How do Sale 2-Year-Old’s perform on the racetrack compared to all 2-Year-Old’s?

There are a number of reasons owners including horse racing partnerships acquire a racehorse through a 2 year old in training sale. You are able to view the horse breeze in an under-tack show to look at his or her stride which gives you a peak at the horses ability. You know you are getting a horse that’s proved it can hold up to training and conditioning. You also know you are also very close to getting that horse to the races. But the big question is how that horse ultimately performs in competition.

Research compiled by BloodHorse MarketWatch shows 78% of the 2-year-old’s sold at auctions from 2000-17 went on to start in a race and 76% of all of those runners became winners. By comparison, all of the named 2-year-old’s representing the same crops, and including the sale horses, 69% became runners and 67% of those runners became winners.

But what about the quality of the runners? Performance records show the sale horses have the edge here too. Among the horses sold from 2000-17 at North America 2-year-old auctions 6% became Black-Type winners and earned $66,976 on average. For all juveniles during the same period, 3.9% went on to become Black-Type winners and collectively averaged $49,218 in earnings.

Two-year-old’s in training sales started in Florida in the 1950’s as a way to sell horses with unfashionable or poor pedigrees. Over time, the 2-year-old’s in training sales morphed into their own market, driven largely by yearling to juvenile pinhookers who capitalized on the lucrative increase in value a horse can realize between when it’s a yearling to when it’s a budding racehorse.

Finding a quality, let alone stakes quality racehorse is always a challenge, but the 2-year-old’s in training market has proved to be a valuable shopping territory for many owners, including the Blinkers On horse racing partnership. Blinkers On found a filly by Congrats later named Turbulent Descent at the April OBS Two-Year-Old’s in training sale. Turbulent Descent went on to become a millionaire and was later sold for $3,000,000 as a racing/broodmare prospect.

 

The age and level a Thoroughbred will perform at it’s peak.

Another tool for Horse Racing Partnerships.

As with most athletes, including equine athletes, the performance life cycle has three basic stages. First, early rapid improvement, peak performance in the middle of the career and a decline at the end of a career. Gramm and Marksteiner produced an article “The Effect of Age on Thoroughbred Racing Performance” in the Journal of Equine Science. Data was collected on 300 male Thoroughbreds that had raced until age 6 and had at least 45 starts. The results may have some biases but the results can be generalized beyond the sample without too much error. Information shows at 2.5 years old the horses on average ran about 9 lengths slower in a 6 furlong dirt race than they did at the peak of their careers. As expected rapid growth was seen during the first part of their careers until age 3.5 then gradual improvement (about 2 lengths at 6 furlongs) up until about 4.5 years of age which is the average for peak performance. After age 5 a gradual decline in performance was shown (about a length per year) which continues until about age 8 when the decline in performance accelerates. More detailed information can be found in this excellent article including very useful charts and graphs. There are many ways this type of information can be used by horse racing partnerships, owners, trainers and even horse players. As an example, a horse racing partnership may use this information when looking to purchase a young horse to estimate how much improvement could be expected when the horse is older. Another example could be using the information on when to retire an elite horse to stud or when to retire a grizzly veteran to a life of leisure. Unfortunately many of racing’s top stars never race beyond their 3 year old campaign so we often don’t see them reach their full potential. Just imagine American Pharoah at full maturity!

 

Getting your mare ready for the Breeding Season

The process Breeder’s go through to pick the right stallion.

There are a number of questions that need to be answered before a breeder sends his or her mare to the breeding shed.

Some basic things need to be considered before looking at the list of prospective stallions. Is the goal to sell the foal or are the intentions to race? Will the foal be pointed to a state-bred program or a national program? Is there interest in future breeding stock development? Answering these questions will help narrow down the list of possible stallions. Some stallions have commercial appeal and tend to produce horses that show well and sell well at auction. Obviously important for sellers and not as important if the foal will be a homebred in the breeders racing operation.

Another piece of the puzzle is pedigree. How compatible is the broodmares pedigree to the stallions? A number of factors including sire line compatibility (nick), inbreeding patterns, dosage and so on form unmistakable patterns in the pedigrees of successful racehorses. Breeders have plenty of options with respect to pedigree analysis, nicking reports, computer programs and professional pedigree analysts just to mention a few.

