And Zenyatta Us Wagering Down Nearly 10% in 2009
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Visit the TDN Website: Charge Forward Colt Tops www.thoroughbreddailynews.com Magic Millions Opener, p3 THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010 For information about TDN, call 732-747-8060. HOY DOWN TO ‘RACHEL’ AND ZENYATTA U.S. WAGERING DOWN NEARLY 10% IN 2009 As expected, 2009 Horse of the Year consideration The Equibase Company yesterday released its final will come down to the sport=s two dominant female figures for the number of dollars wagered on racing in superstars, the three-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra the United States in 2009, as well as purse totals at (Medaglia d=Oro) and the five-year- U.S. tracks for the year. Handle in the U.S., which old mare Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}). included worldwide commingled wagering on certain The showdown was made official U.S. races, was $12,319,129,673, a 9.88-percent yesterday when the National Thor- decline from 2008. Purses were also down, though to a oughbred Racing Association (NTRA), National Turf Writers Asso- lesser extent. Purses in the U.S. totaled ciation (NTWA) and Daily Racing $1,093,875,799 in 2009, down 5.59 percent. Alex Form announced the finalists for the Waldrop, president and CEO of the National Thorough- 39th annual Eclipse Awards, to be bred Racing Association, said things could have been handed out at the Beverly Wilshire worse. AA decline of this magnitude for the year is Hotel in Beverly Hills Jan. 18. nothing to celebrate, but it does compare favorably to Though the finalists for Horse of the that of many other industries in 2009, especially when Year are typically not announced in combined with an overall decline in the number of race advance of the ceremony, the pair dates,@ said Waldrop. AAlso, the decrease in the rate of were so dominant in 2009 that ‘Rachel’ Sarah Andrew decline over the final two quarters may indicate that the championships in their respective worst is behind us. I believe that horseracing will re- divisions are all but a given, with verse these trends in the years ahead, especially as we the only question being who will develop new ways to capitalize on our unique right to walk away with the night=s big prize. conduct legal, online wagering.@ According to a release, >Rachel= and Zenyatta were the only two horses to receive votes in the Horse of the THOROUGHBRED RACING ECONOMIC Year category. >Rachel= went eight- INDICATORS FOR DECEMBER 2009 for-eight in 2009, with a trio of Grade I wins over males, while Indicator U.S. Wagering* U.S. Purses Zenyatta was unbeaten in five ef- Dec. 2009 $748,685,618 $58,742,586 forts, including a victory in the Dec. 2008 $820,358,357 $60,123,263 GI Breeders= Cup Classic. Several other categories figure to % Change -8.74% -2.30% be tight, as well. The two-year-old filly race will likely come down to GI Zenyatta Sarah Andrew YEAR-END INDICATORS FOR 2009 Breeders= Cup Juvenile Fillies winner She Be Wild (Offlee Wild) against dual Grade I winner Indicator U.S. Wagering* U.S. Purses Blind Luck (Pollard=s Vision), while the older male divi- sion finds Einstein (Brz) (Spend a Buck), Gio Ponti (Tale 2009 $12,319,129,673 $1,093,875,799 of the Cat) and Kodiak Kowboy (Posse) battling it out. 2008 $13,669,477,234 $1,158,616,930 In the sprint division, Kodiak Kowboy (Posse) and % Change -9.88% -5.59% Zensational (Unbridled=s Song) represent an East Coast vs. West Coast battle for supremacy, with GI Breeders= Stats provided by Equibase Company Cup Sprint hero Dancing in Silks (Black Minnaloushe) also making the cut. Cont. p2 *Includes worldwide commingled wagering on U.S. races. www.hillndalefarms.com TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 1/7/10 • PAGE 2 of 8 • thoroughbreddailynews.com 2009 ECLIPSE AWARDS FINALISTS HORSE OF THE YEAR Horse (Sire) Major 2009 Victory Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d’Oro) GI Preakness/Haskell/Woodward Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}) GI BC Classic TWO-YEAR-OLD MALE Lookin at Lucky (Smart Strike) GI CashCall/Norfolk Noble’s Promise (Cuvee) GI Dixiana Futurity Vale of York (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) GI BC Juvenile TWO-YEAR-OLD FILLY Blind Luck (Pollard’s Vision) GI Hollywood Starlet Hot Dixie Chick (Dixie Union) GI Spinaway She Be Wild (Offlee Wild) GI BC Juvenile Fillies THREE-YEAR-OLD MALE Mine That Bird (Birdstone) GI Kentucky Derby Quality Road (Elusive Quality) GI Florida Derby Summer Bird (Birdstone) GI Belmont/Travers/JCGC THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLY Careless Jewel (Tapit) GI Alabama Flashing (A.P. Indy) GI Test Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d’Oro) GI Preakness/Haskell/Woodward TURF HORSE - FEMALE Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa) GI