Patterned after the Breeders’ Cup, Claiming Crown was designed to reward Thoroughbred racing’s “blue-collar” horses and will offer six races at varying distances on both dirt and turf with purses totaling $500,000. Co-founded by the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (NHBPA) and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA), the inaugural Claiming Crown was held at Canterbury Park in 1999. The suburban Minneapolis racetrack has played host every year except 2002, when the event was held at Philadelphia Park and 2007, when western Kentucky’s Ellis Park was the site.
Previous Claiming Crown event winners nominated included the only horse to win two different Claiming Crown races in the history of the event, Antrim County. Antrim County took the 2008 Iron Horse and stepped up in class last year to take the $150,000 Jewel. Other 2009 event winners nominated were Rapid Transit winner You're My Blue Boy, Glass Slipper winner Frisco Fox, and Emerald winner Gran Estreno (Arg).
Gran Estreno (Arg), a Group One winner in his native Argentina and winner of the Washington Park Handicap (Gr. III) last year after his Claiming Crown Emerald victory, was among the graded winners nominated. Others include 2009 Pegasus Handicap (Gr. III) winner Bad Action, 2008 Dallas Turf Cup Handicap (Gr. IIIT) winner Church Service, 2007 Jefferson Cup (Gr. IIT) winner Inca King, 2006 Stars and Stripes Handicap (Gr. IIIT) winner Major Rhythm, 2008 John B. Connally Turf Handicap (Gr. IIIT) winner Scrappy Roo, 2008 Hawthorne Derby (Gr. IIIT) winner Strait of Mewsina (Ire), and 2004 Oklahoma Derby (Gr. III) winner Wally's Choice.
In addition, the following graded stakes-placed performers were nominated: Digger, Enriched, Glamour Guy, Leonides, Moralist, Seniors Pride, Spurrier, and Star of David.
Supplemental nominations for the 2010 Claiming Crown will be accepted through Friday, July 9th for a cost of five percent (5%) of the race to which the horse is being supplemented.
For nomination forms or more information about the Claiming Crown, click here to visit the event's website.
