In addition, Gulfstream Park, the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (NHBPA), the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) and the Florida HBPA announced today the Claiming Crown will be run at Gulfstream through 2015.
There will be eight races including the debut of the new $110,000 Iron Lady for fillies and mares who have started for a claiming price of $7,500 or less since January 1, 2012, going 1 1/16 miles on the main track. Four of the Claiming Crown races with $100,000 purses last year were boosted to $110,000 this year. The eight Claiming Crown races in 2013, all for 3-year-olds and up who have started for a specified claiming price or less since January 1, 2012, are:
·
$200,000
Jewel, 1 1/8 miles, $35,000 claiming price
·
$125,000
Emerald, 1 1/16 miles (turf), $25,000 claiming price
·
$125,000
Tiara, 1 1/16 miles (turf), fillies and mares, $25,000 claiming price
·
$110,000
Rapid Transit, 7 furlongs, $16,000 claiming price
·
$110,000
Glass Slipper, 7 furlongs, fillies and mares, $16,000 claiming price
·
$110,000
Express, 6 furlongs, $7,500 claiming price
·
$110,000
Iron Horse, 1 1/16 miles, $7,500 claiming price
·
$110,000
Iron Lady, 1 1/16 miles, fillies and mares, $7,500 claiming price
The nominating system will remain the same this year, with the deadline for trainer nominations set for Friday, September 20. For a payment of just $100, a trainer will become eligible to nominate any number of horses through the regular nomination payment. The deadline for horse nominations is Friday, November 15, and the deadline for supplemental nominations is Wednesday, December 4.
"Gulfstream Park and The Stronach Group are proud of the Claiming Crown's record success last winter at our facility," said Gulfstream Park President Tim Ritvo. "Due to that success and our partnerships with NHBPA, FHBPA and TOBA, we were able to negotiate a three-year agreement. Having the Claiming Crown is great for Gulfstream, great for horsemen, great for fans, and super for the industry."
"Thanks to Gulfstream Park and the Florida FHBPA raising the total purses to $1 million and adding the new fillies and mares race, we hope to build on the success of the 2012 edition of the Claiming Crown and attract the best current and former claiming horses to Florida in December," said Phil Hanrahan, CEO of the National HBPA. “The three-year agreement will facilitate the further importance of this day of racing as a target for owners and trainers throughout the United States and Canada.”
Said TOBA President Dan Metzger, "Gulfstream did a fantastic job last winter with what turned out to be a record Claiming Crown. We're excited about returning to Gulfstream these next three years and recognizing and celebrating the claiming horses of North America."
Kent Stirling, executive director of the FHBPA, said, "In the late 1990s, TOBA President, Drew Couto, approached NHBPA President, Bill Walmsley, and NHBPA Executive Director, Scott Savin, with an idea about creating a special day of stakes races just for claiming horses. This TOBA/NHBPA joint venture took place first in Minnesota at Canterbury Park in 1999 with purses of $500,000. It remained at Canterbury for many years under the nurturing and guidance of Canterbury President and CEO, Randy Sampson, and Minnesota HBPA President, Tom Metzen Sr.
"The
fifteenth renewal of the Claiming Crown is now a million dollar event locked
into a three year deal with Gulfstream Park as one of their premier racing
events. This is a fantastic event for our one time “blue collar” claiming
horses and their connections, but a great debt of gratitude is owed to those
mentioned above who conceived of and brought this concept to fruition as the
Claiming Crown."
GULFSTREAM
PARK is a
Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack
owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park,
Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park
and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns
and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North
America's top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs
operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world's largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its
companies include AmTote, a
global leader in wagering technology;
XpressBet, an Internet
and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which
acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for
numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is also a major producer of
televised horseracing programming through its HRTV cable and satellite network
and is North America's premier supplier of virtual online horseracing games, as
well as a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.
For more information contact David Joseph at david.joseph@gulfstreampark.com or
call 954.457.6451. TOBA, based in Lexington, Kentucky, was formed in 1961 and is a national trade organization of Thoroughbred owners and breeders. TOBA’s mission is to “improve the economics, integrity and pleasure of the sport on behalf of Thoroughbred owners and breeders.” Projects managed by TOBA include the American Graded Stakes Committee, The Racing Game, Sales Integrity Program and Claiming Crown. TOBA is the owner of The Blood-Horse Inc., and is represented on the Board of Directors of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association as a founding member.
The
National HBPA, based in Lexington, Kentucky, is the largest racing
horsemen’s representative association in North America, with 29 affiliate
organizations and approximately 30,000 member horsemen. Big Dee’s Tack & Vet Supplies,
Equineline.com, Finish Line Horse Products, and Horseman Labor Solutions are
proud corporate partners of the National HBPA. For more information contact
Phil Hanrahan at 859.259.0451.
