2009 Derby Trail Graded Dollars

Last week took a look at some of the numbers for Graded Stakes Earnings for the Juvenile Crop.  This week we dig inside the road to the Derby 2009.

Surprisingly not all the stakes schedules have been set for 2009.  We will take a look at only the "Dirt" and Synthetic" races on the Schedule for the Winter and Spring of 2009.  I have included the 2 million dollar purse of the Dubai.

Total Graded Earnings in 2009:  11,600,000.  Compared to 7.8 million in 2008 juvenile earnings.  But if the dubai 2 million is throw own 9.6 million is the total.

The Breakdown in Graded Earnings by month for 2009:

January 2009:  $500,000

February '09:  $1,525,000

March '09  $ 5,050,000  (2 million Dubai)

April '09 $4,525,000

Breaking down the Graded Dollars by earnings into 3 categories

under 8 furlongs  $500,000

8 - 8 1/5  $3,550,000

9 Furlongs + $7,550,000

The "Dirt Races" still have the majority of graded earnings:

Synthetic Earnings:  $3,225,000

Dirt Graded Earnings: $8,375,000

The Derby Trail is filled with "Graded" Earnings, but the Grades of the races don't have any correlated value to the purse.  An example of this is that Tampa Bay has both the Sam F Davis and Tampa Bay Derby, the Tampa Bay Derby has a $300,000 purse while the Sam F Davis has a purse of $225,000.  Meanwhile the Holy Bull has a purse of $150,000 and is 9 furlongs.

Gulfstream has totally made a mockery of their prep races.  They start with the 9 furlong Holy Bull on January 31st.  Meanwhile the Fountain of Youth is only a mile this year and serves as the official prep for the gigantic purse of 1 million dollars in the Florida Derby.  

Look the best preps to come in Tampa Bay in 2009.  The better horses are not going to come off a layoff and run in the Holy Bull.  While the true distance horses may be reluctant and not risk losing any  Graded Earnings to a  Speedball in the mile Fountain of Youth.