TOBA Announces New Appointments, Claiming Crown Update
Blood-Horse
The new makeup of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association’s American Graded Stakes Committee was announced Aug. 12 during the association’s annual members meeting held in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
J. David Richardson, chairman of the AGSC, and Mike O’Farrell were both re-elected to three-year terms, while Pete Willmott is stepping down after nine years of service due to a term limits provision. Willmott will be replaced on the committee by owner/breeder Everett Dobson.
Willmott also will be retiring as chairman of TOBA this year. He has served as chairman since 2011.
“Pete is not always the loudest voice in the room but his is the most effective,” said TOBA president Dan Metzer. “His wisdom and counsel has been valuable.”
Richardson is expected to continue as chairman. Richardson, O’Farrell, and Dobson will be joined on the committee this year by TOBA members Craig Bernick, Reynolds Bell, and Mike Levy. The racing secretaries on the committee are Allison De Luca, Rick Hammerle, Martin Panza, Ben Huffman, and Tom Robbins.
This year, the committee will be looking at some new analytical tools to assess the quality of racing across the different divisions, according to Andy Schweigardt, who is secretary of the AGSC.
“The committee did its annual review of trends and analysis of divisions,” Schweigardt said. “We are looking at a new analysis that compares divisions and looks at quality points and how those flow through each of the divisions and what impact that could have on the grading process.”
In other TOBA business, Metzger reported new appointments to the TOBA board of trustees: Bernick, Price Bell with Mill Ridge Farm; Brian Sullivan with Let’s Go Stable; Jim Covello, an owner and executive with Goldman Sachs; Mike Rogers with The Stronach Group; and owner Billy Koch.
Metzger also reported a better than expected number of membership renewals and an anticipation of offering The Horse magazine as a benefit for TOBA membership. The Horse, a monthly horse health magazine, was acquired wholly by TOBA as part of the sale of 51% interest in Blood-Horse to The Jockey Club earlier this year.
An update on the annual Claiming Crown was provided during the meeting as well.
This year’s Claiming Crown will feature a ninth race, which will be a five-furlong turf sprint for fillies and mares with a purse of $110,000. The Claiming Crown is a joint venture between the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association and TOBA. Held annually since 1999, the event will be run Dec. 5 on opening day of the Gulfstream Park winter meet.
In order to boost field size, Schweigardt announced that the time restriction will be eliminated for both the $110,000 Express, six furlongs, $7,500 claiming price; and the $110,000 Iron Horse, 1 1/16 miles, $7,500 claiming price. Previously horses had to have started in a race at these claiming prices by Jan. 1 of the previous year. The time restrictions remain in place for the remainder of the races carded.
This is the last year of a three-year agreement between Gulfstream Park and the Florida HBPA to keep the Claiming Crown in South Florida and Schweigardt said he expects this agreement to be renewed.
Thoroughbred Charities of America executive director Erin Crady reported paying out more than $515,000 in grants to 67 organizations involved in rescue, retraining, research, and farm and backstretch worker support programs.
TCA is planning a special fundraiser to be held Oct. 27 in Lexington prior to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships that will be held Oct. 30-31 at Keeneland. The live portion of the organization’s annual stallion season auction, its key fundraiser, will be held Jan. 9 at the Keeneland Entertainment Center.
