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NYRA To Offer New York Stakes Turf Bonus And Flower Bowl Bonus

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will see its Turf Triple series for fillies incentivized by a pair of lucrative bonus opportunities at the upcoming Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course meets.

“The bonus system is a win-win for the 3-year-old filly Turf Triple series winners as they progress to their 4 and 5-year-old seasons,” said Martin Panza, NYRA senior vice president of racing operations. “NYRA wants the best turf fillies and mares pointing towards our races, providing our fans with top-class events.”

The Turf Triple series for fillies kicks off July 10 at Belmont with the Grade 1, $700,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational. The series continues with the Grade 3, $700,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational on August 8 at Saratoga and is completed by the Jockey Club Oaks at the Belmont fall meet.

NYRA is offering a pair of unique bonus opportunities as further incentive for owners to participate in the prestigious series.

The “New York Stakes Turf Bonus” will provide $315,000 to the owner and $35,000 to the trainer of any previous winner of the Belmont Oaks, Saratoga Oaks or Jockey Club Oaks who captures the 2021 edition of the Grade 2, $750,000 New York, a 10-furlong turf test for older fillies and mares to be held June 4 at Belmont

The “Flower Bowl Bonus” will provide $300,000 to the owner and $30,000 to the trainer of any previous winner of the Belmont Oaks, Saratoga Oaks or Jockey Club Oaks, who captures the Grade 1, $600,000 Flower Bowl, an 11-furlong test for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up on September 4 at Saratoga. The Flower Bowl is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” event offering a berth in the Grade 1 Filly and Mare Turf in November at Del Mar.

The Turf Triple series, launched by NYRA in 2019, showcases the best 3-year-old turf runners in the country.

Concrete Rose captured two-thirds of the inaugural Turf Triple series for fillies with wins in the 2019 Belmont Oaks and Saratoga Oaks. The France-based Edisa captured the 2019 Jockey Club Oaks.

In August, Godolphin homebred Antoinette, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, won the 2020 Saratoga Oaks ahead of a runner-up effort to Lael Stables' Magic Attitude, conditioned by Arnaud Delacour, in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks on September 19. The Jockey Club Oaks was not contested last year due to a reduced stakes schedule caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information, visit NYRA.com.

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Saskatchewan Horsemen Facing Uncertainty As Their Lone Racetrack Could See A Second Year Of No Racing

Uncertainty about the future of horse racing in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan continues to grow this week as an investor group backed out of negotiations to conduct a 2021 race meet at Marquis Downs, the province's only licensed racetrack.

The local population of approximately 300 horses, as well as their owners, trainers, and caretakers, are left with few good options, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic also forced the cancellation of the 2020 race meet. According to Saskatchewan HBPA executive director Eddie Esquirol, approximately 180 of those horses were able to move to neighboring provinces for 2020 racing, but the rest were unable to earn any income last year.

With no existing commitment from Prairieland Park, the operator of Marquis Downs, for a 2021 meet, horsemen are being forced to make hard choices about their futures.

“We recognize they have expenses as an operator,” Esquirol said, “but we as horsemen, our costs are still there whether there's horse racing or not.”

“Horse racing has been part of Saskatchewan's heritage for over 100 years and been a part of Indigenous people's culture since time immemorial,” he continued. “Our respected indigenous people of Saskatchewan represent 50 percent of the owners, trainers, grooms, exercise riders, gate crew and pari-mutuel staff; many who are fifth and sixth generation horse families.”

Prairieland Park has been operating live Thoroughbred race meets at Marquis Downs since 1969, consisting of 24 to 30 days of racing per year. The track does not simulcast its signal, so it relies exclusively on attendance, on-track handle, and the handle at its off-track betting facilities in several locations across the province.

Saskatchewan is also the only province in Canada that does not receive government funding for horse racing; adjacent province Alberta receives over $40 million annually between breeding incentive programs and purse funds, Esquirol said.

