Could Monmouth Success Force State's Hand?

re: Could Monmouth Success Force State's Hand?

Contrarian — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 13:20:58 GMT

You'd have to have a "bouncing boutique" circuit, four or five tracks with 35- to 50-day meets. The rich owners would make out (unless their bluebloods tanked), but the "bread and butter" owners would be frozen out. Bread-and-butter breeders, too, in the various states -- unless their horses are absolutely first-rate, they'll have nowhere to run, and they'll be too many of them, anyway.

"Sport of modern-day kings," and bettors will get a "hit" or two a week at full fields (which remember are harder to handicap, especially the higher in quality you go), but where will you develop the AA and AAA "players" (horses) who wind their way to the top? Where will the well-bred hopefuls who can't cut it go? Think this question out VERY carefully, folks.

re: Could Monmouth Success Force State's Hand?

Mark The Bugler — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 14:19:05 GMT

I have worked in this industry in various positions since 1987 and have worked at over 40 racetracks (including Monmouth Park) during that time and visited at least a dozen others.

Of all those tracks, Monmouth sits right near the top IMO. It's a lovely track in a great location. Even the most die-hard, foul-mouthed New York handicapper "pulls it in a notch" when he comes to Monmouth Park.

Track management is very good, one of the best in the country.

Customer service is also very good. But that will change over time with longer hours and no additional compensation to the help. The reduced work week is also not good for moral.

This idea of a shorter, classier meet is definately the way racing needs to go and I applaud MP for taking the lead with this implementation of a shorter meet. But if I were in charge I would tweak it just a bit:

Race on Wed., Thurs., Fri., and Sat with 10-race cards. Increase purses a bit more for the classier horses and reduce the purses just a bit for the low-level claimers. No more than 20 minutes between races.

Finally, incorporate a meet at Atlantic City combining the Monmouth Park idea with that of Colonial Downs--mostly turf racing, 4 days a week with 10 races on the card. That meet could be run in April right before Monmouth opens in May. Or perhaps 2 shorter meets like they have at Keeneland, 1 in the spring and 1 in autumn. AC has the best turf course in the country. It should be utilized and marketed as such.

re: Could Monmouth Success Force State's Hand?

Andrew dekovitch — Thu, 27 May 2010 12:54:08 GMT

Slots are the answer of all Nj.s problems at the tracks , look freehold dead , meadowlands , going down , Monmouth dead, A.c dead . They have over compete Pa. Del. how onless they get the slots ? And the state owns all tracks except Freehold . Look at Philadelphia park 1 mile 16 msw 55,000

re: Could Monmouth Success Force State's Hand?

smartyjones1 — Thu, 27 May 2010 10:08:28 GMT

the industry has to get together and form 1 commission with 1 set of rules--period!

set up quality race meet's at major tracks with a major tv contract.

we should have a type of major league, then the minors.

A tracks...belmont, saratoga, churchill, santa anita, keenland, monmouth, gulfstream, pimlico (only because of the preakness), del mar...these would be your major tracks...that's not that hard to figure out now is?

B tracks...hollywood, turfway, philly, calder, tampa, laurel, delaware...these signals should be shared (as all tracks should be shared and all races should be available to all viewers!)...remember, the bigger the pie the more filling is in it.

why is there bickering about pennies when if people act like adults there will be dollars to share? It's just common sense

the B & C tracks will keep the trainers,owners and gamblers happy (and the horses too because they like to run) and be a great place to test runners for the major tracks.

i can't believe i'm saying this but it's true the european model works fine...it's time to do this or we will lose our sport forever.

re: Could Monmouth Success Force State's Hand?

UCLinden — Wed, 26 May 2010 11:54:30 GMT

This just might be an interesting scenerio if you combine my previous idea and that of "The Source." As we know, thoroughbred racing in NJ was at both Monmouth & The Meadowlands. "The Source" is correct in that The Meadowlands should only be for harness racing.

We could have year round thoroughbred racing in NJ if we alternated between AC & Monmouth.

AC track could be open November-April then it switches to Monmouth until first week in June. June to last week in August would switch back to AC. From September to end of October racing is back at Monmouth. Both tracks would entertain two racing meets a year and as I had originally stated, maybe you'd get people back to the AC casinos.

re: Could Monmouth Success Force State's Hand?

Bellwether — Wed, 26 May 2010 08:37:06 GMT

BACK...BACK...BACK..."THE GAME" IS COMING BACK ALL OVER THE PLANET...ty...

re: Could Monmouth Success Force State's Hand?

The Source — Tue, 25 May 2010 22:37:31 GMT

It is about time that Meadowlands remains a harness track. I feel that Atlantic City racecourse should have a synthetic track and run from december to may before Monmouth meets starts. The Meadowlands should remain a harness track, because most of their meets are harness. If they are looking for someone to have a plan for Atlantic City Race Course I have one and would like to speak to those who are willing to listen and make it happen.

re: Could Monmouth Success Force State's Hand?

Nancy — Tue, 25 May 2010 19:44:21 GMT

Tom, NJ already has telephone and internet wagering. www.4NJBets.com. Nothing will be done to help racing in NJ unless the Atlantic City casinos give their approval, they have too much influence with the legislators. I wish it wasn't true, but it is.

re: Could Monmouth Success Force State's Hand?

Caulks — Tue, 25 May 2010 18:35:15 GMT

Hong Kong runs between 70 or 80 days of racing a year. Japan a few more. Their secret of success of drawing a gate of 40,000-70,000 and handle in the mid-8 figures a day is by making the racing experience a special event and not part of the daily wallpaper. The meets have a beginning, middle and end and a substantial break between meets. Live foal count continues to drop. There are no longer enough horses to support racing associations running 5 and 6 day meets virtually around the calendar. Monmonth's strategy is brilliant and should be copied. NYRA should revert back to opening in March and closing after Thanksgiving and run no more than 4 days a week. In the brave new world of simulcasting, they can get away with that and deliver a better quality product.

re: Could Monmouth Success Force State's Hand?

