THE Australian Jockey Club’s premier 1,200 meter sprint, the Group 1TJ Smith Stakes, has received major international status, with its winner to be an automatic entry in American Turf racing’s premiere sprint, the US$1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint also over 1200 metres.
The TJ Smith Stakes now becomes an officially sanctioned race in the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series for sprinters, with very few other international races achieving this commendation.
Acting CEO of the Australian Jockey Club, Darren Pearce said the decision by the Breeders’ Cup organisers to give the TJ Smith Stakes winner a start in American racing’s annual sprint championship was a spectacular coup for Sydney racing.
“The Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint is the grand final of USA turf sprint racing,” he said.
“This decision boosts the AJC’s campaign to make the TJ Smith Stakes the sprint championship of Australian racing."
The President and CEO of Breeders’ Cup Ltd, Greg Avioli, said the American organisers were looking forward to an Australian horse competing at Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky in November this year.
“The Breeders Cup Challenge series is now entering it's fourth year and is highlighted by the ‘Win and You're In’ provision which we are pleased to be extending to the TJ Smith Stakes and partnering with the Australian Jockey Club,” Avioli said.
“The winner of this race will gain automatic entry into the Breeders Cup Turf Sprint upon payment of the appropriate fees.”
Pearce said that prize money for the TJ Smith Stakes, which will be run during Royal Randwick’s upcoming autumn carnival, would now be increased to $500,000 and the Breeders’ Cup will add a $US50,000 Owners Premium for qualified horses, to split between the placegetters.
The two-day Breeders’ Cup meeting, to be held in Kentucky this year on 5 and 6 November, is a major fixture on the American sports calendar.
Created 26 years ago, the event is the season-ending championship of thoroughbred racing. Last year’s US$25.5 million in total purses earned the Breeders’ Cup the title of richest prize money event in the world.
The sprint race is one of 14 races in the event, which has attracted up to 96,000 racegoers over its two days.
The multi-million dollar event has been a magnet for some of the most outstanding horses in the world. American champions such as Azeri, A.P. Indy, Alysheba, Cigar, Curlin, Personal Ensign, Ferdinand, Sunday Silence, Zenyatta and countless others have contested the Breeders’ Cup.
More recently, Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien has brought his top runners from Ireland and England. Since his first appearance in 1998, O’Brien has saddled 44 starters, coming away with three victories.
“Now the AJC is an integral part of the Breeders’ Cup, giving Australian owners and trainers the opportunity to compete on the world stage. In this era of International breeding and horse trade the globalisation of racing will continue to become more prevalent,” Pearce said.
He said that the recognition of the TJ Smith Stakes was a tribute to the Australian thoroughbred and Sydney racing.
Recent winners of the TJ Smith Stakes include Takeover Target, Apache Cat and Bentley Biscuitall who were all sired by international stallions.
“And it’s worth noting that Takeover Target’s time in the 2009 TJ Smith Stakes was two seconds quicker than California Flag’s winning run in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint," Pearce said.
“From now on, great winners of Australia’s top sprint race will have the chance to show their speed and spirit in one of the world’s premiere racing carnivals and hopefully horses from around the globe will consider coming to Royal Randwick to be part of a great Australian Carnival and use the TJ Smith as a qualifying race to secure their entry into the Breeders Cup Turf Sprint.”
AUSTRALIAN JOCKEY CLUB MEDIA RELEASE
CONCTACT: Rod Allen 0419 692 856
