Gulfstream to host 2012 Claiming Crown

Gulfstream Park will host the 14th running of the Claiming Crown on the

opening day of its 2012-13 meet on December 1. The 2012 event will see a

significant increase in purses to $850,000 for seven races with the individual

race purses ranging from $100,000 to $200,000. In addition to the six Claiming

Crown races conducted at the 2011 event, the Tiara for fillies and mares on the

turf will return this year.

"We're ecstatic to play host to the 14th running of the Claiming Crown on

opening day December 1," Gulfstream Park President and General Manager Timothy

Ritvo said. "Horses competing in the claiming ranks are many of the toughest in

the world. They're game and they build loyal followings within the Thoroughbred

community, whether with fans, owners or trainers.

"This is an important event to our chairman, Mr. Frank Stronach, and we're

very excited about kicking off our 2012-2013 season with the Claiming Crown. The

management and staff at Gulfstream look forward working with the National

Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association and the Thoroughbred Owners and

Breeders Association."

"The FHBPA Board of Directors thought that the purses for the Claiming Crown

had become quite outdated and stale over its 13-year history, and thus, chose to

significantly increase them. The Board felt that if the Claiming Crown were to

come to Gulfstream Park, it needed to be the best Claiming Crown ever," FHBPA

Executive Director Kent Stirling said. "We are proud to join with Gulfstream

Park, the National HBPA and TOBA to revitalize this great day for our claiming

horses. Claiming horses are the backbone of our industry and deserve to be

celebrated on their day with higher purses, and what we expect to be record

setting live handle and simulcasting numbers."

"We are excited and honored that Gulfstream Park has agreed to host the 2012

Claiming Crown," said TOBA president Dan Metzger, who also serves as chairman of

Claiming Crown Limited. "The enthusiasm and purse commitment from both

Gulfstream Park and the Florida HBPA has been extraordinary and we believe that

this year's event promises to be our best yet."

"The National HBPA is extremely pleased that this year the Claiming Crown

will be hosted by Gulfstream Park and the Florida HBPA. Their commitment to

purses and a quality day of racing certainly elevates the Claiming Crown to a

new level and will position it among the premier racing days of the year

anywhere in the United States," said Joe Santanna, President and Chairman of the

National HBPA, one of the co-partners of the Claiming Crown. "The Gulfstream

Park Claiming Crown races provide horsewomen and horsemen across the country

with an exceptional opportunity."

Patterned after the Breeders' Cup, Claiming Crown was designed to reward

Thoroughbred racing's "blue-collar" horses and will offer races at varying

distances on both dirt and turf.

This will mark the first time Gulfstream Park has hosted the event, which

debuted at Canterbury Park in 1999. Canterbury has hosted 10 of the first 13

renewals of the event. The Claiming Crown was held at Philadelphia Park (now

Parx Racing) in 2002, at Ellis Park in 2007 and Fair Grounds in 2011.

Further details on the event's race lineup, purse structure, nomination and

entry deadline schedule and eligibility dates will be released soon.

For more information about Claiming Crown please visit

www.claimingcrown.com.