Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes

[justindew]

Originally Posted by Kasept

Have to say, the more I've thought about this zany concept, the more I like it.

May I be so bold as to ask why?

[Scurlogue Champ]

Originally Posted by justindew

May I be so bold as to ask why?

May I do the same?

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by justindew

May I be so bold as to ask why?

Obviously it can promote interest internationally which can increase publicity, awareness and handle.. Like the Breeders' Cup Double Santa Anita caper designed to get more Euros to nominate foals, it has potential to morph into Euro outfits targeting the rich Triple Crown trail, (easily negotiated now via synthetic surfaces for your turfy type), and pay the $600 nom fee for their sophs.

It's a crazy idea which provides an interesting wrinkle..

[justindew]

Originally Posted by Kasept

Obviously it can promote interest internationally which can increase publicity, awareness and handle.. Like the Breeders' Cup Double Santa Anita caper designed to get more Euros to nominate foals, it has potential to morph into Euro outfits targeting the rich Triple Crown trail, (easily negotiated now via synthetic surfaces for your turfy type), and pay the $600 nom fee for their sophs.

It's a crazy idea which provides an interesting wrinkle..

All of that may be true, but I wonder how Europeans will take to America's parimutuel wagering. Aren't they more inclined to wager with bookies when given the option? I don't know the answer to that.

[Scurlogue Champ]

Pari-mutuel wagering isn't a huge deal over there.

Most of the money goes through the books.

[Danzig]

i don't see it as necessarily being a bad thing. look at the 20th horse entered the last however many years-how many of them ended up making any kind of a splash? if this works in churchills favor and generates more interest-and maybe better horses from overseas- i see nothing wrong with it.

[brockguy]

James Wiloughby gives a fantastic write up of this race in the racingpost for those to see.

http://www.racingpost.com/blog/horse...llenge/170901/

an interesting quote from it:

"The race carries prize-money of £80,000 ($112,000) plus a guaranteed berth in the field at Churchill Downs and a further $100,000 bonus to cover expenses if a runner makes the trip.
This is a lavish prize and deserves a better field than that assembled. Without pre-judging the lightly raced contenders, this innovation may prove dubious if it cannot attract horses with smart form and sufficient experience to give a good account in Kentucky."

"Rightly or wrongly, opponents of giving the winner of this conditions race a guaranteed berth in the Derby at the expense of a US runner with Graded stakes form may have a field day if certain runners are successful."

On Betfair now, the apparent 2nd Maktoum horse Haashed is 3.4-1 with Mafaaz 3.8-1 and Close Alliance 5-1.

[Kasept]

Great link Kev.. Thx!

[SniperSB23]

Originally Posted by Danzig

i don't see it as necessarily being a bad thing. look at the 20th horse entered the last however many years-how many of them ended up making any kind of a splash? if this works in churchills favor and generates more interest-and maybe better horses from overseas- i see nothing wrong with it.

Not that I feel much sympathy for horses that get shut out when they know they need earnings to get in but just last year #20 wound up running third.

[slotdirt]

Wasn't Don't Get Mad around 20th a couple years back and he ran at least decently well.

[SniperSB23]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

Wasn't Don't Get Mad around 20th a couple years back and he ran at least decently well.

I think only 20 wanted to enter that year which is how Spanish Chestnut and Going Wild got in.

Don't Get Mad was notable in that he ran in the Derby Trial the week before.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by SniperSB23

Not that I feel much sympathy for horses that get shut out when they know they need earnings to get in but just last year #20 wound up running third.

and had he not gotten in, someone else would have finished third. i just don't think the race will feel the lack if the horse on the bubble ends up out and a horse from england runs in his place-and that's not even a given. just because a horse earns his way in, doesn't mean his connections will relish the thought of shipping and running on dirt. but who knows?

[SniperSB23]

Originally Posted by Danzig

and had he not gotten in, someone else would have finished third. i just don't think the race will feel the lack if the horse on the bubble ends up out and a horse from england runs in his place-and that's not even a given. just because a horse earns his way in, doesn't mean his connections will relish the thought of shipping and running on dirt. but who knows?

I just don't see how winning an allowance race on synthetics in England is really earning your way in.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by SniperSB23

I just don't see how winning an allowance race on synthetics in England is really earning your way in.

but because it's a win and you're in, he's in. if a horse wins the delta jackpot, he's earned his way in-but doesn't mean that horse is any more deserving than the winner of the england race. but, those are the rules.

[Bobby Fischer]

Originally Posted by SniperSB23

I just don't see how winning an allowance race on synthetics in England is really earning your way in.

you mean dirt?

Originally Posted by bloodhorse

Jibboom, a graded stakes winner on dirt and turf for Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farms, has been retired from racing because of a suspensory injury.