Following last year's cancellation of the race meet, Prairieland met with the HBPA in July to propose an 18-day race meet for 2021. In November, Prairieland upped the proposal to 20 days, with one less race per race day. The HBPA countered with a minimum of 24 race days, but Prairieland rejected that offer.

To date, Prairieland has yet to apply for race days in 2021.

In late December, the HBPA was approached by an investment group called Pan Am Horse Racing with a proposal to lease the Marquis Downs facility for a 40-day race meet in 2021. The proposal called for a two-to-five year commitment, an investment in simulcasting, provincial government funding of $2.5 million, and included a backstretch jockey/groom school aimed at the local aboriginal population.

Publicly-available financial documents indicate that Prairieland Park loses between $300,000 and $500,000 on racing each year at Marquis Downs, Esquirol said.

Pan Am entered into negotiations with Prairieland Park in early 2021, but a press release on Thursday, Feb. 18 indicated that Pan Am was no longer seeking to lease the Marquis Downs facility this season.

“After much analysis, legalities and consideration, Pan Am has concluded that due to the unfortunate and unforeseen circumstances primarily related to the pandemic, Thoroughbred racing will have challenges in the upcoming 2021 season that cannot be easily overcome at this time,” the release said.

Pan Am did suggest the potential for hosting meets at Marquis Downs in 2022 and beyond, as well as its commitment to build a the jockey/groom school.

“As a testament of its commitment to the future of horse racing in Saskatchewan and Canada, Pan Am will provide support through the establishment of a First Nations Equine School,” the release read. “The school's aim is to revitalize Saskatchewan's horse racing industry by providing the necessary future workforce expertise, reflecting our shared heritage and supporting Indigenous youth, culture and identity to benefit us all.”

Still, that leaves the 500 or so individuals directly involved in horse racing at Marquis Downs without a home in 2021. The backstretch would normally open on April 1, so horsemen are being forced to decide whether they'll try to race in other provinces again this year, wait another season without racing, or perhaps leave the industry altogether.

“Another year of no racing at Marquis Downs will mean Saskatchewan horse people will be forced to relocate to other tracks such as Assiniboia Downs in Manitoba, ten hours away, thus creating undue difficulty for families, owners, trainers, many who have a second job in Saskatchewan,” said Esquirol. “Relocation means paying double rent and utilities both in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Furthermore, being faced with the 14-day interprovincial quarantine when they arrive. All while the Marquis Downs race facility sits empty.

“Saskatchewan has some of the most loyal fans in North America where there is tremendous appetite for sports and crowds have been huge the past number of years. You don't have to live in the bluegrass state of Kentucky to have the passion and desire to be part of the horse racing industry. People call it the 'Sport of Kings' when in reality 80 percent of the industry is made up of everyday hard-working people, who may otherwise be unemployable. They are up at 5 a.m. to do what they love; it's a passion.”

Esquirol said he hasn't given up on securing a 2021 meet, even if the odds are against it.

“Our plan now is to re-affirm the government ask and work with SPPC (Selective Placement Program Coordinator) to negotiate race days for the 2021 meet,” Esquirol wrote on Facebook on Friday, Feb. 19. “SPPC have been notified that horsemen/women stand strong and are planning to have a successful race meet in 2021. I know many of you have contacted your MLA's (Members of the Legislative Assembly) to date. We ask that you continue to voice your concerns.”

Representatives of Prairieland Park did not respond to requests for comment by deadline for this story.

The post Saskatchewan Horsemen Facing Uncertainty As Their Lone Racetrack Could See A Second Year Of No Racing appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Jockey Club Gold Cup, Flower Bowl Both Moved To Saratoga Meet

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced the stakes schedule for the 40-day summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Course, which will feature 76 stakes worth $21.5 million in total purses. The summer meet will open on Thursday, July 15, and conclude on Monday, Sept. 6.

