Blind Luck, 'Grace' Spa Showdown Possible
 

Fox Hill Farms’ Rick Porter, owner of Havre de Grace, made his intentions quite clear when he stated July 19, “If they (the New York Racing Association) double the pot for the Personal Ensign, the match is on.”

Read more: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...#ixzz1SZe6yJUn

They lost the last race, I don't think they should be calling the shots of doubling the purse when blind luck beat her. But that's just my opinion. I hope they do matchup again, though.

Where else can they really run her? Maybe a DEL allowance? With Hill 'n Dale's new sponsorship of the Molly Pitcher, maybe Porter has his eye on winning a stallion share to Zensational. . . we know he can't resist those Unbridled's Songs.

He said they were considering the Woodward. I'll believe that when I see it.

I'd rather see one of them run in the Woodward than BL VS HdG round 7

It was the two pounds, don't you know?

Timeform and Racing Post will both be declaring HdG the winner.

There are something like 79,800 inches in 10 furlongs - and BL covered hers with 122lbs

HdG coverd her like 79,797 inches with 124lbs.


3 inches over 10 furlongs isn't significant.

That was quick. According to the connections 3 days ago, Havre De Grace had just a measly single Grade 1 win to her credit. Now she's back to being on track for HOY honors.

Why should NYRA double the Personal Ensign for that?

Especially since the alternate race is the Woodward.

Instead of increasing the Personal Ensign to $600k, they should reduce the $750 Woodward to $600k. That'll stick it to those crybabies.

I mean, she'll only be facing Morning Line, Tizway, and Pool Play, right?

Does Have a duh face have a blog?

Classic...............I'm sure the weight assignments will have to be cleared with Jones/Porter!!

If they are going to spend an extra $300k, I'd rather them add it to the purse of the Woodward to make it $1.05 million.....if both fillies run. I just don't know how much it would help the track to increase the Personal Ensign purse and have both of them run. By having them both there, you ensure a small field of maybe four or five runners. That's not going to help them get increased handle. Are there any benefits to them doubling the purse for the Personal Ensign, other than the fact that they get them together for another race?

Also worth asking is what will the conditions of the Personal Ensign be? Looking at 2008 and 2009, if they use those conditions, the weights would be equal at 122 lbs. However, if they used conditions similar to last year, Blind Luck would have to give HDG two pounds (122-120).

While I agree with you generally that tracks shouldn't go about raising purses (or worse creating new races) to attract specific horses, doesn't this essentially become a business question? Without these two horses, NYRA would probably get 15-20K at the track the day after Travers. A matchup between these two horses probably gets an additional 10,000 people to the track and more attention to the card (with greater wagering activity) at simulcast venues. I don't know if the increased revenue generated by that added interest covers the additional purse outlay, but it probably comes pretty close. And having a Blind Luck/Havre de Grace matchup helps the Saratoga brand, by reinforcing the notion that the "best" horses race here.

It's a legit question as to whether or not older fillies and mares not named Zenyatta or Rachel would bring out a lot of extra fans. Rachel worked because she was a Triple Crown race winner and Zenyatta took nearly two years to get to her level of appel as well.

It's not like both horses have a ton of options... The Spa is the logical and obvious next choice for both.

As for purse offsets with handle... It takes a lot. A 300,000 purse outlay requires approximately (big ballpark guess) 4-6 million in additional handle depending whether it comes from on or off track. Measuring admission, F&B sales and general PR value is tougher to gauge.

The rivalry has to be marketed well, because it's as intriguing as Rachel or Zenyatta alone. As for your second point, bingo. I don't know who the hell Porter thinks he's kidding by demanding a purse increase. If she goes to the Woodward, that's a pretty good-looking option for NYRA as well.

This Dick Jerardi guy wrote a piece at drf.com comparing these two fillies race the other day to Affirmed - Alydar and Sunday Silence - Easy Goer.

Then he compared BL to Zenyatta.

Maybe his article on Guerrero was just stupidity after all.

I'm glad nobody else though, is getting carried away with this!!

It's not equatable to either of those rivalries, but in this era of a million different stakes races and connections of top horses doing everything they can to duck each other, it looks pretty damn special, with their latest meeting being their best yet.

I'll agree with that. But writers, they really are so desperate to make anything remotely good into something much more than it is.