Between The Hedges: When it comes to racing festivals, bigger is better

by NYRA Press Office

The following is the ninth 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. - Belmont Stakes Day is the highest handling day on the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) racing calendar each season and that success has grown over the last several years.

Headlined by the 153rd running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on Saturday, June 5, this year’s three-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival kicks off on Thursday, June 3 and will include 17 stakes races in total with eight Grade 1 races to be contested on Belmont Stakes Day.

The big-day concept was launched at the 2014 Belmont Stakes, the first under NYRA Senior Vice President of Racing Operations Martin Panza, by bundling together major stakes races to showcase the best our sport has to offer at a time when most eyes are watching.

The 2014 Belmont Stakes featured a Triple Crown attempt by California Chrome. Triple Crown attempts have a material impact on the amount wagered and partnered with the newly implemented multi-stakes concept, total commingled handle was $151,109,373 with $90,865,532 bet on the Belmont Stakes itself. 

The 2015 Belmont Stakes, which featured American Pharoah’s successful Triple Crown run, boasted handle of $135,790,321 with $81,681,147 wagered on the third jewel.

In 2018, when Justify became the 13th Triple Crown winner, handle was $137,954,903 with $79,730,023 wagered on the Belmont Stakes. 

Excluding the 2020 Belmont Stakes, which was contested at nine furlongs as the first leg of the Triple Crown, handle averaged $98,416,407 with $50,230,988 bet on the race for non-Triple Crown years under the new race day configuration. 

Under the former non big-day concept from 2009 through 2013, average handle on Belmont Stakes Day was $86,438,946 with $49,976,130 wagered on the “Test of the Champion.”

The inaugural Belmont Stakes Racing Festival was created in 2015, tying together three race days beginning on the Thursday of Belmont Stakes week and culminating on Belmont Stakes Day. 

From 2015 through 2019, Belmont Stakes Racing Festival Thursday has averaged $9,079,847 with a high-water mark of $10,309,890 in 2017.

Compared to years 2009 through 2014, the same day averaged $6,608,287. 

Over this same time frame, Belmont Stakes Racing Festival Friday has averaged $17,918,109 with a high of $20,839,703. From 2009 through 2014, the same day averaged $10,562,201. 

So, what about the remainder of the big days on the NYRA racing calendar?

The top-five days by average daily handle over the last five years (2015-2019) are led by the Belmont Stakes Day ($113,798,889) followed by Travers Day ($49,470,410) Whitney Day ($30,340,281), Woodward Day ($28,050,290) and Jim Dandy Day ($27,481,055). 

Stars & Stripes Day, another concept that began in 2014, has grown steadily since inception when its handle was $18,829,264. Stars & Stripes Day handle has grown steadily over the years reaching $25,766,176 in 2019. Stars & Stripes Day did not take place in 2020 due to restructuring of the stakes calendar caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Average daily handle (net of partial cancellations) has also increased steadily since the introduction of the big-day concept. In 2014, the average daily handle was $8,760,208. In the years 2015 through 2019, daily handle averaged $9,644,765 and a high of $9,906,155 in 2019. For 2020, average daily handle was $11,553,727 representing an increase of $2,793,519 or 32 percent since 2014. 

Supporting these big race days along with daily overnight races are purse offerings that averaged $761,567 daily and $170 million annually over a period of five years predating 2020. The three days of the 2019 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival alone saw almost $11 million in purse money distributed.  

The results reinforce the growth of the big-day concept and is further solidified by the increase in daily average handle over this time frame. By coupling marquee days with our broadcast television strategy and robust purse offerings, more eyes are on our content than ever before and horseplayers are supporting it on a daily basis.  

For additional information and details on hospitality offerings, ticket packages and pricing, visit BelmontStakes.com. For full terms and conditions, visit https://www.belmontstakes.com/tickets.

For additional information on health and safety protocols in effect for the 2021 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, please visit: https://www.belmontstakes.com/tickets/know-before-you-go.

