thoroughbred owners of california | Horse Racing Free Tips

Santa Anita Announces Increased Purses For Winter/Spring Race Meet

Santa Anita Park has announced substantial purse increases for its traditional Winter/Spring Race Meeting, which opens on Dec. 26. In partnership with the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC), these purse increases will be in effect for overnight as well as stakes races beginning opening day Dec. 26.

With specifics relative to individual stakes races to be announced soon, Santa Anita will be offering $67,000 maiden special weight races—a $6,000 increase over what was offered at the 2020-21 Winter/Spring Meeting. Open, first condition allowance races will also get a $6,000 purse hike, from $63,000 to $69,000. Another specific increase will be offered to those horses running for a $25,000 claiming tag, as the purse is now set at $40,000, up from $36,000.

“We're very happy to be in a position to announce these purse increases and we'll have additional information available for everyone very soon,” said Chris Merz, Santa Anita Director of Racing and Racing Secretary. “We're certainly hopeful that owners and horsemen both here in California and around the country will consider all that we're offering and make plans to train and race at Santa Anita this winter. Here in California, our purse structure is based solely upon pari-mutuel handle. There are no casino subsidies available. That said, we are very encouraged by recent trends in California racing and we're hopeful we can continue on an upward path this winter and into the spring.”

Nate Newby, Santa Anita Senior Vice President and General Manager, also expressed optimism regarding the direction of California racing and Santa Anita's role in its resurgence.

“There are now many reasons to be optimistic about 2021 and beyond,” said Newby. “We've been able to raise purses at the Winter/Spring Meet by 10 percent for two consecutive years now and that's certainly good news. We have invested heavily in change and in our racing infrastructure, which has resulted in better, safer racing, which is our top priority.

“Looking ahead to the winter and spring, we are greatly encouraged that we're going to be able to provide our fans with a top quality product that will include improved betting opportunities which is what drives our entire industry. With the addition of our turf chute this past winter, we are confident that with good weather, we're going to be in a position to offer owners and horsemen the best turf and main track racing in the country.”

With this year's two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships set for Nov. 5 & 6 at Del Mar, Santa Anita's 16-day Autumn Meet, which opens on Friday, Oct. 1, will offer fans and horsemen a wide variety of Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” qualifying races which will no-doubt serve as showcases for potential champions. Purses, which were increased for last year's Autumn stand, will remain the same this year, through closing day, Oct. 31.

The Grade 2, $200,000 Eddie D Stakes, for 3-year-olds and up at 6 ½ furlongs on turf, will highlight the opening day program on Oct. 1.

For additional information regarding the 2021 Autumn Meet and the 2021-22 Winter Spring Meeting, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

The post Santa Anita Announces Increased Purses For Winter/Spring Race Meet appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Santa Anita To Continue Successful ‘Ship & Win’ Program For Upcoming Autumn Meet

Encouraged by the tremendous success it has helped spark at the current Del Mar summer race meeting, officials at Santa Anita have announced the popular “Ship & Win” program, which began this past May at Santa Anita, will continue to be in effect through the Arcadia, Calif., track's upcoming 2021 autumn meet, which opens on Friday, Oct. 1.

“This program has proven to be a primary driver in our efforts to bring horses to California from all over the nation,” said Chris Merz, Santa Anita director of racing and racing secretary. “We started to see some horses coming here in May and June and Del Mar has done a tremendous job of recruiting, which we are confident is going to be of significant benefit to the entire circuit here. Along with Del Mar, the Thoroughbred Owners of California have been very supportive in the implementation of Ship & Win and it's great to have all of us working together for the benefit of racing in California.”

The Ship & Win program, which provides a $3,000 bonus and a 35 percent increase in purse earnings for any horse that has not run in California for one year, augments significant purse increases which have been instituted in 2021 at both Santa Anita and Del Mar.

Additionally, any new out-of-state horses coming to Santa Anita which meet requirements or which have made their first start in the Del Mar Ship & Win program, remain eligible for the same benefits in their first start at Santa Anita.

