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Updated on 12/22/2012 1:01PM
Penn National: Newly created $500K Penn Mile for 3-year-olds to be held in June
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Penn National Race Course will hold a $500,000 race for 3-year-olds going a mile on the turf on the first Saturday in June this year, the richest race the Pennsylvania racetrack has ever carded, the track announced on Tuesday.
The $500,000 Penn Mile is part of a three-stakes card on June 1 that will also include the $250,000 Mountainview Handicap for 3-year-olds and older going 1 1/8 miles and the $150,000 Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup for 3-year-olds and older at five furlongs on the turf.
Penn National, located in Grantville, Penn., has never been a regular destination for high-quality horses, but many racetracks that are heavily subsidized by slot machines and other casino revenues, such as Penn National, have recently created high-dollar stakes races in order to attract horses to their facilities and gain attention in the simulcast market.
“We are very excited to offer an opportunity for some of the best 3-year-olds to showcase their ability on our turf course in the inaugural Penn Mile,” said Dan Silver, the track’s director of racing operations, in a statement. “It is a good spot on the calendar to offer a premier turf mile race for 3-year-olds.”
According to Silver, the richest races previously held at Penn National have been the Governor’s Cup, which had a purse of $200,000 from 2009 to 2012, and the Fabulous Strike, which had a $200,000 purse in 2012.
The card will take place one week before the Belmont Stakes, the 1 1/2-mile race for 3-year-olds at Belmont Park in New York that is the final leg of the Triple Crown. The Belmont Stakes card in 2013 will feature four other stakes.
Penn is also planning on holding a three-stakes card on Nov. 15, featuring the $250,000 Fabulous Strike Handicap, for 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs; the $150,000 Lady in Waiting, for fillies and mares going six furlongs; and the $150,000 Swatara, for 3-year-olds and older going 1 1/16 miles.
The six races comprise the entirety of Penn National’s open stakes. Track officials said that they would announce the stakes schedule for races restricted to Pennsylvania-breds at a later date.
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needs to be graded!!!!
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Penn National? With their criminally high takeout on exotics? Pass. No wait, I'll just end them a check. That way I save a couple of bucks on Trackmaster Pro forms...
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I would rather see the 3 year olds go a 10f for half a mill. Good step for the Arlington Million.
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What a waste of money. Reduce the takeout instead.
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In response to the post about the Colonial Turf Cup: it brings up an interesting point. At that point in the season, "good" 3 year old turf horses aren't exactly in the national spotlight (competing in lower-level turf stakes or running on dirt). A three-year old restricted turf race with a $500k purse may attract a number of emerging stars, certainly a few "good horses". It's not a bad idea.
But does the purse need to be that big? Perhaps they want to get it graded ASAP, and a monster purse would surely help. But if they want to attract top-notch NY-based connections, $250k is probably enough.
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I am all about the $500K Penn Mile race. It will bring good horses to Grantville for the purse money. However, the bigger focus is that Penn along with the other PA tracks need to reduce their takeout rates. If they want bettors to play these races..the takeouts need a serious reduction. 28.5 trifectas and 27.5 superfectas rates kills people wanting to play.
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The Colonial Turf Cup used to be for three year olds in June but they changed it to three year olds and up because they couldn't get a field worthy of the purse. That race was $600,000 yet no good horses ever really ran in it.
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Cecil: right on -- we need to keep the horses bred for turf on the turf (i.e. Optimizer). Great idea for 3yr turf race. Nothing beats turf racing!
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I think this is a great idea. There are not enough grass races for 3-yr olds with big purses. Hopefully this will help to keep some of the potential grass stars off the triple crown trail. This could pair well with the Virginia Derby in July and the Secretariat at Arlington in August. Make it a turf triple crown.
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There needs to be a big two turn race for three year olds on dirt between the Belmont and Haskell. They should use that $500,000 on a 1 1/8 mile race on the Fourth of July.
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Best Bets
DRINK OR SINK went too fast on the lead last time before fading on the turf at Tampa, and should be less aggressive here with blinkers off. Olguin was aboard for his good fall races on the Poly, and should have him closing at a square price in his second start of the year. GOOD BETTER BEST finished up the track behind two next-out winners when he tried the dirt for the first time March 30 at Gulfstream. He hasn't faced this easy a field in a while, and is no stranger to filling out the exactor.
