With seven Japan-based runners anticipated to compete on this 12 months’s Breeders’ Cup races and new medicine insurance policies in place spurring goodwill with worldwide shops, a variety of this 12 months’s World Championship races shall be provided for wagering within the profitable markets of Japan and Hong Kong.
Breeders’ Cup president and CEO Drew Fleming stated Japan plans to supply wagering on three Breeders’ Cup Saturday races: the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T), the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile Offered by PDJF (G1T), and the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T). This would be the first time Japan bettors have been in a position to wager on a Breeders’ Cup race since 2016 at Santa Anita Park after they have been in a position to wager on the Filly & Mare Turf.
The Japan Racing Affiliation permits simulcast wagering on a restricted variety of worldwide races every year and curiosity in these occasions is often excessive. Horseplayers in Japan wagered about $7 million on the 2016 Filly & Mare Turf the place Japan-based Nuovo Record finished off the board. That wagering support arrived even though the race was conducted in the early morning hours in Japan.
This year will provide a chance for breakfast at the races as Japan time for the three races offered will be at 5:59 a.m. (Filly & Mare Turf), 7:20 a.m. (Mile), and 8:40 a.m. (Turf). Japan will have a major contender in the Filly and Mare Turf in Loves Only You , who earlier this year won the FWD Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1) in Hong Kong.
“The wagering is important but even more, they’ve been great partners with us as far as growing Thoroughbred racing as a whole,” said Fleming, noting the friendship he’s developed with JRA president and CEO Masayuk Goto. “It’s been a privilege to work with them and continue to grow the game internationally.”
This would be the first Breeders’ Cup by which race-day Lasix shall be prohibited in the entire races, which is according to different worldwide requirements. Fleming believes the up to date medicine guidelines of Breeders’ Cup in addition to total strikes by the U.S. business towards worldwide medicine requirements by means of efforts just like the Horseracing Integrity and Security Authority and the Thoroughbred Security Coalition have inspired participation from worldwide horsemen and aided in opening worldwide wagering alternatives.
“The Hong Kong Jockey Membership can also be going to be taking wagering on the Breeders Cup,” Fleming stated. “It displays the Hong Kong’s Jockey Membership’s assist for not solely the passage of HISA, however the constructive reforms which can be being applied in U.S. racing, which incorporates operating medication-free on race day.”
In an electronic mail change with BloodHorse, Goto additionally applauded the Breeders’ Cup modifications.
“Stringent anti-doping coverage is the core principal of horse racing,” Goto stated. “Due to this fact, I welcome the transfer and extremely reward what the Breeders’ Cup organizers have achieved.”
The Hong Kong Jockey Membership, which additionally provides a restricted variety of international simulcasts, will provide wagering on the Turf and the Mile.
There shall be 27 nations that settle for wagering on Breeders’ Cup races this 12 months. Nineteen nations will provide pari-mutuel, commingled-pool wagering on the World Championships, together with Canada, France, Eire, Germany, and the UK. Eight different jurisdictions will provide separate pool wagering, together with Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Hong Kong, India, Japan, and Mexico.
“As a worldwide property with horses competing from all corners of the world, we’re happy to have the ability to provide commingled pari-mutuel wagering for bettors throughout 19 nations,” Fleming stated. “This gives sturdy liquidity for our swimming pools and maximizes worth for our worldwide clients. We’re additionally appreciative and honored to have Hong Kong and Japan included in wagering this 12 months, which demonstrates the alternatives accessible to each jurisdiction once we work collectively to globalize our sport.”
