The bugbear of bolstering flagging field sizes remains a poser in South Africa and in certain jurisdictions worldwide, but there is innovation to counter the issue in California.
The cdn.bloodhorse.com reports that Santa Anita Park has announced a first-ever ‘Ship and Stay’ programme that is intended to attract out-of-state horsemen and to incentivize them to keep running in California throughout the new year.
Funded solely by Santa Anita and The Stronach Group, the ‘Ship and Stay’ programme is patterned after Del Mar’s successful ‘Ship and Win’ initiative and provides on-going bonuses to individual trainers and owners who bring horses to Santa Anita from out of state.
Bonuses will be paid to the connections who originally brought them to California for their first three starts. These bonuses will be paid even if the horse is claimed.
Despite the onset of the Cape Summer Season, minor race field sizes have proven disappointing at Kenilworth. Last weekend the scheduled 2yo scurries had to be cancelled.
The reopening of entries by the National Racing Bureau is a regular occurrence with some trainers accepting with horses just to save races – and then scratching them.
The budgetary and accommodation practicalities and logistics of introducing a similar incentive programme as to that of Del Mar here could make for interesting research.
