UPDATE: BC keeps 2yo Lasix ban; Drops Juvy Sprint

[Alan07]

http://www.drf.com/news/breeders-cup...uvenile-sprint

[cmorioles]

Juvy Sprint is a joke, and they Juvy Turf races should go too, along with the Marathon. Hell, I can't remember all the races any longer there are so many. Oh, Turf Sprint, please, there is another that should be kaput.

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by cmorioles

Juvy Sprint is a joke, and they Juvy Turf races should go too, along with the Marathon. Hell, I can't remember all the races any longer there are so many. Oh, Turf Sprint, please, there is another that should be kaput.

CJ.. Agree on the Juvy overkill, but after initially scoffing at the Turf Sprint, I've come to around to liking it. There's more than enough of a grass sprint division domestically to justify it and on top of that, turf dashes are very big internationally. It would be pretty exciting to have a Black Caviar or Takeover Target type show up for a running..

[cakes44]

I really like the turf sprint. There should only be one Juvie Turf race. The marathon would be better supported over here if it was back at 1 1/2 miles. Totally agree that the juvie sprint has got to go.

[jms62]

Originally Posted by Kasept

CJ.. Agree on the Juvy overkill, but after initially scoffing at the Turf Sprint, I've come to around to liking it. There's more than enough of a grass sprint division domestically to justify it and on top of that, turf dashes are very big internationally. It would be pretty exciting to have a Black Caviar or Takeover Target type show up for a running..

Agree. I just wish they would standardize the distance and I would vote for 5.0 furlongs.

[cakes44]

Not sure they can run 5f on the turf at SA.

[jms62]

Originally Posted by cakes44

Not sure they can run 5f on the turf at SA.

I always thought of that. I certainly don't like the down the hill course for Breeders Cup as it gives a huge advantage to the home team.

[Danzig]

they've deferred the lasix decision til a later date.

[cakes44]

Originally Posted by jms62

I always thought of that. I certainly don't like the down the hill course for Breeders Cup as it gives a huge advantage to the home team.

Serious question for you or anybody else that knows more about track configuration, what would be the closest distance to 5f they could run on the turf there? It's not like the turf course is some grassy bullring.

[cmorioles]

Originally Posted by Kasept

CJ.. Agree on the Juvy overkill, but after initially scoffing at the Turf Sprint, I've come to around to liking it. There's more than enough of a grass sprint division domestically to justify it and on top of that, turf dashes are very big internationally. It would be pretty exciting to have a Black Caviar or Takeover Target type show up for a running..

Yeah, its better than the others, but this switching from 5 to 6.5f all the time is a bit old.

[Cannon Shell]

If the NFL were run like the Breeders Cup they would have the teams kickers run a 40 yard match race at halftime and award 2 points to the winning team.

I'm still waiting for the vote to be announced for champion US marathon horse

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by cmorioles

Yeah, its better than the others, but this switching from 5 to 6.5f all the time is a bit old.

can't they run 5 f on the turf without worrying about using the downhill course? the turf course is 7f. and i agree, several of these bs races need to go. put all their purse money into the classic. it should be the biggest purse of the year.
and the bc juvie and fillies juvie should be shorter.

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by cmorioles

Yeah, its better than the others, but this switching from 5 to 6.5f all the time is a bit old.

I don't know.. The F&M Turf switches distance from 10f-11f based on venue. That's pretty significant.

The 6.5f-T is unique and I understand those that say it gives an unfair advantage to local runners. But in the first 2 runnings out there, a horse with no experience on it was close: Diabolical (2nd) was beaten a jump in '08 (Desert Code) and Cannonball (3rd) was 2L back in '09 (California Flag).

In that '08 running, Storm Treasure was 3rd at of the WO Mile and that nice Euro filly Fleeting Spirit was 4th. The '09 edition was dominated by Cal-based types besides Cannonball with Gotta Have Her 2nd and Delta Storm 4th.

Last year, Unbridled's Note (2nd) was beaten a half length (Mizdirection) and did have a downhill prep winning the Eddie D. ahead of the Cup. Great Mills was 4th behind Reneesgotzip, beaten 3L after coming in from Keeneland.

[OTM Al]

Originally Posted by Cardus

At 1 1/2, the race's first running was a joke.

At 1 3/4, it is barely a "marathon".

Yep, still at the long end of middle distance for most of the world. It has brought back some longer distance stakes races so I would hate to see it go. Would much rather see one juvie turf race (and one on the dirt as well, though that won't happen) and one sprint for older. I'm torn on the juvie sprint as it is a positive keeping young horses that should be sprinting running sprints. Takes the Derby fever down a degree or two.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by OTM Al

Yep, still at the long end of middle distance for most of the world. It has brought back some longer distance stakes races so I would hate to see it go. Would much rather see one juvie turf race (and one on the dirt as well, though that won't happen) and one sprint for older. I'm torn on the juvie sprint as it is a positive keeping young horses that should be sprinting running sprints. Takes the Derby fever down a degree or two.

except it doesn't. you see horses who labor at two turns, or more than 7 f, or are turfers, but their owners still want to try churchill in may.

