Grading the
three-year-old pacing colts
Grade 1
Breeders
Crown—Pocono—October--$500,000
The 2012 BC for
sophomore pacing colts carried a $547,000 purse. On the other hand, the NA Cup
purse was $1.5 million; the M Pace, Adios and Fan Hanover all carried $600,000 purses; the Confederation Cup was
raced for more than $580,000; and the Battle of Brandywine and Tattersalls both
carry purses in excess of $500,000. The 2009 Messenger was raced for about
$5,000 less than the 2012 BC.
Jeff Gural’s
new end-of-season FFA series will utilize the BC as a leg in which points are
accumulated toward the $500,000 final. Will this give the Allerage and BC a
lift, or diminish the latter? With top tier races like the Nadia, Governor’s
Cup, Three Diamonds, Valley Victory and Goldsmith Maid returning to the fall
meet at the Meadowlands—post-BC—the image of the Breeders Crown series is bound to be altered.
Also, while
the folks in Ontario are determined to maintain high purses for the NA Cup, Fan
and Confederation Cup, one assumes there will be cuts.
Meadowlands
Pace—M1—July--$600,000 in 2012
The purse
was cut 40% in 2012. In the first two editions of the Pace, when the
eliminations and final were held on the same day, the purse for the final was
425K and 280K respectively. Only twice through 2011 did it dip below a million
dollars—in 1987 and 1999…..In 2011 RWJ won from the eight at 5/1, while OML won
from the eight at 3/1 in 2010.
Confederation
Cup—Flamboro—August--$581,000 in 2012
Since 1977.
Governor Armbro, Abercrombie. Cam Fella, OTRA, Jate, Matt’s Scooter, Art Major
and SBSW all won the CC……Michaels Power up the Passing lane in 2012 and
Bestofbest Hanover via the same route in 2011…. Heats.
Little Brown Jug—Delaware, Ohio—September--$234,000 final in 2012
Adios—Meadows—July--$600,000
Two 50K
eliminations in 2012….Duer won the Adios in a :47.4 WR and paid $25.Since 1967. Laverne, MHF, Albatross and Governor Skipper have won the Adios.
Many of the
top colts skip the race. Eight of the first ten editions of the Adios were won
by division winners, while only one division winner counts among the last ten
winners of the race.
Max Hempt
Memorial—Pocono—end of June--$300,000
Another race
that many of the top colts skip….From 2001. Was William Miller prior to
that…..In 2012 Dance beat Allstar and Duer at 17/1 from the eight. Kingcole was
the 3/5 favorite from the three followed by Duer at 8/5 from the rail…..Custard
beat Powerful Mist in 2011.
Battle Of
Brandywine—Harrah’s—August--$500,000
Super
Sunday….$200K open consolation and 100K consolation…..Dance in a :48.1 stakes
record in 2012. He was on top of the mountain that day. It was all downhill
from there.
Heats…..Lou’s
sweet redemption….Alsace in 2011 over Westwardho and Fashion Delight for 486K
North
American Cup—Mohawk—June--$1.5 million
Messenger—Yonkers—November--$416,000
in 2012
Despite the
purse, this is a soft one. I’ll hold my nose and make it a one. The Messenger
is one of three legs of the traditional Triple Crown, but it’s fallen out of
favor and very few nominate to it. The brass at Yonkers has termed this
disinterest on the part of owners and trainers a disgrace. Steps are being
taken this year to make the race more affordable. Short fields featuring one big
fish are the norm in most of the November/December stakes and this one is no
exception.
There was no
elimination round needed this year; seven colts and a gelding entered.
Hillbilly was the curious 3/2 choice from the rail. Duer turned the tables on
Pet Rock…. RWJ crushed a weak field in 2011, paying $2.10…..In 2010 Heaven was
four lengths the best in a five horse field, after being supplemented in for
60K. He paid $2.60. In 2009 the purse was $542,000. If I Can Dream won it that
year…..This is a RR stakes race that has made some strange stops since that
track died.
Grade 2
Cane
Pace—Tioga in 2012—September--$323,000 in 2012
The Cane was
held at YR through 1997. It was moved from Freehold to Tioga in 2011, but got
washed out and had to be raced at Pocono……Outsider Dynamic Youth won in 2012,
but only paid $2.90 because he was coupled with Dance……HBC and State Treasurer
were supplemented to the race……There was a single $107,000 elimination.
