Breeders' Cup Suspends Stakes Program

[smuthg]

yet another "sign of the times"...

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...stakes-program

[Bigsmc]

Originally Posted by smuthg

yet another "sign of the times"...

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...stakes-program

That blows.

How about cutting the BC back to one day and keep the stakes program going?

[Scav]

Originally Posted by Bigsmc

That blows.

How about cutting the BC back to one day and keep the stakes program going?

That is too intelligent, although, running all those damn races in one day would be kinda nuts. Pick 14.....

[Bigsmc]

Originally Posted by Scav

That is too intelligent, although, running all those damn races in one day would be kinda nuts. Pick 14.....

I wasn't clear, but I meant cut it back to the original format, take the purse money from all of the races they added over the last two years and keep the stakes program going.

[Scav]

Originally Posted by Bigsmc

I wasn't clear, but I meant cut it back to the original format, take the purse money from all of the races they added over the last two years and keep the stakes program going.

I might be the only person that liked the new format.

[Bigsmc]

Originally Posted by Scav

I might be the only person that liked the new format.

I don't care one way or another about the new BC format. I do care about the Stakes program. Seems they are biting the hand that feeds them.

Why nominate a horse to the BC now, unless he is regally bred? Until today, you nominate pretty much any foal because you want to be eligible for that BC money added to your local stakes purses. Not anymore.

[Riot]

This is so backwards to abandon the stakes program. Unbelievable.

Dump that expanded Friday day of racing, and infuse that purse money back into the Stakes program.

Edit: This really makes me question whether horse racing will be around as a multi-level or public sport in 5 years. It may very well only be able to continue to exist on a much smaller scale, back to being mainly a sporting hobby of the wealthy.

[jwkniska]

Originally Posted by Scav

I might be the only person that liked the new format.

I liked a couple of the new races they added, but they need to be run on one day. splitting it up into 2 days was a bad idea.

[GBBob]

Originally Posted by jwkniska

I liked a couple of the new races they added, but they need to be run on one day. splitting it up into 2 days was a bad idea.

I think if you go there you like it but if you watch on TV, etc you don't

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by smuthg

yet another "sign of the times"...

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...stakes-program

It's a sign of the BCL's hubris, greed, arrogance and utter disregard for the industry. They have been sitting on a $30 million surplus... WHERE THE HELL DID IT GO? Nice that they pull the rug out from under everyone else after the November 15 deadline on nomination payments. Sickening behavior by a group that couldn't care less about the game.

[Kasept]

The good news though? This will only serve to hasten their demise and the ruinous effect they've had on racing.

[eajinabi]

If they want two day BC then why not Sat, Sun instead of Fri, Sat. People still work on fridays

[hoovesupsideyourhead]

what a crock of shiet..should have left it alone.. crying poor mouth and stating using the economy as a reason..how about 2 days was a bust and we ****ed it all up..win and your in sucks too.at least this will bring back some stature to the old stakes as people wont be pointing all year to the bc .as steve said on the air..

[Cannon Shell]

while there is no doubt that their revenue will be down this year because of declining stud fees and fewer foal nominations, ect, completely scraping the program is a terrible idea. Very few of us smaller scale breeders believe we will ever get a horse that makes it to the big BC races but I would nominate and pay the $500 to register the foal because of the much greater possibility that a foal may make it into one of the smaller BC races held throughout the country. If I ever got one good enough for the big show it would be gravy. I would imagine that I wont be nominating any foals next year and i'm sure that many other breeders will feel the same. Had they chose to scale back the program a bit I would understand. But this group has consistently been reactionary and unwilling to listen to its constituents that dont own large stud farms or arent collecting large salaries. From the insistence on keeping the purple saddle towels, talking of having an overseas cup, adding totally irrelevant races like the marathon, changing the name of the distaff and having all the filly races on the same day, raising the BC day ticket prices to obscene levels the people who call the shots at the Breeders Cup have almost always done what turns out to be the wrong thing. I would be considered a redboarder however I along with many, many people on this board, callers to steve's show, others in the business that i talk to all agreed that these were bad ideas beforehand. Do you know how bad you have to be when a general consensus of racing fans and industry types agree on your ineptness? Magna or John Brunetti type ineptness.

[banter]

The suddenness, furtiveness, and scope of the announcement are extremely alarming. Indeed, where did the acclaimed surplus go?

