Help Us Survive - By William Connelly

re: Help Us Survive - By William Connelly

Robert B. Connelly — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 23:16:13 GMT

Since I am the father of William Connelly, I would like to make a few comments on the subject of racing in Kentucky, and also in Ohio. Until five years ago, I was a trainer and raced in both states for over 30 years and enjoyed every minute of it.

However, I have been thoroughly dismayed in the last few years by the fact that both Kentucky and Ohio have allowed the surrounding states to approve slots in casinos and at racetracks that have lured so many of the people in Kentucky and Ohio away from Turfway Park and River Downs. Let's face it, many people love to do some gambling, and we have allowed them to go elsewhere when they do.

In addition, there is an "elephant in the room" in the form of four casinos to be built in Ohio (the one in Cincinnati will no doubt impact racing in both Turfway Park and River Downs) as well as the three other large cities in Ohio. They will adversely affect tracks in Ohio. It is imperative that slots must be in place in those seven tracks in Ohio and at Turfway in Kentucky and that they are up and running before the end of 2011 so that they will already have a fan base in place before the casinos begin operation in 2012.

It is a shame that Ohio has opted to trade-off most, if not all, of the 30,000 jobs connected with racing in order to pick up 30,000 jobs (pie in the sky?) connect with the casinos.

re: Help Us Survive - By William Connelly

BMW — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 21:09:22 GMT

The problem with this situation is greed. The tracks want the VLT's at the tracks only and not at other off sites. I have heard that Damon Thayer has a plan for the "Industry" but because it may not be at the tracks, they don't like it. What they seem to forget is if a plan like this would help purse structure, wouldn't that help the tracks? It looks like to me that the tracks want it all. This is what greed sounds like.

re: Help Us Survive - By William Connelly

CRob87 — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 01:50:47 GMT

I understand the concerns...

But, the cynic inside of me is screaming Wine Wine Wine, Cry Cry Cry....too little too late.

Slots will only be like putting a Bandaid on a Bullet Wound.

This Industry as much as I used to love it....is well known for "Beating A Dead Horse".

The only way that it's going to "Prosper" in the future and not just continue to slowly die out is by blowing it all up and starting over from scratch.

And that's something that's just "NOT" going to happen.

They will continue to "Beat That Dead Horse" until the entire Industry is dead.

And that's the real shame of it too. Our so-called Leaders just aren't willing to do whatever it takes to turn it all around.

re: Help Us Survive - By William Connelly

William antonini — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:56:20 GMT

I will begin with full disclosure....my wife and I have a part ownership in two (2) thorobreds. One of them won two (2) races at Turfway this past fall.

Having said that, I can tell you that I will work to defeat the President of the Kentucky Senate and or one of the Republican members if he continues to stand in the way of this fix.

I am a Republican and a conservative one.

Let the chips fall where they may.

re: Help Us Survive - By William Connelly

Somethingroyal — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:53:56 GMT

Vespone-

I live in San Diego and as I mentioned long before programs like FasTrack existed the stands were packed. I know because I've been going to Hollywood Park and Santa Anita since the mid 70's and the crowds today don't compare to todays attendance.

re: Help Us Survive - By William Connelly

Vespone — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:06:23 GMT

Soemthingroyal - Umm... it doesn't cost to join FasTrack. You earn rewards by wagering. Have you ever been to Turfway?

re: Help Us Survive - By William Connelly

Soemthingroyal — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 15:44:45 GMT

Vespone-

Let me get this straight. I would have to pay buka bucks to join a program to a free program?? Wow, now that is what I call a savings. Long before the $$$ programs now offered, why do you think the stands were packed?

re: Help Us Survive - By William Connelly

expansion — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:07:32 GMT

racing has many problems. One is it has not been allowed to expand into other types of gambling. It is not often that a business is not allowed to expand if it has the money to do so, which is the case in many states. Racing needs that. It also needs to do a much better job of attracting fans to the sport and live venues. Hard to attract customers to live racing venues when many tracks look like old pieces of junk. Spend money fixing up the places. Make it fan and in some areas of the track family friendly. Yes, I realize tracks don't want to spend money on a product they don't know if it will survive, but if they don't most tracks won't. In most places live racing is no big deal, but at oaklawn, saratoga, delmar, and keeneland it is a big deal. Expanded gambling will help and I favor it at tracks, but they need to use that money to attract fans. Make going to the race track a nice experience.

re: Help Us Survive - By William Connelly

Change Of Pace — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 02:03:05 GMT

Love The Game but We can not fall asleep at the wheel and let others states out our own Crop Of Horse! This is Kentucky the horse capitol of the world..at least for now..think about it!

re: Help Us Survive - By William Connelly

Vespone — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:59:24 GMT

Somethingroyal - Turfway Park doesn't charge admission or parking. And if you are a member of their FasTrack program, you can get free programs, etc. I haven't paid for program at Turfway in years.

re: Help Us Survive - By William Connelly

Dustin J Thomson — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:31:10 GMT

ha8 2 c it go...every venue in this world you visit will have "that" lower class of people you speak of AND "those" area's in witch "they" mingle. So next time you visit Turfway drive your Mercedes upto valet and take the elevator to the top floor. Meanwhile, the true fans of this sport will be on the first floor making two dollar bets and buying stale beer!

Every word spoken in Bill's blog is from the heart and a cry for help. The Kentucky horse industry has gone to hell and will be annihilated if expanded gaming isn't added soon. The state will have NO face, no place, no culture.

re: Help Us Survive - By William Connelly

Somethingroyal — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:22:23 GMT

IMO, slots are nothing more than a bandaid to cover up a wound that is much worse than anybody wants to admit. Racing used to be the only game in town and they totally blew it by taking their patrons for granted, charging an arm and leg for admission, parking, programs, and forms.

Slots bring gamblers in and some of the money goes to the purses but they don't usually turn into horseracing betting. I don't know the answers to racing ills but slots are not the answer. Simulcasting has also been very detrimental to racing. So had internet betting. They all bring money in and help the purse structure which helps everyone involved in the industry, but unless it's a huge race or Zenyatta is running, you can shoot a cannon off in the grandstands and not hit anybody at most racetracks.

re: Help Us Survive - By William Connelly

James Jones — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:25:27 GMT

SLOTS SLOTS SLOTS, Creates more money for horsemen to run the same quality horses that there are now...It's a temporary fix until tracks can figure out how to market the racing product nothing will ever work to get it back to the Sport of Kings it once was. WV has had gaming for years and they had to shut down racing for the Winter, Delaware is looking to run fewer racing days, Iowa is not as profitable as it once was. The track in Erie Pa is nothing but Thistledown East, the racing is terrible. Market the Sport of Racing and go back to basics, you have to spend money to make money.

re: Help Us Survive - By William Connelly

Sherry Nolan — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:03:32 GMT

Hear hear! I agree with your position and sentiments. We here in Minnesota are facing the same problems.

re: Help Us Survive - By William Connelly

ha8 2 c it go — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:29:00 GMT

Mr.Connelly signal the bugler its time to play taps. I too love kentucky racing. I have spent many a dollar as an owner,gambler,fan and breeder over the years. I favor the passing of the expanded gambling bill but I don't live in kentucky. The 5% of the concerned population that does is not enough votes to sway Frankfort.Turfway is worth more as a development than the run down dump it is. $1 beer and $1 dogs won't save it. Turfway should quit waiting on a bailout and make the place worth walking into. On a rainy day just go in the main entrance and watch the water run down the wall, on the INSIDE of the building. Slots would help no doubt but Turfway should put in some effort to clean up it's act.