Alex Waldrop Straight Up

Internet Poker May be Back on Congress' Lame Duck Agenda

2012-11-29T20:09:00Z

Horseracing interests, led by the NTRA legislative team, have been involved in Internet gaming issues on Capitol Hill for nearly a decade. In the lame duck session following the 2010 elections, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) proposed a draft I-gaming bill to be included within other legislation. The draft bill would have essentially legalized Internet poker (but not other forms of I-gaming) and left it to individual states to decide whether they would allow it within their borders, but that effort was abandoned near the end of the 2010 lame duck session for undisclosed reasons. The NTRA was highly active in negotiations with various elected officials and other stakeholders regarding that potential legislation but because no definitive bill was ever introduced, we never took a position pro or con.

There is speculation that Sen. Reid and other proponents of I-poker legislation may try to push a similar bill during this lame duck session. Because such a federal bill could open the door to a major expansion of online gambling competition for horseracing, the NTRA will oppose the bill unless we can secure several key measures that are essential to the horseracing industry.

First, we insist that no new regulatory regime created to oversee I-gaming includes new regulatory authority over our industry because our online business is already highly regulated at the state level. Similarly, no new taxation or fee schemes should apply to our industry.

Second, the new bill will necessarily amend the federal Wire Act. The Wire Act prohibits interstate online wagers on sports contests other than horseracing. Nonetheless, we insist on language in the bill to clarify that the Wire Act does not apply to wagers made permissible under the Interstate Horseracing Act.

Next, we are working to include language that will eliminate the tax withholding rules that are unfairly applied exclusively to pari-mutuel wagering. Currently, any winning pari-mutuel wager on horseracing paying $5,000 or more at odds of 300-1 or greater is subject to mandatory 25% tax withholding. The legislation must remove this automatic withholding requirement from pari-mutuel wagers. This is a longstanding legislative goal of the industry that would free up millions of horseplayer dollars and substantially increase wagering churn, thereby increasing handle and purses nationwide.

Additionally, any pari-mutuel winnings of $600 or more at odds of 300-1 or greater currently must be reported. The legislation must contain a provision moving the reporting level to $1,200. This would likewise free up millions of dollars for horseplayers and generate substantial new purse dollars.

The legislation must also include language that will allow certain horseracing entities to apply for and be awarded an Internet poker license. Exactly which entities may apply has not been firmly established, but horseracing cannot be left out of this important new online market.

Finally, the NTRA has promoted a concept (mitigation) that would compensate the industry for any adverse economic impact that legalization of new Internet wagering might have on us. In light of the dire economic situation facing states and the nation as a whole, achieving such an equity fund will be difficult, but we will continue to fight for this.

We continue to believe that passage of I-gaming legislation by year end remains a long shot. This is because, despite the intentions of Sen. Reid and other pro-gaming interests, there remains plenty of opposition to I-gaming legislation from other non-racing interests.

Late last year, the U.S. Department of Justice determined that the Wire Act does not apply to state lotteries. This opinion cleared the way for state lotteries to offer their products intrastate via the Internet, which several are preparing to do. Not surprisingly, the lotteries have increased their D.C. lobbying in an effort to prevent interstate I-gaming legislation. Since they now believe that they have the legal right to offer wagering via the Internet within their respective states, they would prefer not to have online competition from large Las Vegas casinos.

Further, a number of states are considering the legalization of various types of intrastate online casino wagering. This also appears to be allowable under the Department of Justice’s new interpretation of the Wire Act. Looking for their own sources of tax revenue, these states oppose a federal approach to I-gaming. We are monitoring these efforts carefully--especially in states like California, Illinois and New Jersey where racing might be directly affected.

There are other issues that we also continue to pursue and monitor in the broader debate concerning the so-called “fiscal cliff.” These include changes to the tax code that might limit or cap itemized deductions. Such a cap could be devastating to horseplayers whose losses are currently deductible as an itemized deduction up to the amount of their winnings in a given year. The concern is that, due to the cap, some bettors may be taxed on the full amount of the winnings, but get to deduct only a small portion of the losses, thus paying tax on income the bettors did not actually receive.
No one knows how any of the above will play out in a lame duck session when almost anything can happen. Our list of demands is long. It is possible that we will have to compromise along the way in order to remain at the negotiating table. But staying at the table is the best way to ensure that equine interests are well represented and protected in the legislative process.

What are your biggest concerns for racing during this lame duck session of Congress? Let me hear from you.

Progress on the Race Day Medication Front?

2012-08-27T17:59:00Z

Are we are making progress in addressing the issue of race day medication in the United States? That’s a question I hear a lot these days. My answer to that question is a qualified “yes.”

You see, in June of 2011, the NTRA -- together with the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC) and the American Association of Equine Practitioners -- hosted the International Summit on Race Day Medication. That two-day event led to the formation of a number of RMTC working groups including a committee I chaired that was asked to develop a new model rule to govern both regulatory administration of furosemide (commonly referred to Lasix) and the elimination of adjunct bleeder medications like Amicar, Tranex, Estrone, and Kentucky Red, which 11 states still allow in addition to Lasix (the “RMTC Committee”).

The RMTC Committee consisted of a knowledgeable group of representatives from tracks, horsemen (both trainers and owners), veterinarians and regulators. Using the experience of regulators and others in New York and Canada, the group reached consensus on a range of integrity reforms needed at tracks nationwide. That consensus reached by the RMTC Committee became the basis for a recommendation by the entire RMTC board to the Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI) Model Rules Committee. That RCI committee and the full RCI board adopted an amended RCI model rule based upon the RMTC board recommendation (the “Amended Model Rule”). Eight months later, the Amended Model Rule is the basis upon which Kentucky will soon implement a new rule that allows only Lasix on race day and requires that Lasix can only be administered by veterinarians or vet technicians working for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC).

In Kentucky, adjunct bleeder medications will no longer be permitted within 24 hours of a race and the confusing Lasix adjunct or (LA) designation will no longer appear in the racing program. And Lasix will be administered to horses in their stalls no later than four hours before a race by KHRC vets or vet techs. This keeps private vets out of the stalls on race day and lowers the overall cost of Lasix to $20 per administration. More importantly, it assures competitors and horseplayers alike that the only drug or medication horses will receive on race day in Kentucky is Lasix, and the only vet treating the horse in the hours leading up to the race is a regulatory vet.

Vets or vet techs working under the program will report any suspicious activity or findings to the state stewards. Administration procedures have been adopted by the KHRC including security and surveillance on race day to insure proper implementation of the Amended Model Rule. Kentucky correctly understands that an essential part of an effective pre- and post-race drug testing regimen is tight security and surveillance. To assure integrity, there must be regulatory “boots on the ground.”

Kudos to Kentucky for adopting the Amended Model Rule but will other states follow the lead of New York, Minnesota and now Kentucky? This remains to be seen. States have no excuse for failing to adopt the Amended Model Rule because regulatory administration and adjunct elimination are significant changes that need to be implemented nationwide now irrespective of what is ultimately done about race day Lasix.

To facilitate nationwide adoption, the NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance has added adoption of the Amended Model Rule to the Alliance Code of Standards. This means that to be accredited by the Alliance, either (i) the racing commission in the state where the accredited track is located must adopt and fully implement the Amended Model Rule or (ii) the track pursuing accreditation must actively seek adoption of the Amended Model Rule by the regulatory authority in its state. Failing adoption and implementation of the Amended Model Rule by the relevant racing authority, every track in that jurisdiction could lose its accreditation. This Alliance advocacy requirement is the primary way in which several accredited racetracks have already helped bring about uniform, nationwide implementation of many of the RCI model rules.

It’s true that the Amended Model Rule does not change the fact that most horses are being treated with Lasix on race day, so for some the Amended Model Rule does not go far enough. But the Amended Model Rule is universally supported by horsemen, tracks, vets and regulators because it is an important tool in the fight to deter cheaters. And ridding the business of cheaters is one area where we all agree.

Update: Just after this blog was posted, it was reported that a legislative committee voted against implementation of the Amended Model Rule in Kentucky. It appears that the Amended Model Rule is being blocked for now because of a dispute over race day Lasix.

America’s Best Racing – Check it Out

2012-03-12T21:01:00Z

The NTRA is collaborating with The Jockey Club to create a new, fan-centric website. This collaboration is a continuation of the joint marketing and promotions initiatives that our organizations began last year with the expansion of NTRA Communications. The new site – which in many ways will be a re-branding of NTRA.com - will complement The Jockey Club’s integrated strategy to combine national television, content like free-to-play online games, and social media to attract and engage new fans of Thoroughbred racing. This innovative fan development effort will be centered on the new web portal, branded “America’s Best Racing.”

The “America’s Best Racing” brand initiative was launched last weekend at www.followhorseracing.com. There, you can register for a chance to win a VIP trip for eight to this year’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita. While you are visiting the new web page, take a look at the videos about America’s Best Racing and check out the schedule for this spring’s “Road to the Kentucky Derby” live racing series to be televised by the NBC Sports Group.

And mark your calendar for Wednesday, April 4 – the day that phase 1 of America’s Best Racing actually launches. Subsequent phases – offering enhanced content - will roll-out over the course of the Triple Crown campaign and into the summer.

The new site is being developed by the Orlando, Fla., based arm of the global Web designer LightMaker, whose other clients include Manchester United, tennis star Maria Sharapova and the Professional Bull Riders.

Eventually, the new site will include a free-to-play online game that will provide the casual or new fan a fun and easy way to learn about wagering on horseracing. It will also feature a Facebook social game that simulates the Thoroughbred owner experience. The goal of “America’s Best Racing” is to introduce fans to America’s best horses, races, tracks, jockeys, trainers and owners with a focus on the two seasons: “The Road to the Triple Crown” and “The Road to the Breeders’ Cup.”

Key to a successful launch of the new site is the integrated digital marketing and promotional effort surrounding the rollout. This plan includes strategic media buys, earned media and promotion on social media platforms as we get closer to Triple Crown season. The goal is to leverage new TV and digital tools to introduce and develop relationships with a new, younger fan base. One feature of this integrated digital plan is a Twitter-based social marketing campaign called #theothermadness, which promotes horse racing’s distinct brand of madness during Triple Crown season. Another is a new pinterest page dedicated to the America’s Best Racing initiative.