JerseyTom — Tue, 25 May 2010 11:45:06 GMT

Clement: Spoken like a true Jersey racing fan. May you have many more days at Monmouth Park.

re: Could Monmouth Success Force State's Hand?

UCLinden — Tue, 25 May 2010 10:26:07 GMT

Something the state of N.J. might want to consider. From Memorial Day to Labor Day you will see alot of people go to the jersey beaches, and thats a given. Naturally, that draws people away from Monmouth Race Track. Racing & beach activity occur during the day. During that period is also the vacation period for alot of families.

In order for the casino's to continue supplementing the purse's at Monmouth, you have to get people to the casino's !!

An idea that might work is change the racing schedule's at both Atlantic City & Monmouth. Monmouth would run between April & Memorial Day, close June, July & August, reopen again Labor Day and run thru October. During the summer months when Monmouth is closed, have a racing program at Atlantic City. You'd get more people into Atlantic City and quite possibly while they were in AC, they'd also go to the casino's !! If you got people into the casino's during the summer, you just might have the monies that are needed for the racing purse's.

re: Could Monmouth Success Force State's Hand?

HollywoodHit — Tue, 25 May 2010 03:02:22 GMT

Russell please let us all know who all these OTHERS are that you are referring to. All early indications show that more handicappers are playing MTH than leaving. Too bad for you if you choose to ignore this pro-customer experiment.

re: Could Monmouth Success Force State's Hand?

wabstat — Tue, 25 May 2010 02:11:24 GMT

Racing Rule #1; Big fields = Big Handle. Enough said.

re: Could Monmouth Success Force State's Hand?

Brian Russell — Tue, 25 May 2010 00:58:10 GMT

This is going to work. Unlike Saratoga filling fields with NY-bred turf horses and my beloved now home track Gulfstream doing so with cheap conditioned grass claimers (both so random that you can't bet serious money besides an "all" in the Pick 4) they seem to be able to keep doing it with real races.

re: Could Monmouth Success Force State's Hand?

zensfan — Mon, 24 May 2010 22:41:53 GMT

We have to be realistic. With all of the states that are having budget problems, the days of public assistance for the game are numbered. Our past time will be saved when the tracks start listening to the fans. There needs to be some consolidation and that would increase fields and purses, which in turn would increase handle.

re: Could Monmouth Success Force State's Hand?

Tom — Mon, 24 May 2010 22:38:18 GMT

N.J.needs to add phone account betting to all tracks so we can get a bet in when we can't get to the track. Monmouth is worth saving, whatever it takes.

re: Could Monmouth Success Force State's Hand?

NJTrotter — Mon, 24 May 2010 22:10:16 GMT

I was fortunate to attend opening day of the Monmouth meet. The crowd was great and the racing was very good. Longshots mixed in with favorites and NO 2/5s in a 5-horse field! We all must remember that this is an experiment. New Jersey like most racing states is in trouble so to borrow a phrase from Monty Python's Flying Circus, "and now for something completely different," that's exactly what it is--something different. Less is better--in government and in horse racing.

re: Could Monmouth Success Force State's Hand?

breeze10 — Mon, 24 May 2010 21:45:25 GMT

In this house, we are happy that Monmouth had such a successful weekend. We love Monmouth and always look forward to our Saturday or Sunday trips there (from PA). The track is gorgeous..well maintained..fun for all ages.. and the customer service is exceptional! Other tracks should take more than one lesson from Monmouth! Best wishes Monmouth!

re: Could Monmouth Success Force State's Hand?

clement falzarano — Mon, 24 May 2010 20:52:22 GMT

i am 75 years old and have been going to monmouth for about 60 years if they dont find a way to save monmouth i might as well die.

re: Could Monmouth Success Force State's Hand?

russell — Mon, 24 May 2010 19:25:07 GMT

Glad to see Monmouth Park getting a little help. Had many a great afternoon there years ago. But seems like a bandaid on a major cut. I for one gave up on their short fields. Last year was a joke. Will be spending my betting dollars elsewhere as many others are doing.

re: Could Monmouth Success Force State's Hand?

Tex — Mon, 24 May 2010 18:05:18 GMT

Give away cars, like casinos do. Have betting contests like the $100,000 bet for the Kentucky Derby. Lower the mutuel takeout to 8% on every type of bet. Most people want to go to the track with $100 and leave with $5,000.

re: Could Monmouth Success Force State's Hand?

The_Knight_Sky racing blog — Mon, 24 May 2010 16:58:10 GMT

Mr. LaMarra wrote:

"But should Monmouth this year show it can greatly increase handle and interest in racing, the experiment would be deemed a success, and the state could be more willing to ensure the success continues by implementing certain financial measures, whatever they may be."

______________________

That is exactly what I am thinking. Should this meet continue on course, I do believe it is in the state's best interest to prop up the purse levels for 2011 perhaps to the level of Keeneland's racing meets.

Million-dollar-a-day averages are probably not required to attract quality horses. And perhaps the funds should focus on less races per day and more on quality.

I also believe it would be best to keep the meet as short and sweet as possible. That means reverting to what was successful for Monmouth Park--stopping at Labor Day.

This would enable Atlantic City racecourse the option of pursuing a boutique meet in the autumn, one which would supplement a "renaissance" of thoroughbred racing in the state of New Jersey.

Keep up the good work in covering this meet Mr. LaMarra.