With that in mind the goal is to breed a certain individual. The breeder needs to be honest about the mare’s faults. If there is a weakness in the mare’s conformation then the stallion prospect should have very correct conformation in that area. Example, if the mare is offset in the knees the breeder will look for a stallion that is very correct in the knees. Looking at the sire’s close family tree to know what traits they pass down is also important. On the flip side, a stallion may not have perfect conformation in one area where the mare is built very well so that stallion may still be considered if he matches up well overall and does not have a history of stamping his faults on his offspring. Understanding the dominant traits of the mare’s family is equally important, some families are very flexible and others throw the same traits generation after generation.

So this coming January it all starts again, the hopes and dreams of breeding a champion. And you never know when it will happen… Blinkers On Racing Stable purchased Love the Chase for the relatively small price of $30,000 at auction to race for our horse racing partnership. After her racing career with Blinkers On she was sold and eventually bred to a California stallion by the name of Lucky Pulpit for $2,500. The foal was California Chrome, winner of two legs of the Triple Crown.

Blinkers On

Blinkers On Racing Stable, a leader in thoroughbred horse racing partnerships, brings together the finest in thoroughbred horse racing expertise with the best in business know-how, and above all, a team of people you can trust, to manage your investment. We are committed to helping you experience the joys of thoroughbred horse ownership. For more information on thoroughbred partnerships visit our website or request an information package about our partnership. Keep up with horse racing in California by reading our Blog, finding us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, checking us out on LinkedIn, or visiting our YouTube Channel!

 

A New Era for California Racing

California Horse Racing Partnerships are Optimistic

2014 will bring many changes to California horse racing across the state. The inevitable closing of Hollywood Park is finally here, with the final racing date on December 22, 2013. This will end 75 years of history at the historic track, but also begin a new era of racing in California. Though Hollywood Park holds many memories and countless winning days for Blinkers On Racing Stable and other thoroughbred syndicates, we find ourselves optimistic for what California racing has to come. More racing at Santa Anita and Del Mar is inevitable, and who can complain about that? Sure there are logistic issues to be addressed, but overall this change should increase the quality of racing throughout California.

The plan going forward for racing in Southern California is as follows. Santa Anita will kick off the year with their Winter Meet starting on December 26^th as always, but instead of ending at the end of April and moving to Hollywood Park until Del Mar in July, the Santa Anita meet will extend all the way through July 6^th. This means a very long meet at one track where the meet was already traditionally long, but who can complain when you are running at the great race place every day? After Santa Anita, Del Mar will begin on July 16^th and finish on September 3rd. Fairplex will then resume their annual meet in the month of the September from the 4^th to the 23rd. Santa Anita will then pick back up where they always do at the end of September from the 25^th to November 2^nd. The biggest change will be seen in the month of November when Del Mar will have an unprecedented Fall/Winter meet from the November 5^th through December 7th. There will most likely be a week or two without racing in December before the Santa Anita Winter meet picks back up again on the 26^th of December.

Along with these new race dates, more changes and potential additions are coming to California racing that horse racing partnerships and the thoroughbred racing community are very excited about.  Because Santa Anita is going to have such a long meet that runs into the Summer months where traditionally it gets very hot, there are rumors that they may implement twilight racing on Friday. The rumor is that the city has approved night racing, now Santa Anita has to decide if they want to put up the money for the lights. Thoroughbred syndicates like the idea of twilight racing because it gives owners a chance to get out to the track after work, and for the horses it would be significantly cooler outside. The one road block aside from the cost of the lights would be that trainers are not too fond of having late night racing because training begins so early in the morning. Furthermore, horses don’t typically run at night under the lights so this would present a new environment that is uncomfortable and new for the horses. Hopefully, we can find a compromise for part of the Santa Anita meet that would be a win win for everyone involved. Furthermore, the stabling issue is still at large in Southern California when Hollywood Park is gone at the end of the year. San Luis Rey Downs is currently undergoing a renovation that would hopefully make it a viable option for trainers and up to about 500 horses. That still leaves about 500 horses who would need to either fall into Los Alamitos or Fairplex. The CHRB is still working with California trainers and the race track to find a permanent solution going forward.

