Explain Stakes Form

[Slew83]

40th Running of
ALAMEDAN HANDICAP
$50,000 Guaranteed

A HANDICAP FOR THREE-YEAR-OLDS AND UPWARD. By
subscription of $50 each, which shall accompany the nomination,
$200 additional to pass the entry box, with $50,000 Guaranteed, of
which $27,500 to the winner, $10,000 to second, $7,500 to third,
$3,750 to fourth and $1,250 to fifth. Weights Wednesday, July 6, 2005.
Starters to be named through the entry box by closing time of entries.
High weights preferred.

Nominations Close Monday, July 4, 2005.
ONE MILE AND ONE SIXTEENTH
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Can someone break this down (“”) and explain it to me

A HANDICAP FOR THREE-YEAR-OLDS AND UPWARD.

“By subscription of $50 each”,

“which shall accompany the nomination,”

“$200 additional to pass the entry box”,

with $50,000 Guaranteed, of which $27,500 to the winner, $10,000 to second, $7,500 to third,
$3,750 to fourth and $1,250 to fifth. Weights Wednesday, July 6, 2005.

“Starters to be named through the entry box by closing time of entries.”

“High weights preferred”.


Nominations Close Monday, July 4, 2005.
ONE MILE AND ONE SIXTEENTH

[ageecee]

1) You have to nominate your horse by a certain date if you want to run in this race. it costs $50 and it is non refundable. if you choose not to run in the race you dont get your $50 back. This is not entering your horse in the race it is only nominating him to the race.

2)Once you enter your horse in the race it costs $200. This money is non refundable.

3)The purse structure is broken down for 1st thru 5th place-If you finish 2nd you win 10K

4) Once all nominations are sent in the racing secretary assigns weights to each horse. The better the horse the more weight it will be assigned. The lesser the horse the less weight it will carry. If there are 17 horses nominated to the race and all 17 decide to enter the race then the 12 horses with the highest weights will get in. The others will not. if only 8 horses decide to enter then then they just take those 8 horses and they dont have to go by high weights.

5) You have to nominate by July 4, 2005

[ageecee]

6) Once nominations are in by July 4th, 2005 the racing secretary will assign weights July 6th, 2005. Then you get to see what horses have ben nominated to the race and what weights they will carry if the decide to run in the race. Basically you get to see what you would be running against before you enter. But not all horses will enter just because they are nominated.

[bcassidy]

A handicap is a race where weight is added or removed to allow for the most competitive betting race. The racing secretary's goal is to theoretically make everyone in the race equal by asking the "better" horses to carry more weight---As a result the bettor gets a wide open field to select from. Extra weigth will stop any horse--even the great ones.
The owner of the horse has to nominate their horse by paying 50 dollars at the time of nomination, an additional 200 dollars is required when the race is carded---typically 2-3 days before the actual race date.
The track is guaranteeing the purse to be a minimum of 50K but remember all entry fees are added to the purse as well, so you don't know the actual purse amount until the race closes. Imagine what the nominations are to a race like the Kentucky Derby. The placings will recieve the distribution of purse as described.
All potential starters and starters are nominated the same way---through the nominations procedure. Some races as an example are invitationals---which means the racing secretary actually invites the potential runners.
If everything else is equal and a decision between two horses has to be made about starting in the race. If one has been assigned a higher weight to carry over the other horse--The higher weighted horse will get the entry.

[henthorn]

Hi, Slew83.

$50,000 guaranteed means that no matter how few or many horses enter the race, the track guarantees that amount to be available for purses.

Handicap races are a form of sweepstakes races--i.e. they require extra payment from the owner, in addition to payment for the jockey. In a handicap, the racing secretary studies the horses nominated for the race, and theoretically determines what weight-carrying capability per horse would allow all horses to be evenly matched. He assigns a higher weight to better horses, lesser weight for immature or less consistent or less talented horses, or fillies against boys.

This race is for three-year-olds and upward. It does not specify any other restrictions, so is open to males, females, maidens, winners, out-of-state horses, etc.

The nomination and subscription are a verbal or written request to be considered for the race, and the fee, respectively. A nominated, subscribed horse is then available for consideration of a weight assignment by the racing secretary.

$200 additional to pass the entry box. If the owner/trainer determines that his horse is competitive at the assigned weight, he pays to enter the horse in the race. If not, he need not go further.

All subscription and entry fees go into the final purse. If lots of horses are initially nominated (such as for the Triple Crown), but few are entered, the track makes up the difference for the guaranteed money. Most TB stakes races divide the purse among the top five or six finishers, and the split in this case is stated.

Weights Wednesday means the racing secretary will have posted his opinion of the horses nominated, and has assigned weights to be reviewed by all nominators. Those weight assignments are available Wednesday, so the owner/trainer can make further decisions on possible entry.

Starters to be named through the entry box by closing time of entries: Once weight assignments have been reviewed, a new deadline will be given for entries and the $200 additional to be received. When all entries are in, the racing secretary will include as many entrants as the race allows--usually ten, twelve, fourteen, or in rare cases like the KY Derby, as many as 20.

