Claiming activity in the mid-Atlantic region was virtually unchanged during the period from July 25 to July 31 as compared to the prior seven days. In all, 68 horses, with a combined value of $678,750, changed hands via the claimbox at Charles Town, Delaware, Monmouth, Parx Racing, and Penn National.
Those numbers were virtually identical to the numbers recorded the previous week. During the week ending July 24, 67 horses with a gross value of $678,000 changed hands. That meant a slight decline in the average claim price — to about $9,982, or a bit over one percent less than last week — while the median was unchanged at $7,500.
Claiming activity was fairly evenly spread among the region’s five operating tracks. Delaware was the busiest — and most expensive — with 16 horses changing hands with a combined value of $222,500 and an average of over $13,900. Charles Town recorded the fewest claims, 11, while Penn National’s $6,938 average claim price was the lowest.
Four trainers claimed three horses each to pace the claiming activity. Jamie Ness’s $60,000 in new claims ranked at the top of the heap, and he, Andrew Mitchell, Michael Pino, and Lupe Guerrero all claimed three apiece.
Ramon Moya lost three horses via the claimbox, the most of any trainer, while the value of the two horses taken from McLean Robertson, $40,000, was the most of any trainer.
