Show Me the Money... Monmouth 2010
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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2010 For information about TDN, call 732-747-8060. DERBY RULED OUT FOR ST NICK SHOW ME THE MONEY... Derrick Smith's St Nicholas Abbey (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) will miss Saturday's G1 Epsom Derby after being MONMOUTH 2010 found to have suffered a muscle injury. Weak in the ante-post markets since a substandard workout at STELLAR HOLIDAY WEEKEND AT THE SHORE Ballydoyle on Friday, last The Elite Summer Meet at Monmouth Park got off to year's impressive G1 Racing a fast start, and the brisk business continued through Post Trophy winner and Memorial Day weekend. champion juvenile was re- Over the three days of rac- ported to be sore by trainer ing offered over the holiday Aidan O'Brien, who ex- weekend in 2010, the at- plained in a statement on the tendance was 38,543, an Coolmore website, "St Nich- increase of 15.5 percent olas Abbey was due to work for the three comparable first thing this morning. St Nicholas Abbey Daily Mail days in 2009 (there were However, when he came out four days of racing over of his box, we noticed he was stiff behind. He had Memorial Day weekend last looked slightly stiff yesterday evening. His work on Bob Kulina Equi-Photo year). The on-track handle Friday last was a little lacklustre for him, and that was totaled $2,925,073, up 44 the first time we had seen anything different, but he percent from last year, and the total handle was was fine afterwards. He was immediately examined and $24,912,191, an eye-catching 122-percent jump from scanned by our vets this morning. They found a slight 2009. AThe numbers speak for themselves,@ Monmouth muscle injury high up in his hindquarter. This meant he Vice President and General Manager Bob Kulina re- could not work today, and we were advised to give him marked, adding with a chuckle, AFive days in, 45 more an easy few days. Obviously, this will preclude him to go. We were lucky with the weather, and I thought from running in the Investec Derby on Saturday. We the racing was very strong. I think there was a lot of always thought St Nicholas Abbey could walk on wa- energy and excitement in the building, and the reaction ter, and it is very unfortunate for all concerned to have from across the country in the world of simulcasting a setback like this so close to the big race." was pretty positive.@ On-track, the crowd showed a newfound loyalty to the local product. AWhat we've seen are the guys who might normally come [to Monmouth], but maybe look to bet more on tracks other than us, are now looking at us first and at a sec- ond signal less,@ Kulina explained. AOur field size had made it more attractive, as has the size of the pools. Players want to be able to bet into a large pool and not really change it, and I think that's what happening. A guy can go out there and make a fairly large wager and not worry about changing the board so much.@ Cont. p2 MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND AT MONMOUTH 2009 vs. 2010 Date Crowd On-Track Handle No. Races/Avg. Fld Size 5/23/09 10,350 $681,597 10/8.5 5/29/10 13,083 $1,048,158 12/9.4 5/24/09 11,452 $618,914 10/7.9 5/30/10 15,094 $1,069,140 12/9.3 5/25/09 11,565 $729,334 11/8.1 5/31/10 10,366 $807,775 12/8.8 TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 6/2/10 • PAGE 2 of 14 • thoroughbreddailynews.com Memorial Day Weekend at Monmouth cont. More for the Money... Bob Kulina cited an example of the value being of- fered on-track in Oceanport--Whoopi Kitten (Fusaichi Pegasus), owned by Kona Stable, trained by Patrick Biancone and ridden by local hero Joe Bravo, was let go at 11-1 in the sixth race Saturday. AWe had a maiden special weight race over the weekend with a 12-horse field, and the pool [for all wagers] was $1 million. The winner was a horse that Bravo rode, was well-intended, and it paid $25.20. That wouldn't have been the case in a six or seven-horse field. We have some big-name trainers and owners in these races that making for very competitive and tough racing, and right now it's reflect- ing in the handle.