Between The Hedges: The importance of the New York breeding program

by NYRA Press Office

• Between The Hedges: The importance of the New York breeding program
• Bi-weekly stat pack
• The Big Ticket: A $216 Pick 6 investment returns $118,504
• A look back…a look ahead
• NYRA Bets upcoming promotions

The following is the latest edition of a bi-weekly series entitled Between The Hedges, discussing the business of betting with a focus on trending wagering topics and statistics. This week’s column is penned by Joe Longo, NYRA General Manager of Content Services. Send your questions for Between The Hedges to [email protected].

ELMONT, N.Y. - The New York State breeding program plays a pivotal role in the racing calendar at New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) tracks throughout the year. 

Highlighted by three state-bred stakes days during the Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course meets, state-bred restricted races represent more than 30 percent of the races run at NYRA tracks. 

"The New York breeding program is critical to the success of racing at Aqueduct, Belmont and Saratoga," said William Alempijevic, Executive Director of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association. "Combining the opportunity to race in restricted races with the success of New York-breds in open company and parlaying with the lucrative incentives, New York-breds offer a tremendous opportunity to our owner and trainer members alike."

The state-bred stakes days have grown over the last several years. The Belmont spring/summer meet’s Big Apple Showcase Day, which this year offered six restricted stakes worth $900,000 in total purse money, was first run on Memorial Day in 2015 and has maintained that spot on the racing calendar.

 In 2015, the total handle on Big Apple Showcase Day was $10,923,487 and has since averaged $12,123,152, reaching a highwater mark of $14,181,204 in 2018. 

The Saratoga summer meet’s New York Showcase Day is offered on the Friday before Travers Week, and boasted handle of $16,440,423 in 2015. The lucrative state-bred card, to be held this year on August 27 at the Spa, will feature six stakes for state-breds worth a combined $1.15 million.

The popular New York Showcase Day at Saratoga has averaged handle of $18,397,837, reaching as high as $19,337,739 in 2018. 

The Empire Showcase Day card at the Belmont fall meet has also enjoyed success, averaging $12,547,341 in handle dating back to 2015. 

State-bred restricted offerings vary by meet. In 2020, 33 percent of the races run at Aqueduct Racetrack were state-bred restricted, while Belmont Park [32 percent] and Saratoga [28 percent] also offered a significant number of races restricted to horses bred in the Empire State.

In 2019, 35 percent of the races run at Aqueduct were state bred restricted, slightly higher than the state-bred offerings at Belmont [31 percent] and Saratoga [25 percent]. 

The purses tendered for these races reflect the importance of the state-bred program with over $28 million in purse money offered at NYRA tracks in 2020, representing 27 percent of the total purses for the year. In 2019, the total purses offered at NYRA tracks for New York-bred races exceeded $40 million, representing 24 percent of the total purses for the year. 

From a handle perspective, over $630 million - or 34 percent of total handle - was wagered on state-bred races in 2020, while in 2019 almost $660 million - or 31 percent of total handle - was derived from state-bred races. The strong handle numbers are directly correlated to their participation with average field size of almost nine runners in the last several years. 

New York-breds were competitive in open company last year as well, highlighted by Tiz the Law’s victory in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets and the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers at Saratoga.

In 2020, 25 percent of the open-company races run at Aqueduct were won by New York-breds, followed by 15 percent at Belmont Park and 11 percent at Saratoga, amounting to winning 18 percent of the total open-company races run during the year. In 2019, the results were similar.

In addition to New York-bred restricted purse money, there are also breeder and stallion incentives offered within the state. Breeders awards are given to the owner of the mare at the time the mare foals in the state. 

There are two tiers available for breeders awards based on purse money earned. The tiers are based on whether the horse is a New York-sired New York-bred by a registered New York stallion or a non-New York-sired New York-bred, sired by an out-of-state stallion or non-registered New York-stallion. 

