Pay To Rename Races
 

Is this really where we want to go?

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...or-derby-trial

How is it different than the 'Shadwell Travers' or 'Darley Test' or 'Coca Cola Bassinet'?

They didn't change the name of the race.. just added the sponsorship co-branding. And kicked the purse up to boot.

Great idea IMO.. Plus LaPenta will look to have a colt in the race. He could be willing to use his influence to get other trainers and owners to commit stock to the race as well.. What is wrong with folks making the sport better.. Do you really care what a race is called? Plus racetracks make the worst decisions ever with rerspect to names.. The Lady Secret is no more?

Well said. I only hope more people do it.

NT

Really? So The Cliff's Edge would have had his name on the race had the money not been put up? I don't think so....This is not the Kentucky Derby sponsored by Yum Brands.

Why does it matter? If someone wants to double the purse of a race and attach some name of their choice to it then why the hell would we stop them? Keeneland has sponsorships for almost every one of their stakes already.

NT

Close call for me. It blurrs the line if you use a horse name in addition to the race name. The Derby Trial is a pretty famous race.....But I get it. Maybe it's what we need.

I'm not sure what you mean... Putting the money up = the sponsorship which = adding the 'product' or 'brand' to the race. LaPenta is promoting The Cliff's Edge ($5k fee at Marguax) and associating him as a racehorse/stallion with the final Derby prep. And boosting the purse to make it a great last chance try to get into the Derby is an added increase to the profile of an already historic race.

Rand... As I write, I think I'm understanding the differentiation you wanted to make: The product or brand being a horse who otherwise isn't qualified to have his name as a stake is tied in here... That makes sense... But as I tried to hint earlier, it's not that the sponsorship turned the "G3 Derby Trial" into the "G3 The Cliff's Edge"... If that was the original concern, it was a logical concern...

i didn't find it a big deal at all. it's much like any other sponsored race, as was said above...just instead of promoting a farm in total, it's one stallion in particular. an owner is putting money back into the sport to promote a horse. i'd rather have this then reading 'presented by yum brands' every time the derby is mentioned.

Exactly. That's what I meant.

I guess if we can live through the Kentucky Derby "sponsored by Yum Brands!" we can survive anything. Kudos to sponsoring the race.

Based upon the Derby Trial fields over the last few years, The Cliffs Edge 's association certainly not dragging the race down.

If someone didn't know any better, they would think the race was a trial for the Cliff's Edge Derby.

I just think there's a difference between corporate sponsorship of a race and what this is. I get where you're coming from Steve, and I'm sure when the race actually gets here I'll just roll my eyes and move on. It's not like it's all bad, it's just not giving me the warm fuzzies. When a horse or a person gets put onto a race, it should be, I feel, an attempt to honor them by the sport, not to pimp their stud career. And what about promoting people that didn't do something noteworthy in the sport? Surely that's fair game if they cough up the dough. Heaven help us if Spencer Pratt's name gets slapped onto a Derby prep. I think The Real Housewives of Atlanta Fountain of Youth Stakes would be a fun mouthful. NeNe could give out the trophy.

I'm still steamed about renaming the Sir Barton, La Troienne, and Lady's Secret. At least there, it was honoring somebody though. I guess the problem I have here is that the answer to 'what's in a name?' is 'whatever you're willing to pay for.'

If we had thought of sooner we could all pony up some cash and had it renamed the Derby Trail Derby Trial.....Try saying that fast 10 times.

since 'the cliff's edge' is now a business venture, i don't see how it's any different than the shadwell travers for example. the race isn't renamed, it's still the derby trial.

"Yum Brands", the only one that liked that was my Beagle.

No one new is going to call it "The Derby Trial." And in 3 years, assuming the race itself still exists, everyone will be calling it "The Cliff's Edge." I think it is asinine and disgraceful, especially considering the maniacal control exerted over the mere naming of horses.

Yeah, they will call it The Cliff's Edge. Speaking of naming horses, they sure do like to weigh in don't they? That one guy tried to name a horse Sally Hemmings and they shut that down pretty quick. It's all about money, even there. They figure names in bad taste might cost them, although they're kind of hit or miss. Where good taste was when they let Isitingood or Hoof Hearted through, God only knows.

Everything in this sport is somehow a business venture. That's no excuse for chucking tradition though. It's an explanation for the behavior, but it doesn't make it any less tacky. We don't have to like it, and we don't have to be quiet about that dislike. They may go and do whatever they want, but we get to tell'em exactly what we think about it. If being hosed about what decisions are made makes you a non-fan, many a Philadelphia Eagle supporter I know would be screwed.

We could call it the Tila Tequila Derby Trial and pass out shots of tequila as the newly established traditional Derby Trial drink. Should be entertaining.

do we call the derby the yum brands? the travers is still referred to as such, not as the shadwell. the bcj for fillies is just that, not the grey goose. i disagree...