Officials of Breeders' Cup Limited and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association announced Thursday that the guaranteed value of the 2001 Breeders' Cup Ultra Pick 6 will be $3 million, a decrease from the previous $5 million level."The aftermath of September 11 has roiled the insurance markets and affected the underwriting of the Breeders' Cup Ultra Pick 6," said D.G. Van Clief, Jr., president of Breeders' Cup Limited. "We've been unable to find an underwriter to handle the contract."The 18th running of the eight-race $13 million Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships will be held Saturday, October 27 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. The Championships will be televised live on NBC from 1-6 p.m.
"I'm confident that this change will have minimal impact on the overall handle for the Ultra Pick 6," said Kenneth E. Kirchner, director of simulcasting for Breeders' Cup Limited. "With the full fields and competitive nature of the races, the betting should be comparable to prior years. Remember that just two years ago, the Ultra Pick 6 produced a $3 million winner. There is no other bet like this in racing."Last year's Ultra Pick 6 handle was $5,123,453.