What will happen to NTRA.com? Our site will continue to operate within the same design framework in a way that complements America’s Best Racing. NTRA.com pages for NTRA programs like the National Handicapping Championship, the Safety and Integrity Alliance, NTRA Advantage and Legislative will live on and continue to provide members and fans with the same information as always. The goal is to utilize NTRA’s 10 million annual page views and industry leading search engine rating to provide a base of support to America’s Best Racing.

Why do this now? Due to numerous factors, Thoroughbred racing has undergone dramatic change in the past several years, and we are not alone. The global economic downturn has impacted businesses and sports world-wide. However, there are hopeful signs for Thoroughbred racing:

- Pari-mutuel wagering appears to have stabilized and is actually on the uptick these past few months in year-over-year comparisons;

- Despite the difficult economy, our big events our bigger than ever. Attendance at some tracks across the country and mainstream interest are growing and trending in a positive direction. This includes not only the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup, but many other major race days around the country;

- Our game, rich in data and delivered in exciting and colorful two minute bursts, remains well-suited for the Internet;

- Exchange Betting and other new wagers represent opportunities ifimplemented properly;

- The door to the international wagering market outside North America is open, but its potential remains untapped and largely unknown;

- There are two cable television networks dedicated to horse racing;

- The consolidation of the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup under the umbrella of a single TV network, and the telecast of key races leading to both events by the same network, represents an opportunity going forward;

- New York racing is in the early stages of a rebirth thanks to expanded gaming;

- Winter racing Meccas like South Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas and California all appear to be having strong race meetings; and

- Time and again, research indicates that our core fans are loyal and passionate. And, we are seeking to engage the help of our dedicated fans in positioning our sport as a fun, exciting and affordable sports entertainment option to the next generation of horse racing fans.

If we remain fragmented and continue to operate within our own separate silos, it will be difficult if not impossible to take advantage of these opportunities. We need strong collaboration to enact significant initiatives that can broaden Thoroughbred racing’s popularity and strengthen industry economics. Strategic alignment of priorities, such as the initiatives being undertaken by The Jockey Club and NTRA, represent a good start. And it will likely take even broader collaboration and involvement from other industry organizations to maximize opportunities to move the needle.

Check out America’s Best Racing and tell us what you think. And watch for more collaboration by the Thoroughbred industry in coming months.

Guardedly Optimistic

2012-01-06T20:02:00Z

The past few years have been unforgettable for those of us who love great horse racing. Stars like Zenyatta, Rachel Alexandra, Blame and Curlin have given us some great memories on the racetrack. And an explosion of new media has resulted in the engagement of racing fans in ways we could not have imagined just a few short years ago. Unfortunately, none of these recent, great stories or innovations seemed to translate into business growth. And then, out of the blue, just as we are saying good bye to a year when pundits and bloggers, alike, decried the lack of star power on track, we learn that from an economic perspective, 2011 ended with a bang. That’s right. December and Year End Economic Indicators published yesterday by Equibase show strong growth for the first time in years.

Last month, handle jumped almost 18% over figures from December 2010, and purses for the month rose an astounding 24% year-over-year while race days jumped a surprising 10.2%. For the year, we were still down about 5.5% in handle but the fourth quarter of 2011 showed across-the-board gains in handle (1.37%), purses (10%) and race days (4.4%) compared to the fourth quarter of 2010.

Increases like these have been scarce in the Thoroughbred racing business for a long time. Toss out the anomaly of a small year-over-year increase in November of 2009, when the Breeders’ Cup was run in October of the prior year, and it’s been almost four years since we have seen a year-over-year monthly increase. Similarly, it’s been 17 quarters since we have seen year-over-year quarterly increases.

It’s hard to say with certainty what happened in December to cause this turnaround. Truth is, there are probably several factors that contributed to these increases.

First, December was the only month in 2011 that we were not comparing to a month in 2010 when the New York City OTB system was fully functioning and generating about $750 Million in handle annually (about 8% of the national total). We knew that some of the lost NYCOTB handle was not being recaptured by NYRA or the other OTBs in New York, we just didn’t know how much. These December numbers suggest that we lost a sizable percentage of handle due to the closing of NYCOTB. While NYRA was quick to create new opportunities for displaced NYCOTB players, the loss of such a major distribution outlet undoubtedly hurt out-of-state track operators. Many tracks around the country experienced sizable declines in simulcast handle after the demise of NYCOTB. So some of the increased handle in December may well have been occurring all year but was being disguised by the effects of lost NYCOTB handle.

December also probably benefited from the early opening of Gulfstream Park in December rather than the traditional January opening of its much-anticipated winter meet. You can be certain that both handle and purses rose substantially in Florida in December of 2011 vs. the corresponding period in 2010.

Race days in December of 2011 rose by 10% for reasons that aren’t clear but I suspect it’s related to a rash of track closures in December of 2010 due to inclement weather on the Eastern seaboard during that time. Whatever the reason, more race days generally will generate more handle.

And then there are the effects of the overall economy. This morning’s job numbers show a jobless rate nationally at about 8.5% and trending in the right direction. Housing prices are stabilizing. Mortgage rates are as low as they have been in decades. Corporate profits are strong. Even the equity and bond markets seem to be less unpredictable. Finally, the national economy seems to be in a gradual recovery.

It is too soon to call these developments a trend or to declare an end to the economic malaise that beset our industry along with the rest of the U.S. economy four years ago. I am going to keep my optimism guarded for now. Given all the economic travails of the past four years, caution seems like the prudent course. But you have to admit that December’s numbers are good news.

Gratitude Redux

2011-11-23T17:44:00Z

It is time again for my annual Thanksgiving holiday blog. Perhaps it’s a bit cliché to make a list of things to be thankful for but it’s an important exercise nonetheless. So here goes.

Here is my list of things in the horse industry for which I am grateful.

Horseplayers. Again this year, you are at the top of my list. Without you, there would be no financially viable horse racing business. Please continue to let your passionate voices be heard by every means available to you. You make the game better. I know that ours is not always an easy sport to follow but we at the NTRA will continue to strive every day to give you more to be excited about. And we will continue to fight in Washington to change antiquated tax laws to help you keep a little more of what you earn for your effort.

Owners. Without your investment in racing, there would be no competitors. With returns harder and harder to come by on track, owners continue to support the game mainly because they love it.

Horses. Without you, there would be no horse racing, period. You are not simply the “product.” You are literally the life blood of racing. You are some of the last athletes on the planet who run purely for the thrill of the effort. And we love you for it. As an industry, we owe it to you to make your safety our highest priority.

Rapid Redux. Last but certainly not least, special thanks go to Robert Cole and his 5-year-old horse, Rapid Redux. On Monday, Rapid Redux recorded his 20th straight victory. With that win, Cole’s horse eclipsed the modern-day North American record of 19 consecutive wins held by Zenyatta and Peppers Pride. Also, Rapid Redux has won all 18 of his 2011 races, one short of the seasonal record held by Citation. Here’s to Robert Cole and to Rapid Redux. Winning 20 in a row is difficult for any horse. Rapid Redux may not be a stakes horse and perhaps his connections are not high profile, but their success underscores an important point - that just about anyone can claim a horse for a modest price and enjoy priceless moments and thrills. For that, I am truly thankful.

That’s my list. What’s on yours? Let me hear from you.

And The Horse of the Year Is...

2011-11-10T17:58:00Z

Last week, I wrote in this space that the Breeders’ Cup always delivers memorable moments. Once again, it didn’t disappoint as there were a number of stellar performances and outrageous pari-mutuel payoffs. Congratulations to the connections of all the winners and participants, and hats off to the Breeders’ Cup and Churchill Downs for hosting a terrific two-day event.

The Breeders’ Cup results set the stage for an interesting couple of months leading to the Eclipse Awards, which will be held January 16 in Beverly Hills, Calif. While several horses such as Royal Delta and My Miss Aurelia undoubtedly locked up divisional honors through their performances at the Breeders’ Cup, other divisional races were thrown wide-open. Most notably, the debate over who should be Horse of the Year will continue. With a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Havre de Grace, Flat Out, Game On Dude—or even Uncle Mo or Stay Thirsty—could have laid claim to the sport’s highest honor. But when Drosselmeyer and Mike Smith rallied to win the Classic at odds of 14-1, they muddled the voting not only for Horse of the Year, but for Champion Older Horse and Champion 3-Year-Old Colt or Gelding as well. Click here for the final NTRA Thoroughbred Poll of 2011. Now it will be left to the voters to sort it all out and determine who is most deserving of an Eclipse Award in these and other categories.

Will it be Havre de Grace, the brilliant filly who is seeking to become the third straight female to capture HOY (following in the footsteps of Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta)? Havre de Grace finished fourth in the Classic, but in front of most of those considered her key rivals for Horse of the Year. She also successfully stepped outside her division in September when she beat Flat Out and other males in the Woodward at Saratoga. Will it be Game On Dude, who won the Santa Anita Handicap and Hollywood Gold Cup and came within feet of making Chantal Sutherland the first female jockey to capture the Breeders’ Cup Classic? And what about Acclamation, who missed the Breeders’ Cup due to an injury, but won a pair of Grade I races on turf (Hollywood Park’s Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap and Del Mar’s Eddie Read Stakes) and also captured Del Mar’s signature event, the Grade I TVG Pacific Classic, on the main track? What if Classic winner Drosselmeyer and others decide to race once more this year? There are similar storylines playing out in other divisions as well.

All of this should make for some lively debate over the next couple of months. Who do you think should be Horse of the Year? Now is the time to express yourself. I can assure you that many of the Eclipse Award voters will be listening carefully to fans using the expanding universe of horseracing -focused social media to let their views be known. Speak up.

Breeders' Cup Always Delivers

2011-11-02T17:02:00Z

The Breeders’ Cup began 27 years ago at Hollywood Park with seven season-ending championship races and an unprecedented $10 million in purses. This year’s version, hosted by Churchill Downs, will be a 15-race, $26 million extravaganza, held over two days, and encompass almost every division of the sport. It will be the richest two-day event in the history of horse racing worldwide. And even though 2010 Horse of the Year Zenyatta won’t be competing, don’t worry. There are plenty of story lines and exciting match ups that will no doubt make this year’s version every bit as exciting as any in previous years.

