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Which ADWs Have Gained The Most During COVID-19 Pandemic?

Without legal advance deposit wagering in the United States, horse racing would have suffered unimaginable consequences during the COVID-19 pandemic that was unleashed one year ago. As it was, many tracks were forced to close while racing officials, health departments and infectious disease experts across the country worked toward solutions to keeping a major industry going.

Almost without exception, on-track business evaporated and racing was dependent on leading ADW companies TVG, TwinSpires, Xpressbet and NYRA Bets to stay in business. Those companies, the “big four” among ADWs, handled nearly $6.5 billion through the Oregon Racing Commission wagering hub, about 60% of the $10.9 billion bet on U.S. races in 2020, according to Equibase.

Some caveats: NYRA Bets totals do not include wagers made by New York residents on in-state races. Also, the ADW totals include a relatively small percentage that is wagered on Standardbred and Quarter Horse racing and international races. The totals for TwinSpires and Xpressbet may include “white label” ADWs created by various racetracks that use the aforementioned companies' technology.

Another $160 million was wagered through the Oregon hub by six smaller ADW companies.

Also, keep in mind that a significant portion of wagering dollars (though the details are not available) is bet through a hub in North Dakota. Elite Turf Club, Lien Games Racing, WatchAndWager.com and several others are registered in North Dakota, which is not as transparent with wagering totals as is Oregon. Among those companies, Elite Turf Club is probably the largest, with a number of high volume customers employing computer assisted wagering programs.

The growth in wagering through the Oregon hub by the “big four” from 2019 to 2020 was 52%. From a percentage standpoint, NYRA Bets – the smallest of the four and the latest to launch its business in 2016 – had the biggest gain of 104%. From a dollars standpoint, TVG was the leader, gaining over $1.2 billion in wagers from 2019 to 2020.

Perhaps not surprisingly, those two companies are affiliated with television throughout the year: NYRA Bets through programming on Fox Sports and TVG with its long-established racing network.

TVG's growth was so dramatic in 2020 that it overtook TwinSpires as the largest volume ADW company using the Oregon hub, ending a long run at the top by TwinSpires. In 2019, TwinSpires handled over $640 million more than TVG.

From a percentage standpoint, TwinSpires showed the slowest growth of the “big four” during the pandemic, gaining 30%. Xpressbet gained 34% from 2019-'20 topping $1 billion for the second consecutive year.

The post Which ADWs Have Gained The Most During COVID-19 Pandemic? appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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30% Increase To Del Mar Summer Stakes Purses Led By $250,000 Boost To Pacific Classic

Building on the positive news it announced last week concerning a 30% increase to overnight purses and major enhancements to its popular “Ship & Win” program, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., released this year's summer stakes schedule showing a similar healthy increase of 30% to its major stakes compared to the 2020 racing season.

In 2020, the track presented 32 major stakes worth $5,175,000. For this year there will be two additional stakes and total purses will be $6,750,000, a value increase of 30%.

Twenty-one of this season's major stakes show increases from 2020 beginning at $25,000 and rising to $250,000. Notable in those escalations are an additional quarter-million dollars added to the Grade 1 TVG Pacific Classic, raising it to $750,000; $150,000 to the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile making it worth $300,000, and $100,000 each to the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap (up to $300,000) and the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap (now worth $250,000).

“This is one of the strongest stakes schedules in Del Mar's history,” said David Jerkens, Del Mar's racing secretary. “We have increased purses virtually across the board. I am really excited to see the level of quality our stakes program will attract, especially being the home of the Breeders' Cup this year.”

Del Mar again will host the Breeders' Cup this fall, presenting the World Championships on Friday and Saturday, November 5 and 6. Del Mar hosted the Breeders' Cup previously in 2017.

Two stakes that took a hiatus in 2020 will return in 2021, the Grade 3 Cougar II Stakes and the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf, both carrying $100,000 purses.

Del Mar once again will present a power-packed program around its signature event, the TVG Pacific Classic, scheduled for Saturday, August 21. As it has done for the past several years, the track will offer four additional stakes that afternoon: the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Oaks; the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap; the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile, and the Grade 3, $100,000 Torrey Pines Stakes.

It also will feature a stakes tripleheader on its opening day, Saturday, July 17. The traditional opening day headliner – the $100,000 Runhappy Oceanside Stakes – will be on the bill, joined by the Grade 2, $250,000 San Diego Handicap and the Osunitas Stakes, an overnight offering that carries an $80,000 purse.

There will be six Grade 1 events over the course of the summer – the $300,000 Bing Crosby Stakes on Saturday, July 31; the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes on Sunday, August 1; the Del Mar Oaks and the TVG Pacific Classic, both on Saturday, August 21; the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante on Sunday, September 5, and the $300,000 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity on Monday, September 6, which is closing day.

