Breeders' Cup arranges pair of charter flights to transport horses

Breeders’ Cup has chartered two flights, one from the Midwest and one in the New York area, to transport horses to its Nov. 5-6 event at Del Mar outside San Diego, the company announced Wednesday.

The first of the two FedEx chartered flights, leaving from Newark International direct to San Diego International Airport, is scheduled for Oct. 31. The second, leaving from Indianapolis International Airport in Indiana, is scheduled for Nov. 1. Each flight can carry a maximum of 33 horses.

Earlier this year, Tex Sutton, the dominant U.S. company for equine air transport, lost its lease on its dedicated aircraft, and the company has yet to secure a new aircraft. FedEx has an equine air-transport unit, and Tex Sutton has been working with the company to arrange air transport as it seeks a new lease.
Breeders’ Cup provides a $10,000 stipend for all horses based outside the state of the host track for round-trip transportation to and from the event, but this year, it will cover the costs of the charter flights or separately scheduled flights on FedEx due to the disruption. Horsemen using companies other than FedEx will receive the $10,000 stipend.

Tex Sutton will manage the bookings for the flights, Breeders’ Cup said, and the company’s staff will coordinate loading and unloading procedures. Grooms employed by Tex Sutton will travel on each of the chartered flights, but Breeders’ Cup cautioned that stable staff of trainers will need to find their own commercial flight arrangements or other transportation to the event.

“Due to the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the availability of equine charters this year, our board of directors unanimously approved covering the cost of the FedEx flights for the horses competing” in the event, Dora Delgado, the chief racing officer for Breeders’ Cup, said in a press release announcing the availability of the flights.

Delgado said that Mersant, the international shipping company, played a role in securing the FedEx charters. Mersant also will continue “to coordinate and manage the transportation of European-based horses” competing in the event this year.

Breeders’ Cup also said that Tex Sutton has arranged for equine transport on other flights leaving from Newark and Indianapolis that will arrive at Los Angeles International Airport, a two-hour drive north of Del Mar.