The Championships get under way this Friday afternoon at 4:10 p.m. ET. There will be six BC races televised on ESPN2 with the highlight of the evening being the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Ladies' Classic contested under the lights at historic Churchill Downs at 7:30 p.m. The action continues Saturday beginning at 1:20 p.m. with coverage on ABC, ESPN and TVG.

I plan to be at the track all day, both days, but I have to confess that what I’m most looking forward to is the final 100 minutes on Saturday. That intense period will feature back-to-back-to-back runnings of the $2 million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (post time 5:25 p.m. ET), the $2 million TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (6:07 p.m.) and the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (7:00 p.m.). In quick succession, we will identify the winter-book favorite for the 2012 Kentucky Derby and the likely Horse of the Year winner this coming January in Los Angeles at the Eclipse Awards. As if that weren’t enough, sandwiched in between those two great contests is the brilliant Champion, Goldikova, seeking to win the Breeders’ Cup Mile for an incredible and unprecedented fourth consecutive year. These final three races of the Championships are shaping up to be something very special indeed.

As is almost always the case, the Juvenile has attracted the best from the East, West, Midwest and Canada, plus two interesting prospects from the United Kingdom. I’m still debating my picks in this race but I have narrowed it down to Union Rags, Creative Cause and Drill. I might put all three into an exacta box. I may also single a long shot—Take Charge Indy or Dullahan—because if I have learned anything in my years following the Breeders’ Cup it’s to expect the unexpected.

You can be sure that racing fans around the world will be focused on the great 6-year-old race mare Goldikova. Although she’s the favorite, this won’t be a walkover. A full field of international runners, including the multiple Eclipse Award winner Gio Ponti, will seek to deny Goldikova an unprecedented “four- peat”. I like Goldikova but seeing the way Gio Ponti closed to win the Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland a few weeks ago, I have to bet a few dollars on the Christophe Clement trainee as well.

All of this sets the stage for another epic Classic. Havre de Grace, the second-choice in the morning line behind Uncle Mo, will attempt to become only the second female to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic (following Zenyatta in 2009). A Classic victory also would propel her to Horse of the Year and result in an unprecedented third consecutive year in which a female has captured Horse of the Year honors. It won’t be easy. The Classic field includes at least four other horses—Flat Out, Game On Dude, Stay Thirsty and Uncle Mo—who can lay claim to HOY with a victory. Should none of the above win, Eclipse Award voters will be left with some head-scratching decisions. My head tells me that the Classic and Horse of the Year will go to Havre de Grace, but I will probably also bet a few dollars on Game On Dude because jockey Chantal Sutherland has a legitimate shot at becoming the first female jockey to win the Classic.

So those are some of my picks. What horses do you like and why? Let me hear from you.

Fasig-Tipton Cracks the (QR) Code

2011-10-25T20:52:00Z

One of the latest technological advances sweeping the nation is the QR, or Quick Response, Code. The QR, which is a type of barcode, was developed by a Japanese subsidiary of Toyota in 1994 to track vehicles during the manufacturing process. When Steve Jobs and company reinvented the cell phone by turning it into the smartphone, he, in turn, created a way to deliver QR technology to the masses. When accessed through any number of free apps available for download on your smartphone or tablet device with a camera, a QR code takes you to a Web page where you'll find targeted, up-to-date information and promotional content. With my iPhone, it’s as easy as taking a picture.

The QR is everywhere these days. You may have noticed these symbols showing up in magazine ads, posters, storefront window displays, TV advertisements, business cards, Web sites and even on T-shirts. They’re also showing up in racing.

In August, Equibase announced that QR Codes would be included on racetrack program past performance pages. Most tracks are now using them to provide links to time-sensitive information like scratches and other changes before a race—and results, charts and video race replays after the race is official.

Adding a modern twist to the NTRA’s highly successful National Mystery Mutuel Voucher (MMV) direct mail promotion, Breeders’ Cup recently announced a $500,000 MMV promotion using QR Codes in lieu of more expensive home mail delivery.

And just last week, I received a copy of the Fasig-Tipton November Sale catalogue, which features QR Codes on each catalogue page.

The Fasig-Tipton sale is no ordinary horse sale to be sure. It’s a small, “boutique” sale—similar to the Saratoga Select Yearling Sale—featuring many of the elite broodmares, broodmare prospects, racing/broodmare prospects, horses of racing age and weanlings that will be offered at auction in North America.

The many accomplishments of these top prospects go well beyond what can be included in a traditional sales catalogue page. (In fact, the print edition of this year’s Fasig-Tipton catalogue is much larger than a standard horse sale catalogue. It’s also printed in color and includes a color photo with captions for each horse in the sale.)

As with any sales catalogue, there was a printing deadline for the Fasig-Tipton November Sales catalogue to accommodate a suitable delivery date to buyers located all over the world. And just like a newspaper or racetrack program, the printed version of a catalogue becomes an almost instantly dated item the minute it is approved for printing.

Fasig-Tipton’s response to this problem was the addition of QR Codes, which drive users to Web pages that include up-to-date information for each horse in the catalogue. Fasig-Tipton is the first auction house to utilize QR Codes, but you can be sure the practice will spread. Information accessed through the QR Codes includes full pedigrees, important updates, consignor information, video race replays, past performances, media coverage and more. Click here for an example of what you see if you scan the QR Code for Pachattack, Hip #6.

Consignors also can link directly to these same Fasig-Tipton developed Web pages through their other forms of Internet-based advertising. Some of the horses for sale at Fasig-Tipton November have Facebook pages with thousands of followers. These, too, can be accessed directly through the QR Codes.

QR Codes are only the latest method utilized by Fasig-Tipton and other sales companies to promote horses and provide information to buyers. Prior to the QR Code, there were direct mailers of printed materials as well as VHS tapes (remember those?), CDs, DVDs, Thumb drives, et al. Today, with more and more marketing moving to the Web, Fasig’s move makes perfect sense.

I encourage you to download a QR Code app and check out the way Fasig-Tipton and others in our industry are transforming Thoroughbred racing through the use of technology. It makes me wonder what else is around the corner.

How else would QR Codes help market racing and wagering? Let me hear some of your ideas.

The Enduring Appeal of Keeneland

2011-10-12T19:32:00Z

For many, the highlight of each year’s live racing calendar is the summer season and the annual pilgrimage to Saratoga or Del Mar to enjoy top class racing in a picturesque setting. They are journeys worth taking for a variety of reasons, and I encourage you to do so if you have never been. But now that Fall weather is here and both Saratoga and Del Mar are closed for the season, there is another slice of horse racing heaven that awaits. It’s that jewel of a venue known as Keeneland Racecourse. This historic Lexington, Ky., oval celebrates its 75th anniversary this Saturday, with another weekend of world class racing in a setting that is unmatched for its beauty and splendor.

I remember my first visit to Keeneland as if it was yesterday. Walking in from the parking lot, I was in awe of the place. The native stone buildings, the cool Fall air and deep blue sky, the lively crowd, the magnificent horses, the amazing burgoo – together they were a feast for the senses. In fact, I liked Keeneland so much that I returned a year later on my first date with a special young woman. I was hoping that she would think my love of Keeneland showed I had a sense of style and good taste and it must have worked because two years later, she married me. Since that first date, we have visited a lot of tracks across the country and around the globe but none surpasses Keeneland.

Keeneland’s slogan is “Racing as It Was Meant to Be” but that’s not to say that Keeneland is conservative or without the modern amenities found at other tracks. Like Augusta National and Wrigley Field, change has been gradual at Keeneland. Through careful stewardship, Keeneland has artfully blended modern amenities while maintaining its character. But, make no mistake, Keeneland has been an industry innovator and leader from its early days.

Four days before its inaugural racing card on October 15, 1936, Keeneland became the first track in Kentucky to install a totalizator system. Beginning with the current meeting, fans can place wagers directly from their ipad or from other tablet devices. In 2006, Keeneland was the first U.S. track to install Trackus, the state-of-the-art technology system that provides fans with more precise information on the horses’ positions and “distance traveled” during a race. In 2008, it became the first track in the U.S. to commit entirely to Hi-Def television coverage of its races. It’s not surprising then that, just this week, the International Simulcast Conference awarded Keeneland the International Simulcast Award for the fourth time since 2003.

Keeneland also has been a leader on the safety and integrity front. In 1949, it replaced a wooden rail with the first aluminum rail utilized in the U.S., and the safety innovations designed to protect the human and equine athletes have been ongoing and relentless ever since. In 2006, Keeneland became just the second track in America to install a synthetic, all-weather racing surface. Keeneland was also among the first racetracks to experiment with a dramatically reduced takeout. The innovations have not gone unnoticed by fans as Keeneland has been recognized for three years in a row by HANA (Horseplayers Association of North America) as being the most player-friendly racetrack in the land.

Other changes at Keeneland came a bit more slowly. In 1997, in a move to address the then-evolving dynamic of full card simulcasting, Keeneland became the last racetrack in the United States to hire a track announcer to call its races. And, it was among the last racetracks to add Exacta wagering and expand its wagering menu beyond the traditional Daily Double and Win, Place, Show format.

Today you can bet win, place and show, exactas and daily doubles at Keeneland—along with 10-cent superfectas, 50-cent trifectas, pick threes, pick fours and pick fives. But it has always seemed especially true at Keeneland that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Keeneland’s 75th anniversary meeting continues through October 29. For those of you who can’t make it to Lexington by the end of the month, you can get a taste of what Keeneland is all about this Saturday when NBC broadcasts <http://bit.ly/ptGyGQ> the Queen Elizabeth Challenge Cup Stakes and the Keeneland 75th Anniversary Stakes live from 5:00-6:00 p.m. ET. Hopefully, you will agree with me that the flavor of Keeneland is unlike that found anywhere else in the world of Thoroughbred racing.

Let me know about your first trip to Keeneland or tell me about your favorite racetrack.

Thoroughbred Racing's Version of the Draft

2011-09-13T18:28:00Z

Last weekend marked the start of the NFL season, and while most football fans were focusing on the NFL for the first time this season, others were already well aware of rookies like Cam Newton and Randall Cobb—in part because they had closely followed the NFL Draft back in April.