Earlier this month, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that live sports and entertainment venues with a minimum reserved seating capacity of 10,000 will be permitted to re-open to a limited number of spectators beginning on Feb. 23 with approval from the New York State Department of Health. All attendees must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of the event and adhere to health and safety requirements, including mandatory facial coverings and social distancing.

NYRA will continue to closely monitor New York State-issued regulations to determine how they impact Saratoga Race Course. Additional details on fan attendance and tickets for the 2021 summer meet will be provided as information becomes available.

The 2021 summer meet, which will offer at least one stakes race every live racing day, will be highlighted by the 152nd renewal of the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers on Aug. 28 and the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on Aug. 7, as the anchors of two of the most prestigious racing days in North America.

The Saratoga meet will also include the Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup and the Grade 1, $600,000 Flower Bowl, both previously run during the fall meet at Belmont Park.

Following the four-day opening weekend, racing will be conducted five days a week, Wednesdays through Sundays, with the exception of the final week, when the meet will conclude on Labor Day.

Whitney Day will feature three Grade 1 events, led by the Whitney at 1 1/8 miles offering an automatic berth to the Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

Completing the trio of Grade 1s on Whitney Day will be the $500,000 Longines Test for sophomore fillies and the $1 million Saratoga Derby Invitational, the second jewel of the Turf Triple series for sophomore males in its first running with Grade 1 status. Whitney Day will also include the Grade 2, $250,000 Glens Falls for older fillies and mares on turf, and the $120,000 Fasig-Tipton Lure.

Whitney weekend kicks off Aug. 6, with the Grade 2, $200,000 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame for sophomore turf milers; the Grade 3, $200,000 Troy, presented by Horse Racing Ireland, for 4-year-olds and up going 5 ½ furlongs on the turf; and the $120,000 Alydar at nine furlongs for older horses.

Whitney weekend concludes on Aug. 8, with three stakes highlighted by the upgraded Grade 3, $700,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational, the second leg of the Turf Triple series for sophomore fillies. The August 8 card will also include the Grade 2, $200,000 Adirondack, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for juvenile fillies, and the $120,000 Fasig-Tipton De La Rose at one mile on turf for older fillies and mares.

New York-breds will take center stage on Friday, Aug. 27, for New York Showcase Day, featuring six stakes for state-breds worth a combined $1.15 million. The lucrative card is headlined by the $250,000 Albany, a nine-furlong test for sophomores. Also featured are a trio of $200,000 stakes in the Fleet Indian for sophomore fillies; the Funny Cide, presented by Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, for juvenile sprinters; and the Seeking the Ante for juvenile filly sprinters. Rounding out a special Empire State-bred slate are a pair of $150,000 turf events with the West Point Handicap presented by Trustco Bank for 3-year-olds and up and the Yaddo for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.

The 152nd edition of the Travers is the centerpiece of a blockbuster day of racing on Saturday, Aug. 28. The 2021 Travers Day card will include seven stakes, including six Grade 1 events, offering $4.6 million in total purse money with automatic berths in the Breeders' Cup to the winner of the Grade 1, $750,000 Sword Dancer [Turf], the Grade 1, $600,000 Personal Ensign [Distaff], and the Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina [Filly & Mare Sprint].

In addition, the Travers Day card will also include the Grade 1, $600,000 Forego, a seven-furlong sprint for 4-year-olds and upward, and the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs. Rounding out the signature day at the Spa is the Grade 2, $400,000 Ballston Spa for turf fillies and mares.

The traditional local prep for the Travers, the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy, will be held on Saturday, July 31. It will be joined by the Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up, and the Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green at 1 3/8 miles on the turf. Closing out Jim Dandy weekend on Aug. 1 is the Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam for 3-year-olds at 6 ½ furlongs.

Additional upgraded races for the Saratoga summer meet include the previously listed Grade 3, $200,000 Caress, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for older fillies and mares slated for Saturday, July 24, in addition to 20 stakes receiving a $20,000 boost to offer a $120,000 purse.