“We are greatly encouraged by recent trends here in California,” said Merz. “There's no question that horsemen around the country are realizing that our purses and incentives are making racing here a much more compelling enterprise. Field size is up at Del Mar and that of course drives pari-mutuel handle.

“With everything that's in place now, our sport is poised to grow in very significant ways and that's great news for our horseplayers, owners and horsemen, as we're providing better and better gambling opportunities while attracting quality horses. We're anxious for everyone to return here in September and we're looking forward to a big meet starting Oct. 1.”

For more information on Santa Anita's Ship & Win program, please contact the Santa Anita Racing Office at (626) 574- 6352.

The post Santa Anita To Continue Successful ‘Ship & Win’ Program For Upcoming Autumn Meet appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

TOC Elects Two New Board Members, Reelects Three More

Members of the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) have elected Southern California-based trainer Ryan Hanson and Northern California-based owner/breeder Lindsay LaRoche of Highland Yard to its Board of Directors. Incumbents Ed Moger, Stephanie Hronis and Rick Gold were also reelected. All five will serve three-year terms, effective July 1. A total of 6,003 ballots were mailed to eligible voters, and 1,579 qualifying ballots were received. The complete vote tally is available for viewing on TOC's website at www.toconline.com. The newly elected directors join Nick Alexander, Joe Ciaglia, Gary Fenton, Mike Harrington, Bob Liewald, Terry Lovingier, Jack Owens, Richard Rosenberg, Samantha Siegel, and Bill Strauss on the 2021-2022 TOC Board.

The post TOC Elects Two New Board Members, Reelects Three More appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Thoroughbred Owners Of California Adds Hanson, LaRoche To Board; Incumbent Baffert Voted Out

TOC's membership elected Ryan Hanson and Lindsay LaRoche and re-elected incumbents Ed Moger, Stephanie Hronis, and Rick Gold to its board of directors. All five were elected to three-year terms. The new board officially takes office on July 1.

Hanson is a fourth-generation horseman who worked as an exercise rider and assistant trainer before moving to Santa Anita in 2017 as a trainer. Since then his stable has grown to over 20 head, and he has campaigned world champion distance runner Honoroso as well as several graded stakes winners.

LaRoche joins the board as a Northern California representative. A resident of Lafayette, Calif., for 20 years, he and his wife, Deborah, run Highland Yard stable, with several horses in training at Golden Gate Fields and in Southern California.

Gold has served on the board for four years. He is chair of TOC's Medication and Integrity committee, a member of the Executive, Finance, and Wagering committees, and serves as TOC's representative on the board of the Racing Medication and Testing Committee (RMTC.) Moger has served on the board since 2010 and is an active member of the Executive and Medication committees and chairman of the Northern California Racing Affairs Committee. A trainer for over 45 years, he also breeds and raises Thoroughbreds in Northern California. Hronis was initially appointed to fill a board vacancy last Fall. An active and involved board member, she chairs the Owner Relations Committee. Hronis Racing has been a leader in the California owner standings for several years.

The newly elected Directors join Nick Alexander, Joe Ciaglia, Gary Fenton, Mike Harrington, Bob Liewald, Terry Lovingier, Jack Owens, Richard Rosenberg, Samantha Siegel, and Bill Strauss in comprising TOC's 2021-22 Board.

A total of 6,003 ballots were mailed out to eligible voters, and 1,579 qualifying ballots were received. Moger received the most votes, 1,166, with Hanson getting 1,165, Hronis 1,133, Gold 825 and LaRoche 692. Current TOC bylaws require that at least three board members be from Northern California. Representing Northern California on the board are LaRoche, Moger, and Owens.

Others on the ballot not elected were Pavla Nygaard, with 729 votes, incumbent Bob Baffert, with 586 votes, and Greg Helm, 572 votes.

The complete vote tally is available for viewing on TOC's website at www.toconline.com.

TOC bylaws require at least two and no more than six owner-trainers on the board, and representing the owner-trainer seats are Harrington, Hanson, and Moger.

The post Thoroughbred Owners Of California Adds Hanson, LaRoche To Board; Incumbent Baffert Voted Out appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post