BC Mile OLDER MALE Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) GI BC F/M Turf Einstein (Brz) (Spend a Buck) GI Santa Anita H. Ventura (Chester House) GI Matriarch/Woodbine Mile Gio Ponti (Tale of the Cat) GI Arlington Million/Manhattan Kodiak Kowboy (Posse) GI Carter/Vosburgh STEEPLECHASER Mixed Up (Carnivalay) GI Colonial Cup OLDER FEMALE Red Letter Day (Red Ransom) GI Lonesome Glory Life Is Sweet (Storm Cat) GI BC Ladies Classic Spy in the Sky (Thunder Gulch) GI NY Turf Writers’ Cup H. Music Note (A.P. Indy) GI Ballerina Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}) GI BC Classic HUMAN CONNECTIONS SPRINTER - MALE OWNER: Godolphin Racing, Juddmonte Farms, Mr. and Mrs. Jerome S. Dancing in Silks (Black Minnaloushe) GI BC Sprint Moss Kodiak Kowboy (Posse) GI Carter/Vosburgh Zensational (Unbridled’s Song) GI Pat O’ Brien BREEDER: Adena Springs, Juddmonte Farms, Dolphus C. Morrison SPRINTER - FEMALE TRAINER: Steve Asmussen, Bob Baffert, John Shirreffs Informed Decision (Monarchos) GI BC F/M Sprint Music Note (A.P. Indy) GI Ballerina JOCKEY: Ramon Dominguez, Garrett Gomez, Julien Leparoux Ventura (Chester House) GI Santa Monica APPRENTICE JOCKEY: Luis Batista, Christian Santiago Reyes, Luis TURF HORSE - MALE Saez Conduit (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) GI BC Turf Gio Ponti (Tale of the Cat) GI Arlington Million/GI Manhattan All horses in the TDN are bred in North America, Presious Passion (Royal Anthem) GI United Nations unless otherwise indicated P TDN HEADLINE NEWS • 1/7/10 • PAGE 3 of 8 • thoroughbreddailynews.com MAGIC MILLIONS GOLD COAST YEARLING SALE Jan. 6-8, 10 & 14, 11 a.m.; Jan. 9, 7 p.m. FULL TO G1SW HEADWAY TOPS MM OPENER A full brother to G1SW and G1 Golden Slipper S. runner-up Headway (Aus) (Charge Forward {Aus}-- Chatelaine {Aus}, by Flying Spur {Aus}) brought a final bid of A$500,000 (A$1 = US$0.919) to top the opening session of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in Queensland, Australia, yesterday. Consigned by Turangga Farm, the bay was purchased by Headway=s trainer, Pe- ter Moody, who was bidding on behalf of a MM Topper magicmillions.com.au partnership made up of several of his clients. AHe's a lovely colt,@ Moody said, adding, AHe's a bit bigger than his sister.@ The condi- tioner has been keeping an eye on the colt since soon after he was foaled. AI've seen him since he was small, and I've always liked him,@ Moody remarked. AI=m happy to have him coming to the stables to train. And he might look pretty cheap if his sister comes out in a few weeks and wins the TOP FIVE - MM WEDNESDAY Lightning.@ Headway, first or second in eight of her Hip Sex Sire Dam Price (A$) 10 career starts, captured 122 c Charge Forward (Aus) Chatelaine (Aus) 500,000 the G1 Coolmore Stud Consigned by Turangga Farm Ascot Vale S. by a nose Purchased by Peter Moody Racing Peter Moody brisbanetimes.com.au at Flemington in her latest 151 fRedoute's Choice (Aus) Covertly (Aus) 470,000 appearance Oct. 31. She Consigned by Arrowfield Stud, agent is slated to return in the 1000-meter G1 Lightning S. at Purchased by Darley Australia Flemington Jan. 30. Moody was the leading buyer at 158 c Encosta de Lago (Aus) Crowned Glory (Aus) 350,000 the Magic Millions opener, picking up six yearlings for a Consigned by Widden Stud, agent total of A$1.1 million. The Hong Kong Jockey Club was Purchased by Hong Kong Jockey Club next, paying A$1,080,000 for four yearlings; the 118 f Fastnet Rock (Aus) Cathie's Lane (Aus) 340,000 Ingham family laid out A$730,000 on five yearlings, Consigned by Widden Stud, agent while Cups King Anthony Cummings spent A$720,000 Purchased by Bill Mitchell on six lots. AThere was a great buying bench on hand 107 c Starcraft (NZ) Burningwood 340,000 today, and they competed for a great line-up of young- Consigned by Arrowfield Stud, agent sters,@ Magic Millions Managing Director David Chester Purchased by Peter Caporn remarked. AThere were buyers on hand from every state in the country, as well as many overseas locations.@ Magic Millions Coverage cont. p4 Chester added that, while he was encouraged by the Gold Coast opener, he expected the sale to get stron- You can also pick up a copy of the TDN ger. AI=m hoping for the clearance rate to rise tomorrow today at the during the second session,@ he said. AThere are some Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. lovely prospects to go under the hammer.@ Bidding starts at 11 a.m. today. TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 1/7/10 • PAGE 4 of 8 • thoroughbreddailynews.com Magic Millions Coverage cont. Magic Millions Lobbying for World’s Richest Race... Gerry Harvey, John Singleton, Rob Ferguson and Katie Page-Harvey, the owners of Magic Millions, have collectively committed $5 million (U.S.) toward the purse of the 2011 Magic Millions 2YO Classic.