High weights preferred: Those horses actually entered are sorted in descending order from highest weight assignment down. The cutoff is according to the allowed field size. If two lower-weight-assigned horses have the same weight assignment, but there is not room for both to race, there will be a random draw to determine which of the two is to be included.

[henthorn]

To clarify some of the points above:

$50,000 guaranteed is not the same as $50,000 added.

The guaranteed purse means the total purse available may be $50,000, or more. The purse level depends on the number of nominations and entries, with the associated fees. It will be lower if there are fewer nominations and entries than the track had hoped. The track makes up the difference between the nomination/entry/starter fees and the guaranteed money.

The added money purse means all fees are added up, then $50,000 added by the track or the sponsor (such as Breeders' Cup). So the total purse will be higher, and may be much higher than $50,000. Depends on the number of nominations, entries, and any supplemental late payments, if allowed.

Many stakes races also have a starter fee. Once an owner determines that the race is too tough after the entries are announced, or the horse is otherwise unable to race, he need not pay the additional starter fee. Only actual starters in the race pay the starter fee, which is included in the final purse distribution. In most cases, entry and starter fees are refunded to those horses excluded from the race by the track. The nomination fees are not refundable.

[Slew83]

Thanks Everyone

[Slew83]

Who saddles the horse before the race? Also who makes sure the right weight is on the right horse?

[henthorn]

The trainer or his designee saddles the horse and applies any additional equipment such as bandages, tongue-ties, blinkers. The trainer designates the correct weight on entry, according to assignment. In other non-handicap races, he is responsible for correctly stating the required weight at time of entry, according to the conditions of the race.

The track has employees assigned to make sure the saddle and its attachments, when added to the jockey's weight, equals at least the required weight. If the jockey's weight plus the saddle weight exceeds the weight required for that horse, an announcement will be made of the number of pounds overweight status.

I believe it is anticipated that for each pound overweight the horse carries over a mile of ground, he loses one length to his competition. Someone please correct me if I'm remembering that wrong.

[FOS]

hi bcassidy...hi henthorn

Respectfully...very good descriptions in general...BUT...it seems you both might have gotten part of your comparison of Added v Guaranteed...wrong.

A race that carries Guaranteed money ONLY, does NOT have any added money included with the purse. The Guaranteed purse (unless the conditions specifically outline otherwise...as in the case of the Ky Derby) will not have any monies added to it to enhance the Guaranteed money. The nomination money...the entry money...and the to-start money (which is required sometimes) is retained by the track and IS NOT added to the Guaranteed money or dispersed to any horse or horses in the race (unless the conditions specifically outline otherwise...again, as in the case of the Ky Derby). In the case of Slew83's example...the $50,000 Guaranteed Alameda H...not one penny more than $50k will be dispersed.

henthorn...you wrote "The guaranteed purse means the total purse available may be $50,000, or more. The purse level depends on the number of nominations and entries, with the associated fees. It will be lower if there are fewer nominations and entries than the track had hoped."

henthorn...if you mean that in a Guaranteed money stakes race (such as the $50,000 Guaranteed Alamed H, as Slew83 supplied as an example)...the purse will change even one penny depending "on the number of nominations and entries, with associated fees" (your words)...respectfully, that is wrong.

bcassidy you wrote "The track is guaranteeing the purse to be a minimum of 50K but remember all entry fees are added to the purse as well, so you don't know the actual purse amount until the race closes."

bcassidy...respectfully...that is incorrect (as I understand it). Money is only added in the case of an Added Money event or (on a very rare occasion) when a Guaranteed event (which may have some further description of how other monies such as nomination fees and/or supplemental nominations etc shall be dispersed...such as in the Ky Derby). In the case of the Ky Derby (which you referenced)...Churchill Downs Guaranteed a minimum purse, $2,000,000...and the conditions are very specific as to how that money will be dispersed...$1,240,000 to the winner...$400,000 to 2nd...$200,000 to 3rd...$100,000 to 4th...and $50,000 to 5th. Furthermore...the conditions SPECIFICALLY state that All fees, including supplemental nominations, in excess of $900,000 in the aggregate shall be paid to the winner. Therefore the winner received $1,639,600 instead of the $1,240,000).

Example:

Kentucky Derby...$2,000,000 Guaranteed Minimum (Churchill Downs Inc guarantees a minimum gross purse of $2 mil). Furthermore the conditions state...All fees, including supplemental nominations, in excess of $900,000 in the aggregate shall be paid to the winner.

From the Guaranteed purse...the winner will receive $1,240,000...2nd Place $400,000...3rd Place $200,000...4th Place $100,000...5th Place $60,000. ($2,000,000 Guaranteed)

After the fees, and supplements in excess of $900,000 were determined, the actual purse distribution in the 2005 Ky Derby was 1st Place $1,639,600...2nd Place $400,000...3rd Place $200,000...4th Place $100,000....5th Place $60,000. (Grand Total $2,399,600 distributed)

EVERYTHING was specifically outlined in the conditions of the race.

