Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

Emily — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 05:44:23 GMT

I agree that this business needs a major PR overhaul! To get young people like myself (which is what this business is currently lacking based on the revelations in the article) ,the best attempt so far for TB racing was the reality TV show on Animal Planet "jockeys". Showing the public the behind the scenes, so they get to know the jockeys, is what got me into going to races and to paying attention. Before the show I didn't know who the jockeys were at all. I love the races now and actually get involved because I can root for my fave jockey: "hey, Mike Smith"s on that one, or "it's Joe Talimo, I"m betting on that one!, etc.. Reality TV is so huge and the racing world should get whoever will listen to get some reality TV going to get people exited to come out and see these TB racing "celebrities" perform. Maybe even have a "Track Wives" type of show that follow some of the owners and their families, or an "In To Win" type of show that follows some of the best TB training farms so that the public will really get to know the up and coming horses BEFORE they hit the big time, while also seeing how WELL the horses are cared for. The viewers will be able to watch the progress, then will be more likely than ever before to bet because they "know" that horse, or "know" that farm. That's the type of exposure that this sport needs. It would reach new spenders, broader audiences, and I believe would replace the whole "cruelty, inhumane" dogma with a fresh, fun, and totally new view of the sport.

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

My Juliet — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 02:13:47 GMT

As others have mentioned, re the empty Grandstands, I think this is where horseracing also needs to change. Other sports have night games during the week, day games on wknds, with an occasional 'business-person special' day game during the week.

I don't know who filled stands during the week at tracks years ago, or were they ever filled during the week? but it's understandable they are empty now. Most people work during the week day, so even fans can't go at that time. The local track here just started 'twilight Fridays' starting @4pm. Maybe this or night racing is needed, at least during most weekdays.

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

Badriya — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 18:34:36 GMT

"Seconding the motion, the Boston Globe’s Bob Ryan lamented, on an edition of ESPN’s “The Sports Reporters,” that racing in the United States is at a nadir, with racetracks closing and most of those still in operation having deserted grandstands."

This angers me, because if local papers (like the Boston Globe) gave more coverage to horse racing, more people would go to the tracks. The Boston Globe covers the Triple Crown and the Breeders Cup and that's about it, despite a full season of racing right here in the city. When they do run an article on Suffolk Downs, it's usually to bemoan the sad state of affairs there. I always write and accuse them of shedding crocodile tears, because it's in the paper's power to change that situation.

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

Michael — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 17:31:41 GMT

Bob

A very thoughtful and thought provoking piece. Racing can be many things to many people, but for sure is a form of entertainment. Measuring the enjoyment of a day at the track by how much you won is reasonable but precarious. We are all fans first, articluated by Nick Zito, Advisory Board memebr of ThoroFan. ThoroFan is a not-for-profit, Thoroughbred Racing Fan Association, Inc. Its mission is to bring together fans across the country, aligned with local chapters and racing venues to promote Thoroughbred racing and to give the fan a voice. www.thorofan.com. Bob,ThoroFan is the grassroot organization you referenced run exclusively by volunteer fans. Check us out. Thanks

Michael

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

GIOPONTI — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 16:51:19 GMT

The fate of racing may rely less on the more committed fans than the less committed ones. That is, not whether I go to the track 21 times a year instead of 20 but whether a new fan goes once a year or comes back after going once a year. Track management never listens to its core fans, but maybe they'll listen to their new ones.

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

Kate H — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 00:44:08 GMT

I really think less is going to be more in the future. Which is going to be very hard to accomplish. Because of how many people are in the sport. America's racing is a different beast from Japan, England, and other smaller countries. But do we actually NEED 5 tracks per state? If you take the revenues from those 5 and apply it to one or two tracks it probably isn't that bad. The money is spread too thin and so are the horses, 4 and 5 horse fields are not interesting! Racing just hasn't allowed itself to adapt to a changed world. Back in the 30~60s you could have tracks everywhere. But those days are long gone. Maybe one day we can build back up to it, but we have go small before we can have the funds to go big again.

