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Handle Up Again, Purses Way Up in November

Betting on U.S. Thoroughbred races was up again year over year in November 2021, while the industry saw a major spike in purses for the month, according to figures released by Equibase Monday. The numbers continue the positive economic trends the sport has seen this year as it continues to emerge from the toll taken by the pandemic.

A total of $961,813,331 was wagered on U.S. races in November, up 7.4% from the November 2020 figure of $895,546,532. The November 2021 number is more flat when compared with November 2019, when $945,843,009 was wagered, but total handle for 2021 has now surpassed $11.4 billion, which is a jump of 12.18% over the total through November in 2020 and a 10.49% improvement on the number from the end of November in 2019. Wagering on U.S. races is likely to top $12 billion by the end of the year, a total that hasn't been reached since 2009, according to statistics from The Jockey Club.

If there is a small caveat to the positive handle numbers, it is that wagering per race day was down significantly in November at $3,305,200, a 17.33% decrease from $3,997,976 in November 2020, and for the year average wagering per race day stands at $2,986,058, a drop of 9.78% from $3,309,845 at this point in 2020. Compared to 2019, however, the 2021 numbers are still a drastic improvement, with the November figure representing a 12.04% jump and the year-to-date number showing a 20.67% increase.

Purses have also seen a dramatic improvement in 2021, although those figures are more of a reversion to the mean of 2019 as opposed to meaningful improvements on pre-pandemic levels. A total of $117,678,625 was paid out this November, a 27.78% improvement on the November 2020 number of $92,095,830, but just a 1.66% increase from the November 2019 total of $115,756,315. For the year, purses have totaled just over $1.1 billion, a huge 36.17% increase from the pandemic-affected number of $812,236,796 through November in 2020, but the 2021 number is essentially flat compared to 2019's purse figures through November.

Field size continues to be a bugaboo for the industry, as average number of horses per race was 7.7 in November, a drop of 7.79% from 8.35 in November 2020, and for the year the number is just 7.33, a 7.34% decrease from 7.91 in 2020. Field size averaged 8 and 7.49 for the month and year, respectively, at this point in 2019.

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Medina Spirit Dies of Apparent Heart Attack at Santa Anita

by Bill Finley & Dan Ross

Medina Spirit (Protonico) died of an apparent heart attack following a five-furlong workout Monday morning at Santa Anita. The colt's owner, Amr Zedan, confirmed the news to TDN.

The incident happened after Medina Spirit completed a five-furlong workout in 1:01.40.The breeze took place at about 7:45 a.m. PT.

“I just heard. He had a heart attack,” Zedan said. “It was quick and he didn't suffer. It's unfortunate. In a moment like this there is not much that we can do. All I can say is that he gave us the ride of our lives and brought everyone together. We are mourning this loss, Bob [Baffert], myself, our team and Johnny [Velazquez], as well. We are all very sad.”

California Horse Racing Board Equine Medical Director Jeff Blea said after watching a video of the breeze that there were signs of trouble near the conclusion of the workout.

“He looked like he was struggling the last part, and the rider was pulling him up,” Blea said.

Blea added that by the time a track veterinarian reached Medina Spirit, the 3-year-old colt had already died.

It was Medina Spirit's second work since he finished second in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.

“We had such high hopes for him and so many plans,” Zedan said. “We were going to go to the Saudi Cup and possibly to Dubai. We wanted to campaign him all next year. The last thing I expected was to hear something like this. It is God's will.”

Throughout Medina Spirit's racing career, Zedan has stood by Baffert and continued to do so Monday.

“We have a great team and Bob is an amazing friend and an amazing trainer,” he said. “This unfortunately happens sometimes. I have full confidence in my team and in Bob. Unfortunately, this happens.”

As per usual in California, Medina Spirit will now undergo a full necropsy examination. A panel of experts will also conduct a review of the fatality.

When asked if he believed there were any suspicious precipitating circumstances behind the sudden death, Blea responded in the negative.

“Absolutely not. We'll address this like we do all our fatalities, try to find out the reason for it and how to prevent it in the future,” Blea said. “But at this point, there is nothing that's untoward that I'm concerned about.”

Monday's news was the latest and most tragic twist during a career filled with dizzying highs and lows.

