 Spring Racing Carnival:

i) An increase in the number of pre-travel veterinary inspections of international horses from two to three. These inspections will be conducted by an RV-appointed overseas veterinarian, with two prior to the horse entering pre-export quarantine and the third while the horse is in pre-export quarantine;

j) Circumstances permitting with the resumption of international travel, an RV veterinarian who will be charged with examining horses post-arrival at the Werribee International Horse Centre will attend one pre-travel veterinary inspection in the horse's homeland; and

k) An enhanced use of technology in pre-travel inspections through the introduction of a digital gait analysis system which will be fitted to the horse across each of the three veterinary inspections to help detect lameness and identify any changes in its gait between them.

The post Australia: Scintigraphy Requirements Eased For International Contenders In Melbourne Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Lone Star Park celebrates its 25th anniversary season this year with the continued optimism that has permeated Texas racing since passage of the 2019 legislation that channeled a portion of sales tax on horse feed and supplies into purses.

The Grand Prairie meet runs April 28 through July 24, most Thursdays through Sundays, plus Memorial Day May 30 and July 4. There is no racing on Thursdays May 5 and 26, June 2 and 30 and July 7. Marquee stakes days include the Lone Star Million Day on Memorial Day, Lone Star Showcase Day on June 19, Summer Turf Festival on July 16 and Stars of Texas Day on July 17.

“Texas racing has revitalized since they passed that bill,” said trainer Austin Gustafson. “We're excited. Things are really looking good.”

Gustafson's career has paralleled the resurgence of Texas racing, with 2020 and 2021 being breakthrough years for the 29-year-old trainer, who won 24 races last year at Lone Star. He said the overwhelming majority of his owners are from Texas, want to race in Texas and have responded to the enhanced purses.

Lone Star Park is scheduled to pay out $12.8 million to horse owners over the 48-date meet, averaging about $268,000 a day.

“My clients have boosted their budgets significantly with the purse increase,” Gustafson said. “These guys I work for all started spending more money. The more horses, the more tax. I think the legislation is definitely doing its job.”

Lone Star's silver anniversary comes on the heels of a record-setting meet at Sam Houston Race Park, on which more than $103 million was wagered during the 50-day session that ran Jan. 6 through April 9. It marked the second straight year that the Houston track wagered more than $2 million a day. A record $5.97 million was bet on Jan. 30, the Houston Racing Festival.

Horsemen are expecting big things at Lone Star as well.

“The quality has improved dramatically in a short period of time, regardless of the caliber of the race,” said five-time Lone Star champion trainer and five-time leading owner Karl Broberg. “You're seeing old faces that had abandoned Lone Star come back as well as new faces. People are just running their better stock there, as opposed to the lesser stock that they were able to get away with for those who had split stables.”

Agreed Bret Calhoun: “Texas racing has gained a lot of momentum the last two years. I felt last summer was the best quality of horses they'd had there since the early days of Lone Star, so I thought it required a bit better horse to win the maiden and allowance races. You get better purses, you get better horses, fuller fields. It's a domino effect, and I think you'll see more of that this year.”

Opening day will include a 25th anniversary hat giveaway as well as a Steve Asmussen milestone celebration. The Hall of Famer comes into the Lone Star meet as North America's all-time winningest trainer at 9,713 victories through April 18 and counting, with Asmussen quickly pulling away from the late Dale Baird's 9,445 after breaking the record last Aug. 7 at Saratoga.

Asmussen holds particular affection for Lone Star Park, beyond being the track's all-time win leader. He and his wife, Julie, have lived in nearby Arlington for years.

“All three of the boys were born there in Arlington, about 15 minutes from the racetrack,” said Asmussen, who won 17 races at Lone Star's inaugural meet in 1997 and his first of 14 training titles two years later, “so it's been a very special place to us. With all the trials of horse racing now, the agricultural tax that Texas has in place that is supplementing their racing is proving to be very effective.”

Indeed, it's not a coincidence that Asmussen has won Lone Star's two training titles since the purses have increased, with Broberg taking the crown in 2019 and 2018. Asmussen went 71 for 344 last year after going 50 for 266 in 2020.

“Financial opportunity allows you to run a little more expensive horse,” said Asmussen, who also claimed his 14th Sam Houston trainer's title earlier this month with 51 wins. “I am blessed with opportunities as far as horses go, and I'm hoping that continues.”

With more money on the table, the competition overall is tougher – and that's the point, he said.

“That's what we're hoping for, to build the product as well as the state-bred program there,” Asmussen said from Churchill Downs, where he is preparing Louisiana Derby winner Epicenter for the Kentucky Derby and unbeaten 2-year-old champion filly Echo Zulu for the Kentucky Oaks. “I think the last couple of Texas sales have been up dramatically, which (means) better horses get to run for more money.”

