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Thoroughbred Racing Economic Indicators for August Announced

Editor’s Note: As a service to the industry and in consideration of the economic changes due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Equibase is currently providing monthly reporting of its Economic Indicators Advisories. The Advisory is typically disseminated on a quarterly basis to provide key metrics used to measure racing’s performance throughout the year.

* Includes worldwide commingled wagering on U.S. races.

August 2020 vs. August 2019

Indicator August 2020 August 2019 % Change

Wagering on U.S. Races* $1,154,522,663 $1,177,165,980 -1.92%

U.S. Purses $104,515,752 $128,293,370 -18.53%

U.S. Race Days 445 515 -13.59%

U.S. Races 3,607 4,026 -10.41%

U.S. Starts 26,964 28,895 -6.68%

Average Field Size 7.48 7.18 +4.16%

Average Wagering Per Race Day $2,594,433 $2,285,759 +13.50%

Average Purses Per Race Day $234,867 $249,113 -5.72%

YTD 2020 vs. YTD 2019

Indicator YTD 2020 YTD 2019 % Change

Wagering on U.S. Races* $7,308,988,910 $7,792,183,885 -6.20%

U.S. Purses $518,901,054 $775,638,076 -33.10%

U.S. Race Days 2,144 3,103 -30.91%

U.S. Races 17,793 25,225 -29.46%

U.S. Starts 140,022 185,746 -24.62%

Average Field Size 7.87 7.36 +6.87%

Average Wagering Per Race Day $3,409,043 $2,511,178 +35.75%

Average Purses Per Race Day $242,025 $249,964 -3.18%

The post Thoroughbred Racing Economic Indicators for August Announced appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Into Mischief Filly Lives Up to Her Name in Churchill Debut

2nd-Churchill Downs, $99,290, Msw, 9-4, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.79, ft.
SALTY AS CAN BE (f, 2, Into Mischief–Theycallmeladyluck {SP}, by Dixie Union), a half-sister to 2018 GI La Troienne S. winner Salty (Quality Road), GISW, $688,500, was purchased by Team Casse for $850,000 out of last year’s FTSAUG sale from the Baccari Bloodstock consignment, but her worktab yielded few clues and she was no better than 11-1 despite her impeccable pedigree. Settled in about fifth spot early and punching the breeze three wide, Salty As Can Be rolled up to make a line of three at the quarter pole outside of fellow first-timer Amusing Antics (Super Saver) and pacesetting Quick Munny (Munnings). Amusing Antics came in soon after, bothering the front-runner, but Salty As Can Be would not let her out of her sights and grabbed Amusing Antics on the wire. Lady Traveler (Quality Road) sat a mid-pack trip and finished with good energy to be third. A maternal granddaughter of GSW Vegas Prospector (Crafty Prospector), Salty As Can Be has a yearling half-sister by Medaglia d’Oro. Theycallmeladyluck was covered by Quality Road this year. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $55,144. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-Gary Barber & Baccari Racing Stable LLC; B-Seclusive Farm LLC, Chester & Anne Prince (KY); T-Mark E Casse.

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Finnick the Fierce Withdrawn from Kentucky Derby

Arnaldo Monge and trainer Rey Hernandez’s Finnick the Fierce (Dialed In), a 50-1 shot on the morning-line for the GI Kentucky Derby, has been scratched from the 1 1/4-mile classic.

The one-eyed gelding, third in the GI Arkansas Derby, was seventh last out in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland July 11.

“Because he’s blind on the right eye, he carries himself a little funny,” Monge said. “And we always knew that. But ever since he arrived, the vets have been keeping an eye on the horse and I’m telling Rey, ‘Well, they’re concerned about this’ and there might be a legitimate reason, but a regular vet doesn’t seem to think so. So we’re always trying to do the best for the horse so we made the decision [to scratch] because we don’t want to go tomorrow and we’re all excited and then he gets scratched at the post. So we always said this is a horse for the long term. It was an honor to be selected [for the Derby], but at the end of the day the most important thing is the horse. Maybe we are missing something I don’t know, but I think the plan is to do more diagnostics on him and if everything is OK, we’ll run another day. What can we do, that’s life.

Monge continued, “I didn’t notice anything, but it was always the right front. That’s the same side as his eye and it’s always been that way. Rey rides the horse and said, ‘This horse is fine’ and that he didn’t feel anything. I don’t know. I know horse racing is under scrutiny all the time so I understand not trying to risk that publicity.

