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With Fewer Race Days, Aqueduct Fall Meet Sees 12.8 Percent Increase In Average Daily Handle

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced the 2020 fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack generated $9,261,276 in average daily handle from all sources, a 12.8 percent increase over the 2019 Aqueduct fall meet.

The 2020 fall meet, which was conducted over 18 race days, generated all sources handle of $166,702,976. The 2019 fall meet, which was conducted over 25 race days, generated all sources handle of $205,249,710. A total of 175 races were run in 2020, equating to 58 fewer than the number of races run in 2019.

Of the 175 races run during the fall meet, 107 were held on the main track and 68 over the two turf courses. Average field size over those 175 races was 8.67, a 3.2 percent increase over 2019. A total of 11 races were taken off the turf due to weather.

The 2020 fall meet was highlighted by 29 stakes, including 11 graded events, worth $3.41 million in purse money, and ran from Friday, Nov. 6 through Sunday, Dec. 6.

Kendrick Carmouche registered his first-ever riding title for a NYRA meet, notching 23 victories to pace all jockeys during the fall meet at Aqueduct. Christophe Clement also secured his first NYRA title by tallying 16 wins to lead all trainers, while Klaravich Stables and Repole Stables each campaigned five winners to finish as co-leading owners.

The Aqueduct fall meet was conducted without spectators and with only a limited number of essential personnel, horsemen and owners on-site due to the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2020-21 winter meet at Aqueduct will begin on Thursday, December 10 and continue through Sunday, March 28. The 56-day Aqueduct winter meet will include 42 stakes races worth $4.57 million in purse money.

New York state currently requires all racetracks to operate without spectators in attendance to combat the spread of COVID-19. As was the case during the Aqueduct fall meet, a limited number of New York State Gaming Commission-licensed owners will be permitted at Aqueduct on the day their horse is entered to race.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the winter meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, NYRA Bets is currently offering a $200 new member bonus in addition to a host of special weekly offers. The NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

For additional information, and the complete winter meet stakes schedule, please visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/stakes-schedule.

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Former Drug Company Manager Pleads Guilty To Stealing, Reselling Thousands Of Bottles Of Adequan

The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York released the following statement Friday, Dec. 4 about a guilty plea entered by Gregory Settino, 58, of Bethpage, N.Y.:

Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, New York, Gregory Settino pleaded guilty to theft of medical products from his employer, a drug manufacturer in Suffolk County. When sentenced, Settino faces up to 20 years in prison, restitution to his former employer and a fine of up to $250,000. Today's proceeding took place before United States District Judge Joanna Seybert.

Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Jeffrey Ebersole, Special Agent-in-Charge, Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office (FDA-OCI), announced the guilty plea.

“With today's guilty plea, Settino has been held accountable for stealing from his then-employer thousands of bottles of an injectable drug administered to horses, which he resold to trainers and vets potentially endangering the health of horses at New York racetracks because the stolen drugs were not handled properly,” stated Acting United States Attorney DuCharme. “This Office will vigorously prosecute those who jeopardized drug safety.”

“The FDA works to ensure that veterinary drugs are safe and effective so that animals remain healthy. When drugs are taken out of the legitimate supply chain, there is no longer any assurance that they are safe or effective,” stated FDA-OCI Special Agent-in-Charge Ebersole. “The FDA remains committed to investigating and bringing to justice those who endanger the health of animals.”

As set forth in court filings and facts admitted in court, Settino was the production supervisor of manufacturing at Luitpold Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in Shirley, New York. In January 2019, Luitpold was renamed American Regent. One of the products manufactured at Luitpold and American Regent was Adequan, an injectable equine drug administered to horses with degenerative joint disease and sold throughout the United States. Between 2012 and January 2020, Settino stole thousands of bottles of Adequan from Luitpold and American Regent valued at over $1 million and sold those drugs to horse trainers and veterinarians at New York racetracks, including Belmont Park, for more than $600,000. Settino's conduct potentially endangered the health of horses because the drugs were not maintained, stored or transported in accordance with proper procedures for ensuring the safety, effectiveness and efficacy of the drugs. At times, Settino transported the drugs in shoeboxes stored in his car. At all times, the drugs were handled in violation of the FDA regulated supply chain.

The government's case is being handled by the Office's Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorney Charles P. Kelly is in charge of the prosecution.

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‘Sunshine Bonus’ Attracting Out-Of-State Interest To Santa Anita Meet

With its traditional Winter/Spring opener set for Saturday, Dec. 26, Santa Anita's newly announced Sunshine Bonus program is attracting out-of-state horses as trainers and horseman also consider a 10 percent raise in overnight purses which will enable The Great Race Place to distribute $533,000 on a daily basis.

