Starter condition that I've never seen before

[rrbauer]

PA Downs contest is at Hawthorne and the 9th is a Starter race with the following condition:
MARY D. KEIM ILLINOIS OWNERS H.. Purse $75,000 FOR FILLIES AND MARES; THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD; WHERE AT LEAST 51% OF THE HORSES' RECORDED OWNERSHIP IS REGISTERED TO AN OWNER WHOSE ILLINOIS RACING BOARD LICENSE REGISTRATION REFLECTS AN ADDRESS IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. By subscription of $75 each; which shall accompany the nomination. A Supplementary Nomination of $3,000 may be made on Saturday, October 4, 2008, which includes entry and starting fees. Original nominees to pay $750 to pass the entry box and $750 additional to start; with $75,000 Guaranteed.

[rufus999]

I guess there is a problem with joint ownership at the track. Separating state bred from open company is about as deep as I go when it comes to conditions. Everything else I consider window dressing.;)

rufus:9::9::9:

[Steve 'StatMan']

It is a special stakes race for IL-Majority-Owned horses.

Not a IL bred restricted stake. Not a Starter Stake, as the horse could have raced anywhere, or not at all.

They added these within the last year or two. More than just state bred stakes, they are recognizing and trying to reward some stakes money to horses primarily owned by IL owners.

They've named some of these races after IL owners, breeders and perhaps trainers.

[onefast99]

This is an excellent idea for the Northeastern tracks. Instead of handing the monies over to outsiders why not reward the owners who also live in the state. Maybe then people will stay closer to home and support their local tracks.

[Tom]

Doesn't that lower the level of competition?
As a bettor, why would I care where the purse money goes?
I would rather see better horses. Tight restrictions dilute the races.
this has the been the history of the NYS Bred program......bad horses run for big purses. Sure, a few NYB horses have been bred, but overall, they are vastly inferior horses running for vastly inflated purses. This rewards lousy breeding. Look at NYRA.....a few big races and a whole lot of crap day in day out.

[Dave Schwartz]

Tom,

Are you operating under the assumption that you (the bettor) are an important part of the equation?


Dave

[Steve 'StatMan']

I should add that they don't run many of these - these are special events, just like state bred stakes. A $75,000 purse in Chicago is a good purse for a IL bred stake. The 51% requirement in this case just keeps someone from selling, say, a 5% interest in a horse to someone who qualifies for the state registry program and then steal the purse with an outsider, or a top local horse that is owned by out-of-state connections.

Most racing states and tracks try to spread the purse money around a bit, to give all the different segments a chance to earn some money and justify staying in the business, or in that particular state. Have to run 2yo races, as horse peak early, or need to be developed for the future, and need to give these connections some cash incentive. Local horsemen could really use a few some opportunity to shoot for a pot without it being sent out of state. The larger stakes races attract horses and horsement from around the country to promote the track and give some local excitement, although that purse money often goes out of state, not to return until the next big stakes day.

In this circus called racing, the ring master, the trapeze artists, the clowns, and the poop shovelers all have to eat. Gotta give a lot of chances to a lot of people to keep the show going.

[Tom Barrister]

I like the idea, but I can see where it might limit the possibilities from a bettor's point of view.

[raybo]

Tom,

Are you operating under the assumption that you (the bettor) are an important part of the equation?


Dave

:lol:

[DJofSD]

Wow, I hope some one had that $63.40 winner.

[rrbauer]

I should add that they don't run many of these - these are special events, just like state bred stakes. A $75,000 purse in Chicago is a good purse for a IL bred stake. The 51% requirement in this case just keeps someone from selling, say, a 5% interest in a horse to someone who qualifies for the state registry program and then steal the purse with an outsider, or a top local horse that is owned by out-of-state connections.

.

Good info. Thanks.

[mountainman]

Much manipulation, some scrupulous, some not, goes on amongst horsemen to get animals eligible for restricted races. This event sounds vulnerable to deception-unless some clause precludes the recent "sale" of nominated animals. Sounds cynical, but it happens.

[mountainman]

Doesn't that lower the level of competition?
As a bettor, why would I care where the purse money goes?
I would rather see better horses. Tight restrictions dilute the races.
this has the been the history of the NYS Bred program......bad horses run for big purses. Sure, a few NYB horses have been bred, but overall, they are vastly inferior horses running for vastly inflated purses. This rewards lousy breeding. Look at NYRA.....a few big races and a whole lot of crap day in day out.

I agree with you in part. But a racing secretary serves several masters, not just the public.

[Tom]

I understand. It's just that, as the customer, I don't care a hoot about his other masters. ;)

[mountainman]

In fact, the public is probably the ONLY faction that can't get a racing secretary fired.