Thoroughbred racing has a “draft” as well. Actually we have multiple drafts. The largest of these is the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, which got off to a solid start Sunday night. The 13-day sale continues through September 24. As I tweeted earlier, I have been spending lots of time at Keeneland in the past few days taking in all the excitement of the sales. These are some of our top future prospects going through the sales ring so it’s exciting to follow the action.

In fact, the 2009 Keeneland September Yearling Sale included three yearlings that went on to sweep this year’s Triple Crown races: Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom was purchased for $100,000; Preakness winner Shackleford did not meet his $275,000 reserve so he was bought back by his breeders; and Belmont Stakes winner Ruler On Ice cost his owners $100,000.

A year before that, in 2008, a pretty special daughter of Saint Liam was sold for $380,000 at Keeneland in September. That filly was later named Havre de Grace, the #1 ranked horse in the latest NTRA Thoroughbred Poll and a leading contender for 2011 Horse of the Year. I’m sure owner Rick Porter of Fox Hill Farms is delighted that Havre de Grace has already earned just shy of $2 million. But I bet he is especially proud of the fact that he and his team of advisors zeroed in on her when she was one of about 4,000 yearlings offered at that 2008 sale.

I’m always intrigued by these sales because both science and art are involved in the selection process. Sure, buyers come armed with detailed pedigree information and other data. Others focus on conformation. But just as important are the intangibles. Listen to buyers and their agents talk about a yearling’s attributes. “Classy,” “athletic,” “attention-grabbing” and other similarly hard-to-define adjectives are frequently used around the sales grounds. Are these seasoned judgments or merely educated guesses? It’s hard to tell the difference sometimes but one thing is for sure- if you buy the right horse, you can be handsomely rewarded.

Keeneland has catalogued a total of 4,319 horses for this year’s sale which attracts buyers from virtually every state and from countries around the world. The sale is broken into six books. Traditionally, the most expensive yearlings, those with the flashiest pedigrees, sell during the first week, but this is one sale that has a long history of producing quality stakes winners all the way through to the sale’s final day. You might say that starters or even future Super Bowl MVPs can be had right up until the final round of this particular draft.

Keeneland offers wall-to-wall coverage of the entire 13 day through a high quality video stream at Keeneland.com. Check out the sales coverage and let me know if you see an American Classic winner in the making.

Old School Embraces Night School

2011-08-09T19:18:00Z

Call me old school, but I am among those who believe that the best way to create racing fans is through an on-track visit with friends or family to one of the many beautiful racetracks located throughout North America. To me, an on-track visit is the best way to soak in all of the positive attributes of horse racing—a unique combination of sports, gambling and entertainment, with the stars of the show some of the most beautiful and graceful animals in the world.

My views on fan education and development are beginning to change, however, now that I’ve seen data from the first half year of Night School—the first industry-wide, Web-based attempt to teach handicapping, Like everything else, or so it seems, the Internet and social media platforms are changing the way we engage with existing and target racing fans.

Night School is the brainchild of Horseplayernow.com co-owners Jeremy Plonk and Joe Kristufek. The 90-minute sessions, which air each Monday at 8:30 p.m. ET (they are also available on archive), are sponsored by the NTRA, AQHA, Keeneland and Daily Racing Form. Night School can be accessed on more than 20 industry Web sites, including NTRA.com.

Each week’s Night School class focuses on a different topic. How to approach a day at the races, trainer intent, pick six strategies and ownership are just four of the areas covered to date. Typically, Night School sessions are broken into pods that include a 30-minute panel discussion among the weekly guest analysts, a 30-minute question-and-answer session during which racing fans worldwide can ask the experts about the evening's subject matter, and a 30-minute "Jump Ball" segment where fans can discuss anything in the world of racing. Through 20 of the 40 Night School sessions, the results are impressive:

- Total attendees (live and through taped archives): 40,405 (2,020 per session)

- Live attendees: 22,830 (1,142 per session)

- Reader submitted comments/questions: 10,703 (535 per session)

- Video uploads: 180,000-estimated, including 42,010 on YouTube

Live guests have included Hall of Famers Jerry Bailey and Gary Stevens; Kentucky Derby winning trainer Graham Motion, DRF publisher Steven Crist, TV analysts and handicappers Randy Moss, Donna Barton Brothers, Jay Privman, Andy Serling, Jill Byrne, and a slew of other nationally recognized handicappers and industry participants.

Participating fans are equally diverse, hailing from 49 of the 50 states (all but Alaska), Canada and South America. Slightly more than one-third of registrants consider themselves to be long time fans. One-quarter are weekend horseplayers. Another 23% consider themselves to be newcomers or someone who is gaining interest in the sport and in handicapping.

As for the age of participants, 28% are 50-59, 24% are 60-plus, 23% are 40-49, 13% are 30-39, and 9% are 20-29. Clearly, Night School appeals to a broad cross-section of fans and potential fans.

Through the internet and social media, Night School has connected a broad cross section of racing fans in ways not possible only a few years ago. I still consider myself to be ‘Old School’ when I think about new fan development, but there can be no denying the reach and potential of programs like Night School. And using this year’s Preakness as a barometer, perhaps the ‘Old School’ approach and Night School approach can co-exist quite nicely. The Night School patrol, consisting of six members of the Horseplayernow.com team, set up camp in the midst of the mass of humanity that is the Preakness infield. Thousands of casual fans, including Kegasus, made their way through the Wagering 101 tent during the day. The result: Preakness infield mutuel handle rose nearly 11% from the 2010 figures.

Check out Night School and let me know your thoughts.

The Alliance and Aftercare = Progress

2011-07-14T23:39:00Z

Last week, the NTRA’s Safety & Integrity Alliance launched a new microsite on NTRA.com devoted to aftercare. Click here or go directly to the microsite at www.ntraaftercare.com. This site is the work of a lot of important people in racing, many of whom you probably don’t know because you rarely if ever read about them. For years, there has been little knowledge of or understanding about the vast network (1000+ and growing) of retirement and retraining facilities for retired Thoroughbreds and other breeds of horse. That is all changing for a number of reasons, not the least of which is because more and more industry participants are becoming sensitive to the importance of aftercare.

When we formed the Safety & Integrity Alliance back in 2008, some were confused when we included as one of the central tenants of the Alliance Code of Standards a requirement that Alliance accredited tracks have a relationship with a local retirement or retraining group and assist trainers and owners who race at their tracks in placing retired Thoroughbreds off the track. We quickly learned how little we knew about the area and so we formed an advisory Subcommittee known as the Alliance Aftercare Subcommittee. This Subcommittee is comprised of leaders in the aftercare world. More importantly, they are some of the brightest minds and most caring individuals in racing. The new NTRA.com aftercare microsite showcases their efforts on behalf of the industry.

What exactly will you find on the pages of the aftercare microsite? A lot, including an internet-based resource designed to be a one-stop shop to educate owners, fans and other interested persons on the process of retiring racehorses.

The site is geared toward three main groups of individuals:

1. People looking for information about how to place a retired racehorse. There you will find answers to questions about how to retire a horse and how to help fund retirement organizations;

2. People looking for information about how to adopt a retired race horse, including a list of questions someone should ask before they adopt a retired Thoroughbred; and

3. People who are involved with aftercare organizations and looking to improve their operations by acquiring information ranging from the calendar for upcoming gelding clinics to grant writing.

Also, there is a searchable map to find retirement and retraining organizations located near where you live and a listing of liaisons at Alliance-accredited (and even non-accredited) racetracks around the country.

The site highlights “Best Practices” from racetracks and aftercare organizations across the country. The first featured Best Practice is the outstanding Finger Lakes Thoroughbred Adoption program, which Alliance Executive Director Mike Ziegler termed “the best program the Alliance has ever reviewed”.

The Alliance Aftercare Subcommittee is just getting started. With their help, the Alliance hosted a day-long seminar for aftercare organizations designed to give them advice from leading authorities in areas such as tax issues, legal matters and marketing, all free of charge. The seminars were part of NTRA’s 2010 Professional Education program, supported by Pfizer Animal Health and Keeneland. These 2010 aftercare seminars are posted on the site and we are already planning our 2011 agenda. We are excited to expand the offerings to include a discussion of new opportunities for retired Thoroughbreds in the show world.

The Aftercare Subcommittee is also helping the industry solve one of its most vexing problems – aftercare funding. All the good intentions in the world will be for naught if we can’t or won’t fund aftercare. With the Subcommittee’s input, the Alliance is leading the way creating and sustaining a regular funding stream for equine retirement and adoption groups. Several states, including California, Illinois, Florida and Pennsylvania, automatically deduct either a fixed percentage or a flat fee from horsemen purse accounts to support equine retirement programs. Tracks and horsemen, along with breeders and owners through their participation in programs like The Jockey Club’s retirement check off program, are raising well into the seven-figures annually for equine retirement and retraining programs. As our strategies mature and more come on line, we will see even more funding for retirement and retraining of horses for their second careers.

Our industry is uniting around a common purpose to give our horses a secure future in a caring environment.

President Harry Truman once said, "It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” This spirit of selflessness and devotion to the cause typifies each and every Alliance Aftercare Subcommittee member. It’s also true of countless others in the aftercare world. They don’t seek the limelight. They don’t demand recognition. All they want is for this industry to do the right thing for our retired racehorses. You have to respect that commitment. Better yet, all of us in racing need to honor that commitment by doing what is best for our retired athletes, whether that be finding them a good home or helping support those who provide those good homes.

There are great stories out there of people and organizations working tirelessly on behalf of retired racehorses. Progress has definitely been made in aftercare on a number of fronts but much more work needs to be done. If you haven’t already, now is the time to get involved. Do what you can to help. Give your time. Donate what you can afford. Be a part of the solution.

Tell me what you think about the site? Is there more information you think is needed? What else can we provide to those in need of help with a retired racehorse? Let me hear from you.

Alex

NHC Super Qualifiers Add Spice to Rich Holiday Weekend Racing

2011-06-30T19:29:00Z

As horseplayers around the country watch and wager on some great racing this holiday weekend, we at the NTRA will be paying particularly close attention to the activities at two member tracks located on opposite coasts.

Saturday, Monmouth Park will host the first NHC Super Qualifier, offering an unprecedented 10 seats to the 2012 DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship (NHC), presented by Treasure Island Las Vegas and Sovereign Stable.