The Sunshine Bonus, which provides several significant incentives, including an immediate payment of $3,000 to the owner of any eligible horse making their first start at Santa Anita, has garnered the attention of horsemen nationwide.

“We're getting more and more interest from people out of state,” said Chris Merz, Santa Anita's Director of Racing. “Robert Falcone, Jr., who is based in New York, was here a couple of years ago and he's here again with a string of horses. With our new turf chute and the overall course in pristine condition, we're going to be able to offer the best wintertime turf racing in North American, without question. Additionally, when you look at the 10 percent increase in overnight purses and the very significant added money provided by the Sunshine Bonus program, people are thinking about us like maybe they haven't in many years now. We're very encouraged.”

Falcone, Jr., who first came to Southern California for the 2017 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar with Mind Your Biscuits while an assistant to Chad Summers, is excited to be back in Arcadia.

“I've got 25 horses, mainly claiming horses, a few allowance and a couple stakes horses that we've brought out from Belmont Park,” he said. “A lot of factors went into making the move. This is a nice environment and the people here are very accommodating. Obviously, the Sunshine Bonus is very important and with the 10 percent increase in overnight purses, we realized the purses this winter at Santa Anita are a little better than at Gulfstream. We had a great experience when we came out here with Mind Your Biscuits and when he won the Malibu that year (2017), it was just tremendous and we ended up having a very successful winter.

“This is an unbelievable place to train horses and with the new turf chute, the grass racing is going to give us a lot of options. To be honest, I felt like I really wanted to help the program here. Santa Anita has been through so much and now, it looks like everything is going in the right direction. The changes that have been made can be difficult at times, but this new approach is what's needed in this game.”

In addition to providing a $3,000 starter's bonus to eligible out-of-state horses, Santa Anita's Sunshine Bonus will also award a 35 percent bonus, above regular purse money-won, to eligible horses in their first five Santa Anita starts.

For additional information on Santa Anita's upcoming Winter/Spring Meet, please visit santaanita.com, or call (626) 574-RACE.

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Horsemen, Fans Embrace Claiming Crown At Gulfstream Park With Big Fields, Record Handle

By the time the Claiming Crown had ended Saturday at Gulfstream Park – after a record $14.6 million was wagered on the event – it was clear how much the Claiming Crown had grown over the past nine years at the Hallandale Beach, Fla., track.

Not only was this a day when a horse claimed six weeks ago for $6,250 could win an $80,000 race, but this was also a day when a Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) runner-up could prep for the $3-million Pegasus World Cup (G1).

“No question, this event has evolved,” said Dan Metzger, president of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA). “I thought Saturday's fields, from top to bottom, were some of the best we ever had.”

Eric Hamelback, CEO of the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA), which partners with TOBA on the Claiming Crown, believes the event is looked upon differently now that it is at Gulfstream.

“I believe in the past some people looked at it as a year-end blowout. But I see it as the launch of a new year,” Hamelback said. “The Breeders' Cup kind of wraps up the year. But because it's at Gulfstream, and the opening weekend of the Championship Meet, I think it's become the beginning of a new year. I think if it was earlier in the fall or summer, you wouldn't have the buildup or the quality you have. The job [vice president of racing] Mike [Lakow], [stakes coordinator] Eric Friedman and, of course [executive director of Florida racing operations] Billy Badgett did was incredible.”

In the nine years the Claiming Crown has been held at Gulfstream, handle on the day's program has increased each year. Prior to 2012, the largest handle on the previous 13 Claiming Crown programs – Claiming Crown races only – was $4,906,096. On the nine Claiming Crown races held at Gulfstream Saturday, handle was $12,074,238.

“The support of the fans who set a record for total wagering is a testament to the competitive and quality fields,” Metzger said.

Along with Breeders' Cup Mile runner-up Jesus' Team prepping for the Pegasus World Cup with a victory in the $150,000 Jewel, there were 10 other horses that won or placed in graded stakes participating in the Claiming Crown. In total, there were 108 horses entered in the nine Claiming Crown races.

“When the card was drawn we knew we had something special to offer,” said Lakow.

Along with those graded-stakes winners and placed horses, there were also stories like Descente, claimed for $6,520 in October, winning the $80,000 Glass Slipper; the 55-1 longshot High Noon Rider winning the $95,000 Emerald; the promising 3-year-old Fiya remaining undefeated on turf winning the Canterbury; and the former $16,000 claimer Krsto Skye winning the $75,000 Express.

“I think at the beginning not a lot of people targeted [the Claiming Crown],” said trainer Peter Walder, who won his second consecutive Glass Slipper with Descente. “But now that it's at Gulfstream, a lot of people are shipping in for the Championship Meet, and there's a lot of owners who want to come here. Why wouldn't you?”

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