Blaming the recent turndown in the economy for such a draconian and far-reaching move is illogical. Doctors splint and cast an injured arm; they don't amputate it. Similarly, even if the BC supplemental program is injured by a sour economy, that doesn't mean that BC administrators should abandon it for over a year. Something else is going on.

And as usual, it appears that the BC muckety-mucks are doing their best to prevent race fans from discovering the rest of the story.

[Kasept]

Below find the list of 2008 BC Stakes Program Races... The last 2 dollar figures on each line represents a.) the BC program contribution and b.) the total purse of the event.

NOTE: This announcement, which of course set a new low for the morally corrupt BCL, is also the perfect representation of their disregard for the rest of racing. They gave ZERO consideration to the work of the American Graded Stakes Committee who just 2 weeks ago announced their changes AND an increase in the minimum purse levels for Gr. I's ($300,000). With Gr. II's needing to be $150,000 and Gr. III's $100,000, many of these races are now in jeopardy of not meeting those minimums without the tracks having to produce the shortfall AT THE VERY MOMENT WHEN REVENUES ARE DOWN AND THE BC MONEY MEANT THE MOST... Santa Anita for instance will now need to add $50,000 to the purse of the upcoming San Fernando to get it to the Gr. II minimum $150,000 after the BC stripped away $100,000 of the $200,000 pot.

If the Breeders' Cup had an ounce of concern for the game's well being, you would think they would have taken this into consideration before simply yanking the $5,000,000 out from under these 100 races. But they don't.


Date-Closed-Noms-Event-Location-BC Supp-Purse

Jan 12 Jan 3 23 San Fernando S.(Gr. II) Santa Anita Park $100k $200k *

Feb 9 Jan 26 30 Fair Grounds H.(Gr. III) Fair Grounds $50k $150k
Feb 16 Feb 2 39 Endeavour S.(Gr. III) Tampa Bay Downs $50k $150k
Feb 16 Feb 6 28 Barbara Fritchie H.(Gr. II) Laurel Park $75k $300k
Feb 18 Feb 6 27 General George H.(Gr. II) Laurel Park $75k $300k
Feb 23 Feb 9 15 Bayou H. Fair Grounds Race Course $50k $150k
Feb 23 Feb 9 34 Tampa Bay S. Tampa Bay Downs $50k $150k
Feb 23 Feb 13 27 Gulfstream Park Turf(Gr. I) Gulfstream Park $100k $350k *

Mar 8 Feb 23 18 Duncan F. Kenner S. Fair Grounds Race Course $50k $150k
Mar 8 Feb 23 33 Gotham S.(Gr. III) Aqueduct $50k $250k
Mar 8 Feb 29 28 Razorback H.(Gr. III) Oaklawn Park $50k $150k
Mar 8 Feb 28 14 Richter Scale H.(Gr. II) Gulfstream Park $50k $200k
Mar 9 Feb 29 22 Azeri H.(Gr. III) Oaklawn Park $75k $175k
Mar 16 Mar 8 10 Harry W. Henson H. Sunland Park $50k $150k
Mar 22 Mar 8 19 Distaff H.(Gr. II) Aqueduct $50k $150k *
Mar 22 Mar 12 Shirley Jones H.(Gr. II) Gulfstream Park $50k $200k
Mar 22 Mar 12 Bourbonette S.(Gr. III) Turfway Park $75k $150k *

Apr 5 Mar 26 75 John Connally Turf H.(Gr. III) Sam Houston $50k $200k
Apr 5 Mar 22 Excelsior H.(Gr. III) Aqueduct $100k $200k
Apr 5 Mar 27 11 Potrero Grande H.(Gr. II) Santa Anita Park $100k $200k *
Apr 12 Apr 2 Commonwealth S.(Gr. II) Keeneland $100k $400k
Apr 19 Apr 10 25 The Jim McKay Stakes Pimlico Race Course $25k $50k
Apr 19 Apr 5 Bed o'Roses H.(Gr. II) Aqueduct $50k $150k *
Apr 26 Apr 17 Bay Meadows H. Bay Meadows $50k $125k
Apr 26 Apr 16 Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint H. Calder Race Course $50k $250k

May 1 Apr 9 50 Kentucky S.(Gr. III) Churchill Downs $50k $150k
May 2 Apr 9 24 Louisville S.(Gr. II) Churchill Downs $100k $300k
May 3 Apr 19 Nassau County S.(Gr. III) Belmont Park $100k $200k
May 16 May 5 25 Black-Eyed Susan S.(Gr. II) Pimlico $50k $200k
May 26 Feb 29 38 Gamely S.(Gr. I) Hollywood Park $50k $273.2k *
May 26 Feb 29 46 Shoemaker Mile(Gr. I) Hollywood Park $50k $274.8k *
May 31 May 21 Milady H.(Gr. II) Hollywood Park $50k $175k *

