R.I.P. High-Priced Claiming Races

[Thomas Roulston]

Optional claiming races have killed them off.

In their heyday in the mid-'80s, $100,000 claimers, with weight off for each $5,000 down to $75,000, were a regular occurrence at NYRA tracks- and even $200,000 claimers, with weight off for each $5,000 down to $175,000, were occasionally seen.

The April 2018 condition book at Aqueduct shows no stand-alone claiming race higher than $40,000. If a trainer wants to run for more than that, the horse must be run in an optional claimer.

[Tom]

Won't bother Randy P. - apparently, he has found some "secret sauce" that makes them run fast. :rolleyes:

NY continues to offer a horrible product.
And, oh boy, turf sprints are just around the corner! :puke:

[zico20]

Optional claiming races have killed them off.

In their heyday in the mid-'80s, $100,000 claimers, with weight off for each $5,000 down to $75,000, were a regular occurrence at NYRA tracks- and even $200,000 claimers, with weight off for each $5,000 down to $175,000, were occasionally seen.

The April 2018 condition book at Aqueduct shows no stand-alone claiming race higher than $40,000. If a trainer wants to run for more than that, the horse must be run in an optional claimer.

I love those high price claimers without options, I wish they would bring them back.

[SG4]

This isn't news. Can someone tell me the last time they saw a straight claiming race for winners with a tag higher than 50k at any track?

Wish these types of conditions still existed but I assume the horseflesh just isn't around to accommodate these races to fill in addition to the allowance races.

[Jeff P]

Simplified Conditions for thoroughbred horseracing in 2018:

Claiming Price $80,000
6 Furlongs on the Dirt (no runup)
Drug Testing and Vet Exam of all entries to commence in the receiving barn 7:00 am day of race.
Racing Office to commence dissemination of Lab Test Results and Vet Exam to the Public 9:00 am day of race.

Based on Lab Test Results and Vet Exam:

Weight Carrried: 116 lbs

Adjustments to Weight Carried as follows:

Plus 8 lbs positive test for prohibited blood doping agents.
Plus 7 lbs positive test for steriods.
Plus 6 lbs positive test for prohibited pain killers.
Plus 4 lbs gelded since last start but not reported by trainer.
Plus 3 lbs positive test other/lesser banned substance.
Plus 2 lbs each time scratched within the past 30 days (up to 5 fake scratches considered/max weight on for fake scratches 10 lbs.)

Minus 8 lbs non winner (any condition) lifetime.
Minus 6 lbs non winner 2 races (any condition) lifetime.
Minus 4 lbs non winner 3 races (any condition) lifetime.
Minus 2 lbs non winner 4 races (any condition) lifetime.
Minus 3 lbs 3 yr old facing older.
Minus 3 lbs filly or mare facing males.

Max Possible Weight Carried 154 lbs.
Min Possible Weight Carried 90 lbs. (You decide.)



-jp

.

[JustRalph]

Good stuff Jeff :lol:

[CincyHorseplayer]

Raise the price of the claiming tag for optional claimers. Problem solved right?

If you have 2x 3x 4x ALW horses so what?. It's about the same caliber or waay less! I get what they are trying to do and if these are separated the fields get even shorter.

The genius of the well placed horse has evaporated into barely racing at all. In my opinion this is the racing secretary saying to trainers "C'mon man do you want to race or not?".

They should start a "Comfort Keepers" charity for horses stuck in the barns!:cool:

[CincyHorseplayer]

Jeff Platt always steals the show!

[Tom]

Jeff has a good idea, though.
ADD weight for days away, and deduct for those who come back and actually race.

[BELMONT 6-6-09]

Used to love those high priced claiming events in the 80's with 'Pistol Pete" Ferriola and The "Gas Man' Moschera, battling it out in the chess game. There were some very competitive horses in those races. Good days!!

[Prioress Ply]

Optional claiming races have killed them off.

In their heyday in the mid-'80s, $100,000 claimers, with weight off for each $5,000 down to $75,000, were a regular occurrence at NYRA tracks- and even $200,000 claimers, with weight off for each $5,000 down to $175,000, were occasionally seen.

The April 2018 condition book at Aqueduct shows no stand-alone claiming race higher than $40,000. If a trainer wants to run for more than that, the horse must be run in an optional claimer.

Another sop to the Breeders. Let them breed and sell young horses with the promise that they can slither in to a fat claiming purse with no strings attached. Beautiful.

[jay68802]

Simplified Conditions for thoroughbred horseracing in 2018:

Claiming Price $80,000
6 Furlongs on the Dirt (no runup)
Drug Testing and Vet Exam of all entries to commence in the receiving barn 7:00 am day of race.
Racing Office to commence dissemination of Lab Test Results and Vet Exam to the Public 9:00 am day of race.

Based on Lab Test Results and Vet Exam:

Weight Carrried: 116 lbs

Adjustments to Weight Carried as follows:

Plus 8 lbs positive test for prohibited blood doping agents.
Plus 7 lbs positive test for steriods.
Plus 6 lbs positive test for prohibited pain killers.
Plus 4 lbs gelded since last start but not reported by trainer.
Plus 3 lbs positive test other/lesser banned substance.
Plus 2 lbs each time scratched within the past 30 days (up to 5 fake scratches considered/max weight on for fake scratches 10 lbs.)

Minus 8 lbs non winner (any condition) lifetime.
Minus 6 lbs non winner 2 races (any condition) lifetime.
Minus 4 lbs non winner 3 races (any condition) lifetime.
Minus 2 lbs non winner 4 races (any condition) lifetime.
Minus 3 lbs 3 yr old facing older.
Minus 3 lbs filly or mare facing males.

Max Possible Weight Carried 154 lbs.
Min Possible Weight Carried 90 lbs. (You decide.)



-jp

.

The Lance Armstrong Claiming Crown presented by Clenbuterol.

[Jeff P]

The Lance Armstrong Claiming Crown presented by Clenbuterol.

Little by little with each passing year, isn't that kind of where racing decision makers (track management, horsemen, and state regulators) have been taking us?

(Without my scale of weights of course.)


-jp

.

[jay68802]

Little by little with each passing year, isn't that kind of where racing decision makers (track management, horsemen, and state regulators) have been taking us?

(Without my scale of weights of course.)


-jp

.

Seems that way, the problem is that one of those same decision makers might see that scale and say "Brilliant!".

[acorn54]

here in "nausea" county, long island, local government killed otb and didnt change with the times. i don't think the problem was, and still is, in racing in general that the government doesn't see a change is neccessary to keep racing thriving, i just think its that they don't care if it goes the way of the dodo bird. to them it is just another way of getting tax dollars for their tax coffers. if and when it goes into oblivion there are unlimited numbers of other potential tax collection venues. the governments primary role of existance is to grow bigger and collect larger and larger sums of money. even in ex-president reagan's terms of office (may he rest in peace), after his last term the government was larger than when he entered office. and he ran on the no government platform. enuf said.