As revealed earlier this week, the Thoroughbred Idea Foundation will be directing $25,000 to a series of jockey health-related initiatives based on the choices of the weekly and overall winners of our prop-related contests over the next eight weeks.
Writer, handicapper and podcaster extraordinaire Peter Thomas Fornatale is this week's guest prop-setter and he's devised 12 props plus a tie-breaker for the kickoff leg of the contest.
To enter the TIF Summer Prop Contest, CLICK HERE.
Below, find the 12 questions and tiebreaker posed to those who've entered.
1. Which horse will have the better finishing position in the Diana?
A - #2 Rushing Fall
B - #6 Homerique
2. In the Diana, Chad Brown trainees will...
A - Complete only the exacta
B - Complete the exacta and trifecta
C - Neither of the above
3. HEAD TO HEAD: The Diana without the Chad Brown trainees. Which horse will have the better finishing position in the Diana?
A - #3 Mitchell Road
B - #5 Secret Message
4. In the Sanford, the opening quarter mile split according to the published Equibase chart will be:
A - 22.40 seconds or lower
B - 22.41 seconds or higher
5. How many career starts will the winner of the Sanford have made prior to Saturday's race?
A - 1
B - 2
6. The combined winning margin of the Sanford and Diana will be:
A - 1 length or shorter (all margins neck, head and nose = 1/4L)
B - 1 1/4 lengths to 3 lengths
C - 3 1/4 lengths or longer
7. In Saturday's fourth race, a maiden event for juveniles, the winner will be:
A - A homebred (#1,2,3,8)
B - A horse purchased at auction (#4,5,6,7)
8. In Saratoga's sixth race, which horse will have a higher finishing position:
A - #2 Decorated Invader or #3 Field Pass
B - Any other horse
9 - In Saratoga's tenth race, the winner will be...
A - #5 Payne
B - Any other horse
10. How many races will Chad Brown trainees win on Saturday at Saratoga?
A - 0
B - 1
C - 2
D - 3
E - More than three
11. The $0.50 return for Saratoga's early pick five on Saturday will be...
A - $1,199.99 or lower
B - $1,200.00 or higher
12. Which jockey will have more wins on Saturday at Saratoga?
A - Irad Ortiz Jr.
B - Javier Castellano
C - Both have same number of wins or no wins
TIEBREAKER: What will be the $2 return for the exacta in the Diana?
Donations, which will total $25,000 by the end of the summer, will be directed by contest winners to entities which either support injured jockeys, or work to improve standards of protection or health, recovery and performance of jockeys. They include: The Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, University of Kentucky’s Sports Medicine Research Institute (Jockey & Equestrian Initiative), Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University (Virginia Tech) Helmet Lab Research (Equestrian Helmet Project).
The schedule of guest prop-setters is as follows:
Saturday, July 13 – Peter Thomas Fornatale @loomsboldly
Saturday, July 20 – Britney Eurton @BritneyEurton
Saturday, July 27 – Jonathan Kinchen @utbighair
Saturday, August 3 – Paul Matties @PaulMattiesJr
Saturday, August 10 – Michelle Yu @TheMichelleYu
Saturday, August 17 – Matt Bernier @Bernier_Matt
Saturday, August 24 – Nick Tammaro @NTamm1215
Saturday, August 31 – Craig Bernick @Craig_Bernick