Horses Betting

Climbing 15.5% for last Saturday’s card, the overall handle for the Breeders’ Cup held at Churchill Downs increased to set a new record.

Fan-favorite and horse racing betting favorite as well, Zenyatta’s attempt to win her 20th race in the Classic helped the success of this year’s Breeder’s Cup. Other factors also helped increase the handle, such as an increase in race field size and a lower minimum for many exotic bets even though beyond Zenyatta’s fan base increasing television ratings. Last year, the all-sources handle on the 14 races was over $157 million, up from just over $136 million.

As did betting numbers on Zenyetta to win, betting on the Classic itself, set a record. As bettors could place a wider variety of bets, handle in exotic pools were increased due to the larger field sizes and bet minimums set to fifty cents.

Compared to previous years, attendance was also very strong for Saturday’s card, with over 70,000 at Churchill Downs and for Friday’s card almost 42,000 at the track. Enjoying two races Friday and the Classic Saturday under Churchill Downs’ track lights were the attendees, who enjoyed prime-time racing.

A successful Breeder’s Cup was contributed by innovative new betting offerings, increased field size, and the presence of a track favorite, of which many features will be utilized at the 2011 Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs.

Sweet August Moon won her first race of 2010 in the Del Mar Grade 3 $147,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap this Sunday. Sweet August Moon has struggled to get on track in the win department in 2010, going winless in her first four races.

The five year-old filly, Sweet August Moon, horse racing betting favorite, engaged the leader and favorite Alpha Kitten when the two reached the clubhouse turn for the stretch. The two put on a neck and neck race to the finish, with Sweet August Moon finally finding another gear to finish the job, winning by 3/4 of a length. Silver Swallow made a lightning fast late run from far off the pace and was closing fast as the 6 1/2 furlong race finished. Silver Swallow could have laid the field to waste if she had kicked for home just a few moments earlier.

The race was a short field of only four horses for the Rancho Bernardo Handicap. Missing was the filly, Free Flying Soul, who was injured with a chip in her ankle. Free Flying Soul is now scheduled for surgery to rectify the problem and will miss a minimum of three months.

Alpha Kitten was the even money favorite and broke fast out of the gate on the back stretch. Alpha Kitten had the field covered as they entered the turn but by the time they rounded the turn and headed down the stretch, Sweet August Moon had engaged her in an all out battle headed towards the finish line.

Saturday July 24, 2010 marks the 49th running of the annual King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot Racecourse. A Group 1 flat horse race, the feature race on the day’s card offers the track’s largest purse annually at £1,000,000. Contested over a distance of a mile and four furlongs, entry is available to all horses of racing age.

The 2009 running of the race was won by four-year old Conduit trained by Sir Michael Stoute as an entry of the Ballymacoll Stud, and 2010 will crown a new champion with horse racing betting favorite, Conduit having been retired to stud in Japan following a successful 2009 campaign.

A dynamic field of 19 has been pointed at Saturday’s race with an impressive list of finishes to-date among top contenders including the winner and runner-up entries from the 2010 Epsom Derby along with the respective winners of the Irish Derby and Dante Stakes.

Trainer Sir Michael Stoute will look to return to the winner’s circle this time with 2010 Epsom Derby winner Workforce, an entry of Juddmonte Farms. Workforce is joined by favorites Midday, Mawatheeq, Dar Re Mi, Spanish Moon, Fencing Master, Cavalryman, Sariska and Youmzain as a partial list of contenders for Saturday’s race.

The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes holds the distinction of being Ascot’s largest purse of the season. With premier admission tickets to race day sold out, and a prime field of contenders, spectators will be treated to one of the country’s premier racing events of the season.