In addition, Santa Anita is set to host an unprecedented third Breeders’ Cup in a row in 2014. Most racing enthusiasts involved agree that running the Breeders’ Cup in California is the best scenario for racing because most other tracks across the country inevitably have very inclement weather in the month of November. With that said, there have been rumblings around racing that the Breeders’ Cup may even be looking to California as a permanent home going forward. Horse racing partnerships in California are especially excited that the rumors extend to potentially holding the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar in 2015. Apparently this Fall Del Mar is set to extend their turf course so that it will hold 12 starters instead of the current 10, which is a necessity if they ever want to host the Breeders’ Cup.  Who knows they may even look to put dirt back at Del Mar, because most East coast trainers and owners feel that it would keep racing on a more level playing field if the Breeders’ Cup were to be held at Del Mar.

With all these potential changes and additions to California racing, including the makeover currently being done at San Luis Rey Downs, horse racing partnerships in California should be excited for what is to come. Hopefully all these plans and rumors come together to help create more quality racing across the state of California. At Blinkers On Racing Stable we are excited and optimistic for the coming changes that will inevitably sustain a higher quality of racing in the state of California.

Blinkers On

Blinkers On Racing Stable, a leader in thoroughbred horse racing partnerships, brings together the finest in thoroughbred horse racing expertise with the best in business know-how, and above all, a team of people you can trust, to manage your investment. We are committed to helping you experience the joys of thoroughbred horse ownership. For more information on thoroughbred partnerships visit our website or request an information package about our partnership. Keep up with horse racing in California by reading our Blog, finding us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, checking us out on LinkedIn, or visiting our YouTube Channel!

 

Horse Racing Syndicate Looks to Home State for Recent Success and Value

Watching prices soar at the Keeneland Yearling sale is a good sign that the economy is recovering and that the thoroughbred horse racing industry is strengthening. With the move from quantity to quality in the past few years the number of horses has shrunk but demand has remained steady. These are all good things for the industry as a whole, and especially if you are a seller. Unfortunately, if you are a buyer, for example managing a thoroughbred horse racing syndicate, prices have increased significantly and value is now even harder to come by.

Looking back at 2013 it is pretty evident that success on the track for Blinkers On Racing Stable has had a significant impact from its two California Bred thoroughbreds. In 2012 Blinkers On saw that it was a sellers’ market and knew that one time breeders who would race their best Cal Breds, realized that the prices they could get at auction were too good to pass up. With that in mind, Blinkers On attended its first yearling sale, the Barrett’s October Yearling Sale.

Not only were breeders’ more likely to sell with average prices rising but the State of California had just introduced increased purse incentives in the state of California for CA Bred horses. Blinkers On saw this as an opportunity and came away from the Barrett’s Yearling sale with a Tribal Rule colt, Red Outlaw, for a purchase price of $40,000, at a sale where the average was $23,000. A sizable purchase when looking at average but overall a very modest price compared to what is typically spent at 2 year old in training sales. Granted, 2 year old in training sales allow the buyer to see the horse run, so overall there is generally less risk of getting a horse to the races.

In addition, Blinkers On purchased a Cal Bred filly, by Decarchy, Stole a Kiss and syndicated her for $30,000. Once again, another slightly above average purchase, but quite modest compared to 2 year old prices. As both Red Outlaw and Stole a Kiss progressed with seemingly no issues along the way our horse racing syndicate was rewarded handsomely when Red Outlaw made his first start at Hollywood Park on June 9^th, and won by a convincing 2 ¼ lengths first time out in a CA Bred Maiden Special Weight race. The purse was $52,000 and the thoroughbred partnership also received a maiden bonus for winning as a CA Bred of $17,500. The grand total Red Outlaw won that day was a $48,200, well over his purchase price in his first career race.