New York-sired first-place finishers receive an additional 30 percent bonus, with second and third-place finishers awarded an additional 15 percent capped at $40,000 per award. 

For Non-New York-sired horses, first-place finishers receive an additional 15 percent, with second and third-place finishers awarded an additional 7.5 percent capped at $20,000 per award.

Stallion owners’ awards are available for all races run in New York and are paid to owners of stallions registered in the state at the time of conception. The awards are 10 percent of purse money earned for first through third place by progeny of registered New York stallions capped at $10,000 per award. 

In addition to the awards above, there is an additional open owner’s award for all open-company races in New York with a minimum claiming price of $30,000. There are two tiers similar in structure to the breeders awards.

For New York sired horses, first through third place finishers receive an additional 20 percent of the purse money capped at $20,000 per award. For non-New York-sired horses, first through third place finishers receive an additional 10 percent of the purse money capped at $20,000 per award.

The various incentives, purse money offered, and opportunities to run highlight that is pays to be a New York-bred on the NYRA circuit. 

Send your questions for Between The Hedges to [email protected].

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Bi-weekly stat pack

The bi-weekly stat pack provides a snapshot of who's hot over the past two weeks at Belmont Park versus year-to-date, including Top Trainer by ROI; Top Jockey by ROI; and Top Jockey and Trainer Combination by wins.

Jockey Jose Lezcano has been on a tear through the period of May 29 to June 13 at Belmont Park, winning with 12-of-52 mounts for an ROI of $10.66 on his return from surgeries to his left knee and left shoulder. Lezcano was a perfect 2-for2 in tandem with Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen during the relevant period for an ROI of $6.15.

Dylan Davis, also recently returned from injury, won with 3-of-16 starts for a lofty ROI of $10.66.

Of the locally-based trainers, Asmussen has won with 6-of-12 starters during the past two weeks for an ROI of $3.60.

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The Big Ticket: A $216 Pick 6 investment returns $118,504

On Saturday, June 12, a horseplayer invested $216 into the $1 Pick at Belmont Park and connected for a return of $118,504.

The ticket went as follows: 2,3/1,5,6/2,6,9/1,5/3,11,12/6,13

The sequence kicked off in Race 5 as Control Group [No. 2, $9.70] prevailed by a length over the ticket’s other choice – Too Early [No. 3] - in a one-mile optional claiming event under Hall of Famer Javier Castellano for trainer Wayne Potts.

The winning ticket ran 1-2-3 in the second leg as Jose Lezcano engineered a massive upset, guiding Miss Delicious [No. 1, $53] to a frontrunning score for trainer David Donk over Angelou [No. 6] and Infinite Potential [No. 5] in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up on the inner turf. The $0.50 trifecta returned $130.75.

After the even-money mutuel favorite Entreat missed the break, Whispering Pines [No. 9, $11.80] rallied to win Race 7, a seven-furlong main track sprint with Jose Ortiz up for conditioner Horacio Depaz.

Sadie Lady [No. 5, $4.90] went to the lead and never looked back to capture the $100,000 Dancin Renee, a six-furlong sprint for older state-bred fillies and mares in Race 8. Trained by Rob Atras and piloted by Jose Ortiz, the dark bay daughter of Freud stopped the clock in 1:11.05.

The winning ticket produced another 1-2-3 finish in Race 9 as Lezcano engineered a second longshot win on the turf in Race 9, guiding Holiday Stone [No. 11, $14.60] to victory over Ghoul [No. 3] and Duress [No. 12] in a six-furlong optional-claiming sprint on the inner turf. The $0.50 trifecta returned $132.25.

With only post-time favorite Mondeuse [No. 4], Barre [No. 6] and Freedom Machine [No. 13, $9.70] covered in the Pick 6 in Race 10, a 1 1/16-mile maiden claiming event on the Widener turf, the ticket endured some drama when Barre was scratched at the gate moving the punter’s selection onto Mondeuse.