Broberg won five of the six Lone Star training titles between 2014 and 2019, with Asmussen on top in 2017. He had strong meets last year (54-for-280) and in 2020 (42-for-2020) while second in the standings but couldn't match Asmussen's horsepower.

Asked his expectations for the meet, Broberg said: “To finish a distant second to Asmussen in the standings as usual.”

That's just being realistic, but Broberg said he's not conceding anything.

“Lone Star Park is home to me,” he said. “I live 15 miles from the racetrack. I always try to make a full-out effort. I'm working as diligently as I can to stack the deck, but that doesn't mean it's going to play out in such a manner.”

End Zone Athletics, the partnership headed by Broberg, remains the owner to beat and comes into Lone Star as the 2022 Sam Houston meet leader with 29 victories. End Zone took last year's Lone Star title with 40 wins, with Asmussen second with 22.

Stewart Elliott — the 2004 Kentucky Derby-winning jockey on Smarty Jones and who won his first Lone Star riding title last year — comes into this meet off the Sam Houston crown, where he edged Ry Eikleberry 62-59 in victories. Eikleberry left Lone Star for Minnesota's Canterbury Park last year but will stay the entire meet this time, according to his agent, Jose Santos Jr.

David Cabrera, Lone Star's leading rider in 2014 who is always in the thick of the jockey race, could resume riding by May 12 after being injured in a spill at Arkansas' Oaklawn Park, Santos reports. Ernesto Valdez-Jimenez and Lane Luzzi are among others who should be prominent in the jockey standings.

Memorial Day features a blockbuster card, with six stakes forming Lone Star Million Day, headed by the $400,000, Grade 3 Steve Sexton Mile and the $300,000 Texas Derby. New to Million Day will be the inaugural $100,000 Speightstown Sprint for 3-year-olds on dirt, a six-furlong stakes named for the winner of the 2004 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Lone Star. The meet's 21 stakes will total more than $2.8 million.

Calhoun said both Silver Dust, Tom Durant's multiple graded-stakes-winner and near-millionaire, and Mr. Wireless are candidates for the Sexton Mile. Mr. Wireless was second in last year's Texas Derby at Lone Star before winning the Grade 3 Indiana and West Virginia Derbies.

Promotional highlights include the May 7 Kentucky Derby, May 21 Preakness and June 11 Belmont Stakes simulcasts; May 1 crawfish boil; Dollar Days on May 14 and July 16; Lone Star BARK (featuring dog contests) May 22; 25th anniversary T-shirt giveaway June 4; Extreme Racing Day (camel, zebra and ostrich races) June 25-26; and fireworks July 3-4. Handicapping-contest qualifiers for the National Horseplayer Championship: April 30, May 28, 29 & 30 and July 16.

First post on Thursdays and Fridays is 6:35 p.m. CT and 1:35 p.m. CT on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. Downloadable promotions schedule here, including live music performers. For reservations and to purchase tickets visit www.LoneStarPark.com/Tickets.

The post Lone Star Park Celebrates 25th Season Of Racing With ‘Revitalized’ Purses appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Hong Kong racing will offer record total prize money and incentives of HK$1.62 billion (US$210 million) across the 2022/23 season with the overall purse bolstered by a record single-season increase of 11.5 percent and featuring an exciting range of innovations, including stunning increases in prize money across distance races and a new bonus system.

In announcing this major investment, the Club has made a clear statement that it is looking beyond the current challenges created by the pandemic and reaffirming its long-term strategy of providing the right incentives structure to reward owners who invest in the high-quality horses that are the foundation of Hong Kong's world-class racing.

Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club talked through the challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic: “The last two and a half years have been among the most challenging times in Hong Kong racing history. Despite this, we have been able to continue racing and we would like to thank everybody in the industry for working together to make it happen.

“With various kinds of COVID-19 measures including overseas travel restrictions, it has made it difficult for Owners and Trainers to go to the sales to source horses for two racing seasons. Furthermore, we are facing an increased competition to source good horses due to prize money increases around the world, especially Australia which is the main source of our bloodstock. The popularity of overseas racing syndicates, which are less willing to sell horses as well as highly competitive power from gulf countries also makes the issue harder.

“We recognise all of these factors, but firmly believe that the impacts of this will be short-term. We have seen Hong Kong emerge as one of the world leaders in racing both in terms of its quality and its international recognition. We have also successfully pioneered large scale international commingling, and now the World Pool. We firmly believe that Hong Kong racing will have room for further growth and we are fully committed to making the necessary investments to achieve this, both through major plans for significant capital investments in our racecourses and training facilities in Sha Tin and Conghua, as well as in a prize money pool that rewards owners who invest in high-quality horses.

“We have had a complete review of our prize money and incentive structure and have decided to make continuous investment into the future, which has resulted in significant increases in prize money and additional incentives in the bonus system with special focus on certain distance categories,” Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said.