Jun 2 May 17 17 Aristides S.(Gr. III) Churchill Downs $25k $125k
Jun 6 May 24 20 Brooklyn H.(Gr. II) Belmont Park $50k $200k
Jun 7 May 28 15 Honeymoon H.(Gr. II) Hollywood Park $50k $175k *
Jun 7 May 24 18 Woody Stephens S.(Gr. II) Belmont Park $50k $250k
Jun 8 May 28 16 Hollywood Oaks(Gr. II) Hollywood Park $50k $150k *
Jun 14 May 31 26 Northern Dancer S.(Gr. III) Churchill Downs $25k $175k
Jun 14 Jun 2 18 Susan's Girl S. Delaware Park $25k $175k
Jun 14 May 31 12 The Leave Me Alone Stakes Calder $50k $100k
Jun 14 May 31 9 Unbridled Stakes Calder Race Course $50k $100k
Jun 15 May 31 43 Jaipur H.(Gr. III) Belmont Park $50k $150k
Jun 21 May 28 56 All Along S.(Gr. III) Colonial Downs $50k $200k
Jun 21 Jun 11 12 Cinema H.(Gr. III) Hollywood Park $50k $150k
Jun 21 May 31 22 New York H.(Gr. II) Belmont Park $100k $250k 1
Jun 28 Jun 19 14 Alysheba S. Lone Star Park $25k $75k
Jun 28 Jun 17 26 Iowa Distaff S. Prairie Meadows $25k $125k
Jun 28 Jun 18 23 Chicago H.(Gr. III) Arlington Park $50k $150k
Jun 28 Jun 11 25 King Edward S.(Gr. II) Woodbine $50k $300k
Jun 28 Jun 17 34 PrM Cornhusker H.(Gr. II) Prairie Meadows $50k $300k

Jul 4 Jun 21 35 Firecracker H.(Gr. II) Churchill Downs $25k $200k
Jul 4 Jun 21 18 Jersey Shore S.(Gr. III) Monmouth Park $25k $150k
Jul 4 Jun 25 16 Stars and Stripes Turf H.(Gr. III) Arlington Park $50k $175k
Jul 4 Jun 21 18 Tom Fool H.(Gr. II) Belmont Park $50k $200k
Jul 5 Jun 21 19 Prioress S.(Gr. I) Belmont Park $50k $250k *
Jul 6 Jun 21 31 Dwyer S.(Gr. II) Belmont Park $50k $200k
Jul 12 Jun 28 27 Long Branch S. Monmouth Park $25k $150k
Jul 12 Jun 28 21 Dick Memorial S.(Gr. III) Delaware Park $50k $300k
Jul 12 Jul 2 11 Swaps S.(Gr. II) Hollywood Park $100k $350k
Jul 13 Jul 2 10 Sunset H.(Gr. II) Hollywood Park $50k $150k *
Jul 19 Jul 5 27 Hallowed Dreams S. Louisiana Downs $25k $75k
Jul 19 Jul 5 16 Greenwood Cup S. Philadelphia Park $50k $200k
Jul 26 Jul 17 21 Silver Spur S. Lone Star Park $25k $75k
Jul 26 Jul 16 22 Sea O'Erin Mile H. Arlington Park $50k $150k
Jul 27 Jul 17 22 Middleground S. Lone Star Park $25k $75k
Jul 27 Jul 19 7 Mt. Rainier H. Emerald Downs $25k $75k

Aug 2 Jul 21 14 Arneault Memorial S. Mountaineer Park $25k $110k
Aug 2 Jul 21 15 The WV Senate President's S. Mountaineer Park $25k $110k
Aug 2 Jul 19 25 Lady Canterbury S. Canterbury Park $50k $100k
Aug 4 Jul 19 26 Hall of Fame S.(Gr. II) Saratoga $50k $150k *
Aug 9 Jul 26 16 Monmouth Oaks(Gr. III) Monmouth Park $50k $150k
Aug 16 Aug 2 18 Super Derby Prelude Louisiana Downs $50k
Aug 16 Aug 2 17 Philip H. Iselin S.(Gr. III) Monmouth Park $100k $300k
Aug 17 Aug 3 25 Lonacres Mile H. Emerald Downs $50k $300k
Aug 17 Aug 3 13 Emerald Distaff Emerald Downs $25k $100k
Aug 23 Aug 9 27 Ellis Park Turf S. Ellis Park $50k $100k
Aug 24 Aug 14 14 Pat O'Brien H. Del Mar $125k $300k
Aug 24 Aug 14 8 Del Mar Mile H. Del Mar $100k $400k
Aug 24 Aug 9 19 Ballerina S. (Gr. I) Saratoga $100k $250k *
Aug 24 Aug 10 17 Molly Pitcher S.(Gr. II) Monmouth Park $100k $300k
Aug 30 Aug 16 21 The Kent S.(Gr. III) Delaware Park $100k $500k