Although the race resulted in an exciting finish, the winning punter could celebrate the length of the stretch run as Freedom Machine and Mondeuse engaged in a stirring battle with Freedom Machine notching a narrow nose win to give Lezcano his third score in the sequence and fourth on the card.

To learn more about the Pick 6, visit a previous edition of Between The Hedges entitled, 'Picking apart the Pick 6': https://www.nyra.com/belmont/news/between-the-hedges-picking-apart-the-pick-6.

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A look back…a look ahead

Last Saturday saw Sadie Lady capture the featured $100,000 Dancin Renee, a six-furlong sprint for older New York-bred fillies and mares. Read the recap: https://www.nyra.com/belmont/news/%E2%80%8Bsadie-lady-goes-gate-to-wire-to-win-dancin-renee

There will be plenty of exciting racing action this week at Belmont Park, where live racing will be conducted Thursday through Sunday. Saturday’s stakes offerings include a pair of New York Stallion Stakes Series races at seven furlongs on the turf, including the $150,000 Cupecoy’s Joy for sophomore fillies and the $150,000 Spectacular Bid for sophomores. On Sunday, older horses will contest at one mile on turf in the Grade 3, $250,000 Poker.

For FREE TimeformUS analysis and selections for races from Belmont Park, visit: https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/timeformus/.

FREE daily NYRA selections are available from analysts Andy Serling and Anthony Stabile. Watch Serling and Stabile discuss the card each live race day from Belmont Park on Talking Horses: https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/talking-horses.

Check out NYRA Notes for insights into recent races and the inside scoop on contenders for upcoming events with quotes from the connections: https://www.nyra.com/belmont/news/notes.

Belmont Park spring / summer meet Week 9 probables

Saturday, June 19, 2021

$150,000 NYSSS Spectacular Bid

Probable: Dancing Buck (Michelle Nevin), Devious Mo (Rudy Rodriguez), Hold the Salsa (Richard Lugovich), Jacks American Pie (Chad Summers), King Moonracer (George Weaver), Ocala Dream (Tom Morley), Sinful Dancer (George Weaver)

$150,000 NYSSS Cupecoy’s Joy

Probable: Ava’s Grace (Robertino Diodoro), Barrel of Bliss (James Ferraro), Lot of Honey (James Ferraro), Proper Grammar (Christophe Clement), Shaker Shack (Patrick Reynolds), Shesadirtydancer (Rudy Rodriguez), Show Me the Honey (Michelle Nevin), Sport Model (Christophe Clement), Sweeter (Edward Barker)
Possible: Adriatic Rose (David Donk)

Sunday, June 20

Grade 3, $250,000 Poker

Probable: Flavius (Chad Brown), Get Smokin (Tom Bush), Oleksandra (Neil Drysdale), Penalty (Bill Mott), Raased (Alison Escobar), Raging Bull (Chad Brown), Sanctuary City (James Ferraro), Tell Your Daddy (Tom Morley) 

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NYRA Bets promotions

There are a number of special offers currently available to NYRA Bets players, including the 50/50/50 Belmont, Churchill Downs and Santa Anita Park bonus on Saturday.

Saturday’s racing action includes the NYSSS Cupecoy's Joy and NYSSS Spectacular Bid at Belmont, the Roxelana at Churchill Downs and the San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap at Santa Anita Park. Play Saturday's best racing for a $15 bonus - win or lose! Here's how to earn the bonus:

• Opt-in to qualify
• Bet at least $50 each on Belmont Park, Churchill Downs and Santa Anita Park
• Earn $15 win or lose!

Customer must bet at least $50 each on Belmont Park, Churchill Downs and Santa Anita Park to qualify. Customer must opt-in to qualify. Show bets do not qualify for the promotion. Bonus will be placed in player account within 48 hours of race day. Customer must be in good standing to receive the bonus.

For more information, visit www.NYRABets.com.