“We’ll have to see what comes out of this next diagnostic test. Just to be on the up and up, we’ll probably send him to Rood and Riddle and get an independent opinion on the horse. If all is good, [the GI Preakness S.] could be a consideration. Maybe the Breeders’ Cup. Rey wanted to turn him out after the Derby anyway, but it will depend on how this comes out. It’s a bummer but we’ll be back.”

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Girl Daddy Leads Home ‘Rising Star’ Exacta in Pocahontas

‘TDN Rising Star‘ Girl Daddy (Uncle Mo) was kept in the clear by jockey Joe Talamo, was given her cue nearing the stretch and sprinted home an impressive winner of Thursday’s GIII Pocahontas S., clinching a spot in the field for the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland on the first weekend of November.

Girl Daddy tracked a fast early pace, first from midfield before improving to be third and three deep rounding the turn. Cut loose by Talamo leaving the quarter pole, the $500,000 Keeneland September yearling opened a bit of daylight and was always holding favored fellow ‘Rising Star’ Crazy Beautiful (Liam’s Map) in the run to the wire. The chalk lingered at the back of the pack early and made stealthy progress into the final three furlongs, but was stopped behind horses. Bumping with Xtrema (Exaggerator) cost her a bit more momentum and she finished a meritorious second. Alexandria (Constitution) came home a distant third.

“This filly was super impressive with that fast pace up front,” said trainer Dale Romans, winning the Pocahontas for the fourth time. “They were running really fast but Joe [Talamo] got her in a great spot. She’s shown some incredible talent for this stage of her career. It’s exciting having a filly developing this quickly. We’re thrilled to only have to take a short trip down the road to Keeneland for the Breeders’ Cup.”

Girl Daddy was favored at 9-5 for her July 24 debut at Ellis Park and missed the break by a couple of lengths. She made good mid-race progress and loomed up full of run before sprinting home to graduate by 5 1/2 lengths in a performance that didn’t set figure-makers’ heads spinning, but was nonetheless highly impressive.

Pedigree Notes:

Girl Daddy continues a remarkable run for her sire, who has now been represented by 65 stakes winners, 37 graded winners and 12 in 2020. She is also the 183rd black-type winner and 96th graded winner produced by a daughter of the late Unbridled’s Song. The same cross is responsible for Uncle Chuck, winner of this year’s GIII Los Alamitos Derby.

Girl Daddy is the second foal from her dam, who did her best running on the grass, winning the Indy Star S. and finishing third in the GII Lake George S. for Three Chimneys Farm and Kellyn Gorder. China Horse Club acquired Cara Marie for $650,000 in foal to Speightstown at Keeneland November in 2016 and sold that produce, a filly now name Sosua, for $260,000 at Keeneland September in 2018. Cara Marie is a half-sister to SW & GSP Abby’s Angel (Touch Gold), the dam of Comicas (Distorted Humor), a GSW & G1SP sprinter in Dubai.

Barren to Gun Runner for 2019, Cara Marie foaled a Quality Road colt this year and was bred back to Uncle Mo.

Thursday, Churchill Downs
POCAHONTAS S.-GIII, $200,000, Churchill Downs, 9-3, 2yo, f, 1m, 1:34.94, ft.
1–GIRL DADDY, 118, f, 2, by Uncle Mo
1st Dam: Cara Marie (SW & GSP, $103,650), by Unbridled’s Song
2nd Dam: Miss Kilroy, by A.P. Indy
3rd Dam: Miss Caerleona (Fr), by Caerleon
‘TDN Rising Star’ 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES
WIN. ($500,000 Ylg ’19 KEESEP). O-Albaugh Family Stables LLC;
B-China Horse Club International Limited (KY); T-Dale L.
Romans; J-Joseph Talamo. $119,040. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0,
$141,240. Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: A+.
2–Crazy Beautiful, 120, f, 2, Liam’s Map–Indian Burn, by Indian
Charlie. ‘TDN Rising Star’ ($250,000 Ylg ’19 FTKOCT).
O-Phoenix Thoroughbred, LTD; B-Carolyn R Vogel (KY);
T-Kenneth G. McPeek. $38,400.
3–Alexandria, 120, f, 2, Constitution–Spring Water, by Spring At
Last. O-Winstar Farm LLC, Blazing Meadows Farm LLC &
Michael Lewis; B-Blazing Meadows Farm LLC & WinStar Farm,
LLC (OH); T-Timothy E. Hamm. $19,200.
Margins: 2, 3 3/4, 5 3/4. Odds: 3.30, 1.70, 14.30.
Also Ran: Xtrema, Fabricate, Mania, American Grace, Inject, Blissful Change. Scratched: Ava’s Grace, Dream Quist, Scat’s Choice. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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