[OTM Al]

Originally Posted by Danzig

except it doesn't. you see horses who labor at two turns, or more than 7 f, or are turfers, but their owners still want to try churchill in may.

Didn't say it cured it, just said it redircted it a little.

[cmorioles]

Originally Posted by Kasept

I don't know.. The F&M Turf switches distance from 10f-11f based on venue. That's pretty significant.

The 6.5f-T is unique and I understand those that say it gives an unfair advantage to local runners. But in the first 2 runnings out there, a horse with no experience on it was close: Diabolical (2nd) was beaten a jump in '08 (Desert Code) and Cannonball (3rd) was 2L back in '09 (California Flag).

In that '08 running, Storm Treasure was 3rd at of the WO Mile and that nice Euro filly Fleeting Spirit was 4th. The '09 edition was dominated by Cal-based types besides Cannonball with Gotta Have Her 2nd and Delta Storm 4th.

Last year, Unbridled's Note (2nd) was beaten a half length (Mizdirection) and did have a downhill prep winning the Eddie D. ahead of the Cup. Great Mills was 4th behind Reneesgotzip, beaten 3L after coming in from Keeneland.

No argument with any of that. It just isn't really a turf sprint in my opinion. Most people think of 5 or 5.5 as turf sprints. Of course it wasn't that long ago that neither New York or SoCal even ran turf sprints outside of going down the hill.

[Linny]

Maybe the BC uses baseline budgeting of races and the "decrease" will actually mean that they are planning on rethinking additional races. recall that this past year they ran those "quasi-BC races" as pilots for potential additional growth.

[Kasept]

https://twitter.com/DRFGrening: Breeders' Cup maintains Lasix ban on juveniles but will permit Lasix in other races. BC Juvenile Sprint eliminated.

[Kasept]

• BREEDERS’ CUP MAINTAINS MEDICATION POLICY FOR JUVENILE RACES FOR 2013 EVENT;
  
  
• ORGANIZATION CALLS FOR INDEPENDENT INDUSTRYWIDE STUDY ON EFFECTS OF RACE-DAY MEDICATION;
  
  
• ALSO ELIMINATES JUVENILE SPRINT FOR 2013 EVENT

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 1, 2013) – The Breeders’ Cup board voted today to maintain its race day medication policies for the 2013 Breeders’ Cup World Championships which were in place for the 2012 event. This year, horses competing in the races restricted to Juveniles will not be permitted Lasix (furosemide). Horses participating in all other Breeders’ Cup races will be permitted to race on Lasix, which will be administered only by veterinarians authorized by the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) and approved by Breeders’ Cup.

The Board also pledged funding, and called upon other Thoroughbred racing organizations, to support an industrywide independent study of the causes, effects, and potential alternative methods of reducing the occurrence of EIPH in racehorses.

“We recognize that there has been great divisiveness in our industry over medication rules, but joining together in the common goal of independent scientific research of the effects of race-day medications, coupled with industry pursuit of uniform rules, will move us toward eliminating such divisions.” said Tom Ludt, Chairman of Breeders’ Cup. “Our board feels this measure, keeping the policy in place for the Juvenile races and maintaining the 2012 policy on the remaining races, is the most practical course of action at this time.”

Over the last decade, Breeders’ Cup has taken a leading industry position in the areas of out of competition testing, security, pre-race exams and post-race drug testing for its Championships. All Horses competing in this year’s Championships will be monitored for 72 hours prior to post time of the horse’s race.

The Breeders’ Cup also announced it has dropped the six furlong, $500,000 Juvenile Sprint from its roster of races in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships after two years.
“The number of starters and overall quality of the Juvenile Sprint fields for its two runnings did not meet the standards expected for the Championships,” said Craig Fravel, Breeders’ Cup president and CEO. “We also believe that the Juvenile Sprint had a negative impact on field sizes for both the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Juvenile Fillies.

“Even with the reduction from 15 to 14 races,” Fravel continued, “we anticipate we will pay more than $25 million in purses and awards in 2013, more than last year, which is important to our owners and nominators. As far as the roster of races, during the expansion of the last few years and moving forward, our focus is on providing the most competitive fields for racing fans and ensuring opportunities to run at the highest levels for our horsemen and nominators around the world. We will continue to look at our races on an annual basis to ensure they are meeting those objectives.”

In addition to these initiatives for the Championships, Breeders’ Cup approved a full schedule of 2013 Breeders’ Cup Challenge races (“Win and You’re In”), which will be announced in the coming weeks