The L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate winner of 2012 and in subsequent years could possibly receive an automatic entry into the lucrative Breeder’s Cup Mile in the same year of its running.
Ebony Flyer will run in the 2012 L'Ormarins Queens Plate and head to the US for the Breeders Cup Day
Jonathon Snaith, the head of the marketing team that has transformed the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate into one of the country’s premier racing and social events, revealed this exciting news.
He has been negotiating with Joshua Christian, who is the Breeders’ Cup Director of Racing, and the aim is to incorporate the Queen’s Plate into the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” Series.
Due to the enormous support the Breeders’ Cup has received from South African breeders they felt very strongly that designating a race as a Breeders’ Cup Challenge race in South Africa was essential to all parties involved.
The Queen’s Plate 2012 was marketed earlier this year as being South Africa’s first International Horse Race and any agreement reached with the Breeder’s Cup will enhance its status on the world stage.
Unfortunately, due to an outbreak of African Horse Sickness (AHS) in the AHS control area earlier this year, any visiting horses will currently be subject to stringent export protocols, meaning lengthy spells in quarantine pre and post travel, so it is unlikely that we will have any foreign horses competing this year.
However, this won’t affect the race’s chances of becoming part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” Series.
The complicating factor is that Non Breeders’ Cup nominated horses would have to meet eligibility requirements prior to pre-entry of the Championships. There was an open enrollment period which ended this year on June 30, 2011.
The fee structure for this enrollment was US$3,000 for yearlings born in 2010, US$6,000 for two-year-olds born in 2009 and US$25,000 for three-year-olds or older.
Upon expiration of this open enrollment, Breeders’ Cup’s late nominations fees reverted to standard rates for horses that were not previously nominated and these are between US$100,000 to US$200,000. A similar Open Enrollment period could possibly be looked at once again next year making thus making it easier for Queen’s Plate runners to become Breeders’ Cup nominated.
Once nominated, horses will experience all the benefits of being eligible for the multi-million dollar program, which will include:
• Full eligibility to the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” Series.
In the Queen’s Plate’s case this will include,
• Breeders’ Cup will provide Free Entry into the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) to the winner (normal entry fee is 3% of the purse)
• Breeders’ Cup will provide $20,000 to assist with travel expenses to winning owner should they accept the offer to compete. This offer will revert to the 2nd place getter should the owners of the winning horse not accept the offer.
• Breeders’ Cup will provide promotion of the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate on all Breeders’ Cup materials promoting the Challenge
• Non Breeders’ Cup nominated horses would have to meet eligibility requirements prior to pre-entry of the Championships
• A nominator award of $10,000 to the person nominating the foal or racehorse
• Lifetime racing eligibility to the annual $26 Million Breeders’ Cup World Championship event.
• Lifetime racing eligibility to the racing programs of the Breeders’ Cup.
Snaith and Christian are still negotiating the eligibility conditions pertaining to aspirants for the 2012 Queen’s Plate, as the race had not been confirmed as part of the “In if You’re win” series prior to the June 30 Open enrollment deadline.
The Breeders’ Cup also advises that in order to be considered for Challenge selection, “the racing association or host track” should consider offering the following:
• Subsidised travel allowances for the winning horse and connections to be added to the Breeders’ Cup travel award of $20,000.
• Subsidised nomination fees if the winner of the race is not nominated prior to pre-entry in the Championships.
• Agree to assist Breeders’ Cup in securing an agreement with the South African Tote operator to simulcast both days of the Breeders’ Championships.
• Promotion of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge and Championships throughout the year at the host track and through media outlets.
South Africa’s Operators will therefore have to enter the negotiations.
Snaith plans to invite a Breeders’ Cup representative at the Queen’s Plate and the Breeders’ Cup will be given the naming rights for one of the feature races on the card.
The Breeders’ Cup racemeeting takes place in the USA in November every year.
The export protocols that our racehorses are currently subject to due to AHS therefore make The Queen’s Plate the ideal race for the Breeder’s Cup series as it gives the winning connections enough time to transport the horse to the USA.
The “Royal Ascot” like vibe that Snaith and his marketing team have brought to the Queen’s Plate is another reason it seems the ideal qualifying race.
Current protocol options are a 60 day Post Arrival Quarantine in a New York State lock-up or a 120 day trek via the EU.
The latter is longer, but probably less expensive and allows the horses to remain in work.
However, the good news is that future international regulations via the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) will almost certainly force the USA to accept South Africa’s AHS Free Zone, which will allow South Africa to export directly to the USA.
Pre-export quarantine periods are also expected to be reduced dramatically, possibly to as little as 14 days.
Snaith said that a full press release would accompany the confirmation of the Queen’s Plate becoming part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” Series.