As it has in all recent seasons, Del Mar will present five Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” races all of which give their winners automatic admittance and entry fees to parallel Breeders' Cup races. They are:

Bing Crosby Stakes (guaranteeing admission and entry fees to the $2 million BC Sprint); Clement L. Hirsch Stakes ($2 million BC Distaff); the Del Mar Handicap ($4 million BC Turf); TVG Pacific Classic ($6 million BC Classic), and the $200,000, Grade 2 Pat O'Brien Stakes ($2 million BC Dirt Mile).

Further, the track once more will tender its usual complement of eight California-bred stakes, part of the Golden State Stakes Series that consists of 36 stakes worth more than $4.4 million. Those stakes are the $175,000 Fleet Treat Stakes, the $150,000 California Dreamin' Stakes, the $175,000 Real Good Deal Stakes, the $100,000 CTBA Stakes, the $100,000 Graduation Stakes, the $150,000 Solana Beach Stakes, the $100,000 Generous Portion Stakes and the $100,000 I'm Smokin Stakes.

Del Mar will open with Saturday and Sunday (July 17, 18) cards, then go into a Thursday through Sunday format for the balance of the meet leading up to the closing card on Labor Day Monday, September 6. First post daily will be 2 p.m.

The list of stakes follows:

DATE	RACE / CONDITIONS	PURSE / DISTANCE
Sat. Jul 17	RUNHAPPY OCEANSIDE STAKES Three-year-olds, N/W S/S of $50,000 at 1 M o/o in 2021	$100,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile (T)
Sat. Jul 17	SAN DIEGO HANDICAP (Gr. II) Three-year-olds & up	$250,000 Guaranteed 1 1/16 Miles
Sat. Jul 17	Osunitas Stakes* Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up, N/W S/S $50,000 at 1 M o/o since September 1	$80,000 Added 1 Mile (T)
Sun. Jul 18	COUGAR II STAKES (Gr. III) Three-year-olds & up	$100,000 Guaranteed 1 1/2 Miles
Sun. Jul 18	Wickerr Stakes* Three-year-olds & up, N/W S/S of $50,000 at 1 M o/o in 2021	$80,000 Added 1 Mile (T)
Thu. Jul 22	Daisycutter Handicap* Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up	$80,000 Added 5 Furlongs (T)
Fri. Jul 23	FLEET TREAT STAKES Fillies, Three-year-olds, Cal-Bred	$175,000 Guaranteed 7 Furlongs
Sat. Jul 24	EDDIE READ STAKES (Gr. II) Three-year-olds & up	$250,000 Guaranteed 1 1/8 Miles (T)
Sat. Jul 24	SAN CLEMENTE STAKES (Gr. II) Fillies, Three-year-olds	$200,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile (T)
Sun. Jul 25	CALIFORNIA DREAMIN' STAKES Three-year-olds & up, Cal-Bred	$150,000 Guaranteed 1 1/16 Miles (T)
Fri. Jul 30	REAL GOOD DEAL STAKES Three-year-olds, Cal-Bred	$175,000 Guaranteed 7 Furlongs
Sat. Jul 31	BING CROSBY STAKES (Gr. I) Three-year-olds & up	$300,000 Guaranteed 6 Furlongs
Sun. Aug 01	CLEMENT L. HIRSCH STAKES (Gr. I) Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up	$300,000 Guaranteed 1 1/16 Miles
Thu. Aug 05	CTBA STAKES Fillies, Two-year-olds, Cal-Bred	$100,000 Guaranteed 5 1/2 Furlongs
Fri. Aug 06	SORRENTO STAKES (Gr. II) Fillies, Two-year-olds	$200,000 Guaranteed 6 Furlongs
Sat. Aug 07	YELLOW RIBBON HANDICAP (Gr. II) Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up	$200,000 Guaranteed 1 1/16 Miles (T)
Sat. Aug 07	BEST PAL STAKES (Gr. II) Two-year-olds	$200,000 Guaranteed 6 Furlongs
Sun. Aug 08	LA JOLLA STAKES (Gr. III) Three-year-olds	$150,000 Guaranteed 1 1/16 Miles (T)
Sun. Aug 08	GRADUATION STAKES Two-year-olds, Cal-Bred	$100,000 Guaranteed 5 1/2 Furlongs
Sat. Aug 14	CTT & TOC Stakes* Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up	$80,000 Added 1 3/8 Miles (T)
Sun. Aug 15	SOLANA BEACH STAKES Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up, Cal-Bred	$150,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile (T)
Fri. Aug 20	RANCHO BERNARDO HANDICAP (Gr. III) Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up	$100,000 Added 6 1/2 Furlongs
Sat. Aug 21	TVG PACIFIC CLASSIC (Gr. I) Three-year-olds & up	$750,000 Guaranteed 1 1/4 Miles
Sat. Aug 21	DEL MAR OAKS (Gr. I) Fillies, Three-year-olds	$300,000 Guaranteed 1 1/8 Miles (T)
Sat. Aug 21	DEL MAR MILE (Gr. II) Three-year-olds & up	$300,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile (T)
Sat. Aug 21	DEL MAR HANDICAP (Gr. II) Three-year-olds & up	$300,000 Guaranteed 1 3/8 Miles (T)
Sat. Aug 21	TORREY PINES STAKES (Gr. III) Fillies, Three-year-olds	$100,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile
Sun. Aug 22	GREEN FLASH HANDICAP (Gr. III) Three-year-olds & up	$100,000 Guaranteed 5 Furlongs (T)
Fri. Aug 27	Tranquility Lake Stakes* Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up, N/W S/S $50,000 at 1 M o/o since February 1	$80,000 Added 1 Mile
Sat. Aug 28	PAT O'BRIEN STAKES (Gr. II) Three-year-olds & up	$200,000 Guaranteed 7 Furlongs
Sun. Aug 29	SHARED BELIEF STAKES Three-year-olds	$100,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile
Fri. Sep 03	GENEROUS PORTION STAKES Fillies, Two-year-olds, Cal-Bred	$100,000 Guaranteed 6 Furlongs
Sat. Sep 04	DEL MAR DERBY (Gr. II) Three-year-olds	$200,000 Guaranteed 1 1/8 Miles (T)
Sat. Sep 04	JOHN C. MABEE STAKES (Gr. II) Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up	$200,000 Guaranteed 1 1/8 Miles (T)
Sat. Sep 04	I'M SMOKIN' STAKES Two-year-olds, Cal-Bred	$100,000 Guaranteed 6 Furlongs
Sun. Sep 05	DEL MAR DEBUTANTE (Gr. I) Fillies, Two-year-olds	$300,000 Guaranteed 7 Furlongs
Sun. Sep 05	DEL MAR JUVENILE FILLIES TURF Fillies, Two-year-olds	$100,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile (T)
Mon. Sep 06	DEL MAR JUVENILE TURF Two-year-olds	$100,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile (T)
Mon. Sep 06	RUNHAPPY DEL MAR FUTURITY (Gr. I) Two-year-olds	$300,000 Guaranteed 7 Furlongs