And for the love of God and all that is Holy can we get a centralized governing body for the sport? I thought the NTRA was going to be the savior but it hasn't done ANYTHING!

People keep complaining but no one is doing anything. THAT is what is destroying the sport. If I ever come back from Japan, I don't plan on complaining. I plan on acting. Racing has so many things going for it, if it would just TRY.

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

tom m — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 23:56:51 GMT

what is wrong with the racing game,is the racing game.look in the mirror gents.they are trying to make horse racing a spectator sport.they go out of their way to promote rachel alexandra or zenyatta.i get it you want exposure.but wake up and smell the coffee,this is a gamblers game.without the gambler you are nothing.these rich blue bloods can race for peanuts without the gamblers.the money from the betting pools fuels this game.not the casual fan who will come to 1 big race day and not bet,yet call themselves part of history watching

a filly beat the boys.if the game used the same energy to go out and promote this game as a betting game ,which it is. then they might have a shot.this past weekend on ABC, these morons did not show the manhattan stakes on the turf.thank god i live in ny and was able to watch it on the local feed.in it's place they were doing a feature on m.garcia and a comedy skit.are you kidding me.yet they have the nerve to wonder what is wrong.like i said earlier.

look in the mirror boys

tom m

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

wista — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:48:56 GMT

The sport is on life-support! i have been a fan and an owner so I can see the difference between the present and 45 years ago.

Forty five years ago trainers who cheated with drugs were suspended for 6 months . If there were more violations, they were ruled off . . . forever!

We used to think that the real cheaters were at the bush tracks and in the hinterlands. Today the cheaters have the favorites in the Derby. Nowadays they have huge stables at Belmont, Hollywood, and Santa Anita.

They they get caught , hire a lawyer, get slapped on the wrist and then . . they attract more owners!

We don't owners like Mellon, King Ranch, Guggenheim, Calumet, Greentree,, Brookemeade,etc. We have a different crew with a different agenda. , and it is not about improving the breed.

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

Louis — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 05:59:30 GMT

Fans want to make money when they bet. Mutual take 18% to 25%. They lose all their money quickly. Give the fan a chance to win by dropping the mutual takeout to 7%, on all wagers. They'll bet when they experience that they have a better chance to make money. Say a person goes out to the track with $1,000. Track takes $250 from the $1,000. $750 left. Take 25% of next bet. $187.50. $562.50 left after 2nd race. So on, and so forth. Drop takeout to 7%. Give the fan a fighting chance.

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

annie — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 02:49:55 GMT

Have to agree with TBOwner....Calder is the pits. Everything about the place is unpleasant. Go there once, you'll never want to return.

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

skipaway2000 — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 06:51:38 GMT

My Juliet, there are TWO 24-hour horse racing channels, TVG & HRTV. They have been around at least 10 years (TVG for sure). I think the industry should do a better job promoting the sport & the wagering side especially. Poker is also a gambling exercise but it gets more TV time than racing, it has lost the taboo. Then we need to promote the FACTS about horse care & the way the sport is governed, ie stewards' decisions. Right now we let the opponents define the terms & set the tone and racing ends up having to defend itself. Next we should stop the racino madness and figure out a better revenue model for racing. There fans and funds out there, but it will take some effort to attract both.

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

tvnewsbadge — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 01:51:11 GMT

My Juliet says

"I think to keep up with the popularity of other sports horseracing must have a cable channel, equivalent to MLB, NFL, on nat'l level, not only for local tracks. "

That hits the nail on the head. The sport is simply not accessible to most potential American sports fans.

In my area, the limited 40 days "live racing" season takes place at a track 2 hours round trip from the major population centers.

Otherwise, unless you sign up for HRTV on lien as I did, you're only option is to watch with the not exactly fan friendly (by a long shot) OTB types on soundless fuzzy video monitors from the last century.

Radio,TV, and newspaper reportage is non-existent.

Local sportscasters couldn't even find time to run any more than 30 seconds of today's Belmont for example.

