The BC needs to work with the graded stakes committee (TOBA) to devise a schedule for the second half of the season that tethers the best races together leading up to the BC championships. An actual road to the big day. The way it is now, there is no incentive for the best horses because the bloodstock valuation is worth far more than what the purses provide in most cases. Meaning horses that have already established some sort of baseline value, winning the Awesome Again or Woodward isn’t going to add much if any to that number but losing could devalue it somewhat. Plus more and more connections are just happy to get there. It’s not that they don’t want to win but they would rather be there for “the experience” than challenge their horse to really get them battle tested. The bloodstock markets are important to racing in a global sense but the current trends need to be accounted for and the racing side needs to not just let it be a free for all otherwise these damaging trends will just continue.
Great points in 2nd paragraph. I have thought the win and you’re in needs to come with conditions tied to number of starts.
The BC needs to work with the graded stakes committee (TOBA) to devise a schedule for the second half of the season that tethers the best races together leading up to the BC championships. An actual road to the big day. The way it is now, there is no incentive for the best horses because the bloodstock valuation is worth far more than what the purses provide in most cases. Meaning horses that have already established some sort of baseline value, winning the Awesome Again or Woodward isn’t going to add much if any to that number but losing could devalue it somewhat. Plus more and more connections are just happy to get there. It’s not that they don’t want to win but they would rather be there for “the experience” than challenge their horse to really get them battle tested. The bloodstock markets are important to racing in a global sense but the current trends need to be accounted for and the racing side needs to not just let it be a free for all otherwise these damaging trends will just continue.
We want Next in the Classic come on!
I want him in the marathon race...so I can try to beat him at 2/5!
Thanks for the euro pp’s!!