* Indicates Overnight Stakes

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Laurel’s Spring Meet Features Seven Stakes Worth $750,000

Laurel Park will offer seven stakes worth $750,000 in purses, including automatic qualifiers for the Preakness Stakes (G1) and Black-Eyed Susan (G2), Saturday, April 17 as part of its upcoming spring meet.

The 19-day spring meet opens Thursday, April 1 and runs through Sunday, May 2, serving as a bridge between Laurel's ongoing winter meet, which began Jan. 1, and the Preakness Meet at historic Pimlico Race Course.

Racing will be conducted Thursday through Sunday during the spring meet, with the exception of Easter Sunday, April 4. Post time will be 12:40 p.m. with a special 12:15 p.m. post on Kentucky Derby day, Saturday, May 1.

Co-headlining the stakes program are the $125,000 Federico Tesio for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles and the $125,000 Weber City Miss for 3-year-old fillies at about 1 1/16 miles. The Tesio serves as a 'Win and In' qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated horses to the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown, the 146th Preakness May 15, and the Weber City Miss is a 'Win and In' event for the 97th Black-Eyed Susan May 14.

Last year's Tesio winner, Wertheimer and Frere's homebred Happy Saver, went on to win the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) against older horses in his subsequent start to complete a perfect 4-0 sophomore campaign.

Sprinters 3 and up will go six furlongs in the $100,000 Primonetta for females and seven furlongs in the $100,000 Frank Y. Whiteley. Laurel's world-class turf course is scheduled to host its first stakes of the season – the $100,000 Dahlia for fillies and mares 3 and older and $100,000 Henry S. Clark for 3-year-olds and up, both going one mile, and the $100,000 King T. Leatherbury for 3-year-olds and up sprinting five furlongs.

Live racing returns to Laurel Park with an eight-race program Friday, March 5. The winter meet runs Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Sunday, March 28.

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Fair Grounds To Increase Purses 10 Percent Across The Board

For the third time in the 2020-21 meet, Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots has announced a 10 percent purse increase across the board. Much like the first two, the boost was inspired by strong simulcast handle. The purse increase, which includes both open races and Louisiana-bred races, goes into effect for the final 13 days of the meet, beginning with the Thursday, March 11 card. The draw for that card is Thursday, March 4.

“Our handle has continued to be strong, and we are pleased to be able to raise purses for the third time this meet,” Fair Grounds' racing secretary Scott Jones said. “We'd once again like to thank the owners, trainers and fans who have been supporting our day-to-day racing product. $60,000 for a maiden special weight pot is a very competitive number to get to.”

To make up for the weather-related Feb. 11 cancellation, Fair Grounds has also added Wednesday, March 24, to the live racing calendar. In addition, in order to accommodate the NBC broadcast, post time for the 149^th Louisiana Derby Day card on Saturday, March 20 has been pushed back to 11:20 a.m. CT.

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