In addition, Stole a Kiss has run 3 times to date and ran 4^th, 3^rd and 1^st respectively with total earnings of, including the CA Bred Maiden bonus, $74,620. In just about 4 month of racing this CA bred filly has more than doubled her syndication price and has given her partners the thrill of a lifetime, just like Red Outlaw has done. Stole a Kiss is now pointed to the CA Bred Juvenile Fillies Stakes on Breeders’ Cup Friday at Santa Anita, running for a $200,000 purse. What a thrill it would be if should get the job done there! Red Outlaw is on his way back from a short lay off and looks to keep his undefeated record intact when he returns. We expect big things for him in his future.

Reflecting on last year’s decision to buy a couple CA Bred yearlings it is clear to see it has definitely paid off. Not only financially, but it has also allowed new partners to join our thoroughbred horse racing syndicate that otherwise may not have been able to just based on price point. Blinkers On is now gearing up for another successful year after purchasing three new yearlings.  We purchased a full sister to our MSW winner Stole a Kiss who will be running in the upcoming Cal Bred 2 year old filly stakes on Breeders’ Cup day. This filly by Decarchy is very well put together and looks like she will be fast. We also purchased a very athletic colt by first crop sire The Pamplemousse. This colt was one of the best looking horses on the ground and we are happy to have purchased him at such a good value. Our final purchase of the sale was a very nice filly by Awesome Gambler, she has a great frame that she is just now starting to grow into. We can’t wait to see her all filled out in the next few months. And what a steal she was at the sale! Owning a California bred is a great way to get involved in thoroughbred horse racing. All our new offerings will be available on our website in the next week.

Blinkers On

Blinkers On Racing Stable, a leader in thoroughbred horse racing partnerships, brings together the finest in thoroughbred horse racing expertise with the best in business know-how, and above all, a team of people you can trust, to manage your investment. We are committed to helping you experience the joys of thoroughbred horse ownership. For more information on thoroughbred partnerships visit our website or request an information package about our partnership. Keep up with horse racing in California by reading our Blog, finding us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, checking us out on LinkedIn, or visiting our YouTube Channel!

 

Residual Value Is The Name Of The Game

Thoroughbred Horse Racing Partnerships Target Fillies For Residual Value

In today’s thoroughbred horse racing market it is becoming increasingly difficult to purchase quality individuals year in and year out at reasonable prices. With foal crops down close to 30% the last few years and demand remaining the same, prices have sky rocketed throughout the yearling and 2 year old in training sales. Where horse racing partnerships use to find value in first crop sires, they now have to compete with the bigger players and farms who have realized that there is value to be had with new and less established sires. This now puts thoroughbred horse racing syndicates in a very difficult situation. Finding value is harder than it’s ever been and even harder when the end goal is to be able to get part of your initial investment back to your owners at the end of the horse’s racing career.

With even fewer stallions in today’s market coupled with the overwhelming scrutiny put on a colt’s ability, family, conformation and race record, it is almost impossible to think that a thoroughbred horse racing partnership will be lucky enough to campaign a potential stallion. That is why in today’s market fillies are so valuable. A filly from a winning family with an average pedigree can present significant residual value potentially. With an exponentially greater number of broodmares compared to stallions, fillies on average have a much greater chance to present their owners with residual value at the end of the day.

The general checklist for a potential broodmare, aside from a winning family and decent pedigree is as follows. Attaining some sort of black type status in their career, whether it is winning a stake (most important) or being stakes placed. Multiple stakes wins increase the value, and graded stakes wins or placings increase the value dramatically. In addition, the $100,000 mark in earnings is a threshold that needs to be surpassed in order to become sought after in the broodmare market. Just having the basics, $100,000 in earnings and a stakes win a broodmare can be worth upwards of $100,000 at the end of the day. This number is significant, seeing as this will most likely put a significant amount your initial investment back in the owner’s pockets.

At Blinkers On Racing Stable we have been lucky enough to campaign one of the top filly sprinters in the last few years, Turbulent Descent. We purchased Turbulent Descent at the OBS April sale in 2010 for $160,000. By first crop sire Congrats we were taking somewhat of a chance, but her athleticism is what sold us. By Greg Gilchrist’s recommendation we purchased her as a 2 year old in training and she went on to earn over $950,000 for the Blinkers On Partners, with 3 G1 wins, 2 G1 placings a G2 win, and 2 unlisted stakes wins. With a solid pedigree and outstanding race record we sold her privately to one of the biggest farms in the game, Coolmore. She was purchased for a private amount, and you can imagine based on her credentials what that was, and she is now in foal to the world’s top sire Galileo. For Blinkers On and our partners, this was an outstanding return and experience that will keep us and our owners in the game.

