Pegasus '18 ~ Gun Runner (4-5) from 10 hole

[blackthroatedwind]

I find it amazing that basically nobody is discussing this race honestly. It is NOT a $16 million race. It does NOT cost $1 million for a spot. It cost $350K for a spot. As of now, eight spots have been sold for $350K, or a total of $2.8 million. Add that to the $4 million of added money, and you have a $6.8 million race. Stronach Group claiming they are buying the other four spots makes no sense. I thought the deadline for buying a spot was this past week. I guess if Stronach wants to put up another $1.4 million and give out four more spots, it's their prerogative, and that money can be added to the pool, making it an $8.2 million race. That is the maximum it's worth. This "everyone gets at least $650K back" should not be recognized as part of the purse.

Stronach Group is putting up a ton of money for this race and they should be applauded for that. However, that doesn't buy them the right to create a fraudulent purse. The Jockey Club cannot recognize the $650K "earned" by the also rans. What's next, the KY Derby advertised as a $500 million race, with each entrant supposedly anteing up $25 million to run, with all starters guaranteed $24.9 million in earnings? Will the Jockey Club then have 20 horses that annually earn in excess of $25 million? How is this different?

Let's celebrate the race as a generous outlay by the Stronach Group that is a present to racing fans. But, let's not call it something it's not.