The Breeders' Cup, working in conjunction with several major horse racing tracks, have added a bit of spice for 2007 stakes races to guarantee Breeders' Cup berths for each eligible horse that wins on six big stakes days. The "Challenge" races total 24 in total, occurring at six leading racetracks.
The move is marketing-oriented to be sure, hoping to instill an extra sense of excitement for the six "Win and You're In" races. Before this move, horses could only qualify for the Breeders' Cup based on points earned in horse races during the qualifying period, in conjunctions by international thoroughbred experts making selections.
The participating tracks are Saratoga, Santa Anita, Arlington Park, Del Mar, Belmont Park and Keeneland.
The new scheme is meeting with widespread approval among trainers and horse racing enthusiasts. Tom Albertrani, trainer of this year's favorite in the 2006 Breeders' Cup Classic, Bernardini, believes this will affect trainers' racing strategies as well. "We'll probably start targeting different races in different ways based on the new guidelines. It will probably be easier for fans to understand too."
Technorati tag(s): breeders cup
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Sunday, October 29, 2006
BreedersCup: Odds are Churchill Downs Will Set Record
With the 2006 BreedersCup less than a week away, there's a flurry of activity at Churhill Downs as
it opens its 21-day Fall Meet today, coinciding perfectly with the $20 million worth of hot and heavy horse racing and BreedersCup betting action to take place November 4th.
Churchill Downs could well be on its way to a Breeders' Cup attendance record, with all 50,000 reserved seats sold out, and a forecast calling for a 59-degree high and only 10% chance of rain boding well for the chance to lure horse racing fans into purchasing one of 35,000 general admission seats that will be available.
Despite the favourable BreedersCup forecast, Churchill Downs will follow the lead of Belmont Park, last year's host, in not sponsoring fan fests outside the actual racetrack. Aside from the iffy weather that's always a factor in Louisville, the town itself probably contains the largest proportion of knowledgeable horse racing enthusiasts than anywhere else in the country. Event VP Damon Thayer said a fan fest isn't as necessary in a place like Miami, "because there's such a high preponderance of people here who have focused on the racing."
Aside from life-size bronze statue of Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day in the clubhouse garden dedicated today, Breeders' Cup attendees will also be treated to the greater opulance and added features of Churchill Down's recent $121 million renovation, which includes luxury suites and other indoor upgrades.
Technorati tag(s): churchill downs, breederscup
it opens its 21-day Fall Meet today, coinciding perfectly with the $20 million worth of hot and heavy horse racing and BreedersCup betting action to take place November 4th.
Churchill Downs could well be on its way to a Breeders' Cup attendance record, with all 50,000 reserved seats sold out, and a forecast calling for a 59-degree high and only 10% chance of rain boding well for the chance to lure horse racing fans into purchasing one of 35,000 general admission seats that will be available.
Despite the favourable BreedersCup forecast, Churchill Downs will follow the lead of Belmont Park, last year's host, in not sponsoring fan fests outside the actual racetrack. Aside from the iffy weather that's always a factor in Louisville, the town itself probably contains the largest proportion of knowledgeable horse racing enthusiasts than anywhere else in the country. Event VP Damon Thayer said a fan fest isn't as necessary in a place like Miami, "because there's such a high preponderance of people here who have focused on the racing."
Aside from life-size bronze statue of Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day in the clubhouse garden dedicated today, Breeders' Cup attendees will also be treated to the greater opulance and added features of Churchill Down's recent $121 million renovation, which includes luxury suites and other indoor upgrades.
Technorati tag(s): churchill downs, breederscup
Thursday, October 19, 2006
It's No Joke a No Show, Strong Contender Not a Contender
The winner of the Grade II Super Derby, Strong Contender, will not be running in this year's Breeders' Cup Classic. The three-year-old horse is instead setting his sights (blinders off!) on the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park.
"We want to have a good, fresh horse for next yeat," said trainer John Ward Jr. Ward felt that the cumulative effect of training for and running in the 2006 Breeders' Cup would diminish the chances of having a strong handicapping horse next year. "We've put our best foot forward," Ward said further, "and decided to point him for a 4-year-old campaign.
The son of Maria's Mon has won four of seven career starts, with a victory in the Rade II Dwyer Stakes in addition to the Super Derby, and third place finishes in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes and Peter Pan Stakes.
And it's no joke: It's No Joke will also not be making an appearance at this year's Breeders' Cup Championship. Trainer Rebecca Maker said "it's being realistic" to hold him back from the big race.It's No Joke is coming off his first Graded Stakes Win (G II) at the $50K Hawthorne Gold Cup, where he galloped to a one-length victory over A.P. Arrow with jockey Eusebio Razo atop.
Clark said she feels "he's a nice horse and can be a Grade 1 horse, if we manage him right." Part of that management is an entry in the Fayette Stakes (Grade III) on 28 Oct. at Keeneland, in preparation for the Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs on 28 Nov.
Technorati tag(s): breeders cup classic, breeders cup contenders
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