Sunday, players will converge at Hollywood Park for a two-day contest awarding another 10 spots to the NHC. Word has it that the field in the Hollywood tournament may even include a few diehards from the Monmouth competition. Now that’s what I call commitment.

We anticipate there will be as many as 8-10 Super Qualifiers over the last half of the year. They are part of a multifaceted plan that we hope will eventually lead to expanded participation in handicapping tournament play.

The payoff for 20 lucky players this weekend will be a free roll in the record $2 million NHC in Las Vegas, where the winner will walk away with $1 million, also a record.

While this weekend's tourneys at Monmouth and Hollywood involve an initial investment of several hundred dollars, there are plenty of opportunities for players to compete in qualifying tournaments with a variety of entry fee structures.

In just the next few weeks alone, free tournaments will be held online and a host of live, “bricks and mortar” tournaments will be held at a variety of price points. Our valued partner and title sponsor, Daily Racing Form, offers free monthly tourneys through DRFBets.com, and one of our presenting sponsors, Sovereign Stable, will host a free, online qualifier in early August. Even Standardbred tracks Northville Downs in Michigan and Pompano Park in Florida have signed on to host NHC qualifiers. Click here for the current NHC tourney schedule.

An added bonus to tourney play has been the formation of a NHC Tour offering extra prize money and additional qualifying spots in the NHC. Even though it's July, it's not at all too late to join the Tour, as only a player's top five scores count toward his or her Tour point standings. The Tour has created an avid community of tournament players and is yet another way the NHC has evolved over the last dozen years. And there is more change on the way. We'll save that for another blog, though.

The inaugural NHC in 2000 offered a total purse of $200,000 and a winner's prize of $100,000. There aren't many facets of our game—or any other—that have realized the growth rate of the NHC over the last decade. None of this growth would have been possible without the support of Daily Racing Form, tracks and pari-mutuel operators throughout the U.S. and Canada and, most importantly, customers and fans whose wagering fuels every component of our game, including the NHC.

Having attended the NHC, I can tell you from firsthand experience that NHC qualifiers come from all walks of life. Virtually every segment of our fan base is represented, which is why the NHC is such a terriffic event. The finalists do have two common traits, however. They each will have earned his or her way to Vegas. You see, unlike the World Series of Poker, where anyone can participate by paying a $10,000 entry fee, all finalists at the NHC must qualify. So all finalists have proven their handicapping mettle before the NHC final even begins. Lastly, virtually to a person, they love horse racing and are passionate about our game. If you feel the same way, join the Tour, try tournament play, and get in on the fun.

Good luck at the races.

Good Racing, and Good Ratings

2011-06-13T18:17:00Z

Another Triple Crown series is in the books. Who among us could have predicted during Derby week that the sport’s leading three-year-old stars heading into the second half of the year would be Animal Kingdom, Shackleford and yesterday’s Belmont winner, Ruler on Ice?

Belmont Park is to be commended for being such fine hosts to the 55,000+ who braved less than ideal weather Saturday. When it comes to staging big events, the New York Racing Association takes a backseat to no one in our industry. I also think Belmont’s Director of Racing Surfaces, Glen Kozak, deserves a special mention for what was not just a thrilling day of racing, but a safe one as well.

Those who took in the Belmont Stakes excitement from the comfort of their living room were treated to the customary fine coverage on NBC and Versus. Congratulations to Tom Hammond, Gary Stevens, Bob Costas and the entire team at NBC Sports for three compelling telecasts. And I thought that Triple Crown “rookie” Larry Collmus did a terrific job calling the races. It must have been a bit unnerving for Collmus to follow a legend like Tom Durkin. But he showed that NBC made a very fine choice following Durkin’s decision to step away.

Apparently plenty of other people liked what they saw on NBC as well. Overnight ratings released Sunday revealed a 4.8 overnight rating and an 11 share for the race portion of yesterday’s NBC telecast. The 4.8 overnight rating works out to about 7 million viewers, and the share number reflects the percentage of televisions in use that were tuned to the Belmont. Those overnight ratings (which measure major market audiences) represented a 55 percent increase compared to last year’s Belmont Stakes. Final ratings (which also take into account smaller markets) will be announced on Tuesday. No matter what those Tuesday numbers indicate, I think this year’s Triple Crown series was definitely boosted by the continuity of having all three races on one network. In all, an estimated 30.3 million viewers watched the 2011 Triple Crown on NBC. It also prospered from the healthy share of promotion NBC and its various other platforms devoted to the races. One certainly couldn’t watch any of the Stanley Cup playoffs without being frequently reminded about the next big race coming up. I wonder what Versus will do to fill the extra time now that the Triple Crown is over and Vancouver and Boston are still battling away.

Seriously, though, my heartiest congratulations go out to NYRA, NBC and Ruler on Ice’s owners George and Lori Hall—who have put their heart, soul and a healthy portion of their bank account into our game.

What memories will you take from this year’s Triple Crown races? And what did you think of NBC’s coverage? I’d love to read your thoughts.

A Day of Fun and Remembrance

2011-05-27T14:14:00Z

Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer for many people. Swimming pools open and people break out the sunscreen. It also represents the unofficial start of Thoroughbred racing’s second season, with all but one of the 3-year-old Classic races behind us and a slew of terrific races for all ages on the horizon and leading to the Breeders’ Cup this fall. Big races this Memorial Day include a pair of Grade I events, the Met Mile from Belmont and the Gamely Stakes out at Hollywood Park.

This is a day to relax and enjoy a great early summer holiday--hopefully at a racetrack near you. But no matter where you may be this Memorial Day, I hope you will take time to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Honoring service men and women who died in battle – and the loved ones they left behind - is what this day is really about. As the son of a living WWII veteran, I take this duty seriously. I hope that tracks and patrons will do the same.

Sometime this weekend, I hope you will take a few minutes to place a flag or a flower on a veteran’s grave. Or let a living vet know that you appreciate his or her service. The act of remembrance is the least we can do for those who have given so much on our behalf.

Where will you be this Memorial Day? Who will you be remembering? Let me hear from you.

Derby Business Lessons

2011-05-10T18:58:00Z

There is no question that racing came out a winner last weekend. Kentucky Derby attendance and handle gains, I believe, are testament to the exceptional power and allure of America’s favorite horse race. The Derby’s unusual combination of history and tradition, national TV exposure, expansive media coverage and direct engagement through social media platforms make for a potent blend of sport and entertainment—one that has become a unique part of the fabric of America.

While there is indeed only one Kentucky Derby, some of the factors that contribute to its success can be emulated on perhaps a smaller scale elsewhere on other race days. Time and again, we have seen that Thoroughbred racing has broad appeal if properly packaged, marketed and promoted. Quality racing with full fields, convenient wagering, a high degree of safety and integrity, modern facilities, and other factors, are hallmarks of racing's biggest days.

Marketing and promotion are indispensable to commercial success. Earned media exposure is critical. Social networks are essential. But especially when money is tight, tracks and horsemen must work together to attract fans.

In racing terms, marketing entails full, competitive fields offered through a menu of reasonably-priced and comprehensive wagering options. Tracks have to card a broad spectrum of races with adequate purses. Horsemen have to enter and race provided the equine athletes they care for are ready to compete. Nothing kills handle faster than short fields with heavy favorites. Derby weekend offers horseplayers lots of action on huge fields populated by quality horses. Bettors thrive on the plethora of wagering opportunities and relish the huge, stable mutuel pools. It’s a recipe that works every time.

Another effective marketing tool in racing involves the thrill of direct participation. The Derby’s 20 horse field is as big as it gets in this country and each year, they have to turn away potential entrants. Every owner wants a horse in the Derby. And thanks to the rise of the racing partnership, just about anyone really does have a chance to own part of a Derby winner. There are 20 separate partners in the Team Valor International syndicate that owns Derby winner Animal Kingdom. Partnerships spread the risk and enable more to experience firsthand the joy of horse ownership. Kudos to Barry Irwin, CEO of Team Valor International, and all other partnerships that are out there working every day to bring more people into the business as owners. There is no better way to sell our game.

Good marketing necessitates maximum accessibility. On track, there are multiple ways to get a bet down on Derby Day. Yes, the time between races can be long but that only benefits the live patron. Bettors rarely get shut out on Derby Day. And with new hand held wagering devices and ADW options, wagering is more convenient than ever. Add wall-to-wall live national television and radio coverage, community involvement and support, and a policy that no one will be turned away and you have all the ingredients for a record-setting event.

Savvy marketing also requires accountability. Are the horses competing in a safe environment? Are there people looking out for the safety and welfare of the athletes? Is the drug testing fair and comprehensive? What about the wagering? Is it secure? Churchill Downs (along with the other three racetracks operated under the CDI umbrella) is a market leader in the area of safety and integrity. Just last week, Churchill was re-accredited by the NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance. And its Safety from Start to Finish initiative is a model that other tracks can and should emulate as they seek Alliance accreditation. All these matter to customers.

What about the facilities? Good marketing demands that they be modern and convenient. Do they provide many of the amenities found at other sports and entertainment venues? Are they clean and well maintained? Ten years ago, fans sent a clear message to those of us running Churchill Downs that we either had to upgrade the facility or risk watching the Derby lose its luster. Churchill Downs spent the money and revitalized the venue. Since the completion of the restoration, Churchill has seen a steady stream of record crowds and exploding on-track handle. People respond to their environment. If it’s not pleasing, they will go elsewhere.

Yes, the Derby is unique, and its success is probably beyond the reach of most racetracks in the U.S., but there are lessons to be learned by all in racing.
What did you like about the Kentucky Derby? If you are new to the sport, tell me what worked—or didn’t work—for you. Let me hear from you.

Picking Mo in a Wide Open Kentucky Derby

2011-04-29T04:20:00Z

Kentucky Derby week is almost here and it’s time to start thinking seriously about picking your horse. All indications are that there will be a full 20-horse field of three-year-olds starting in Derby 137 on Saturday, May 7, in Louisville (Live on NBC starting at 4 p.m.). There could be fewer in the race if one or more horses are scratched after the field is drawn on Wednesday, but it’s going to be a big field for sure.

Virtually anyone who has ever owned a horse has dreamed of winning the Kentucky Derby. But it takes a lot, including a great horse and maybe a little bit of luck to actually win this race.

