The St. Louis Derby, the richest thoroughbred race in Fairmount Park's 82-year history, which drew an estimated 10,000 people last season, will not take place this year, said Jeff Cooper, who last year ponied up $200,000 of the $250,000 guaranteed purse.
The problem appears to be the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby, which will be held on Sept. 3. A lack of funding prevented that race from taking place last year, but the introduction of slot machines to Pennsylvania race tracks has revitalized the race.
Additionally, several horse racing issues within the Illinois Legislature are preventing Fairmount Park president and general manager Brian Zander from committing to a specific date.
"Brian's quote was 'He wanted to take a year off,' " said Cooper, managing partner of the SimmonsCooper law firm in East Alton. "I'm not sure how you take a year off with a yearly event. And re-visit next year as though we'd be willing to come back to Fairmount Park two years from now.
"We're more than willing. But the park has told us they're not interested in doing it, which is amazing to me, to say the least."
Zander said the track's financial condition means it cannot afford to put on such a race.
"As far as me saying taking a year off, no, I've never said that," he said. "I said we're going to have to see that it makes sense for us to do it, taking into consideration that we have to find a spot for the race and that we don't have a funding thing. I just said, basically, it's going to be a little bit difficult to try to get this done. At this point, it's to be announced."
The St. Louis Derby was supposed to be part of the track's 90-date live season, which opens today with a 1 p.m. post time for a nine-race card. The derby was scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 25, nine days before the Pennsylvania Derby, so the chances of drawing a competitive field for a $250,000 purse were slim.
Last year's Derby drew a 12-horse field (one was scratched before the race), including eventual winner Lawyer Ron and two horses — Cielo Gold and More Than Regal — who were second and third, respectively, in the West Virginia Derby, held three weeks before.
"It's unbelievably disappointing," said Cooper, who plans to talk with Ellis Park officials in Henderson, Ky., about holding an event there.
For those of you that might not know what it is like at one of the smaller tracks, drawing 10,000 fans to Fairmount for a non-Triple Crown race day is huge. You just do not get horses of the Lawyer Ron or Cielo Gold quality. Hell, at a place like Fairmount, $7500 claiming races for non-winners of a race this year is a damn good race. So skipping the only race that would draw real top quality talent is a real slap in the face to St. Louis area race fans.
Obviously, the folks at Fairmount would like to have their event be one of the bigger events on the racing calendar for that day, and obviously they enjoyed a brighter spotlight because the Pennsylvania Derby didn't run. But that was an artificial situation that was never going to last. Even if the Pennsylvania Derby never ran again, some other track would promote a big race to fill that date on the summer racing schedule.
They should realize that and simply pick a date and stick with it year in and year out. Horse owners pick their schedule out far in advance. Make the St. Louis Derby something they can build up horses for and they will do so. There is more than enough talent in the racing world to get a good field for a $250,000 race, even if it were running the same day as the Pennsylvania Derby.
Here you have a backer in Cooper willing to pony up for a quarter million dollar horse race at your facility, and you can't be bothered to set it up.
Madness.
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