What is the tie breaker on graded stakes earnings?

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by tector

A coin flip?

Setsuko and A Little Warm both have exactly $180,000, and they both are getting closer to the line..

Almost. First they go with earnings in unrestricted stakes races. Then it's "by lot" so it basically is a glorified coin flip situation.

[Thunder Gulch]

One of these can hit the board, the other may finish last.

[tector]

Originally Posted by Thunder Gulch

One of these can hit the board, the other may finish last.

Quite so. The first one scares me and would have to be used on any "falling apart scenario" tickets, at a minimum.

[slotdirt]

This would all be for naught if another five or so horses don't bail and/or Setsuko can figure out a way to win the Lexington. I'm a fan though; A Little Warm, not so much.

[tector]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

This would all be for naught if another five or so horses don't bail and/or Setsuko can figure out a way to win the Lexington. I'm a fan though; A Little Warm, not so much.

It is quite a bit less than the five, although the Lex is still out there:

http://blog.timesunion.com/horseraci...he-derby/4208/

[parsixfarms]

Originally Posted by Merlinsky

Almost. First they go with earnings in unrestricted stakes races. Then it's "by lot" so it basically is a glorified coin flip situation.

In reading the condition book, it looks like horses tied on graded earnings would have the tie broken by lot. The unrestricted stakes earnings are only considered "should additional starters be needed to bring the field" up to 20.

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by parsixfarms

In reading the condition book, it looks like horses tied on graded earnings would have the tie broken by lot. The unrestricted stakes earnings are only considered "should additional starters be needed to bring the field" up to 20.

I'm not quite clear on what that means. You wouldn't bother breaking a graded earnings tie if the field isn't up to 20. Both would get in.

[parsixfarms]

Originally Posted by Merlinsky

I'm not quite clear on what that means. You wouldn't bother breaking a graded earnings tie if the field isn't up to 20. Both would get in.

If you had a situation where 21 entered and all had graded earnings, with the last two tied at number 20 on the graded earnings list, you draw by lot to break the tie.

If you had a situation where 21 horses entered but only 18 had graded earnings, you would use the earnings in non-graded races to determine the last two horses to make the race.

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by parsixfarms

If you had a situation where 21 entered and all had graded earnings, with the last two tied at number 20 on the graded earnings list, you draw by lot to break the tie.

If you had a situation where 21 horses entered but only 18 had graded earnings, you would use the earnings in non-graded races to determine the last two horses to make the race.

Ah. Thanks. Didn't occur to me that we'd be in a situation where 20+ might want in but some might have zero graded earnings. Could've sworn though that in past years they've explained it as unrestricted stakes breaks the graded earnings tie. Hmm.