When horsemen pick a race for their Thoroughbred, the purse and distance are usually deciding factors in those decisions. Yet what will bring Mind Control to Aqueduct Racetrack for the $150,000 Toboggan Stakes (G3) is the date.
Monthly Archives: January 2020
Uncle Mo Colt Commands $400,000 at January Sale
It didn’t take long to get the action rolling during the Jan. 15 session of the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, when Springhouse Farm drove up the bidding on an Uncle Mo colt to $400,000 less than an hour into the auction.
Kentucky Committee Advances Sports Wagering Bill
The Kentucky House Licensing and Occupations Committee advanced a bill Jan. 15 that would allow sports wagering at the state’s racetracks and online.
National Lacrosse League And BetMGM Announce First-Ever U.S. Gaming Partnership In Lacrosse
The National Lacrosse League (NLL) today announced a landmark partnership with Roar Digital – a joint venture between global gaming industry leaders MGM Resorts International and GVC Holdings – making Roar’s sports betting brand, BetMGM, the official and exclusive gaming partner of the NLL. It is the first-ever gaming partnership for the sport of lacrosse in the United States.
“We are so proud to welcome BetMGM as yet another world-class brand to our family of national partners,” said NLL Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz. “The growth of our league as a sports and entertainment property and the amount of engagement we will be able to generate through this innovative partnership with MGM Resorts and Roar Digital will be very exciting and add tremendous value to avid, casual and new fans. The like-minded vision both our organizations share will continue to increase the relevance of the NLL and draw a wider audience of fans as we continue the momentum we enjoyed over the last four seasons.”
“Lacrosse is a fast-paced, high-scoring, growing sport that presents exciting sports betting opportunities. We are greatly impressed by the management and operations of the NLL as evidenced by its strong roster of team owners,” said Scott Butera, President of Interactive Gaming for MGM Resorts. “The NLL is an ideal partner for BetMGM in accessing a fast-growing Lacrosse fan base.”
BetMGM will have commercial visibility and other promotional opportunities throughout the NLL regular season and playoffs. In addition, will create weekly betting lines distributed across all NLL platforms and channels.
Accessible via desktop and mobile, BetMGM features GVC’s state-of-the-art betting engine and technology platform. Not only can users play the traditional casino and poker games they’ve come to love, but sports fans can place an expanded range of pre-match and in-play bets with more than 100 leagues, as well as individual sports, tours and events.
The NLL is the premier professional lacrosse league, ranking third in average attendance for pro indoor sports, with 13 teams in key markets across North America. The NLL experienced substantial growth last season with nearly a million total ticket sales, a 28 percent increase from 2017-18. Digital viewership also rose significantly through B/R Live the NLL’s streaming rights partner, showing substantial increases in total unit sales (+151 percent from last year), average unique viewers (+27 percent), and average minute audiences (+14 percent). Sponsorship revenues are projected at a 29 percent increase from 2018 into 2019.
Brisk Trade at Second Session of Keeneland January Sale
The Jan. 14 second session of the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale saw brisk trade, posting increases in both the average and median prices.
NJ lottery winners might soon be able to stay anonymous
Big jackpot winners and lucky scratch-off ticket holders in New Jersey are one step closer to keeping their winnings a secret after the state Assembly passed a bill that would shield the identity of lottery winners in the state.New Jersey, Legislation, Government, Anonymous
Shadai Farm Acquires Dam of Grade 1 Winner Mo Forza
Ten-year-old Inflamed, who was thrust into the spotlight when her first foal Mo Forza ran away with the Hollywood Derby (G1T) on his way to earning an Eclipse Award nomination, will move to Japan to join the ranks of Shadai Farm.
Gold Coast Yearling Sale Reaches New Heights
Records tumbled across the board as the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale came to a close at Queensland’s holiday playground Jan. 14.
Pomeroys Pistol, Dam of Thousand Words, Brings $475,000
When a mare who is featured as the dam of a possible Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) contender shows up in the supplemental catalog of the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, buyers stand up and take note.
Finite Continues Kentucky Oaks Bid In Silverbulletday
Winchell Thoroughbreds and Thomas Reiman’s Finite headlines a field of eight lined up for the $150,000 Silverbulletday Stakes Jan. 18 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
Elm Tree is Breeder of First West Coast Foal
The filly is out of the Harlan’s Holiday winner Harlee Honey.
