Originally Posted by Denny (Post 2272601)

BC Limited hurt the Sprint when they added the Dirt Mile.
(the DM also hurts the Classic every year)

Boosting the purse might encourage a larger field. At least that's what they're probably thinking.

Having a FM Dirt Sprint hurts too. remember when great female sprinters used to run - and even beat the boys!

It's a shame what's become of one of the original BC races, the Sprint.

Originally Posted by GMB@BP (Post 2272609)

Thats why I told a friend of mine when they went to the two day format the races really lost that lack of quality.

Originally Posted by SG4 (Post 2272581)

So the Breeders' Cup has decided to add a Juvenile Turf Sprint as an official event, and to boost the purse of the dirt sprint. I think whoever is on their board needs to be reevaluated because IMHO, their ideas continue to stink.

Part of the reason they added the turf sprint was because the juvenile turf races routinely oversubscribe. Well yeah, if you're putting up 7 figures for a mediocre race, you're probably going to get a lot of interest. Maybe the BC can sponsor some of those maiden claiming events at 7 1/2 furlongs that Gulfstream seems to use to conclude every day.

The BC people complain handle isn't rising fast enough & they wonder why, and their response is to water down races & introduce the most impossible ones to handicap. My general sense from handicappers is that turf sprints rank #1 in least favorite races to play, so let's start with that, add in a bunch of Europeans with indecipherable form & make it a field of 14 2yo's, just what everyone wants to deal with! They'll probably make it the wraparound race for pick 4's, 5's & 6's since this is clearly the race people are clamoring for. Also they say the distance will be 5 1/2 furlongs, which I believe essentially zero BC host tracks can use as their sprint distance.

Also adding $ to the Sprint purse? The race with the least amount of entrants the last 2 years, despite being the race that apparently all US horses are supposed to be bred to run in, that's the race that deserves the purse boost? You've got to be kidding me with these ideas, not to mention the earlier ones which they considered & shelved.

Originally Posted by Tom (Post 2272642)

The idea behind the BC has been lost.
What' next, the BC Beaten Claimers? The BC Starter Allowance?

Horse used to race all year and then have a championship day.
Now, many just show up late in the year and run the big one.
Might as well rename the Classic the Breeder's Cup Cameo.

Originally Posted by Tom (Post 2272642)

The idea behind the BC has been lost.
What' next, the BC Beaten Claimers? The BC Starter Allowance?

Horse used to race all year and then have a championship day.
Now, many just show up late in the year and run the big one.
Might as well rename the Classic the Breeder's Cup Cameo.

Originally Posted by Denny (Post 2272964)

dilanesp,
We already have that - it's called the Claiming Crown.

Originally Posted by cj (Post 2272613)

The BC is never giving up the second day, it is a cash cow and they charge you almost as much as they do for the Saturday.

It wasn't that long ago turf sprinters had no races at the BC. If you wanted to sprint, you tried dirt. Giving 2yo turf sprinters a BC race is ridiculous.

Originally Posted by Fager Fan (Post 2273059)

Their mistake wasn't adding a second day, but making them BC races. They should've made a card of high dollar purse races for all the non-champ divisions they wanted for Friday. Hell, add another day on Thursday too. But they really screwed up making them BC races, and splitting them up over the 2 days, and taking it off network TV.

The BC adds these races (and big purses) when all they had to do was keep the Original 7 (or even the 8th). They claim they're doing all this to earn more money. Earn more money FOR WHO? The elite owners and Breeders? Their own salaries? Who? Why do they need more money when they were making plenty to fund the First 8, even after increasing their purses? Why does no one ask this?

Originally Posted by Denny (Post 2273101)

I would put the main focus on a Pick 4 and have it on NBC.

Two Turf races - the Mile & the Turf

Two Dirt - the Sprint & the Classic.

All on the main network in a two hour broadcast.

Everything else goes on the sports network.

You could substitute something else for the Sprint if that race isn't as interesting.

Originally Posted by dilanesp (Post 2273047)

No, do it as part of the BC with a half mil puse.