Medina Spirit was sold for just $1,000 as a yearling and later for $35,000 as a 2-year-old at the OBS July 2-Year-Old Sale. After breaking his maiden in his lone start at two, Medina Spirit won the GIII Robert Lewis S. before finishing second in both the GII San Felipe S. and the GI Santa Anita Derby. Dismissed at 12-1, he led every step of the way to cross the wire a half-length in front in the GI Kentucky Derby.

Afterward, however, it was revealed that he had tested positive for the medication betamethasone. That led Churchill Downs to issue a two-year suspension to Baffert, which, as things now stand, will keep him out of the 2022 and 2023 Kentucky Derbies. The New York Racing Association has also attempted to ban Baffert. Its case against him has yet to be resolved.

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Woodbine Wraps with Casse, Kimura, Barber Titles

With a record closing day handle of $8,530,593, Woodbine's 2021 Thoroughbred meet concluded Sunday with meet titles for trainer Mark Casse, jockey Kazushi Kimura, and owner Gary Barber. Casse secured the leading training title with 110 wins from his 539 starts and earnings of $8,189,186. Martin Drexler trailed in second by wins with 56. It was Casse's 13th time atop the Woodbine leaderboard and his 27 stakes victories at the Toronto oval in 2021 were 19 more than his closest rival. Casse, who is a member of the Hall of Fame in both the U.S. and Canada, has won Canada's Sovereign Award as the country's top trainer 13 times.

In contrast, Kimura was earning his first Woodbine jockey title. The 22-year-old is the first Japanese-born rider to achieve the feat. He notched 138 wins at the meet from 717 starts, including wins in eight black-type events, with $6,360,203 in earnings. The Eclipse Award winner as North America's outstanding apprentice, Kimura also won the Sovereign Award equivalent in both 2018 and 2019.

“It's a special achievement, and it was one of my dreams,” said Kimura. “Everybody wants to be a leading rider, but it's not easy. We just need great riding skills and good horses, good support from the trainers and owners for the whole season to be able to get the title. This year, I'd say I improved, and I got good support from trainers and owners. I appreciate that help for me to get the riding title.”

Barber was the leading money-winning owner at Woodbine for the third straight year although official statistics were not immediately available. Live racing will return next spring to the Toronto oval with opening day tentatively scheduled for the penultimate weekend in April.

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Irad Ortiz Jr. Suspended for 30 Days

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. has been handed a 30-day suspension by the Aqueduct stewards for his ride aboard Gran Casique (Algorithms) in the eighth race on Friday. News of the suspension was confirmed late Sunday by NYRA spokesman Pat McKenna. McKenna said the suspension would begin “some time this week.”

Aboard Gran Casique, Ortiz came over several paths toward the rail on the run down the backstretch and cut off Ragtime Blues (Union Rags) and apprentice jockey Omar Hernandez Moreno. The infraction was so egregious that the Equibase chart caller wrote: “Gran Casique angled in with reckless abandon and bumped Ragtime Blues at the five-eighths and bumped him hard which caused that foe to lose his rider…” Moreno was not seriously hurt.

Gran Casique was disqualified and placed last.

The stewards apparently agreed with the chart caller, handing Ortiz a suspension that went well beyond the normal five or seven-day penalty usually given to jockeys for careless riding.

Calls to Ortiz's agent Steve Rushing were not returned Sunday. David Grening of the Daily Racing Form reported that Ortiz will not appeal the ruling.

The suspension came on the same day that Ortiz wrapped up the riding title at the 15-day Aqueduct fall meet with 21 wins from 76 mounts. He was not at Aqueduct Sunday and was instead was riding at Hipodromo Camerero in his native Puerto Rico, as was his brother, Jose. Irad Ortiz won three races on the Camerero card.

Ortiz's ride in the GII Remsen S. Saturday at Aqueduct, which he won with Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo), also resulted in controversy. Crossing the wire a nose in front of Zandon (Upstart), he came over, bumped with that rival in deep stretch and put him in tight quarters. The stewards let the result stand.

Social media took notice of the rides by Ortiz, who is often accused of “herding” other riders.

“Aggressive riding is one thing but constantly riding the edge, and sometimes crossing it, is another,” NYRA's Andy Serling wrote on Twitter after the Remsen. “Upon reflection, and further viewing, I think there should have been a DQ in the Remsen. @iradortiz is a great rider but he needs to reflect on his tactics going forward.”

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