Silver Dust Eyes Gold in Upgraded Louisiana Stakes
Tom Durant’s Silver Dust, already a graded stakes winner at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, is entered for his 6-year-old debut at the New Orleans track in the $100,000 Louisiana Stakes (G3) Jan. 18.
PlayNJ.com: New Jersey Sportsbooks’ Handle Tops $4.5 Billion in 2019
New Jersey’s sportsbooks and online casinos performed in December in much the same way they spent the rest of 2019: With new records and more growth. Retail and online sportsbooks combined with online casinos and poker to generate nearly $800 million in revenue in 2019, sending New Jersey into 2020 with plenty of momentum, according to PlayNJ.com analysts.
“Online sports betting and casino gambling should continue on or near its current growth trajectory in 2020,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for PlayNJ.com. “Online growth will continue to be a net win for New Jersey’s gaming industry.”
New Jersey’s online and retail sportsbooks collected $557.8 million in bets in December, short of the record $562.2 million handle set in November, according to official reporting. December 2019’s handle was up 74.7% from $319.2 million in December 2018.
Revenue from sportsbooks reached $29.4 million, down from $32.9 million in November and up 41.4% from $20.8 million won in December 2018. December’s revenue yielded $3.7 million in tax revenue for the state.
For 2019, New Jersey’s sportsbooks combined to generate:
- $4.6 billion in bets. Of that $3.8 billion, or 83.7%, was generated online.
- Revenue of $299.4 million, including $244.5 million online.
- State tax revenue of $36.5 million.
New Jersey will fall short of Nevada, which has generated $4.7 billion in bets through November, in the race to be the country’s largest legal sports betting jurisdiction.
“2019 could very well go down as the last year that New Jersey was eclipsed by Nevada,” said Eric Ramsey, analyst for PlayNJ.com said. “From its proximity to the New York market to its pioneering online sports betting infrastructure, New Jersey’s positives as a sports betting market will continue to fuel its growth.”
In December, online betting generated $488.9 million, or 87.6% of the state’s handle, up from 86.5% in November. FanDuel Sportsbook/PointsBet continues to pace the online market, tallying $12.1 million in gross revenue, down from $12.2 million in November.
FanDuel Sportsbook at The Meadowlands lead the retail market with $2.4 million in November gross revenue.
“In addition to constant growth, one of the constants in New Jersey’s sports betting market has been FanDuel’s dominance,” Gouker said. “The brands under Resorts Digital have made it a relatively close second in the online market, but it has proven difficult to overcome FanDuel’s advantages, despite the brand recognition that comes from DraftKings and Fox Bet.”
Sassyserb is First Winner for Circumference
The sophomore filly won Jan. 11 by 5 1/4 lengths at Santa Anita Park.
MATCH Series Renewed for 2020: 35 Mid-Atlantic Stakes
The Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships Series (MATCH) has been renewed for 2020, with an expanded schedule and an increase in owner, trainer and breeder bonus money thanks to new partner racetracks, horsemen’s groups and breeder associations.
Champion Unique Bella Delivers Medaglia d'Oro Filly
Don Alberto Stable’s champion Unique Bella delivered her first foal, a Medaglia d’Oro filly, in Kentucky during the early morning hours Jan. 14, according to a tweet from her owner.
Confidently Brings $560,000 at Keeneland January Sale
Confidently, a 4-year-old War Front filly consigned as Hip 595 by Glen Hill Farm, lit up the bid board during the Jan.14 session of the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale when she was purchased for $560,000 by James Schenck, agent.
Lecomte Undercard: Mr. Misunderstood in Colonel Bradley
Before 3-year-olds take the spotlight Jan. 18 at Fair Grounds in the $150,000 Silverbulletday Stakes and the $200,000 Lecomte Stakes (G3), the track’s local turf series for older male routers begins with the $125,000 Colonel E. R. Bradley Handicap.
Saudi Cup Attracts Worldwide Interest
Stakes nominations for the $20 million Saudi Cup and the supporting program in Saudi Arabia were released Jan. 14, topped by 32 group 1 or grade 1 winners for the signature race, the richest in the world.
Under-Siege Al Shaab Stud Tweets Trump in Plea for Help
The boss of Libya’s premier stud farm which has been under siege by armed militias has revealed he has tweeted Donald Trump in a plea for help.