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.

Also featured in this report is listing of the highest mutuel payouts of the past two weeks versus year-to-date, as well as a look at NYRA's bi-weekly handle, including average field size; number of race days; and daily average handle.

Christophe Clement [8-for-25, ROI $3.48] posted a consistent record for the relevant two-week period of May 8 - May 23, while Patrick Reynolds [6-for-14, $7.61] leads all trainers by ROI [five starts minimum] year to date.

Hall of Famer John Velazquez enjoyed a productive two-week stretch winning with 7-of-26 mounts for a $1.89 ROI, including a record of 6-for-9 in tandem with trainer Wesley Ward for an ROI of $3.42. Irad Ortiz, Jr. won with 3-of-4 mounts for trainer Mike Maker over the past two weeks, garnering an ROI of $5.30.

For a closer look at the bi-weekly stat pack, click this link.

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The Big Ticket: A $108 Pick 6 investment returns $141K

On Sunday May 16, a horseplayer invested $108 into the Pick 6 for a return of $141,182.50 in the multi-race sequence featuring a $1 minimum bet at Belmont Park.

The ticket went as follows: 1,4,5/1/1,9,12/1,3,5/2,7/6,10

The $1 Pick 6, implemented at the current 48-day Belmont spring/summer meet, featured a single-day carryover of $36,011 on May 16 with the successful bettor using just three horses in opening leg as Colormepazzi [No. 1, $6.10] romped to an 8 1/2-length victory for trainer Chris Englehart in a 6 ½-furlong claiming sprint on the fast main track.

In Race 5, the bettor singled 11-1 shot Molino [No. 1, $24.60], who made a winning debut in a maiden-claiming turf route under Manny Franco for four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown.

Bay Jewel [No. 9, $20.20] upset the third leg, a six-furlong starter allowance on the Belmont turf, with a prominent 3 3/4-length score under Jose Lezcano for conditioner Patrick Reynolds.

The string of multiple open-length winners continued in Race 7 as Calibogue Sound [No. 3, $6.80] edged clear to a 4 3/4-length score under Luis Saez in the six-furlong maiden claimer over Big Sandy. Jeremiah Englehart conditioned the winner.

In the penultimate leg, Big Package [No. 7, $5] exploded late in the lane to secure a three-length win in a six-furlong inner turf sprint. Irad Ortiz, Jr. engineered the winning trip for trainer and co-owner David Donk.

With the ticket two deep in the final leg to close out the sequence, the winning bettor endured a dramatic stretch run as Mike Luzzi guided Coragescontender [No. 6, $24.80] to a rallying half-length score while being unseated at the wire. Both horse and rider were OK and reunited in the winner’s circle for a memorable photo. Catch That Party [No. 1] held second by a neck over Time to Testify [No. 5] in a blanket finish.

Featuring a $1 bet minimum and 15 percent takeout, the Pick 6 wager requires bettors to select the first-place finisher of six designated races on the card. A total of 75 percent of the full pool, minus takeout, will be distributed to bettors who select the first-place finisher of all six races. A consolation payout of 25 percent of the net pool will be distributed to tickets selecting 5-of-6 winners.

In the event there are no tickets with six winners, there will be a carryover of 75 percent of the net pool into the next day of the meet with the remaining 25 percent of the net pool distributed as a consolation payout to tickets selecting the first-place finisher in the greatest number of races on the card. On carryover days, the Pick 6 is offered with a 24 percent takeout.

The $1 Pick 6 replaced the Empire 6, a jackpot style wager featuring a $0.20 bet minimum first offered in August 2019 at Saratoga Race Course.

Learn more about the Pick 6 in a previous edition of Between The Hedges: https://www.nyra.com/belmont/news/between-the-hedges-picking-apart-the-pick-6.

