The Friday Show Presented By Woodbine: Historical Setback In Kentucky?

The shockwaves felt on Thursday when the Kentucky Supreme Court unanimously ruled against the claim that certain historical horse racing (HHR) machines constitute pari-mutuel wagering were felt all the way from the state capitol in Frankfort to financial markets on Wall Street.

In the immediate aftermath of the ruling – in a case brought to the courts by the anti-gambling Family Foundation – Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and state Senate majority floor leader Damon Thayer spoke out in support of historical horse racing wagering that has helped lift Kentucky purses to among the best in the nation.

Share prices in Churchill Downs Inc. – whose Derby City Gaming facility in Louisville generated the largest market share of the $2.2 billion wagered on historical racing in the last fiscal year – took a nearly 10% fall after the news broke. CDI officials issued a statement suggesting legislative relief may be needed in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling.

In this week's edition of the Friday Show, publisher Ray Paulick and editor-in-chief Natalie Voss assess what may happen next with historical horse racing in Kentucky.

Watch the Friday Show below.

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The Friday Show Presented By Woodbine: Bloodstock Markets In The Year Of The Pandemic

Bloodstock editor Joe Nevills joins publisher Ray Paulick on this week's edition of the Friday Show to talk about the state of the Thoroughbred market after completion of the recent Selected Yearlings Showcase at Fasig-Tipton and the early stages of the marathon September Yearling Sale at Keeneland.

Like many industries, the bloodstock market has had to adapt as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, with a wider embrace of off-site research and bidding from both domestic and international buyers who either were reluctant or unable to travel to Lexington, Ky., for the sales because of COVID-19.

The economics of live racing have been turned upside down by crowd restrictions, lower purses in some markets, and, for some owners, the joy of the game has been deflated by the “new normal,” which could lead to decreased participation in the auction market — at least in the short term. The results of the current Keeneland September Sale could have ripple effects on the upcoming breeding stock sales.

Finally, it's a big weekend of racing at Woodbine in Canada, highlighted by Saturday's $1-million Ricoh Woodbine Mile, and Nevills and Paulick go through the field for that Grade 1 turf fixture.

 

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The Friday Show Presented By Woodbine: Looking Forward To The 2020 Queen’s Plate

This has been a racing season like no other, with numerous graded stakes races rescheduled in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. American racing saw its centerpiece classic delayed from the first Saturday in May to the first Saturday in September, and this weekend, Canada will finally get to experience the 161st Queen's Plate. There will be no spectators at Woodbine, and fans are encouraged to enjoy the Queen's Plate at home with a variety of social media content leading into the broadcast of the race.

The Queen's Plate is the oldest continuously-run horse race in North America, run at 1 1/4 miles for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds.

Paulick Report news editor Chelsea Hackbarth hosts this week's Friday Show, and brought in multiple Sovereign Award-winning writer and handicapper Jennifer Morrison to learn more about the importance of the Queen's Plate to Canadian racing. They'll also give you a rundown of their favorite standouts in this year's field.

Watch the Friday Show below.

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The Friday Show Presented By Woodbine: A Breakthrough On Integrity And Safety?

The pre-race activities of Kentucky Derby week were superseded briefly on Monday by a press conference at the Keeneland sale pavilion in Lexington, Ky., featuring United States Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Congressman Andy Barr and representatives of Keeneland, Churchill Downs Inc., Breeders' Cup Ltd., and The Jockey Club.

The purpose of the gathering was the announcement that the various parties had reached agreement on federal legislation to create the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, which would provide oversight – relying on the expertise of the United States Anti-Doping Agency – on medication policy and enforcement for the Thoroughbred industry through bi-partisan legislation.

In this week's edition of the Friday Show, publisher Ray Paulick and editor-in-chief Natalie Voss raise questions about the proposal – which came without specifics as to how much this national oversight office would cost, who would foot the bill and who would appoint the oversight board. They point out that the current system – with regulatory oversight completely controlled by various state racing commissions, many of them either conflicted or incompetent – is not working.

Watch the Friday Show below.

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