BC Ltd. announcemetn on DRF
 

Starting next year there will be automatic berths into the BC from 24 races for seven BC races, with the Juvy Fillies being the exception. What say you, good idea or not?

I like the idea. I think it should help boost the number of horses that run in each one of these races(during the year). I'm sure they'll hit some snags though. I'm wondering if horses nominated to the BC will get first preference to enter these races over the horses not nominated?

I love this idea and hope more like this is done to help promote the sport. Interesting to note the Vanderbilt has been moved to opening weekend at Saratoga to accomodate this.

One thing that might happen that could have some people grumbling is if an 80-1 shot who didn't run a lick before or after a given race wins one of these and pushes out a possibly more consistent, deserving horse. But over all I'm looking forward to how it plays out.

In that extremely rare occassion a horse like Super Frolic or Flower Alley will be pushed out but who really cares. You could make the argument that a horse that won one of the races in the series deserves their spot over SF and FA regardless of how terrible they were the rest of the year. The actual impact on the fields will be minimal but it is an excellent marketing tool. Plus actually getting tracks to cooperate with their race scheduling to help make it possible is a big step in the right direction for the sport.

The "excellent marketing tool" is right on, and this sport needs all of them it can get. As for field sizes, I kind of agree with Zippy. It seems to me that it might increase fields for the qualifying races some. I don't really care to see another JCGC with a four-horse field and only one real G1 competitor running. The only way that race could excite you is if you are a member of the Bernie fan club.

The only glaring problem with the 24 races is the Secretariat. That race is restricted to 3 year-olds, but it will provide an automatic berth to a 3+up race in the BC Turf?? That race isn't going to produce a Kitten's Joy every year.

good point. why not the sword dancer run on the same day?

Why are the Juvenile Fillies left out of it?:confused:

Actually, I think that is a positive. It turns the Secretariat into a championship race for the 3yo turf horses. The winner earns a spot in the BC Turf even if the 3yos are much weaker than the older horses so it is very enticing for everyone to run and be at their best. Regardless, I am pretty sure with the currect selection mehtod that there would never be a scenario where the G1 Secretariat winner would be excluded from the BC Turf field.

Not enough races for Juvy fillies? :confused:

It is completely meaningless. Most, if not all, of the winners of these races can run if they so desire anyway.

it would be nice if they could use bc-sponsored races to get more racing done each year by top horses. keep the dodging all year from happening, as well as 4 race seasons....maybe a points system, and you had to have a certain amount to run, gained by running in other races in a series.

Cannon Shell:

That's what Crist had to say about it. But I still think in certain situations it could figure in final entries. Especially if a field is overdrawn, and there has been a freak 80-1 winner of a race, causing another horse to just miss on the points. Granted, he would probably be selected by the committee, but then that would knock another "bubble" horse out at the committee level. Kind of like in the college BB tournament, when a mid-major conference underdog wins the conference tournament. Somebody who is likely better can get bumped.

Right. It sounds like a good idea until you look at some of the races. Like the Pat O'brien is a Gr 2 going 7f at Del Mar that will be the automatic entry over the Bing Crosby Gr 1 at the same track going the BC distance of 6 f ? Or the Vanderbilt being the Saratoga automatic entry over the Forgeo? Sometimes you tweak something too much and you create problems where none existed previously.

I just got done looking over that schedule again, and they're all set up for six dates--surely TV packages, and the promotion thereof, have nothing to do with that? I must admit, I'm getting "suspiciouser and suspiciouser" all the time about the true intent of this.

It was totally related to the TV coverage, they even got some of the tracks to shift around their schedule to get the stakes they wanted on the same weekends so all the races with auto bids can be televised. That is surely a good thing for a sport that can't market itself and get tracks to cooperate with one another. I'm confused as to your point? They are freely admitting that it was set up with television and marketing in mind.

I'm confused as to your point?

subtle facetiousness...

PROVIDE LINKS. You can't just say something is on DRF.

I daresay that once a story is "known" and has been printed on assorted newssites then linking becomes moot. If I care to discuss the retirement of Bernardini must I include links to every story I can find about him to "confirm" the story that he is retired?
If I'm watching at home and see the running of the Matriarch and want to post about it after seeing it with my own eyes, must I wait for the BH to publish an article?