Today, The Jockey Club announces a significant collaboration with 1/ST, a prominent Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering company based in North America.
This pioneering initiative aims to establish connections between esteemed races in the UK and prestigious turf contests hosted at 1/ST venues across North America. The primary objective is to enhance the international stature of all races involved by facilitating increased participation of horses from the US in UK races and vice versa.
As part of this partnership, the victors of two notable races in North America during the spring season will secure automatic entries for two esteemed Group 1 races hosted by The Jockey Club during the summer – the Coral-Eclipse and the My Pension Expert July Cup.
Furthermore, winners of the Coral-Eclipse and My Pension Expert July Cup will earn automatic entries and travel incentives for two distinguished races in North America during the autumn season.
The comprehensive race schedule includes:
Turf Division:
The winner of Santa Anita’s Charles Whittingham Stakes (Grade 2, $200,000, 10 furlongs) on Saturday, May 4th, will be granted an automatic entry and travel incentive to compete in the Coral-Eclipse (Group 1, £750,000, 10 furlongs) at Sandown Park on Saturday, July 6th.
Subsequently, the victor of the Coral-Eclipse will receive an automatic entry and travel incentive to participate in the California Crown John Henry Turf (Grade 2, $750,000, 10 furlongs) on Saturday, September 28th, at Santa Anita.
Turf Sprint Division:
The winner of Pimlico’s Jim McKay Stakes (Listed Stakes, $100,000, 5 furlongs) on Saturday, May 18th, will secure an automatic entry and travel incentive to compete in the My Pension Expert July Cup (Group 1, £600,000, 6 furlongs) at Newmarket on Saturday, July 13th.
Conversely, the champion of the My Pension Expert July Cup will earn an automatic entry and travel incentive to partake in the California Crown Eddie D Turf Sprint (Grade 2, $750,000, 6.5 furlongs) on Saturday, September 28th, at Santa Anita.
This collaboration signifies a significant step forward in fostering international racing connections and promoting the sport’s growth on a global scale.
Aidan Butler, President of 1/ST, said: “A special thank you to our friends at The Jockey Club on launching this innovative partnership. We look forward to welcoming in competitors to the inaugural California Crown at Santa Anita Park this autumn.
“This partnership with The Jockey Club is part of our wider global strategy for improving international interest and top-class participation in the world’s biggest races – as evidenced by a similar alliance we have with Royal Ascot, via our Royal Palm juvenile series at Gulfstream Park, which delivered Crimson Advocate, the winner of the prestigious Queen Mary Stakes, in its inaugural year.”
Matt Woolston, The Jockey Club’s Assistant Racing and International Director, added: “We are delighted to announce this great new initiative today and I would like to thank everyone at 1/ST for helping to make it happen.
“By pairing two of the UK’s most famous and prestigious Group One contests in the summer with a quartet of valuable North American turf contests in the spring and autumn, we feel we have the perfect race schedule for transatlantic runners.
“In addition, British and other European trainers now have the chance of an incentivised trip to North America in the autumn for races at Santa Anita’s exciting new California Crown meeting.
“We feel we have highlighted a race schedule that incentivises runners to travel across the Atlantic.”