Add to that inaccessibly, the unsavory reputation the sport has in the minds of most Americans, and it's no wonder that it's days in this country are numbered.

What the industry SHOULD do for a start put their greed aside for a year and work on providing "free" access to the untapped markets.

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

s lee — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 19:58:02 GMT

Somebody, I think maybe Henry David Thoreau, once said

"It takes two people to execute a truth -

one to speak it

and one to listen."

The above writers are correct - the answers to many of racing's questions are out there. We, the fans, and we, the bettors, and we, the partial share owners ARE speaking. And so are many breeders, owners, trainers and jockeys.

So listen already!

If you did a poll of several thousand people within 50 miles of Elmont, NY, how many would know when the Belmont spring meet begins and ends?

How many commercials have you seen for the Belmont on ABC...........during prime time? ESPN?

People cannot buy a product they don't know exists.

There are SO many fan bases out there that racing could cultivate if The Suits just tried. Horse lovers. Gamblers. People looking for something to do on a weekend or weeknight. The Suits have to get over themselves and their egos and address the solution, not just moan about the problem.

Why knew that poker would draw so many people to watch it on tv?

Who knew 20 years ago that NASCAR would be swimming in fans?

Why spend $15 to go to Belmont when you can watch and bet from home? Good question. Baseball asks that question too. Why are there so many empty seats for so many games in so many baseball stadia around the country. And yet St. Louis, a mid-size market, consistently draws 3,000,000 to the stadium every year?

Recognize what the smaller tracks, like Oaklawn, are doing right, and build on it.

The fans are there, including the casual ones who "visit" on Derby Day and for the Breeders' Cup. Welcome them, educate them, entice them to stay.

Reward the dedicated fans.

The market can be cultivated.

The sport can be saved. It involves work. It involves education. It involves reasonable expectations and changes on all sides. It involves agreement across states (!). It involves creativity. It will involve time. And if we don't do it soon, it will all be memories.

And speaking of memories, keep Saratoga. If you can't fall in love with horse racing on an August morning as the fleet shadows burst out of the fog on the backstretch, thundering past you and into the dawn as the sun rises and the colors on the Travers canoe in the midfield become visible, well, I feel sorry for you. Next to the Curragh in Ireland, for me anyway, there is no better place to watch the horses than Saratoga. I can hear the sound of my shoes on Union now, and smell the rough coffee brewed in the dark. Saratoga............

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

TBOwner — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 19:37:31 GMT

My comment about children was in reference to someone saying that children were watching this. Well, horse racing isn't for the faint of heart. It doesn't always go the way the horse lovers want it to. It's dangerous and can have distasteful things occur. The negative amongst the fans will always look for the worst. They specificall watch and count how many times a jock whips a horse. When frankly half of those 'whips' are just waving the stick.

I think you'll see that I said we need to attract fans who will become bettors. Fans for the sheer sake of viewers, while nice, doesn't do anything to keep the game going with the tracks profiting from that in the current format.

My Juliet there are two cable channels dedicated to racing. Once again the track owners are the ones responsible for limiting access to one of those channels of some race tracks due to some debate between them. Who loses out? Guess, it's the horseman. Most cable/satellite channels limit all sports to premium channels.

It seems to me that a lot of people proclaiming to be fans of racing, lurking on these blogs have other agendas. They aren't addressing the issues that need to be in place to HELP racing, they're addressing issues that fall into that activist mentality which is almost NEVER pro racing.

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

Sue — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 18:02:19 GMT

Our family bred and raced numerous horses over the years. The plan was to manage the horses in a humane way in order to provide them the opportunity for another career when their racing days were over. Subsequently we came face to face with the reality that both the public and sport horse owners' perceptions of racing were all about horse cruelty and abuse. We invited many to spend a day on the backstretch and at the races with us. All were shocked at how well the horses were treated and cared for. Every person said how much fun they had and more importantly asked if they could come back with their families and friends. Thus attracting fans is not that hard; keeping them is when they regularly see the carnage of horses breaking down in races.