When investing in thoroughbreds, remember there always has to be an exit strategy at the end of the horse’s racing career. Fillies present that residual value on a much higher percentage than colts do. Getting your initial investment or even part of it back at the end of the day is important because that will keep you reinvesting in the game.

Blinkers On

Blinkers On Racing Stable, a leader in thoroughbred horse racing partnerships, brings together the finest in thoroughbred horse racing expertise with the best in business know-how, and above all, a team of people you can trust, to manage your investment. We are committed to helping you experience the joys of thoroughbred horse ownership. For more information on thoroughbred partnerships visit our website or request an information package about our partnership. Keep up with horse racing in California by reading our Blog, finding us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, checking us out on LinkedIn, or visiting our YouTube Channel!

 

Summer Racing Attracts the Best From Coast to Coast

Horse Racing Partnerships Gear Up for the Best Meets of the Year

In thoroughbred horse racing the month of July marks the beginning of the Summer meets at two of the most unique, and visited venues in the country. On the West coast, The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club is situated just 20 miles north of San Diego. On the East Coast, Saratoga Race Course is just about a 3 hour drive north of Manhattan. Both tracks have a storied history and some of the best racing condensed into about 7 weeks with non-stop action for thoroughbred horse racing partnerships and owners alike.

Dating back to 1863, Saratoga Race Course held their inaugural thoroughbred race at what is now the Okalahoma training track just across the street from where the main track is today. The Saratoga meet was originally only 4 days, and as the years went on it continued to be lengthened because of its popularity to what it is today, 40 racing dates. The track was originally developed and supported by John Hunter, who went on to become chairman of the Jockey Club, William R. Travers, former boxer, future congressman John Morrissey, and Cornelius Vanderbilt. Saratoga Race Course has continued to be in use since its opening to  thoroughbred horse racing in 1863, except from 1911-1912 when anti-gambling legislation was passed in the state, and then also from 1943-1945 during WWII. Otherwise, Saratoga has been a home to some of the best thoroughbreds to ever run in the United States.

The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club first opened in 1937 with the likes of Bing Crosby, one of the track’s biggest supporters and co-founders, who was at the gates on opening day taking tickets. Del Mar has been a Southern California staple each year for thoroughbred horse racing syndicates and fans, bringing together perfect weather and location, as well as some of the year’s best races. Located right on the coast, the track has some spectacular views that no other track in the country has. With its proximity to the beach, fans and owners make a vacation out of their trip to the races staying weeks at a time “Where the surf meets the turf” at Del Mar.

Between Del Mar and Saratoga, 33 racing dates at Del Mar and 40 at Saratoga there are a combined 98 Stakes races between the 73 racing dates, and 24 of them are Grade 1 races! All combined into a short period of time from the middle of July through Labor Day in early September these tracks host some of the best racing in the world. Thoroughbred horse racing partnerships travel form across the country to send their horses to these meets and to race in the top Stakes races that can make a horse’s career, and also fulfill the hopes and dreams of the horse racing syndicates. At Blinkers On Racing Stable, our thoroughbred horse racing partnership was fortunate enough to win the 2011 G1 Test Stakes at Saratoga with Turbulent Descent. Winning a race of this magnitude at Saratoga, that holds soo much thoroughbred horse racing history, was an experience that no one in the horse racing partnership will ever forget.

This year, we will not be sending any horses to Saratoga, but we will be sending about 9 horses down to Del Mar for the meet. Between 4 two year olds and 5 older horses the Blinkers On horse racing partnerships should have a very busy and fun meet. We will have partners flying in from all over the country to see their horses run and enjoy the spectacular racing and weather that comes together at The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. Good luck to all the Blinkers On horse racing partnerships this year at Del Mar!

