MATCH Series consolidated into five stakes-rich cards
The format of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships has been tweaked this year to increase horsemen’s participation by consolidating the series into five event days. In 2018, the races were spread out over 14 racing programs.
The MATCH Series, which was held last year for the first time since 2001, will consist of four divisions, one fewer than a year ago. Each division will have five $100,000 stakes, with horses earning points based on their finishing positions. Total purse money up for grabs is $2 million.
The owners and trainers of the top three horses in each division will share a bonus pool of $75,000. The owner of the top overall points earner in the series will receive an additional $50,000, and the horse’s trainer will earn an extra $25,000.
Last year, Jessica Krupnick, who competed in the fillies-and-mares dirt-sprint division, was the top MATCH points earner for trainer Tres Abbott and the Sycamore V Racing partnership.
The bonuses total $375,000. To be eligible to earn a bonus, a horse must start in at least three races in a division.
Breeders’ awards of $5,000 will be paid to the top points-earning male and female horses bred in Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, and to the top Delaware-certified runner.
This year’s divisions are 3-year-olds and up sprinting on dirt and turf, fillies and mares sprinting on dirt, and fillies and mares going long on turf. The latter division replaces the fillies-and-mares turf-sprint category from a year ago.
The division for 3-year-olds and up going long on dirt has been dropped. Page McKenney was the only horse to participate in enough divisional races to qualify for a bonus in 2018.
Each event day will include four MATCH stakes, one in each division. The series will be held at Laurel Park on April 20, at Penn National on June 1, at Delaware Park on July 13, and at Parx Racing on Sept. 2. The MATCH championship races will be at Monmouth Park on Sept. 28.
Consolidating the series into five race cards should make it more convenient for trainers to ship horses and participate in multiple divisions. The spacing between races also will be more consistent.
Presque Isle Downs participated in the series in 2018 but is not this year. The sale of Presque Isle to Churchill Downs Inc. closed last week.
Alan Foreman, the chairman and chief executive of the Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, created and oversees the MATCH Series.
“We learned a lot in our return last year and have tried to make changes that are the product of numerous conversations with series participants, horsemen, track management, and fans,” Foreman said. “We think the 2019 series will be a credit to Mid-Atlantic racing and generate tremendous interest and enthusiasm throughout the racing industry.
“MATCH is an enormous undertaking, and the remarkable collaborative effort of all of the MATCH partners is unprecedented.”
:: 2019 MATCH SERIES Complete Schedule and Rules
