Trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Mike Repole announced today that Uncle Mo will make his much anticipated 3-year-old debut in the ungraded one-mile Timely Writer at Gulfstream on March 12. “We both feel that the Timely Writer will set him up perfectly for the April 9 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct,” said Repole. There could hardly have been less suspense to the news: From the first report that a race other than the Tampa Bay Derby — which Pletcher and Repole said was still possible if the Timely Mo doesn’t fill — it’s seemed a foregone conclusion that the softer spot for getting started would be the pick. I don’t doubt that the Gulfstream racing secretary is already hustling entries.
One horse that won’t be drawn is Dialed In. Trainer Nick Zito — sounding miffed, reading between the lines — said the Holy Bull winner would pass on the Fountain of Youth this weekend, and with the distance of the Timely Writer shortened from nine furlongs to eight, would also skip that race in favor of another, unspecified, two-turn start, reports Mike Welsch:
“Fortunately, he has enough graded earnings from winning the Holy Bull that it looks like he’ll get into the Derby, so our main focus at the moment is the Florida Derby and how to get him there,” Zito said.
Record-setting San Vicente winner The Factor — who won’t be seen going a route soon — isn’t the only good horse trainer Bob Baffert has sent to work at Hollywood Park. On Monday, Jaycito, prepping for the San Felipe at Santa Anita on March 12, worked seven furlongs handily from the gate in 1:24.80 over the Cushion Track. Does the colt also need the quiet found there?
The most impressive sophomore winner of the weekend just past was Bind, given a 105 Beyer speed figure for his debut at the Fair Grounds on Saturday. Along with Cal Nation, Pletcher’s flashy first-timer at Gulfstream last month, he’s not one likely for the Kentucky Derby. “If you all get [owner] Seth [Hancock] to do it, I’ll ride that train, but I’m not going to ask him,” Claire Novak quotes trainer Al Stall telling media after the race. Bind’s next start likely will be a one-other-than allowance at the Fair Grounds or Keeneland.
Reunited: NBC will air all three Triple Crown races this spring.
Posted by JC in Racing on 02/22/2011 @ 12:19 pm / Tagged Bind, Derby Prospects, Dialed In, Jaycito, The Factor, The Glamour Division, Uncle Mo / Follow @railbird on Twitter
The NEHBPA board met on Monday night for round two of a discussion on the latest offer from Suffolk Downs for the 2011 meet. There was no resolution to the dispute at the meeting’s conclusion. Via email, NEHBPA lawyer Frank Frisoli said this morning that the board “is continuing to discuss the matter and is seeking to discuss alternatives and modifications with Suffolk Downs.”
As Lynne Snierson reported for the Blood-Horse yesterday, and a Railbird source confirmed, the net simulcasting revenue split remains contentious, and days may be a matter of dissension within the board. The horsemen have sought 100 days of racing this year. Suffolk, which originally offered 67-76 days, has now proposed 75-85 days. What does not seem an issue at this point is the track’s total purse offer of $8.4 million. That’s about the total paid last year, and matches up with the horsemen’s last offer to the track.
Regarding the proposal, Frisoli noted, “we believe [it] remains open.” Contrary to a report yesterday that Suffolk has threatened to shut down in March if the blocked simulcasting signals were not restored by February 26, a source indicated that there is no deadline to the proposal, although it is based on revenue assumptions that may not hold if signals are not restored soon. The board will meet again to discuss the offer on February 23.
9:30 PM Addendum: Lynne Snierson has more on Monday night’s meeting. As mentioned above, days remain an issue. Snierson’s source says that that board is in agreement on 100 days; Frisoli’s response is a study in lawyerly parsing:
“Part of the problem is that the number of live racing days is more important to some of our members than it is to others. As a board, we are trying very hard to do a good job of representing the entire membership. I think the board is doing that.”
Also clarified is the possibility that the purses and days on offer will be cut if simulcasting signals are not restored quickly, as a racetrack source told Railbird yesterday. “[T]he offer Suffolk has on the table now is contingent upon all simulcast signals being turned back on no later than Feb. 27. After that, Suffolk will start cutting race days and total purses,” reports Snierson.
Posted by JC in Industry on 02/22/2011 @ 10:06 am / Tagged #suffolkdispute2011, Horsemen, Massachusetts, Negotiations, NEHBPA, New England, Suffolk Downs / Follow @railbird on Twitter
The NEHBPA board met on Sunday to discuss the latest offer from Suffolk Downs for the 2011 meet, but a consensus on the terms could not be reached, reports Lynne Snierson:
“There was a lot of talk but there is no agreement yet,†said one board member who asked not to be identified. “Our discussions were mostly about clarification, of both exactly what Suffolk is offering and of what we want and what we can accept. There is no consensus among us at this time, but one may be within reach.â€
Details of the proposal have not been confirmed. Both sides may have moved toward a compromise on purses and days, with Suffolk reportedly upping its offer for total purses to $8.4 million* from $7.5 million and the horsemen giving way on the 100-day meet minimum the group has sought. Snierson indicates that the simulcasting revenue split, which the horsemen have argued should be 50-50, may also still be in contention. The board will meet again tonight to discuss the proposal; updates here as available.
*The total of the new offer from Suffolk is in line with the counter-offer made by the NEHBPA to the track on February 10, which proposed purses based on available revenue and 100 days. A source confirms the track is proposing average daily purses of $103,000 to $110,000 for 75-85 days of racing.
1:15 PM Addendum: More from Snierson:
Suffolk Downs has threatened to shut down in March if the New England Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association and other chapters across the country do not restore simulcast signals by Feb. 26, according to a source close to the negotiations in the ongoing dispute …
A racetrack source said there was no deadline for the offer, but indicated that it was important for the blocked simulcasting signals to be restored quickly or purses and days on offer for the meet were in danger of being cut due to lost revenue. During the weekend of February 12-13, the first full weekend Suffolk was unable to simulcast such tracks as Aqueduct and Gulfstream, handle was down approximately 50% over the equivalent weekend the year before.
Posted by JC in Industry on 02/21/2011 @ 8:20 am / Tagged #suffolkdispute2011, Massachusetts, Negotiations, NEHBPA, New England, Suffolk Downs / Follow @railbird on Twitter