I have dedicated a great deal of time to the industry. My focus has been horse welfare: standardized prerace exams, OTTB retirement and rescue and horse antislaughter legislation. These issues are of concern to all racetracks. Some including NYRA are attempting to find solutions. There are quite a number of indivduals and groups who are racing participants and fans . Sadly on mmay racing blog comments, they are categorized as "anti-racing"--the enemy. If racing can alienate these dedicated people, there is no hope for survival. There are just too many people concerned with animal welfare and cruelty today.

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

Tony — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 12:27:39 GMT

It's not only not attracting new fans, but there are lots of hardcore horseplayers out there who are not betting near as much as they use to, and dont go to the track as much as they did in the past either. Handicapping horses has become a nightmare. From synthetic tracks, to cheating trainers. Some trainers have in the money percentages that are off the charts. Trainers are claiming horses at bottom level claiming prices, and turning them into allowance horses overnight. Sure there is lots of work to be done, but in addition to to attracting new fans, let's not forget about the integrity of the sport. I long so much for the good ole days of horseracing. Currently, at least for me anyway, horseracing is a crying shame!

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

John T — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 01:39:06 GMT

Many in their ignorance have spoken of an horse racing revival,

but,horse racing was never dead,and is in fact undying.

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

My Juliet — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 00:32:31 GMT

I have heard for a while that horseracing is on the decline. Maybe overall, but in some areas it appears stronger than ever. The Ky Derby is more popular than ever, also Preakness, Belmont-esp if horse is trying for Triple Crown, and Breeders Cup races. I live near a lg city and you can't find a Racing Program those days. Slots and now tables are being added to our local track, a sea of cars daily since.

I think to keep up with the popularity of other sports horseracing must have a cable channel, equivalent to MLB, NFL, on nat'l level, not only for local tracks. I know sports 'junkies' who channel surf when no major- league sport has a game, settling on college or even HS level games. If 24hr HR channel existed, they'd become fans.

Re: debate on whip usage, more people today do care @ welfare of animals, there are people even counting amt of times a horse gets whipped in a race. Most people do not know a diff whip is being used. Like others on here, I have met people who like horses but wont watch horseracing because of misperceptions.

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

tvnewsbadge — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 21:45:36 GMT

TBOwner says

"Some kids can deal with the realities of racing and some can't. Heck some adults who post on these blogs can't deal with the realities."

And it's exactly that point of view by too many in the horse racing community that is killing the sport in so far as the general public goes.

You say the sport should limited only to hard core gamblers, that it's no place for families or the casual fan.

What you fail to understand is that when you limit the sport to a very small subset of society, you give up of any hope of expanding the fan base.

You also give up the political clout necessary to influence politicians when issues that affect the industry come up.

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

RachelSatterfield — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 15:09:18 GMT

I'd like to point out another track that's been doing great because it is a short meet...Oaklawn. This is the second article this week that has failed to mention Oaklawn as a track that is doing well.

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

Displaced Kentuckian — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 21:58:49 GMT

Over ten years ago, I served on a focus group with 15 horsemen and two other women. We were given the charge of looking at ways to keep Kentucky, specifically Lexington, as the horse capitol of the world.

After the first session, it was clear that the horse world (T-bred racing world) and the rest of the city and state, were not on the same page. It was recommended that the horse industry seriously needed good PR. It took, however, many weeks later for the same conclusion to rise from folks who thought (or didn't think) that PR stuff didn't matter. The ubiquious notion was that PR on the racing industry wasn't important, especially in KY. Guess what? "Those in the know" are not those who will take racing into the next generation; the horse industry desperately needs a joint effort to even generate interest and acknowledgment in KY! Most of the rest of the state sees Lexington and the horse industry as a bunch of rich so-in-sos. It shows in ways the KY legislature has treated racing and breeding. KY has yet to offer some serious tax relief for the biz.