Blinkers On

Blinkers On Racing Stable, a leader in thoroughbred horse racing partnerships, brings together the finest in thoroughbred horse racing expertise with the best in business know-how, and above all, a team of people you can trust, to manage your investment. We are committed to helping you experience the joys of thoroughbred horse ownership. For more information on thoroughbred partnerships visit our website or request an information package about our partnership. Keep up with horse racing in California by reading our Blog, finding us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, checking us out on LinkedIn, or visiting our YouTube Channel!

 

Sticking to Your Guns

2 Year Old Focused Thoroughbred Partnerships See Prices Rise

What use to be a secondary market to buy thoroughbreds, 2 year olds in training sales, have proven their value over the years with more owners drifting into the 2 year old market, while still having a hand in the popular yearling market. With foal crops down and more pressure and emphasis to win early with less risk, horse racing syndicates have found that purchasing 2 year olds in training gives their owners’ the ability to achieve just that with the least amount of risk. As a result, the prices at 2 year old in training sales have been significantly increasing year over year for the past 3 years. This year has seen all-time highs in average price and median price across the board at 2 year old in training sales, making it very difficult for the once entrepreneurial horse racing partnerships to buy.

As a thoroughbred syndicate it is very important to have goals and a plan for the partnership, specifically how to acquire horses. In the past, most thoroughbred partnerships were focused on buying pedigree, which would typically be found at select yearling sales. Those horse racing partnerships believed that the extra cost involved in paying for the pedigree and extra time it would take the horse to get to the track was worth the risk. But today the mindset has changed significantly. Thoroughbred syndicates started realizing that paying a premium for a yearling with pedigree, could be a greater risk than paying for a 2 year old in training with average or little pedigree because the extra time they had to wait to get that yearling to the track let alone even get to the track, as well as never being able to see that horse run before they purchased it.

As a result, Blinkers On Racing Stable has seen a significant shift in the market to buying 2 year olds in training this year, which has been our model for the past 8 years. We now see average prices rising on horses because the demand has gone up and the foal crops have dropped. But knowing our success purchasing two year olds in training with horses like multiple G1 winner Turbulent Descent, and Stakes winner Hidinginplainsight, we knew that if we stuck to our plan that we would be able to find the right horses that we loved without compromising. Last year in 2012, we attended the June OBS 2 year old in training sale for the first time, but it paid off when we bought a horse with unlimited potential, Island Freedom, a son of Unbridled’s Song, and ¾ brother to Old Fashioned. He ran an 1/8^th in the co-fastest time of 10 flat. We have high hopes for this colt, and know that patience will pay off when he makes his first start at Del Mar this Summer.

In addition, Blinkers On attended the 2013 OBS April 2 year olds in training sale where we have had the most success and also catalogs the  most horses (1,200), and we did not purchase one horse. We spent thousands on vet bills and travel, as well as countless hours analyzing stride and looking at horses. Because we were disciplined and did not want to over pay for a horse that we didn’t completely love we came home with nothing. Obviously, this was not a great feeling but we stuck to our plan and went to the next sale at the Barrett’s May 2 year olds in training sale.  We purchased the horse at the top of our list, a 2 year old son by Benny the Bull, Bullwhip, who breezed an 1/8^th in 10 flat, the co-fastest time at the sale. To be able to buy this horse, especially at the price we got him at was perfect. There’s nothing like going to a sale and getting the horse at the top for your list for the price you want him at.

Had our thoroughbred syndicate panicked and over paid for a couple horses in April instead of waiting for May Barrett’s and then May Fasig-Tipton where we purchased 2 more, we may not have purchased the 3 horses that we feel very strongly about. The thoroughbred market is full of ups and down, high and lows, but if you are willing to be patient and stick to your plan, you will be rewarded. That is not to say that looking out into the future with where racing is going and adjusting a little is not a good thing. Like any good business it is important to see change coming, and that is why we decided to buy 2 Cal-Bred yearlings last year, but not switch our model to only buying Cal-Breds. We plan to attend the June OBS 2 year olds in training sale and hopefully purchase 2 or 3 more horses. With a full stable we look to have a fantastic Summer and Fall!

