MATCH Series a Hit in Its Return, Likely to Grow Next Year

From a financial and artistic standpoint, the return of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships (MATCH) proved to be a success in 2018. Organizers will meet in mid-October to go over the numbers for 2018 and plan for next year. All indications are that the series will undergo several changes next year and likely grow.

The championship came down to the final day, Saturday at Laurel, but Jessica Krupnick (Uncle Mo) held on to win the overall MATCH championship to earn a $50,000 bonus for owner Sycamore Racing V and a $25,000 bonus for trainer Tres Abbott.

The final day proved to be good theater Saturday, as four horses, three of whom were running at Laurel, had a chance to either win the points title outright or finish in a tie.

It will be a dramatic finish to the series, but the MATCH staff said it was even more pleased with the way the MATCH series improved handle for the races it included and helped increase field size. A series that was brought back this year after an 18-year absence, it consisted of 25 races split into five divisions.

“The handle went through the roof for the MATCH races Saturday at Laurel and the series came down to the final race,” said MATCH founder Alan Foreman “You can't plan it any better. All in all, everyone is pleased. We have gotten great comments from the horsemen. The tracks were pleased because our goal was not just to increase field size, but to increase handle and I think across the board there were significant increases to handle. I thought we brought an event to racing that it hadn't had in a long time and was very good for racing.”

There were three MATCH races at Laurel Saturday and handle for the GIII DeFrancis Memorial dash was up 199.5%; the handle for the Laurel Dash increased by 38.7%; and the Sensible Lady Turf Dash saw an increase in handle of 8.3%. The number for the DeFrancis is skewed because a quarantine issue in New York last year limited the field to four horses. This year there were eight.

The series got off to a tough start as the initial races were scheduled during the week of the GI Preakness S. and heavy rains both washed races off the grass or created short fields run over sloppy tracks.

Foreman said the MATCH team will now take a look back at 2018 and see what worked, what didn't and how it can be improved upon. He said the primary complaint he heard from horsemen was that its reestablishment was announced too late, which didn't leave time to plan a schedule that revolved around series races or acquire horses they felt would be a good fit for MATCH. He also said there is a chance that Charles Town may be added to the lineup of tracks involved and there is also a chance there will be MATCH races at NYRA, as well.

“We want to hear comments from everyone, horsemen, tracks, media fans,” he said. “We want to hear from horsemen who didn't participate and what kept them from competing. What worked and what didn't work. What can we do better?”

This year the divisions were 3-year-old & up sprint – turf division; 3-year-old & up fillies and mares sprint – turf division; 3-year-old & up sprint – dirt division; 3-year-old & up long – dirt division; 3-year-old & up fillies and mares sprint – turf division.

“We have to rethink the divisions,” Foreman said. “I'm not sure the divisions we selected this year necessarily worked. The horse inventory may not have been there. I think we will tweak it next year. Some of the divisions worked, some I thought were rather weak.”

Foreman said the major goal will be to figure out how to grow the amount of money available to the participants. He knows that bigger bonuses will attract more horses and better horses.

“Everybody wanted to get their feet wet; now that everyone has gotten some experience, I'd like to have a bigger series, like to have more money and more money to market and promote. And we want to grow the bonus pool because that's what stimulates the series from a horsemen's standpoint and gets them to participate.”

Foreman added that there is some chance all the races will be held at the same track next year and that Monmouth has shown an interest in being the permanent home of the MATCH races.