The Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BG&LC) has increased sponsorship for its annual raceday on Saturday, August 1 (Emancipation Day) from $800,000 last year to $900,000.

Feature event on the card will be the seventh running of the 3-y-o and up open allowance race for the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission Trophy over 1400 metres with a purse of $1 million.

Plans for the holiday meet, which offers as many as four trophy races in addition to a Gimmick race, were outlined by representatives of the BG&LC and Caymanas Track Limited (CTL) at yesterday's launch at the Knutsford Court Hotel, New Kingston.

According to CTL racing secretary, Denzil Miller Jr, a total of $540,000 will go directly to the million-dollar purse of the feature race.

Miller said the probable starters from a pool of about 30 horses include the reigning 'Horse of the Year' ALSAFRA, SHANGHAI PASS, TOBAGO, PRIME MINISTER, HOMBRE, WAP, HONEYOFALADY, HAIL THE GENIUS, LITTLE WASP, THE GUARDIAN, COMMANDER ZERO, MINISTEROFJUSTICE, BLUE MAGIC and ENGLISH STORM.

Additionally, the Gaming Commission will again sponsor the annual renewal of the Charles Randle Trophy race over 1820 confined to native bred four-year-olds and up non-winners of two, this in honour of Hall of Famer and former general manager of both the BG&LC and the Jamaica Racing Commission, as well as the Albert Rose Memorial Cup over 1100 metres, both offering purses of $500,000.

The Emancipation Day Trophy

The card will also feature the running of the Emancipation Day Trophy (high claiming) race over 1300 metres and a Gimmick race over 200 metres on which win, place, quinella and exacta betting will be conducted.

Meanwhile, Derek Peart, executive director of the BG&LC, said his organisation is moving into new environment of gaming and in this regard, legislation is being amended which will see a modernisation of the legal framework to make it more effective and to "not only ensure that the betting public is protected but government revenues will also be increased".

Noting that the bulk of the sponsorship for this race meet is geared towards purses directly, unlike other sponsorship from corporate entities, Peart added that a donation will go to a school in Portmore community and some tokens will be offered to punters attending the race meet as well.

Also speaking were CTL director Chris Armond, who congratulated the Gaming Commission for being "innovative" noting that the sponsorship of a race meet has not been done anywhere in the world by a regulatory body, as well as the chairman of the BG&LC George Soutar, who saw the need for the diversification of the racing plant to accommodate other activities, this in an effort to make racing more viable.

- O.C.