MGM Grand drops Classic Crown

Ralph Siraco

Thursday, Sept. 25, 1997 | 9:02 a.m.

The MGM Grand hotel-casino has canceled its sponsorship of California's three major handicap races grouped as the MGM Grand Classic Crown. The MGM Crown was comprised of the Santa Anita Handicap, the Hollywood Gold Cup and the Pacific Classic.

The Grade I handicap races linked from Santa Anita, Hollywood Park and Del Mar offer $1 million purses. However, the MGM sponsorship offered an additional $2 million if any horse had swept the three races in the same year.

Although the agreement was a five-year pact that was instituted in 1996, a provision of the contract allowed the MGM to cancel on a year-to-year basis, an option exercised this year. No horse swept the handicap trio of races in its two-year run, and track officials indicated they would now look for another sponsor for the races.

In announcing the decision, MGM grand director of media relations, Bill Doak, indicated that the investment was substantial and that, measured against the company's marketing objectives, the Classic Crown sponsorship just didn't work out. He also relayed that the City of Entertainment would put the dollars elsewhere. Using the dollars for other racing promotions and advertising may fit plans for the new MGM better, and racing is richer for that commitment. Rumors have it that the MGM is entertaining the idea of creating a new set of races to underwrite that may include a Santa Anita and Del Mar event.

Speaking of the MGM, if you think it's too early to find a Kentucky Derby bet for next year's Run for the Roses, you aren't looking in Wil Hall's race book. Hall, director of race book operations for the MGM, has hung the numbers for the Derby on the first Saturday of May. One tip for those shopping early for that racing fan's stocking stuffer on your list: Don't play the winner of this year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

For the last 13 years, since the inception of the Breeders' Cup Championship series of races, no horse has won the dreaded parlay of a Breeders' Cup Juvenile to the following year's Kentucky Derby. And, to top it all off, the BC Juvenile victor has been traditionally installed as the Derby future book favorite! Recent proof is last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner, Boston Harbor, who ironically didn't even make the Derby field with an early retirement due to injury.

* ODDITY: An incredible and improbable racing oddity happened last week. Two jockeys, on opposite sides of the country, separately rode seven consecutive winners. At Emerald Downs in Washington jockey Chelsea Zupan won four in a row Thursday and then the first three rides on Friday. The 22-year-old rider is believed to be the first female jockey in racing history to accomplish the feat. Meanwhile, at the Great Barrington Fair meet in Massachusetts, jockey Miguel Santiago won a pair on Friday then came back Saturday to score with the next five for his seven-bagger. He led the Barrington meet with 21 wins.

* FREE SHEETS: The Thorograph handicapping sheets will be available for viewing free of charge exclusively at the Palace Station race book daily, beginning Friday, for the Southern California racing circuit. Thorograph is sold to private clients for $25 per day per track.