First, owners have to pay $25,000 just to enter their horse. They then must pay another $25,000 to actually run in the Derby.   But there is more. Only those horses that make the cut are even allowed to enter. That’s because the Derby is capped at 20 runners. Who is allowed to enter is determined by the amount of accumulated graded stakes purse money that each horse has earned during its lifetime. Click here for a current list of potential starters and their graded stakes earnings.

The Kentucky Derby post position draw will be held at Churchill Downs on Wednesday, May 4, at 5 p.m. EDT (Live on VERSUS).   This is a tradition “pill pull” used to determine starting gate number and thus the position in the starting gate for each horse. In the Derby, “luck of the draw” is a reality. Post position can make a difference in the outcome of the race.

Picking a winner in the Derby is never easy. And this year it’s even more difficult because the race is wide open. That’s because there are no standouts or clear favorites. Everybody has a theory. Serious handicappers analyze a lot of variables like past performance information, workouts, breeding, jockey statistics, track condition, weather and even observation of the horse warming up before the race.   Others rely on more personal, less objective elements like the name of the horse, the color of the silks or post position number.

Personally, I like to make lots of bets on Derby Day. Some I make on the basis of hard information, like how the horse performed in one or more of the Derby prep races. On this basis, I like Uncle Mo.   I know that he didn’t run particularly well in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct. But he seems to be responding well to treatment and should be in top form next Saturday.

Trainers also tend to get my attention. Who can resist a bet on the Nick Zito-trained Dialed In, who will very likely be the morning line favorite? Nick is a Hall of Fame trainer who has won the Kentucky Derby twice, once with Strike the Gold in 1991 and again in 1994 with Go For Gin. He knows how to get horses ready for this unique race.

Some bets I make based on the stories surrounding the horse. Each year there are great stories about owners, trainers or jockeys that make them sentimental favorites. This year’s story about trainer Kathy Ritvo and her comeback from heart transplant surgery makes Mucho Macho Man a likely bet for me.

You can’t forget jockey Calvin Borel who is on something of a roll, having ridden three of the past four Kentucky Derby winners – Street Sense in 2007, Mine That Bird in 2009 and Super Saver last year. I will have to put a few bucks on longshot Twice the Appeal given that Calvin will be aboard him this year.

One great thing about the large Derby field is that every horse will go off at a good price (odds of 4 to 1 or better in all likelihood). That’s excellent value when you are a serious horseplayer. That’s why the Derby is so heavily bet each year. Last year, a near-record $112.7 million was bet worldwide on the Run for the Roses alone.

I remember the first time in Derby history that all horses ran uncoupled with no entries or mutuel fields as betting interests. It was 2001, and I was running the track at that time. I am embarrassed to admit that we actually worried that the elimination of the mutuel field – an old bet necessitated by 20 horse fields and antiquated wagering technology that only allowed for 14 betting interests – might hurt handle. The common belief was that people liked being able to make one bet and get as many as seven horses with high odds. We were dead wrong. Players loved having the additional combinations made possible by the change and wagering on the Derby actually skyrocketed that year. Once again, we learned the lesson that players can’t get enough of large, competitive fields.

If you want to do some serious handicapping, forget my advice. You can check out the NTRA Live! Kentucky Derby preview webcast, hosted by Randy Moss, who will be part of the NBC Derby telecast. And also be sure to tune in this Monday night at 8:30 p.m. (EDT) and participate in the 11th edition of “Night School”, a live online chat that will focus on “Handicapping the Kentucky Derby.” Jeremy Plonk, Joe Kristufek and their team of experts are sure to give you advice that will get you closer to a score on Derby Day.

Who do you like in the Kentucky Derby? What are the stories that most interest you? Let me hear from you.

Reasonable Minds Can Differ

2011-04-22T20:19:00Z

Recently, the Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI) – a trade association made up of state regulatory bodies nationwide - issued a statement calling on the horse racing industry and member regulators to embrace a strategy to phase out drugs and medications in horse racing within five years. The release further called for a move to bring North American racing policies in line with other jurisdictions around the world. In fact, as it relates to administration of medications on race day, we are out of step with the rest of racing jurisdictions in the world in one respect:

Unlike the rest of the world, we permit race day administration of medications for treatment of one ailment--exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH), a debilitating lung condition experienced by some horses during training and racing. The most commonly used medication to treat “bleeders” is furosemide (commonly known as Lasix). We allow this anti-bleeder medication because it has been established by peer-reviewed scientific studies to be “efficacious” in treating EIPH. Eleven states allow so-called bleeder adjuncts which are also medications used in treating EIPH.

Because of the performance enhancing (some say performance optimizing) qualities of furosemide, several years ago the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC) – our industry’s drug and medication advisory body - recommended that any horse be allowed to use furosemide on race day regardless of whether that horse has ever bled during training or racing. This policy, which was intended to level the playing field from a performance enhancement standpoint, has led to widespread use of Lasix in the U.S. It is this prevalence of furosemide that is the basis for the RCI statement.

Personally, I think that RCI missed an opportunity to address the single most pressing drug and medication-related issue facing our sport – the perceived lack of tough enforcement against those who use illegal performance enhancing drugs and therapeutic medications (PEDs) to cheat. I wish the RCI chairs had challenged their members to do something that only their membership can do – aggressively punish PED cheaters and thereby send a clear message that we as an industry are serious about policing our sport. All major racing jurisdictions have the rules and penalties in place to do so. Regulators simply need to be more aggressive in using these rules and penalties.

Nonetheless, the legitimate question raised by the RCI statement is whether the race day use of medications to treat bleeders is the best way to manage and treat EIPH. There is no question that it is an effective way to manage the condition but is it good for racing in this country. Europe and all other major racing jurisdictions outside of North America have decided that race day medication, however beneficial for the horse, must be banned in order to maintain the integrity of the sport and overall public support for the industry. Whether we in the U.S. should follow their policies is the question before us.

Given the many recent calls from groups like the Breeders’ Cup, The Jockey Club, the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, Keeneland and others to revisit and/or revise our policies regarding administration of medications on race day, the NTRA joined with the American Association of Equine Practitioners and the RMTC in calling for an international summit on the issue of race day medication, EIPH and horse racing.

Our goal is to review the current practices in the U.S. with respect to race day medication including specifically the management of EIPH. We will examine new developments in veterinary science and international veterinary practice. We will also be looking at current scientific research and regulation both domestically and internationally. We are going to be gathering objective facts from around the world on which to base our discussions and decisions. It will be an open, fair process that includes all stakeholders in the discussion. No reasoned position will be villainized or dismissed. All we ask of participants is a basic respect for the various points of view on the matter because this is truly a case where reasonable minds can differ.

The summit will delve into two pieces of a complex issue—the current science and regulatory management of EIPH around the world. Issues relating to customer perception, industry economics and potential government action at the Federal level must also be factored into the equation in the near future, but they won’t be part of this summit. It promises to be a very busy summer.

Tell me what you think about therapeutic medications in competition? Is there a place for race day medication in today’s sports world? Let me hear from you. I understand that this is an issue that has a lot of passion on both sides. Please keep the comments respectful. We all have the best interest of our equine athletes in mind. Disagreement can be productive, but shouting matches and name calling won't get us anywhere.

Evolution You Can Believe In

2011-03-17T19:10:00Z

The NTRA’s Safety and Integrity Alliance has just published a new version of its Code of Standards. Why should you care? What difference does the Code make? For that matter, what difference is the Alliance making? These are all questions I hear from time to time and they deserve straight-forward answers.

First, here is a summary of the more prominent changes.

Injury reporting at accredited tracks will now be expanded to include horses that suffer a fatal injury during training hours. Previously, accredited tracks only had to report racing-related injuries. This will expand our research data base and give us a clearer picture of the kinds and causes of injuries to racehorses – and to their riders.

Another important change is the requirement that accredited tracks use a common pre-race examination database so that all accredited tracks will now share pre-race exam data. This will provide the inspecting vet with more and better data to assist him or her in conducting the best pre-race exam possible. Knowing what another vet observed (or didn’t observe) in a previous exam will make each subsequent exam more accurate and complete—which, in turn, will lead to safer horses and safer riders.

To be accredited, tracks will now have to assure that post-mortem examinations are being performed on horses that suffer a fatal injury during training hours. Again, the goal is a more accurate, complete injury data base.

Another important change to the Code is the requirement that vet lists (the lists of horses not permitted to run due to veterinary issues) be shared among jurisdictions. This is to prevent an injured horse from being entered to race at another track without going through the required steps for veterinary clearance.

Another Code change requires accredited tracks to ensure that at least one practicing veterinarian is available at the track during both racing and training hours.

The new Code will also require tracks to make Jockey Health Information Systems participation mandatory. This assures that in the event of accident or injury, the relevant medical history and information will be readily available to the treating physician. Given how frequently some jockeys travel, having this information in a common repository makes a lot of sense.

Last but not least, to be accredited in 2011 and beyond, tracks will have to develop written procedures and protocols for human healthcare. These will relate primarily to things like ambulance availability, first aid capabilities and overall emergency staffing during racing and training hours. Horse safety is vital but so is human safety.

It is axiomatic that the safety of horse and rider and the integrity of our sport are paramount concerns for all participants in racing. The Alliance Code of Standards is the embodiment of these industry priorities. Alliance accreditation is proof that an accredited track – and its regulators, jockeys, vets and horsemen - are each complying with the Alliance Code of Standards in all material respects. But it doesn’t stop there.

Accreditation is a process. It requires constant monitoring for current compliance with the Code of Standards, and it requires re-accreditation every two years to make sure that the latest safety and integrity upgrades have been implemented. That’s why the Alliance Code of Standards must be constantly reviewed and revised.

With 19 tracks (accounting for about 70% of nationwide handle) now accredited, and as many as 8-10 new tracks seeking accreditation in 2011, the tide is turning in favor of safety and integrity. Click here for a recent story in Daily Racing Form about pre-race inspections. Those who embrace Alliance accreditation and the discipline it imposes are changing the business for the better. Those who don’t believe in accreditation are holding this business back. What about your local track? Is it accredited? If not, ask management why not. Ask them, “What do you have to lose?”… or perhaps even, “What is preventing you from seeking accreditation?”