Whoever said "there is no leadership" in the industry is dead-on; groups all have their fifedoms and lack an extensive campaign and consistant message. At the very least in this part of the world, the horse is major business, a livlihood for many and an important cultural asset. It should to be treated as such, or sadly, it all goes away.

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

nyfalcon — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 16:03:44 GMT

okay I have had it!! we need a movement. a ralling cry!!

let it be heard that racing is alive and we will not let it die!! let the new secretariat movie be our stump take a mother, a dad , a kid, a friend heck a baby to this film, try to remember the electricity of that moment . the feelings do not just go away, they must be kindiled the way a dieing flame of a watch fire is brought back. the way a phionex is reborn. we must be stedfast let it be heard from every corner of the USA we want horse racing. wright your congressperson your legistlators your goveners let them know we need this and will not stand down and go away !! its time we as fans act!!!

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

EMD — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 11:39:56 GMT

. . . and then there's our Calder, chewed up and spit out by the suits at Churchill. The worst racing I've ever seen there persists as normal now. Even the formerly big stakes days don't see big horses shippin in. I've heard the rumblings from staff (some former jocks, and, clearly, they're trying to make it into a third rate track. My track buddies and I sit in our box and watch the demised every weekend -- like some extended wake where you don't want to bury the body.

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

TBOwner — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 08:52:44 GMT

little kids have no business at the race track. It's a business rooted in gambling.

We need to attract new gamblers not people who spend thousands on their dressage, event or whatever horse and won't bet.

As far as kids at the race track? It's basically like taking your child to a casino.

Some kids can deal with the realities of racing and some can't. Heck some adults who post on these blogs can't deal with the realities. Most of you want some 'Dreamer' movie....

Rachel there is NO horse that can go its whole life without some sort of discipline.

As far a whipping a horse? The new sticks the jocks use are humane. Have you ever seen a 'popper' or a flexible stick?

I think people focus on the negative. Fans seem to be bound and determined to try and run not only racing but any sport out there. I'm trying to figure out when fans took ownership of the various sports. THAT along with the me, me generation, instant gratification and the joy of staring at video games is what has happened to all live sports, especially racing. Look at the stands in NON championship games, college, MLB, even NFL and NBA games. They all have empty seats.

On whipping? 80% of jocks never whip more than a couple of times.

If whipping is keeping people away then why is European racing suffering from the same issues we are?

It's the economy. Even the casinos are suffering. I have a relative who runs a big hotel in Vegas and he is saying that things are really tough.

We can market it if we get someone who knows what they're doing. But the expendable income just isn't there and unless we can get the tracks to share the wealth? Then huge crowds even like those at Churchill on Oaks and Derby days, do nothing for the horseman.

Andy Beyer is the most negative human on the planet and Bob Ryan lost interest in racing long ago. He's too busy on TV now days.

re: Whither Racing? - By Bob Heleringer

nmhiplains — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 04:35:22 GMT

Promote the RACEHORSE not the ownership of future SIRES of racehorses ---STAKE RACES open only to GELDINGS and then maybe you would see some of these horse stick around long enough to form a fan base. A rivalry of two horses that stick around for more than the prospect of being the next Triple Crown Winner--runners that don't retire after their three year but race until there 7 or 8 years old with more than six starts a year.

Change the purse structure from the rich mans 60/20/10 spit where you can throw money after money to capture the glory--- to a business mans game 45/25/15/10 encourage the racehorse dream owner to inner the game with the hope of making a profit. But to do this you have to cleanup the drug issue including LASSIX!!!

Send every TRAINER, HANDICAPPER and SPORTs WRITER in the business a copy of Tom Iver's "The Fit Racehorse II" and Preston Burch's "Training Thoroughbred Horses".

Clear up the issue that STAMINA is not only a result of breeding but also of proper CONDITIONING.

This business needs racehorses like KELSO, FOREGO and JOHN HENRY

Route races for horses conditioned to go the distance or you can kiss the bloodhorse goodbye and all that will be around is QUARTER HORSE RACING.