Art Rooney
Memorial—Yonkers—June--$300,000
Talk about a
race nobody cares about? The Rooney’s purchased a controlling interest in
Yonkers from the estates of Martin and Alfred Tannenbaum in 1971. The Rooney
dates back to 1989. Pet Rock snuck up the passing lane to beat Duer in
2012…..Peelers won at 1/9 in 2011. She was part of a three horse Takter entry.
There were only four betting interests….In 2010 OML beat three others in a NB
contest. Enough said. Can I make a 300K single dash a three or four?
Raced in
divisions most years…Panther Hanover (9/1) beat Dance in a single 12 horse dash
in 2012. Michaels Power was third…..Odysseus Blue Chip and UTC in 2011…..From
1962
Formerly the
Burlington…Two relatively weak divisions in 2012. Michaels Power and
Secretsoftheknight won those.
Bluegrass—Lexington—October--$200,000
Split….In
2012 TOL beat Bettor’s Edge and Pet Rock in one 100K division and Mel Mara beat
Sweet Lou and Escape The News in the other……In 2011 Hugadragon won one division
and BBJ beat UTC and Westwardho in the other.
While most
tracks simply accept it when not enough nominees surface to require an
elimination round, Dover requires those entered in the PP to race in a Preview
Pace the week before. And since the Messenger, American National and Ontario
Gold Series Super Finals all take place the day before the PP
eliminations/Preview, this forces connections to make some tough choices in
November……Good field in 2012: HBC (1/9) over TOL and Bettor’s Edge….In 2011
Westwardho (2/1) beat Alsace and Rock To Glory for a 330K purse. Soft field,
overall…..Another soft field in 2010 as Rockin Image (1/2) beat Delmarvalous
for a 320K purse.
Matron—Dover—December--$176,000
final in 2012
A couple of
30K eliminations in 2012…..HBC (1/2) over TOL and Escape The News…..Hugadragon
(1/9) as part of an entry with second place Westwardho for 221K in 2011. Soft
field…..In 2010 only five entered as Heaven (1/9) beat Delmarvalous and Rockin
Image. Again, an odds on killer in a field of lambs is the end of season norm.
Cleveland
Classic—Northfield—December--$130,000 in 2012
The season
finale…..Short field in 2012, but with more quality than is generally the case.
Duer over Pet Rock and TOL….162K purse in 2011. Ten horse field. Westwardho
(1/5) over Mystic Desire….1/5 OML over Valentino for 172K in 2010…..As is the
case with the Battle of Lake Erie, the purse keeps dropping.
Monument
Circle—Indy—November--$250,000
Good field
in 2012. Bettor’s Edge (5/2) over Dynamic Youth and Breakin The Law. Sweet Lou,
Kingcole, Dance and Dapper Dude were also in the field……In 2011 3/5 Hugadragon
(entry) won. Glitter in 2010.
Pet Rock
(3/5) over Dynamic Youth (5/1) and Dance (7/1)…..175K purse in 2011. Cheddar
(1/9) over Mystic Desire.
American
National—Balmoral—November--$260,000
Our Lucky
Chip (9/2) over Dynamic Youth (8/5) and Easy Again….225K purse in 2011. Cheddar
(3/5) over Hugadragon and Mystic Desire.
Sorry to see
the Holmes go…..1976-2011.....Raced in divisions most years…..Two 100K splits
in 2011….Shadyshark (21/1) over Hugadragon and RWJ (1/1). Also, BBJ at even
money. The Holmes gave good value for relatively short money.
The same
goes for the Berry’s Creek being eliminated after 2010. That year Heaven won.
The purse was 220K. The Matt’s Scooter was also discontinued in 2011.
Hanover—Balmoral—July—2
$31,000 divisions in 2012
Maywood
Pace—June--$123,000 final in 2012
Diplomat—Woodbine—May--$75,000
Previously
the Mohawk Pace….from 2005…..For nw 100k previous year….80K final in 2011
John
Simpson—Tioga--$48,000 in 2011
No 2012….No
2009….Was Hanover-Hempt
Tompkins-Geers—Tioga--$35,000
in 2012
Reynolds—two
divisions in 2012, three in 2011 and three in 2010
Circle
City—Indy—October--$45,000 divisions
Junior
Trendsetter—Meadowlands—February--$58,000 in 2012
Review—Springfield—since
1900
3 comments:
Did I miss the Little Brown Jug while reading this entry?
No doubt an oversight. The author has been informed. I would expect an update.
The article has been updated. The LBJ is listed as a Grade 1 race.
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