Finally, you may have noticed that we have included no specific changes to the Code related to the Life at Ten situation. That’s because the issue is still under consideration by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. If and when needed changes are identified and recommended by the Alliance Advisory Committee, the Alliance will not hesitate to implement those changes by further updating the Code.

Have you read the Life at Ten investigative materials issued by the KHRC? What do you think of the changes to the Alliance Code? Let me hear from you.

These Numbers Don't Lie

2011-02-17T21:27:00Z

I have heard both directly and indirectly from a number of you in response to the consumer research reported in my blog last week. I noted in that blog that in 2009, polling conducted by the NTRA’s long-time polling consultants (who we share with Institute of Politics at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government) found that about 50.6 million adults in the U.S. qualify as Thoroughbred racing fans and that about 5.6 million adults say they attend a racetrack or an OTB or log onto an online wagering site and “bet a few times a month.” Some of you have questioned these numbers. Here is a brief explanation of how these results were reached.

Some questioned whether horse racing in the U.S. actually has about 50 million “casual” fans. That is not only the conclusion of a recent 2000+ respondent, Internet-based survey of sports fans conducted by SocialSphere Strategies for the NTRA. It’s a number that has been consistent over the course of the last 10 years of NTRA polling using a variety of online and offline methodologies.   Similarly, 10 years of ESPN Sports polls have consistently found that about 37% of adults (potentially 83 million people) described themselves as fans of our sport.

Others questioned whether our business has 5.6 million “core” fans - fans who watch and wager “a few times a month”. This number (which given the statistical margin for error could be somewhat higher or lower) is likewise supported by years of research at the NTRA. Once again, the ESPN Sports polls also confirm that roughly 2 to 3 percent of the adult population cite Thoroughbred racing as their “favorite sport.” 2.5 percent of the adult population of 223 million is 5.6 million fans.

These findings are further supported by the size of total attendance at racetracks nationwide. According to 2007 data, which is the most recent available, live attendance for 2007 at well over 200 thoroughbred, harness, quarter horse and mixed meet racetracks in 38 racing jurisdictions nationwide was approximately 20 million visits. Twenty million annual visits puts horse racing as the #2 spectator sport in America behind only one other U.S. major league sport, MLB, and ahead of the NFL, the NBA, the NHL and NASCAR. And many millions more racing fans visit the nation’s 1,100+ simulcast locations (including OTBs, dog tracks, jai alai frontons, casino race books, racinos and native American reservations) and ADW sites, many of which do not track attendance and which together account for about 90% of all handle. A dying industry we are not.

Think also about television viewership. In years when a Triple Crown sweep is on the line, total viewership for the Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes will approach as many as 30-35 million viewers. Yes, there are overlaps in viewers, but the Kentucky Derby is routinely the fourth or fifth highest rated sports broadcast behind the Super Bowl, the BCS Championship and the NCAA Men’s basketball finals – three sports that each have fan bases well in excess of 100 million.

Regardless of the specific numbers which some will always question, it is important to realize that the size and scope of horse racing in the U.S. are huge. Nonetheless, the sport’s somewhat local or regional appeal—and its diffused impact on local economies—make it tough for anyone to ever see its full scale and scope except on rare occasions like Kentucky Derby day. Both in terms of polling data from multiple independent sources and our own attendance data, there are millions of fans engaging with racing on a daily basis. However, even industry insiders don't often see or “feel” the impact, and this makes it difficult for many of them to understand the overall magnitude of the sport.

Our challenge as an industry, and specifically at the NTRA, is to bridge the gap between perception and reality – between the perception that declining live attendance means a dying industry and the reality that through progressive industry dynamics, we are adapting reasonably well to an increasingly Internet-based commercial and communications environment.   This is a challenge that must be addressed if we are ever to convince even our own industry’s insiders, much less the broader sports entertainment world, that horse racing is rising to meet the challenges of this new century.

The mission of the NTRA is and has always been to help bridge this gap, to coalesce the human and financial resources necessary to establish Thoroughbred racing as a major sport and entertainment option in the U.S. After 10 years of effort, we still have a long way to go before our goals are reached, but it is important to realize that in spite of a vengeful economy and a few self-inflicted wounds, we as an industry have made progress and the public still loves our game.

How do we bridge this gap between perception and reality - between local impact and national significance? Let me hear from you.

Fact vs. Fiction

2011-02-10T21:45:00Z

I don’t usually rely on others to speak for me but Paul Moran said it so well that I can only point you to his recent blog on ESPN.com, which was a response to a comment made by a gaming executive about Thoroughbred racing’s fan base.

For the record, the NTRA’s most recent consumer research, conducted in 2009 by Cambridge, MA-based SocialSphere Strategies, indicates that 50.6 million adults in the U.S. qualify as a Thoroughbred racing fan. About 10% of those fans (5.6 million adults) say they attend a racetrack or an OTB or log onto an online wagering site and bet a few times a month.

Our sport and industry have many challenges, but our fan base is far from dead.

Let me know your thoughts on Paul’s blog.

2011 NHC: Big Days, Big Checks

2011-01-31T02:02:00Z

I am flying home from the 12th annual Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship which concluded Saturday night at the Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa in Las Vegas, Nevada. I am banging out this blog on my I-Phone while the experience is still fresh in my memory.

This year's event was a nail-biter with the championship undecided until the very last race when NHC veteran and Ellis Park racetrack owner, Ron Geary, was passed by newcomer John Doyle, who selected the winner of the very last race of the contest to move to the top of the leader board.

Turns out, John Doyle is a former IBM exec who retired just a year ago to pursue his dream of being a professional handicapper. He told me he had pictured himself standing between Steve Crist and me receiving the big, over-sized check for $500,000. John is a fascinating guy who is going to be an articulate spokesman as the reigning Handicapper of the Year and a great ambassador for horseplayers.

At the closing banquet Saturday night, we handed out checks of all sizes. Each of the top 30 finalists received part of the record $1,050,150 total purse. First and second day top point scorers also received checks. Tom Noone, winner of this year's NHC Tour, grabbed a big check for an additional $75,000. And of course, our new champion, John Doyle, took home the biggest check of all. There were lots of smiling faces all around.

We also presented Eclipse Award trophies to seven of the prior 11 winners of the NHC who happened to be in the audience, making good on our promise at the NTRA to elevate the status the Handicapper of the Year to that of our industry's most celebrated champions. Seeing all of these past champions together on the stage with genuine, copper-forged Eclipse Awards in hand brought a rousing and heartfelt standing ovation from the nearly 500 players, family and friends who attended the banquet. It was a poignant moment.

Since my arrival at the NTRA, I have grown to appreciate the NHC and the men and women who thrive on tournament play. Our game is very tough to master and as an industry we are not always good at rewarding horseplayers for their efforts. Yes, cashing tickets is in some ways its own reward but these dedicated fans deserve more. That's why we have committed to growing the NHC to $2 Million in 2012. And the players have responded enthusiastically, as have tracks, OTBs and other qualifier hosting entities outside of Thoroughbred racing. Already we have secured more qualifying tourneys in 2011 than in all of 2010.

And the NHC Tour is growing by leaps and bounds as players look for ways to secure a spot in the championship like Tom Noone did this year. And while the $75,000 tour winner purse is great, putting yourself in position to win the $2 million tour winner bonus should the Tour winner capture the NHC is even better.

If you have never entered one of our many tournaments at your local track or online, this is the year to give it a try. We are expanding the number of available spots in the 2012 NHC from 300 to 500. That means 200 more opportunities to qualify to win the $1 million grand prize.

Yes, prize money is the most obvious incentive to participate in the NHC but that's only part of the story. Something I observed time and again over the course of the past few days at the Red Rock was the remarkable camaraderie among the contestants. Yes, the competition was fierce and there was certainly tension throughout both days, but at the end of it all, there was a healthy dose of congratulatory handshakes and positive regard for fellow contestants.

I even heard from a few contestants how important it is to preserve the feeling of "family" especially among veteran contestants. That caught me by surprise. Horseplayers are too often negatively stereotyped. But watching the interactions in the Red Rock Race Book full of passionate, expert NHC contestants and hearing first-hand how much they love our game gave me new optimism for the future of our sport... and an even greater appreciation and respect for our core fans.

The NHC is just one of many ways the NTRA is reaching out to fans of horse racing - both core and casual - and it’s one that is clearly working right now. Look for us to continue growing this event and with it the stature and report of horseplayers.

Tell what you think about the NHC. Will you join the NHC Tour and enter a tourney this year? Does the $1 million first prize make it more interesting?

Eclipse Awards and the NHC--Rewarding All Those Who Matter

2011-01-19T22:07:00Z

January is a busy month for the NTRA staff. The Eclipse Awards and the Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship – two of our industry’s biggest occasions - both fall in the first month of the year. Making sure that these important events happen each year in a professional, well publicized way, is one of our top priorities as an organization.

Both the Eclipse Awards and the NHC are expensive, labor-intensive events that demand a lot of the staff members at the NTRA who, like so many others working for non-profit associations these days, are forced by economics to do more with less. We host these events because both are important to the marketing of Thoroughbred racing at the national level.   Equally as important, each event provides unique opportunities to reward those who are invaluable to our business.

The Eclipse Awards are given to the horses and people who represent both the pinnacle and the foundation of horse racing. The casino competition has bells and whistles, cards and dice. We have flesh and blood, heart and soul. It’s the biggest thing we have going for us as an industry. Our competitors can’t stir real passion like the zeal that was so clearly on display Monday night when Zenyatta was named Horse of the Year.

If I live to be an old man, I doubt that I will ever witness a more spontaneous eruption of pure joy and happiness than the one displayed by that crowd at the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach after I opened that envelope and read Zenyatta’s name. The crowd went absolutely wild. Slot machines can’t compete with that.

Before the announcement Monday night, the Internet blogs and social media sites had been on fire for weeks with passionate debate on both sides of the Horse of the Year question. The discussion engaged new fans and core fans like never before. I fully understand those who are calling for more fan involvement in the Eclipse Award voting process, but from my perspective, it was fan involvement that clearly influenced the voting this year. Three years ago, Blame would probably have been voted Horse of the Year. But with the explosion of social media and the undeniable voices of horse racing fans coming at the industry from all sides to support Zenyatta, the Eclipse Award voters could not help but be influenced by their fervor. That is no slight to Champion Blame or his connections. It’s just a simple observation of how the world is changing, and how horse racing is adapting to this new reality.

