Harness: Using a new formula to create a Canadian-bred showcase

Another North America Cup has come and gone with several feel-good stories taking center stage. Hannelore Hanover reminded everyone why she is the Amazon of the industry and conversations have begun asking where she belongs on the list of the all-time greats. Shower Play’s win included a supremely emotional reaction from her owner Martin Leveillee that tugged at our heartstrings. Wolfgang stamped himself as a potential superstar on the road to the Hambletonian. Last but not least, only in harness racing can a horse win one of the sport’s most prestigious events, just one week after his sire competed in an overnight race at age 11.

The last point highlights the subject I want to discuss in this column: “only in harness racing.” Harness racing is an industry with unique roots, not shared by any other sport in North America. I point that out because people in harness racing would be better served embracing that uniqueness and not looking to what works in other “similar” industries and trying to apply that to harness racing. The only similarities between thoroughbred racing and harness racing is the word “racing.” Horses racing against one another is the only commonality. Aside from that, the two sports could not be in more contrast with one another.

Recently on social media, Clay Horner, the Chairman of Woodbine Entertainment Group, posted that several Canadian standardbred horsemen had brought up the point of making the North America Cup and Canadian Trotting Classic races restricted to horses that were Canadian-Sired. To be clear, this was something presented to Mr. Horner and not an idea of Mr. Horner’s. The thought of the horsemen that presented the idea to Mr. Horner was based on the success of the Queen’s Plate, a race for thoroughbred horses foaled in Canada.

It’s not hard to understand why a horseman in Canada would embrace the idea. Five of the last six horses to win the North America Cup were horses that were not based in Canada. Restricting the race to horses by Canadian sires would help both Canadian horsemen and Canadian breeders. But the North America Cup is the major 3-year-old pacing event that receives the most nominations. It is a highly successful event by harness racing standards. It has an extremely important place in the industry. This truly is one of those “if it ain’t broke” situations. I can say the same for the Canadian Trotting Classic.

The point I am trying to make here is a point I have made before. Just because something works in thoroughbred racing doesn’t mean it will have the same success in harness racing. The Queen’s Plate is a race that is rich in history, 158 years of history. On several occasions, most recently in 2010, the Queen of England herself has attended the event. It is a bit unrealistic to look at the success of this event and simply apply it to harness racing expecting anything close to similar results.

This is not to say that a race of great prestige for Canadian-sired horses in harness racing is a bad idea. It isn’t. However, it cannot be done at the expense of the North America Cup. If there were enough purse money to fund such an event, in addition to hosting the North America Cup, I would be all for it.

The Meadowlands had a similar event in place when the breeding industry in New Jersey was booming. The race was called the New Jersey Classic. At its peak, the race was a $500,000 event contested during late spring and was a key prep for The Meadowlands Pace. Winners of the race included On The Road Again, Matt’s Scooter, Western Hanover, Jenna’s Beach Boy, Bettor’s Delight, Rocknroll Hanover and many more of the sport’s greatest pacers. The New Jersey Classic was no longer sustainable because of the decline of the standardbred breeding industry in New Jersey, but at its peak, it was a very important race.

My suggestion would be to replace the Somebeachsomewhere (held the week before the North America Cup eliminations) with a lucrative race for Canadian-sired pacers. It would take more of a financial commitment from the Woodbine Entertainment Group to make the race worth more than the Somebeachsomewhere, as the racetrack only added $60,000 to the nominating and sustaining payments. However, given that this event would be restricted to Canadian-sired horses, there are other measures the racetrack could take to offer the race at a sizeable purse.

• Offer the race as a “stake” and not an “Early closer.”

• This includes a small yearling payment and a 2- year-old sustaining payment.

• Also include a 2-year-old supplement option for a larger amount if a horse was not nominated as a yearling.

• Include three sustaining payments (February, March, April) for the horses 3-year-old season to remain eligible for the race.

• Similarly, offer a 3-year-old supplement for a larger amount if a horse was not nominated as a yearling.

• Charge a starting fee relative to the purse of the race. Perhaps $1,000 for every $250,000 the race is worth. (The North America Cup charges $8,000 to start, so this would equate to half that cost).

I cannot speak intelligently as to how many yearlings would nominate for the event, or how many 2-year-olds would make a sustaining payment. An estimate would need to be determined based upon the size of a foal crop, number of stallions, mares bred, etc. But if you are adding $60,000 to the event, and receiving payments from the time horses are yearlings until they put their nose on the gate, it won’t be hard to get to $500,000. During my time at The Meadowlands, we changed the payment structure of The Meadowlands Pace to a similar version of what I listed above and we were able to get an additional $100,000 into the final purse, without the racetrack adding any more money to the race. Interestingly, it cost about 20% less for a horse to put his nose on the gate in The Meadowlands Final than it did before, but the total purse went up because more horses made the payments.

In closing, make the Somebeachsomewhere a Canadian-sired race and implement a payment structure along the lines of what is outlined above. I feel confident that the race would be well received, successful and would offer a large purse without costing W.E.G. any additional money.