If NYRA Doubles the Purse a Blind Luck, 'Grace' Spa Showdown Possible!

[andymays]

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/64087/blind-luck-grace-spa-showdown-possible#ixzz1SZaIbYwb

Excerpt:

Fox Hill Farms’ Rick Porter, owner of Havre de Grace, made his intentions quite clear when he stated July 19, “If they (the New York Racing Association) double the pot for the Personal Ensign, the match is on.”

Doubling the pot for the Aug. 28 Personal Ensign Stakes (gr. I), a 1 1/4-mile event at Saratoga the day after the Travers (gr. I), would mean increasing the purse from $300,000 to $600,000.

[andymays]

http://www.drf.com/news/saratoga-havre-de-grace-would-point-personal-ensign-if-purse-were-raised

Excerpt;

On Tuesday – three days before the Saratoga meet was to open – New York Racing Association officials were non-committal as whether they would entertain the notion of raising the purse of the Personal Ensign. NYRA president and CEO Charles Hayward did admit that “it would be much more compelling for the two fillies to run against each other,” than to perform here in separate races.

In 2009, NYRA raised the pot of the Woodward from $500,000 to $750,000 to attract Rachel Alexandra, who rewarded that decision with a roof-raising victory in that race.

[Saratoga_Mike]

RA was a big draw - people cared. HDG - Great filly, but she won't bring out enough incremental fans to the track (or handle, on and off) to justify a higher purse. If Porter doesn't want to race at the greatest track in the country for the advertised purse money, then let him race somewhere else.

[Mineshaft]

why is this Grade 1 at Toga only 300K thats my question?

[boogazie]

If Porter doesn't want to race at the greatest track in the country for the advertised purse money, then let him race somewhere else.

Huh? The horse is running at saratoga anyways, it's either the Personal Ensign or the Woodward.

[Saratoga_Mike]

Huh? The horse is running at saratoga anyways, it's either the Personal Ensign or the Woodward.

Tired of owners demanding this and that.

[Saratoga_Mike]

why is this Grade 1 at Toga only 300K thats my question?

It was $300k last yr, too, and the Grade I King's Bishop was $250k. I must admit both seem low for Grade I races, but maybe I'm wrong.

[cj]

Saratoga should tell Porter to get bent.

[toussaud]

are you guys serious?

You have 2 grade 1's, one is worth 750k and the other is worth 300k. And you tell the owner to "get bent" simply becuase he is telling you what it's go;ing to take for him to race in lesser grade 1? He's just being realistic IMHO. at the end of the day you have to make money and the race as it is worth 2 and a half times more than the PE, and hell it might even be an easier spot.


I think saratoga needs to step up to the plate and make it happen, plus it will be on national TV. that purse is too low anyway.

[cj]

are you guys serious?

You have 2 grade 1's, one is worth 750k and the other is worth 300k. And you tell the owner to "get bent" simply becuase he is telling you what it's go;ing to take for him to race in lesser grade 1? He's just being realistic IMHO. at the end of the day you have to make money and the race as it is worth 2 and a half times more than the PE, and hell it might even be an easier spot.


I think saratoga needs to step up to the plate and make it happen, plus it will be on national TV. that purse is too low anyway.

Yes, but the other is also at Saratoga and would be just a big a draw...top filly against colts.

[sonnyp]

are you guys serious?

You have 2 grade 1's, one is worth 750k and the other is worth 300k. And you tell the owner to "get bent" simply becuase he is telling you what it's go;ing to take for him to race in lesser grade 1? He's just being realistic IMHO. at the end of the day you have to make money and the race as it is worth 2 and a half times more than the PE, and hell it might even be an easier spot.


I think saratoga needs to step up to the plate and make it happen, plus it will be on national TV. that purse is too low anyway.


i usually agree with you......but not this time. nyra doesn't have the phony slot money that goes into the inflated purses and the purse structure is what it is.

im real sick and tired of people whether it's horse racing, football, baseball or whatever, trying to hold others hostage.

saratoga doesn' t need blind luck or any other horse. the track flourishes on its own. the filly from canada is going to saratoga rather than the 2nd leg of the canadian triple crown.

i sincerely hope blind luck goes to saratoga as well as every other top horse. but i hope she goes without a "ransom". otherwise, as cj said, "get bent". they'll do just fine without her.

[toussaud]

i see your point about the slot money.