A less public but no less important display of that same passion is the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship to be held January28-29 at the Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa in Las Vegas. This event will draw 304 of the best horseplayers in North America to one of Las Vegas’ best race and sports book facilities. For two days, the players will vie for over $1 million in prize money. All who compete at the NHC will have qualified at one of 109 local tourneys held at racetracks, OTBs, casinos and Internet sites.   These men and women love the intellectual challenge offered by handicapping horse races. They also love the rewards of picking winners. This year’s NHC winner will take home a minimum of $500,000. In 2012, the total prize money will go to $2 million estimated with the winner’s share set at $1 million. Not bad for two days of work.

At the NTRA, we believe in honoring horseplayers at the NHC every bit as much as we believe in honoring owners, breeders, trainers, jockeys and horses at the Eclipse Awards. If horses and horse people are the foundation of our game, players are the economic engine that fuels it. Both segments are vitally important and without one, there would not be the other. That’s why it’s fitting that we honor both at this time of the year.

How about you? Did you feel your voice was heard by the Eclipse Award voters this year? How about the NHC? Have you ever entered a qualifier? If not, why not?   Let me hear from you.

A Special Night at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach

2011-01-08T01:09:00Z

The votes are in and the 2010 Eclipse Award finalists have been named. The 2010 Eclipse Awards ceremony is now set for January 17 at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach in Miami Beach, Fla. The list of finalists contains few surprises but sets up some real contests to see who comes out on top.   First and foremost is the race for Horse of the Year (HOY) which once again pits Breeders’ Cup Classic winner, Blame, against the phenomenal race mare, Zenyatta. The anticipation is heightened by the fact that both Blame and Zenyatta have a legitimate shot at taking home the gold trophy. I can’t wait to see whose name appears when I open that envelope to announce 2010’s HOY at the end of the evening.

Kudos are in order for Eclipse Award voters who participated in record fashion.   A record 238 of the 251 ballots we mailed in December were submitted to an independent accounting firm prior to Tuesday’s deadline. That’s an unprecedented 94.8% participation rate (though I must confess a certain disdain for the 13 people who were offered the much-coveted privilege of voting and yet for whatever reason failed to return the ballot). In any event, finalists were determined in each category by voters’ top three selections using a 10-5-1 point system, with winners being determined solely by first place votes.

There is little doubt that the close race for Horse of the Year between Blame and Zenyatta led to the strong showing by voters. It is always good for racing to have full, competitive fields – whether it’s on the racetrack or at the Eclipse Awards ballot box. Some in our business bemoan the contentiousness of the Horse of the Year debate between Blame and Zenyatta supporters. At the NTRA, we welcome it (so long as it is reasonably civil).

In today’s highly competitive sports entertainment environment, it takes heated rivalries like the one between Blame and Zenyatta to break through the clutter in the mainstream media. It is undeniable that conflict and competition are at the heart of what makes Thoroughbred racing so exhilarating.   Think about it this way - if there are no differences of opinion, we have no business.

Also announced this week were two Eclipse Awards of Merit and one Special Eclipse Award.

At the Eclipse Award ceremony, one of two Eclipse Awards of Merit will be awarded to Claiborne Farm in recognition of 100 years of excellence in the Thoroughbred breeding and racing business. The Award of Merit is given in honor of a lifetime of outstanding achievement and in this case, we are celebrating the outstanding achievement of an entire family.   The list of horses associated with Claiborne Farm – stallions like Nasrullah, Bold Ruler, Mr. Prospector, Danzig and Seeking the Gold and great racehorses like Secretariat, Swale, Lure and, of course, Blame- say it all.   The Hancock family members have for three generations maintained a hugely successful breeding and racing operation while at the same time serving in a wide variety of industry leadership positions, always with utmost character and dignity. Congratulations to Seth, Dell and Clay Hancock and to the rest of the Claiborne family.

A second Eclipse Award of Merit will be given that night to Marylou Whitney for her extraordinary service as an owner and breeder, and for her incredible generosity and support of philanthropic causes.   It’s been interesting for me to observe the reaction of people around the country to this decision. I don’t know Ms. Whitney very well, so I was not prepared for the outpouring of praise for her efforts from so many in the industry. Her skill as a breeder and owner alone might warrant her inclusion in the elite ranks of Award of Merit recipients, but it’s her generosity and philanthropic energy that truly sets her apart. I am looking forward to the presentation of her award at the Eclipse Award dinner because it will be chance for many in the industry to learn just what a force for good that she has been over the years.

Finally, a Special Eclipse Award will be awarded at the Eclipse Awards dinner to Team Zenyatta. The Special Eclipse Award is awarded for extraordinary service, individual achievements in, or contributions to the sport of Thoroughbred racing.   No group of people has done more to promote Thoroughbred racing in recent memory than Jerry and Ann Moss and the excellent team they have built in support of their racing stable, . Zenyatta is a once-in-a-lifetime horse but the Mosses and their team thoughtfully and in many ways lovingly presented Zenyatta to an adoring public in ways never before witnessed in Thoroughbred racing.   Some will no doubt try to characterize this award as a consolation prize, especially if Zenyatta fails to win HOY honors. That would be a mistake; not only because the decision to give this Special Eclipse Award came long before HOY voting ended and from a committee that has no idea who will be HOY, but also because it would trivialize and in some ways diminish the very real and important contributions that the people who make up Team Zenyatta have made to racing over the last year. Whatever the outcome of HOY voting, 2010 was a very special year in Thoroughbred racing because of Zenyatta and the team of humans that surrounded her. Team Zenyatta moved the needle in numerous measurable ways. That indisputable fact validates the special recognition that only a Special Eclipse Award can bestow.

It’s going to be a night to remember, Monday, January 17, in Miami. Join us at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach if you can. Dinner is at 6:00 p.m. with the Awards Ceremony getting underway at 7:00 p.m. in the Fleur de Lis Ballroom. As always, there will be a great after party immediately following the Awards Ceremony (LIV Nightclub). Tickets are still available by calling Michele Ravencraft at the NTRA’s Lexington office, (800) 792-6872, or you can e-mail her at mravencraft@ntra.com.   If you can’t make it in person, be sure to tune in to TVG starting at 6 p.m. (ET) for all the fun.

Will you be there in person? Watching on TVG? Let me hear from you.

Eclipse Awards Voting Deadline Looms

2010-12-27T20:17:00Z

The 2010 graded stakes schedule of major North American races concludes Monday with the San Gabriel Stakes at Santa Anita. Over the next week, many Eclipse Awards voters will be grappling with the selection of human and equine champions to be honored at the 40th Annual Eclipse Awards Dinner on January 17, 2011, at the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach, Florida.   Eclipse Award ballots were mailed to voters in mid-December, and the deadline for receipt of all ballots is Tuesday, January 4, 2011. The equine categories include:

Steeplechase Horse
2-Year-Old Colt or Gelding
2-Year-Old Filly
3-Year-Old Colt or Gelding
3-Year-Old Filly
Older Male
Older Female
Male Sprinter
Female Sprinter
Male Turf Horse
Female Turf Horse
Horse of the Year

The human categories are:

Owner
Breeder
Trainer
Jockey
Apprentice Jockey

When it comes to actual voting, there is only one rule: to be eligible for a vote, a horse must have made one start in North America in 2010. There are many opinions about what the qualifications are or ought to be but none are codified in the Eclipse Award voting rules nor is any direction given to voters in this regard. The goal is to honor excellence- nothing more and nothing less.

Contrary to popular belief, no one at the NTRA has a vote in the Eclipse Awards. We manage the event for the industry but none of us at the NTRA has a direct say in the outcome. The voting takes place among the following groups:

1.            Members of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters;
2.            Daily Racing Form writers and editors;
3.            Equibase chart callers; and
4.            Racing secretaries at NTRA member racetracks.

Votes are tabulated on a straight one-person, one-vote basis. Last year, a total of 271 ballots were mailed and 232 ballots were returned (85.6%). Voters are required to rank three horses or individuals in each voting category.   The 1-2-3 voting determines the top 3 finalists except for Horse of the Year where there are no finalists. The champion is determined by the highest number of first-place votes. If a voter provides incomplete rankings (e.g. only a first-place vote) or attempts to split votes (in any of three positions), his or her vote in that category is disqualified.

All voting takes place online through a password protected Website. The votes are tabulated and verified by an independent accounting firm.   I did not know that Rachel Alexandra was the top vote-getter for the 2009 Horse of the Year title until I opened the envelope live on stage last January at the Beverly Wilshire. The same will be true next month when I open the envelope for 2010 Horse of the Year.

Especially with the popularity of Zenyatta this year, we are once again hearing from fans who want a say in the outcome of the Eclipse Award selection process.   Popular television shows like “American Idol” and “Dancing with the Stars” incorporate fan voting into the selection process with mostly great success. Internet voting and text messaging are natural fits for this type of fan involvement.   But the Eclipse Awards, like the Academy Awards, the Grammys and other longstanding awards that honor the best in a particular industry, are not popularity contests.

But we have not forgotten the fans. Similar to popular “people’s choice” awards in the movie, music and television industries, the NTRA has established the annual “NTRA Moment of the Year”. For the past 12 years, we have been asking fans to vote for their favorite moment. Some of the winning Moments are happy snapshots in time—like Zenyatta’s 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic win. Others are tinged with sadness (e.g., Chris Antley with Charismatic after the 1999 Belmont Stakes, the passing of Seattle Slew, Smarty Jones losing to Birdstone in the 2004 Belmont Stakes). This year’s winning Moment will be recognized at the Eclipse Awards ceremony and those selecting the winning image automatically will be entered in a random drawing for a $100 gift certificate to the NTRA.com Online Memorabilia Store. [link to NTRA.com page]

So, the voting has begun and will continue until January 4, 2011. Now is the time to let your views be known. As the Eclipse Award voters wrestle with their ballots over the holidays, some will no doubt be looking for insight as they peruse the racing industry’s prolific trade and social media.   Take advantage of these communications tools. And don’t forget that there are 17 categories in all. With all the debate about Horse of the Year, perhaps too little attention has been paid to the many other top horses in other categories.

Let me hear from you. Who are the top candidates in some of the categories that may have been overlooked so far?