Epicharis Latest Example of NYRA's Enhanced Recruitment

New York Racing Association senior vice president of racing operations Martin Panza is no stranger in the effort to bring international runners to the United States.

When he worked at Hollywood Park, Panza helped institute the American Oaks Invitational (G1T), a race that made history when Cesario won the 2005 edition to become the first Japanese-bred horse to take a grade 1 event on these shores.

Now, U. Carrot Farm, the racing syndicate that owned Cesario, has returned to the U.S. with Epicharis, who will bid to become the first Japanese-bred runner to win the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1). In addition to ginning up worldwide interest in U.S. racing, the participation of Japanese horses has economic ramifications that can do nothing but help domestic horsemen.

Last year, when Nuovo Record ran in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T), Japanese players wagered $7.7 million on the race, which went off at 4:30 a.m. there. Panza is hoping that number reaches $10 million-$20 million on the Belmont Stakes as Japanese fans root home Epicharis at 7:40 their time Sunday morning. Although the Japanese wagering pool will not be co-mingled with domestic pools, New York will receive a simulcast fee from the Japanese pool.

"NYRA will get half that fee and the horsemen will get half, so it helps our purse account for the horsemen," Panza noted. "It's a percentage of what's bet over there. So we're growing our business for NYRA; we're helping our horsemen; and we're trying to get into more international markets. It really doesn't matter that much what the final number is, because we're just getting started with this."

NYRA also fashioned a $1 million bonus to be paid to the owner of a Japanese-based horse that wins the Belmont, increasing interest in that country.

Epicharis is a logical contender in a race that has seen the defection of this year's two classic winners and then likely favorite Classic Empire. Epicharis won his first four starts in Japan, including the Hyacinth Stakes in February. In his only loss, he ran a solid second behind Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) starter Thunder Snow in the UAE Derby Sponsored by the Saeed & Mohammed al Naboodah Group (G2) in March.

The opening up of Japan as a simulcasting market dovetailed nicely with NYRA's plans to recruit horses from there to enhance entries. The three Triple Crown racetracks have increased their efforts at international recruitment as well. Last season Lani, a Japanese-bred and-owned son of Tapit  , out of a Sunday Silence mare, ran through the series, finishing third in the Belmont.

"We've been trying to get horses here for the Belmont Derby Invitational and Belmont Oaks (both G1T)," said Panza. "We've succeeded with Europeans but not with Japanese in those races so far; we keep working on it. With Lani last year and the simulcast market opening, we figured we needed to step up our efforts, so we came up with the bonus. We've been over there talking to the trainers and connections and told them we'd love to have them.

"You look at tracks around the world. Flemington, Longchamp, Dubai, and Ascot are known as venues with international competitors," Panza continued.  "We want Belmont and Saratoga to be thought of along those same lines, and you do that by running international races and getting people to come here. It's good for our racing; it's good for the fans; I'm interested in seeing how Epicharis is going to run. Forget the simulcast angle, it just adds an element to the race when you have international participation. It's a better show, a better event.

"Even if there wasn't simulcasting, we'd still be trying to get their horses to come here because it's good for racing. Simulcasting is a bonus that allows us to do a little bit more in trying to attract them."

Panza added that perhaps down the road Japanese pools could be co-mingled with U.S. pools, but that for the present time there are tax and currency issues that complicate co-mingling.

Meantime, NYRA converted Barn 5 on the Belmont backstretch into a quarantine facility. It still maintains a quarantine facility at Aqueduct Racetrack and has built one at Saratoga Race Course as well. Seven European horses were scheduled to run at Belmont during the Belmont Stakes Festival of racing, with more coming for the Stars & Stripes Festival that features the Belmont Derby and Oaks. Also, Nobutaka Tada, who has helped recruit Japanese horses to America for years, is serving as point man in Japan.

Whether it's U. Carrot Farm or the Yoshida family, which owns major stallion and breeding stations in Japan, Japanese interests are game about sending their bloodstock across the globe to prove to the rest of the world how good it is. And America is a natural fit, since much of Japanese bloodstock traces to U.S. runners Sunday Silence and Forty Niner, and the Japanese have for years bought top U.S. broodmares to enhance their breeding operations.

"Everything in business is about relationships," said Panza. "We've been gaining the confidence of European horsemen who like our big, beautiful turf courses and know we're going to take good care of their stock. So the more we build these relationships, the stronger we'll get."