[Leparoux]

i usually agree with you......but not this time. nyra doesn't have the phony slot money that goes into the inflated purses and the purse structure is what it is.

im real sick and tired of people whether it's horse racing, football, baseball or whatever, trying to hold others hostage.

saratoga doesn' t need blind luck or any other horse. the track flourishes on its own. the filly from canada is going to saratoga rather than the 2nd leg of the canadian triple crown.

i sincerely hope blind luck goes to saratoga as well as every other top horse. but i hope she goes without a "ransom". otherwise, as cj said, "get bent". they'll do just fine without her.
It is called life. People will try to maximize their profit/opportunity in anything. Like it or not, almost everything is driven by $$$$$$$$

[sonnyp]

It is called life. People will try to maximize their profit/opportunity in anything. Like it or not, almost everything is driven by $$$$$$$$


well i don't like it, and thats why not only horse racing but everything else in our society is corrupt and bankrupt..

we're void of class and dignity because of greed. its ugly.

[Relwob Owner]

well i don't like it, and thats why not only horse racing but everything else in our society is corrupt and bankrupt..

we're void of class and dignity because of greed. its ugly.


Could not agree with you more about the race and about things in general. People see other people getting the rules bent and changed for them and they ask for it as well. It would be good to see the Spa not change anything at all and send a message.

[Tom]

How about this - Toga doubles the purse, but makes it winner take all.
No place money. Winner takes the pot.

Let's see how big those balls really are.

[toussaud]

How about this - Toga doubles the purse, but makes it winner take all.
No place money. Winner takes the pot.

Let's see how big those balls really are.
um....i don't know how to put this tom but.. um... they don't have balls.

[Vinman]

It's not about Rick Porter or what he wants. It's about NYRA making sure that the rematch occurs between these two great horses at Saratoga.

300K seems light for a grade I.

Vinman

[Tom]

um....i don't know how to put this tom but.. um... they don't have balls.

Porter, not the horse!

[duncan04]

Porter just wants to fatten his second place purse!! ;)

[OTM Al]

It's always so easy to spend other people's money...

[toussaud]

why don't they just both run in the woodward

[andymays]

NYRA needs to bring fillies together - ESPN
http://espn.go.com/horse-racing/story/_/id/6786944/nyra-needs-bring-fillies-together

Excerpt:

The greatest horse race run this year was, easily, the Delaware Handicap, where the two best female horses in America, and, maybe, the two best horses, period, put on the type of show that no one will soon forget. Two star rivals in Blind Luck and Havre de Grace, fought the length of the stretch with the outcome decided by a nose. Blind Luck was best that day, but only by an inch or two.

This is the type of thing we don't get nearly enough of in horse racing.

[foregoforever]

NYRA needs to bring fillies together - ESPN
http://espn.go.com/horse-racing/story/_/id/6786944/nyra-needs-bring-fillies-together


What OTM Al said.

At $300K, the Personal Ensign is equal to or greater than the Lady's Secret, Clement Hirsch, Vanity and Santa Margarita, which are 4 of the 5 Grade 1's that Zenyatta ran in last year. Only the Apple Blossom, at $500K, was greater. The Personal Ensign purse is not light. Races restricted to fillies and mares shouldn't carry the same purses as those open to all.

[FenceBored]

What OTM Al said.

At $300K, the Personal Ensign is equal to or greater than the Lady's Secret, Clement Hirsch, Vanity and Santa Margarita, which are 4 of the 5 Grade 1's that Zenyatta ran in last year. Only the Apple Blossom, at $500K, was greater. The Personal Ensign purse is not light. Races restricted to fillies and mares shouldn't carry the same purses as those open to all.


Do the colts have stay at home mares with foals to support?

[GregReinhart]

why don't they just both run in the woodward

I think Hollendorfer et al have found that Blind Luck's best distance is at a mile and a quarter, which the Personal Ensign is. Havre De Grace is just a little better than her anything shorter than that.

[foregoforever]

Do the colts have stay at home mares with foals to support?

Absolutely, and many have lots of them. :D

I don't follow the Euros that closely, but Australia has only a handful of group 1 races for older fillies and mares. The girls are expected to run with the boys in open races. And if the girl wins those, she gets the exact same purse that a boy would have gotten.

I'd be curious to see an analysis of Beyer figure differences between the boys and girls over the years, and particularly how much the difference has narrowed since steroid use has decreased.