Opening Day, Thursday, July 15, will begin with a pair of graded stakes: the Grade 3, $150,000 Schuylerville for 2-year-old fillies and the Grade 3, $120,000 Quick Call for 3-year-olds going 5 ½ furlongs on the grass.

Saratoga's first Grade 1 of 2021 is the $500,000 Diana for turf fillies and mares on Saturday, July 17. The following Saturday, July 24, will see the Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks take center stage.

Among the other 20 Grade 1 races at the Spa will be the $150,000 A.P. Smithwick Memorial on July 29, and the $150,000 New York Turf Writers Cup on Aug. 26 for steeplechasers; the $600,000 Alabama on Saturday, Aug. 21; and the $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap, a Breeders' Cup qualifier for the Mile, on Saturday, Aug. 14, to be held on the same card as the Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special presented by Miller Lite.

Closing Weekend of the Saratoga meet will feature a pair of Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Win and You're In events previously held in the fall at Belmont Park with the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup [Classic] at 10 furlongs for 3-year-olds and up, and the $600,000 Flower Bowl [Filly and Mare Turf], an 11-furlong turf test for older fillies and mares, to anchor a Saturday, Sept. 4 card that also includes the Grade 2, $250,000 Prioress and the Grade 3, $300,000 Saranac.

To accommodate the Jockey Club Gold Cup and Flower Bowl, the Grade 1, $750,000 Woodward and the Grade 3, $200,000 Fasig-Tipton Waya will move from Saratoga to the Belmont fall meet.

On Sept. 5, 2-year-old fillies will sprint seven furlongs in the Grade 1, $300,000 Spinaway.

Closing Day on Monday, Sept. 6, will feature the Grade 2, $200,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap as well as the prestigious Grade 1, $300,000 Hopeful for 2-year-olds going seven furlongs to conclude the 153rd Saratoga meeting.

Beginning in 2021, the use of Furosemide (Lasix) is prohibited within 48 hours of all stakes races conducted at NYRA tracks.

To view the complete stakes schedule for the 2021 summer meet, visit NYRA.com/stakes.

The post Jockey Club Gold Cup, Flower Bowl Both Moved To Saratoga Meet appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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CHRB Approves Funding Of Marketing Program, Updates Drug Classifications

The California Horse Racing Board conducted a meeting by teleconference on Wednesday, Feb. 17. The public participated by dialing into the teleconference and/or listening through the audio webcast link on the CHRB website. Chairman Gregory Ferraro chaired the meeting, joined by Commissioners Dennis Alfieri, Damascus Castellanos, Brenda Washington Davis, Wendy Mitchell, and Alex Solis.

The audio of this entire Board meeting is available on the CHRB Website (www.chrb.ca.gov) under the Webcast link. In brief:

The Board approved an agreement between the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC), the Los Angeles Turf Club (Santa Anita), and Del Mar Thoroughbred Club (Del Mar) under which those parties will redirect some of their own revenue from Advance Deposit Wagering into a marketing program to fund player rebates, stakes recruitment, and Ship & Win incentives, among other things. This program replicates the functions of the defunct California Marketing Committee.
The Board began the regulatory process to update the CHRB classification of drug substances to align with Association of Racing Commissions International (ARCI) Uniform Classification Guidelines. The Horse Racing Safety and Integrity Act body is expected to adhere closely to ARCI guidelines as they promulgate their federal regulations.
Executive Director Scott Chaney described improvements to the CHRB website, including Racing Reforms Recommendations and the posting of Test Sample Positives in advance of the filing of complaints, pursuant to SB 800.
The Board authorized the distribution of $9,157 in statutorily mandated race day charity proceeds by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club (DMTC) to nine beneficiaries. This amount was substantially less than the previous year's distribution because pandemic restrictions limited the on-track handle on which the program is based. DMTC voluntarily donated $105,058 to bring the total distribution to $114,215.
Public comments made during the meeting can be accessed through the meeting audio archive on the CHRB website.

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