The arrival of the Breeders’ Cup also meant the arrival of horses from around the world.
Bring them to Keeneland No small task, regardless of whether they are arriving internationally or from coast to coast.
“It’s a very expensive proposition for the owners. We’ve spent quite a bit of time preparing for their arrival. But (the cost) of international air travel has only increased.” Dora Delgado, Breeders’ Cup executive vice president and racing director.
Tex Sutton Equine Transport used to have an aircraft on lease, but when the plane expired, the airline chose not to renew the agreement. When that happens, getting the horse into the air becomes more complicated. Since then, Tex Sutton has partnered with FedEx to deliver horses, working year-round on their schedule to get horses around the country.
Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) frontrunners Flight route arrived on one of two FedEx flights bringing horses from Ontario, California to Louisville, United States. That flight arrived on October 23, the other on October 30.
Air freight: put horses in stables on airplanes to fly to California in 2017
“That’s enough because they can hold up to 30 heads on a 767, so we can accommodate all the horses coming in from California on the scheduled service or on the trains that we’ve taken. “, said Rich Clark, president of Tex Sutton.
As for international competitors coming to the Breeders’ Cup, Delgado said a Qatar Airways plane was chartered to carry 39 horses. It will start in France and stop in the UK and Ireland before arriving in Louisville on October 29.
If there was more than one previous entry from Japan, there might have been another charter flight to accommodate the runners running there. Delgado hopes to have more contenders from Japan aiming for Breeders Cup ‘next year at Santa Anita . Parkwhere they can fly directly to Los Angeles.
Once the horses land, they will be greeted by the United States Department of Agriculture, and upon arrival in Lexington, undergo quarantine at Keeneland.
Preparing the stalls for quarantine measures that meet USDA criteria is an expensive endeavor. That’s the cost that goes up every year.
“Part of it has to do with the regulations that the USDA imposed on us during the construction of our temporary quarantine,” Delgado said. “There are things that give them a level of comfort that add a lot of cost to the event’s bottom line, and some of those things have to do (with) … Brexit. British horses can no longer afford it. settled with Irish and French horses.” ”
The Godolphin candidates arrived on their own private jet, which required another dedicated isolation area.
And because of USDA specifications, the cost of quarantine is going up. Breeders’ Cups will take over the existing space at Keeneland, but they must meet strict details in order to be used. These include dual screens that prevent airborne mediators, flying insects and birds from entering; airlocks need to be built; barriers on barn walls that horses cannot lick or chew; and the horses need to be on a waterproof floor. All of these need to be built at each host site, where all stalls being used need to be excavated six to eight inches apart.
“There are not enough cuts between stalls, aisles, for horses to complete a lap to place a complete solid fence between each of those units to still have enough room to do a lap,” says Delgado. inner set. “And because the horses stay in this stable for 42 hours, they’re not allowed out. They must be able to walk around the house to maintain their fitness.”
Because they couldn’t build two inner walking loops, Breeders’ Cup had to build outer walking loops attached to the main unit.
Delgado said the cost of quarantine facilities in Keeneland is between $500,000 and $750,000.
That amount does not include fees for using USDA to monitor quarantine periods; the costs of our international liaisons, the International Racing Bureau; shipping costs associated with the import and export of horses as well as aircraft costs.
“We wanted to have a better solution for these temporary constructions that then have to return to normal so their home horses can then reuse those stables… That’s it. which probably needs a permanent solution, but we haven’t figured it out yet,” said Delgado.