Blinkers On

Blinkers On Racing Stable, a leader in thoroughbred horse racing partnerships, brings together the finest in thoroughbred horse racing expertise with the best in business know-how, and above all, a team of people you can trust, to manage your investment. We are committed to helping you experience the joys of thoroughbred horse ownership. For more information on thoroughbred partnerships visit our website or request an information package about our partnership. Keep up with horse racing in California by reading our Blog, finding us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, checking us out on LinkedIn, or visiting our YouTube Channel!

 

Test of a Champion

Horse Racing’s Oldest Leg of The Triple Crown

The Belmont Stakes is known as the final leg of the Triple Crown, and also the most grueling. It is run at a distance of 1 ½ miles five weeks after the Kentucky Derby. The Belmont Stakes is held annually at Belmont Park in Elmont, NY on Long Island. It is known as one of the biggest, if not the biggest race at Belmont Park each year. This race has broken many Triple Crown dreams over the years, with its unusually long distance wearing down most horses, especially those that have competed in the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. In a span of 5 weeks a Triple Crown candidate must start with the Kentucky Derby at 1 ¼ miles, then 2 weeks later, the Preakness at 1 1/8th miles, and then 3 weeks later win the toughest and longest of them all, The Belmont at 1 ½ miles, duly nicknamed the “Test of the Champion”.

The first Belmont stakes was held at Jerome Park Racetrack in the Bronx, NY in 1867. The track was financed by August Belmont Sr., for whom the race was named after. The race remained at Jerome Park until 1890 when it had a brief stint at Morris Park, and then in 1905 the race was moved to Belmont Park Racetrack, where it currently resides. Before 1921 the race was run clockwise, in the English tradition and it was not until 1926 that the race was run at the current distance of 1 ½ miles. This distance is one that very unique for American racing and one that proves challenging each year for these young three year olds that have never run this far in a race before.

In more recent history, the Belmont has become more of a specialty race that horses will point to that are bred to run a route of ground. Rather than in the past when more horses from the previous 2 legs of the Triple Crown would continue to compete in each of three legs. Trainers and horse racing partnerships have targeted this race several months in advance and often times are waiting fresh off a lay off where as a Triple Crown candidate is coming off 2 of his most challenging races ever, into his 3^rd race in 5 weeks at the longest distance. This is another reason why so many horses fail to complete the third leg of the Triple Crown.

The Belmont Stakes, traditionally won by 3 year old male horses has seen 3 fillies take home the carnations in its history. In 1867 the inaugural race was won by Ruthless, in 1905 Tanya, and most recently in 2007 the race was won by Rags to Riches. In addition, Julie Krone was the first woman to win a Triple Crown race with her win in the Belmont stakes aboard Colonial Affair.  Not only was history made for females in this race, but also colts because in 1973 Secretariat won the Triple Crown and completed it with the still standing track record of 2:24.00 winning by the largest margin, 31 lengths. Truly this is a record that will stand the test of time as the closest finishing time is 2 full seconds slower.

Owners, trainers, and horse racing syndicates alike all dream of winning the winning Triple Crown, culminating with a win in the Belmont. Unfortunately, it seems like an insurmountable feat that really does end with the “Test of a Champion”. But each year thoroughbred partnerships gain a new sense of hope when they attend sales across the country looking for the top prospects and that one special horse that could be the one to fulfill the common goal of winning the Triple Crown.

Blinkers On

Blinkers On Racing Stable, a leader in thoroughbred horse racing partnerships, brings together the finest in thoroughbred horse racing expertise with the best in business know-how, and above all, a team of people you can trust, to manage your investment. We are committed to helping you experience the joys of thoroughbred horse ownership. For more information on thoroughbred partnerships visit our website or request an information package about our partnership. Keep up with horse racing in California by reading our Blog, finding us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, checking us out on LinkedIn, or visiting our YouTube Channel!

 

A Farewell to Hollywood Park

Horse Racing Partnerships Reflect on Racing at Hollywood Park

For the last several years the owners of Hollywood Park, now named Betfair Hollywood Park, have been threatening to develop the land that the track resides on.  This creates a troublesome problem for thoroughbred horse racing syndicates and thoroughbred horse racing in southern California as a whole. The majority of the current horse population resides at either Santa Anita racetrack or Betfair Hollywood Park for most of the year, and closing Hollywood would displace necessary barns that house half of the thoroughbred population in Southern California.