Sep 1 Aug 22 E. J. DeBartolo Sr. Memorial H. Remington Park $50k $150k
Sep 6 Aug 27 Arlington-Washington Lassie(Gr. III) Arlington Park $50k $150k
Sep 6 Aug 23 23 Garden City S.(Gr. I) Belmont Park $50k $250k *
Sep 7 Aug 20 26 Northern Dancer Turf(Gr. II) Woodbine $100k $750k
Sep 13 Sep 3 Arl-Washington Futurity(Gr. III) Arlington Park $50k $200k
Sep 21 Sep 11 13 British Columbia Oaks(Gr. III) Hastings $25k 127.6k
Sep 21 Sep 11 13 Matron S. Assiniboia Downs $25k $75k
Sep 21 Sep 14 Premiere H. Zia Park Race Track $50k $150k
Sep 22 Sep 12 8 Gold S. Assiniboia Downs $25k $75k
Sep 27 Sep 18 14 Ancient Title S.(Gr. I) Oak Tree Racing Association $50k $250k *
Sep 27 Sep 18 12 Brave Raj S. Calder Race Course $37.5k $150k
Sep 27 Sep 18 13 Goodwood S. Oak Tree Racing Association $100k $500k
Sep 27 Sep 18 11 Foolish Pleasure S. Calder Race Course $37.5k $150k
Sep 27 Sep 18 4 Lady's Secret S. Oak Tree Racing Association $75k $250k
Sep 27 Sep 18 14 Oak Leaf S. Oak Tree Racing Association $50k $250k
Sep 27 Sep 20 16 All American Handicap(Gr. III) Golden Gate Fields $50k 150k
Sep 28 Sep 18 14 Norfolk S. Oak Tree Racing Association $50k $250k
Sep 28 Sep 13 23 Kelso H.(Gr. II) Belmont Park $100k $250k

Oct 1 Sep 13 27 Miss Grillo S. Belmont Park $50k $150k
Oct 1 Sep 13 17 Pilgrim S. Belmont Park $50k $100k
Oct 4 Sep 20 25 Jamaica H.(Gr. II) Belmont Park $100k $250k
Oct 4 Sep 24 30 Phoenix S. (Gr. III) Keeneland $100k $150k *
Oct 5 Sep 17 21 Grey S.(Gr. III) Woodbine $50k $250k
Oct 5 Sep 20 25 Jerome H.(Gr. II) Belmont Park $50k $150k *
Oct 5 Sep 17 29 Mazarine S.(Gr. III) Woodbine $50k $250k
Oct 11 Oct 1 10 Ballerina S.(Gr. III) Hastings Race Course $25k $125k

[AeWingnut]

Originally Posted by Kasept

It's a sign of the BCL's hubris, greed, arrogance and utter disregard for the industry. They have been sitting on a $30 million surplus... WHERE THE HELL DID IT GO? Nice that they pull the rug out from under everyone else after the November 15 deadline on nomination payments. Sickening behavior by a group that couldn't care less about the game.

wow - Scumbags.

if they had the money invested it just went away.

[Riot]

John Gaines had some different ideas, but he has to be turning over in his grave.

[Linny]

The fact is that many breeders nominate "moderately" bred individuals to the program because of the stakes opportunities. Many of these type horses (based on pedigree and foal conformation) are not considered likely to ever run in "the big day" of racing but could find their way into some of the supplemented stakes. I hear that breeders in this category are far less likely to nominate foals as a result of this change.
BCL doesn't care now, but if enough withhold nominations it ads up. Also, they have the possibility of getting huge supplementals if any of those moderate horses end up contenders for BC day races.

[Riot]

How are the tracks supposed to fund these stakes now?

When is Steve having someone from Breeders Cup on ATR? (stand back, I won't want to miss that) What are the individual tracks saying?