@ Pick 5 Gets Big Boost... Handle across the board has skyrocketed at vinery.com Monmouth this summer, but there is one type of wager that has surprised track officials with its robust turn- over. AOf all the things that have happened for us at Monmouth, the 50-cent Pick 5 has just been phenome- nal,@ Kulina offered. AThat is hard for me to compre- hend. We have never had any success in New Jersey having a Pick 5, a Pick 6, get to these big pool sizes. I think this was the third year [for the 50-cent Pick 5], and it was a nice bet--I think we had a carryover once where the pool was up to $70,000. Well, every day for the five days [of 2010], the pool has been more than $200,000 [averaging $275,000 a day, according to AThe big thing will be, at the end of the year, how Daily Racing Form]. And we got very lucky opening successful from a financial point of view was it?@ he day--we had a carryover into the second day of the continued. AIs it going to work for us, as well as for the meet, and the pool was $800,000.@ What has caused horsemen? But I do believe it was the only option out the upsurge in popularity? AI think it's the field size, and there. And I think it would be great if other tracks were the energy at the track,@ said Kulina. AAnd we're doing able to do this at various times of the year. At the end a lot of different marketing from the gaming side of of the day, we're all simulcasting, we're all selling bets, it--we have TVG on site, we're doing something with and we all have involvement in phone and internet the [Daily Racing Form] where they're focusing on the wagering and OTWs. We need to figure out, as an Pick 5, and, so far, the racing has been really good. industry, how to produce a better product. We're trying People are looking at it, and when you can get players to do it, and we're cautiously optimistic that it's going to look at these Pick bets, that means they're also to work for us. Right now we're extremely pleased.@ looking at the races, and so they're saving and covering Kulina is also thrilled that the local horsemen, who and doing all the stuff that the big players do. That, to signed off on the Elite Summer Meet, have fared. me, the most incredible thing.@ While Rick Dutrow Jr. and Todd Pletcher, two train- ers who have had successful strings at Monmouth for Keeping Up the Good Work... some years now, are on top of the standings, Jersey While the first five days of the meet have been every- conditioners such as Bruce Alexander, Sharon Huston, thing those involved in the experiment could have Terri Pompay, Tim Hills, Joe Orseno, Patricia Farro and hoped for, officials aren=t ready to rest on their laurels. Amy Tarrant have been reaping the rewards as well. AWe're looking at [the financials], obviously, every AWhen we were getting this accomplished, I kept week, but I think you need to run a meaningful number telling the Jersey guys, you're going to be fine, you of days before you can make a judgement,@ Kulina said. guys are going to do really well, you're better than you AI don't think you have to go to the end of the season, think,@ Kulina said. AAnd I think the Jersey guys have but you want to get through a couple months--at least been holding up well, the Jersey jocks have been win- to the Fourth of July. We haven't run any Fridays--what ning their fair share, and I'm pretty proud of how all of are they going to look like? Are those days going to get our horsemen are doing the first five days. I think that=s the Wednesday/Thursday regulars? the neatest thing that=s happened.@ P TDN HEADLINE NEWS • 6/2/10 • PAGE 3 of 14 • thoroughbreddailynews.com NEWS TODAY WHERE’S RACHEL? It has not yet been decided where, but Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d=Oro) will make her next start June 12, according to a statement sent out by owner Jess Jack- son yesterday. ARachel Alexandra=s condition continues to improve,@ Jackson said. AWe were impressed with Rachel=s Memorial Day work...[and] her next work is Monday, June 7. Assuming she continues to progress, we are considering one of the following June 12 races for Rachel=s next preparation: the [GI] Stephen Foster H. [at Churchill], the [GII] Fleur de Lis H. [Churchill], the [GI] Ogden Phipps H. [Belmont] or the [GIII] Obeah S. [Delaware Park]. Our ultimate goal has not changed in scheduling Rachel Alexandra=s campaign this year. We are getting her back to her fitness level of last year, with the long term hope to race her in the Breeders= Cup this fall.@ INVESTEC DERBY Epsom, June 5 Fallon Rides Al Zir..