Sounds like you might be misinterpreting the use of the word "additional" in the conditions (in the case of the Alameda H) when it's only intended to describe "$200 additional to pass the entry box." It is not used to define or redefine the race as an 'Added'...the race was already defined as a Guaranteed.

The Guaranteed money (in the case of Guaranteed races such as the Alameda H) will not be increased or decreased (unless specifically described in the conditions, as in the Ky Derby)...to the extent that each horse will receive exactly (as purse money) the amount specifically designated in the conditions. In the case of the conditions which Slew83 offers...the money is $50,000 Guaranteed and to be disbursed as follows..."$27,500 to the winner, $10,000 to second, $7,500 to third,
$3,750 to fourth and $1,250 to fifth." (totalling $50,000 as designated in the conditions). If only 4 horses run or finish the race...the $1,250 purse money for fifth place will revert to the track...and the same for 4th, or 3rd, or 2nd. If only one horse runs (as in a walkover)...the horse will receive the winner's portion of the purse as designated in the conditions...$27,500.

For what it's worth the Preakness and the Belmont are each Guaranteed purses...$1,000,000 each...with no additional payments to be disbursed to the runners other than specifically designated in the conditions.

Examples:

Preakness...Purse $1,000,000 Guaranteed...1st Place $650,000...2nd Place $200,000...3rd Place...$100,000...4th Place $50,000 (Grand Total $1,000,000 distributed)

Belmont...Purse $1,000,000 Guaranteed...1st Place $600,000...2nd Place $200,000...3rd Place$110,000...4th Place $60,000...5th Place $30,000. (Grand Total $1,000,000 distributed)

henthorn and bcassidy...if I misinterpreted your words...apologies.

Best to you.

Respectfully

[henthorn]

Thanks for the correction. That makes sense.

[Slew83]

Weights:colts and geldings,123lbs.; fillies,120lbs. Non-winners of $50,000 twice allowed 2lbs.; of such a race, 4lbs.of $25,000 other than maiden or claiming, 6lbs.; of a race other than claiming, 8lbs. Starters to be named through the entry box Sunday, September 4, by the closing time of entries. High weights preferred. Total non-claiming purse earnings will determine the order of preference for horses of equal status. A trophy will bepresented to the owner of the winner.
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Weights:colts and geldings,123lbs.; fillies,120lbs.

"Non-winners of $50,000 twice allowed 2lbs.";

"of such a race, 4lbs".

"of $25,000 other than maiden or claiming, 6lbs.";

"of a race other than claiming, 8lbs."

Starters to be named through the entry box Sunday, September 4, by the closing time of entries. High weights preferred. Total non-claiming purse earnings will determine the order of preference for horses of equal status. A trophy will bepresented to the owner of the winner.

[henthorn]

The weight assignments are what the horse is required to carry on his back--the total weight of jockey, his clothes, the saddle and attachments. Weights are added to the equipment to bring the total up to the required impost if the jockey is very small or the impost is very great. Impost equals required weight.

In this case fillies are required to carry three pounds less than do the boys.

The terminology is confusing, but usually is stated in terms of "nonwinners of". So if this colt (assigned 123 lb) has won at least two races in which the winner's purse equals or exceeds $50,000, he carries the full 123 lbs. If he has only won one race whose winning purse was equal to or greater than $50,000,(nonwinner of two such races) he is allowed to carry 2 lbs less, or 121. If he has never won one such race with a $50,000 winner's share, he gets 4 lb off, or 119. If none of his winning purses equal $25,000 or more in a race in which prior winners are allowed to run, and the horse was not eligible to be claimed from the race (maiden is restricted to nonwinners, and claiming races have price tags on the horses), then he carries six pounds less, or 117. If he has never won a race other than claiming, such as a stakes or allowance race with a winning purse of less than $25,000, he carries the full eight pounds off, the minimum impost of 115 lbs. A filly would carry three pounds less under all these conditions, minimum of 112 lbs. The allowances are not cumulative; eight pounds off is the minimum impost (maximum allowance).

Total non-claiming purse earnings will determine preference for horses of equal status. i.e. ten horses are allowed to race, but fifteen are entered. The top ten weight-carriers are allowed to race, but #9, 10, 11 are assigned the same weights(equal status). The one of these who has earned the least purse money overall, if all claiming purses are excluded, will not draw into the race. Allowance and stakes contenders will have preference over claimers, even if they didn't win their races, because they have faced tougher competition and made some earnings against that competition. (In the KY Derby, preference is based on graded stakes earnings).

In this scenario, I don't know how the fillies might be considered as weight-carriers, since they are automatically required to carry a lesser impost. i.e. is it total weight carried or total weight allowance that is considered? Does 6 lbs off in a colt = 6lbs off in a filly to be considered "equal status"?

As an aside, this is one of very few times when winning a dead heat may be a blessing, because the two winners share the winning and placing purses usually of 80%, or 40% each, rather than the usual 60% for the winner. It can cause the winner to sneak in with an allowance of two pounds less because of less money won/race.

[bcassidy]

FOS---great job explaining the difference between guaranteed and added money. I was very sloppy with my words.