Hollywood Park was inaugurated in 1938 by the Hollywood Turf Club and has been a Southern California staple for thoroughbred horse racing since its inception. Its history is rich, hosting the inaugural Breeders’ Cup in 1984 as well hosting the event in 1987 and 1997. The track was also the venue for the first million dollar earning horse, Citation, who broke the mark in the Hollywood Gold Cup in 1951. Hollywood Park was also home to one of America’s most famed and loved mares of all time, Zenyatta.

With all its history and the state of racing today in conjunction with our current economic status, the owners feel that developing the land is more important than the future of racing. In 2005 Churchill Downs Inc. sold Hollywood Park for about $120 million more than they purchased it for 6 years earlier, to current owner, Bay Meadows Land Company. As part of the deal, Bay Meadows Land Company had to continue racing for at least three years after they purchased Hollywood. Since those three years have passed it seems like each year they threaten to close the track, but each year racing continues. Unfortunately, this year seems a little more serious, and real action has been taken by the CHRB ,TOC, and CTT to fill the likely void.

The biggest issue at hand is, where do all the horses that reside and train at Hollywood Park move to? In recent months CA trainers, owners, and the CHRB have been working with both Fairplex, that carries a couple weeks of racing in September, and Los Alamitos which carries mainly quarter horse racing, to help with this issue. Originally it was thought that the best solution would be to have one of these tracks expand the length of their race track so that dates could be added that would be lost from Hollywood.  After months of speculation and rumors, it seemed like Fairplex was the best option but they have recently said that they would be unable to raise the necessary money to fund the track renovations, according to an article in the Bloodhorse. The article does state that Fairplex is happy to offer its stalls and facilities in any way that it can to aid in the housing and training of horses. This solves the biggest issue at hand for now, but Southern CA is still left with the end of April through the 2^nd week of July and from the second week of November up until Christmas with no venue for racing. The latest tentative plan would be to extend Santa Anita’s Winter/Spring meet through July 4. Then, the Del Mar Summer meet would run from the second week of July and extend an extra week in September. Fairplex would run its normal meet, and following that, Santa Anita would pick up and run through earlier November where at that point Del Mar would pick up fall dates for the balance of the month, leaving a few weeks in December up in the air.

In recent years horse racing has been a haven for constant change and ebbs and flows in the economy. The news that this may be in fact the final year at Hollywood Park is not a surprise but still saddening to many racing fans and thoroughbred partnerships alike. For us at Blinkers On Racing Stable, we see Hollywood Park as a home, where we like to condition many of our young horses as they make their way to the races. A great example was Turbulent Descent, who resided at Hollywood Park even during the Santa Anita meet, Hollywood was her home. She broke her maiden there, and went on to win the Moccasin Stakes, and the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet all as a two year old. It wasn’t until her final race for the Blinkers On Partners that she raced at Hollywood Park again, after winning the G1 Santa Anita Oaks, G2 Beaumont and G1 Test Stakes, she returned to Hollywood to win the Desert Stormer Handicap.  This made her a perfect 4 for 4 at Hollywood Park and an end to an amazing career with Blinkers On Racing Stable.

Horse racing partnerships around Southern California I am sure share similar memories with the track, but know that racing will continue whether Hollywood stays or not. As long as the game continues to bring in and retain people passionate about horse racing it will continue to grow and flourish. And in the end no one can say for certain at this point that this really is the final year at Hollywood Park.

Blinkers On

Blinkers On Racing Stable, a leader in thoroughbred horse racing partnerships, brings together the finest in thoroughbred horse racing expertise with the best in business know-how, and above all, a team of people you can trust, to manage your investment. We are committed to helping you experience the joys of thoroughbred horse ownership. For more information on thoroughbred partnerships visit our website or request an information package about our partnership. Keep up with horse racing in California by reading our Blog, finding us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, checking us out on LinkedIn, or visiting our YouTube Channel!