Hong Kong will continue to be the home of the world's richest Group 1 turf races over 1200m, 1600m and 2000m when the collective prize money of the four G1 features at the LONGINES HKIR rises to a new high of HK$110 million (US$14.02 million), a boost of HK$10 million (US$1.27 million) on 2021.

The G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m, or 1 1/4 miles) – won by Loves Only You in 2021 – will carry HK$34 million (US$4.33 million) in prizemoney, an increase of 13.3 percent, while the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m, or one mile) grows by 15.4 percent increase to HK$30 million (US$3.82 million), and the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m, or 1 1/2 miles) advances 10 percent to HK$22 million (US$2.8 million), which is the sixth richest G1 2400m in the world.

Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges noted the importance of Hong Kong's elite races on the big stage, especially the flagship LONGINES Hong Kong International Races.

“The LONGINES Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) have been widely recognised as the Turf World Championships and the HK$110 million total prize money also highlights the Club's commitment to attracting and rewarding the world's best,” he said.

The G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) remains the most endowed seven-furlong contest in the world at HK$12 million ($1.53 million) while the upcoming HK$20 million (US$2.55 million) G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize (1200m, or six furlongs) on FWD Champions Day is the world's second most-valuable 1200m Group 1 on turf behind the HK$24 million (US$3.06 million0 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m).

The Club has also lifted Group 2 and 3 contests to HK$5 million (US$640,000) and HK$3.9 million (US$500,000) – increases of 5.3 percent and 5.4 percent, respectively.

Hong Kong's prize money pool has risen by nearly 90 percent over the past 10 years and every grade of racing from Class 1 to Griffin will carry extra prize money across 88 fixtures next season.

To address the situation in horse population structure, especially the downward trend of number of higher-class horses and the middle-distance runners, the Club has decided to introduce new prize money and bonus structures.

Under the innovative two-tiered structure, Class 1 contests ranging from 1000m to 1400m will rise to HK$3.465 million – a 10% increase, while the prize money in Class 1 races between 1600m-2400m will rise by 20.6% from HK$3.15 million up to HK$3.8 million.

Class 2 contests have been similarly enhanced. Prize money for races distances between 1000m and 1400m increase 10% to HK$2.64 million, while races ranging from 1600m to 2400m will shoot up 20.8% – a further HK$500,000 to HK$2.9 million.

Class 3 races will also feature a similar boost, with contests between 1000m to 1400m bolstered by 9.87% to HK$1.725 million with an additional HK$155,000, while races between 1600m and 2400m rise 21% with an added HK$330,000 on top.

Both Class 4 and 5 races will each carry rises of 3.85%, swelling to HK$1.08 million and HK$810,000 respectively, while Griffins grow by HK$30,000 to HK$880,000.

Enhancing the value proposition for Owners, the Club has substantially bolstered incentives with the introduction of a HK$1 million bonus for PPs (Privately Purchased Horses) for their first win in Class 3.

In addition to the HK$1 million bonus for PPs who win for the first time in Class 3, there is also a HK$1 million top-up when the horse then collects its first win in Class 2 or above when rated 80 higher in the same period.

Meanwhile, PPGs (Privately Purchased Griffins) will continue to earn a HK$1 million bonus for a first win in Class 2 or above when rated 80 or higher before reaching the age of five.

Off the back of Romantic Warrior's 2022 HK$24 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) success – ISGs (International Sale Griffins) or horses bought out of the Hong Kong International Sale – will continue to earn a HK$600,000 bonus if successful in a Class 3 contest when rated 60 or higher before the end of their first full season, while in addition if they are successful again in Class 2 or higher when rated 80 or above, they will earn an added HK$400,000 before reaching five years of age.

To balance the chances of earning the special bonus for Southern Hemisphere and Northern Hemisphere imports, there will be respective treatment in the period of eligibility in earning these bonuses. Horses from the Southern Hemisphere are eligible for PP and PPG Bonus Schemes until the end of their four-year-old year, while horses from the Northern Hemisphere are eligible for the PP and PPG Bonus Schemes until the end of the Hong Kong racing season, no later than 16 July, of their five-year-old year for a win in Class 2 or above when rated 80 or higher.

Hong Kong Racehorse Owners Association President Mr Matthew Lam welcomes the exciting incentives: “Hong Kong and the rest of the world have been facing very tough challenges over the last two years due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, but the Hong Kong Jockey Club has been doing a great job to keep racing going with very stringent health and safety restrictions. It is exciting to see the further increase in prize money in nearly all races, which will provide good incentives to Owners to continue importing high-class horses to support Hong Kong's world-class racing.”

Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges said: “The Club is committed to make the strategic investments to prize money and the incentives system, as well as to our racecourses and training facilities, to provide an attractive value proposition for Owners to invest in high-quality horses.

“It is also a reflection of our confidence in Hong Kong racing and will help the customer experience and protect the upward trend in betting duty, which has increased over the past 10 years to a record HK$23.8 billion last season.”

The post Hong Kong Boosts Purse Money By Record 11.5 Percent appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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