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A look back…a look ahead

On Saturday, Get Smokin, trained by Tom Bush for Mary Abeel Sullivan Revocable Trust, set a controlled pace to capture the $100,000 Seek Again by three-quarters of a length in the one-mile Widener turf test for older horses. Read the recap: https://www.nyra.com/belmont/news/get-smokin-fires-on-all-cylinders-in-gate-to-wire-seek-again-win

The upcoming holiday weekend will see stakes races offered Saturday through Monday, beginning with the Grade 2, $200,000 Pennine Ridge on Saturday at nine-furlongs for sophomore turfers. Read the advance: https://www.nyra.com/belmont/news/hard-love-faces-ultimate-test-in-g2-pennine-ridge

Stakes action continues Sunday with the $100,000 Paradise Creek at seven furlongs for sophomore turf sprinters.

The spotlight will shine on New York-breds on Monday, May 31, as part of New York Breeders' Showcase Day. The lucrative Memorial Day card features six stakes for horses bred in the Empire State led by the $200,000 Commentator at a mile for 3-year-olds and up and the $200,000 Critical Eye at the same distance for fillies and mares, 3-years-old and upward. A quartet of $125,000 stakes will round out the day, including the Kingston, Mount Vernon, Mike Lee and Bouwerie.

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 6 probables 

Sunday, May 30

$100,000 Paradise Creek

Probable: Fauci (Wesley Ward), Gretzky the Great (Mark Casse), Outadore (Wesley Ward), Second of July (Phil Gleaves), Three Two Zone (Marya Montoya)

Monday, May 31

$125,000 Bouwerie

Probable: Brattle House (Christophe Clement), Laobanonaprayer (Daniel Velazquez), Pay Grade (Christophe Clement), Rossa Veloce (Ray Handal), Secret Love (John Kimmel), Teetotaler (Chad Brown)
Possible: Make Mischief (Mark Casse)

$125,000 Kingston

Probable: Dot Matrix (Brad Cox), Graded On a Curve (Chad Brown), Microsecond (Todd Pletcher), Mo Faith (Kelly Breen), Rinaldi (James Bond), Sanctuary City (James Ferraro), Therapist (Christophe Clement)

$125,000 Mike Lee

Probable: Dr. Blute (John Kimmel), Excellent Timing (Chad Brown), River Dog (Jeremiah Englehart), Thin White Duke (Phil Gleaves)

$125,000 Mount Vernon

Probable: Classic Lady (Christophe Clement), Giacosa (James Bond), Myhartblongstodady (Jorge Abreu), Pecatonica (Tom Bush), Purrageous Dyna (Edward Allard), Robin Sparkles (Bruce Brown), Two Cent Tootsie (Tom Albertrani)

$200,000 Commentator

Probable: Bankit (Steve Asmussen), My Boy Tate (Michelle Nevin), Sea Foam (Christophe Clement)
Possible: Captain Bombastic (Chad Brown)

$200,000 Critical Eye

Probable: Bank Sting (John Terranova), Espresso Shot (Jorge Abreu), Good Credence (Anthony Margotta, Jr.), Love and Love (Michael Miceli), Mrs. Orb (Michael Miceli), Timeless Journey (Christophe Clement)
Possible: Eloquent Speaker (Anthony Dutrow), Maiden Beauty (Anthony Dutrow)

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NYRA Bets promotions

There are a number of special offers currently available to NYRA Bets players, including the $20 Pennine Ridge bonus on Saturday, May 29.

Earn a bonus on your win bet on the Pennine Ridge at Belmont Park!

Bet $25 to win on one horse in the Pennine Ridge at Belmont on the NYRA Bets App. If your ticket hits, earn an additional $20.

Customer must bet a $25 win bet on one horse on the NYRA Bets App to qualify. Wagers placed on the NYRA Bets mobile site (m.nyrabets.com), desktop site or by phone with a live operator not valid for the promotion bonus.

To qualify, the account holder would be required to be in good standing. Bonus will be credited within 48 hours of race day. Bonus capped at $20 per player per day.

For more information, visit https://www.nyrabets.com/#promo-calendar.