re: Are the Clouds Parting?

JerseyBoy — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 12:51:01 GMT

Mr Waldrop:

You have the answer but you glossed over it. Here is the answer in your own words-

"betting was up 22% on the Dubai World Cup program as compared to last year, and by 9% for the Dubai International Racing Carnival even though the Carnival consisted of one less day this year than in 2009"

The point here is that people, like me, look for high quality racing no matter where the races are being run.

Take today's program at Aqueduct, NY. More than half of the races are for claimers ranging from $7500 to $25000. At Gulfstream, it is worse. Only addicts will bet on those races.

I bet on horses but I can find only 2 races each day even worth considering. Even so, given the fact that the tracks are oval-shaped I limit my bets to place or show.

The industry also faces the problem of medication. In today's Gulfstream program only one horse is not on Lasix. Why not require that they all run on Lasix or ban Lasix altogether?. How do I know whether a horse in fact needs Lasix when it is being used for the first time? What do I do when Lasix is being withdrawn? How is it that certain horses "need" Lasix in America but do just as well without Lasix elsewhere?. Bettors are not fools.

I have thoughts about improving the NY situation. I say close Aqueduct and Saratoga and conduct those races at Belmont Park year-round after replacing one of the Belmont turf courses with a synthetic track. This will allow the transfer of turf races to the synthetic track on rainy days.

Next, set up a system of "fixed weights" handicaps to replace some of the allowance races. Example. In every fixed weights handicap, horses will carry one of the following weights:132, 128, 124, 120, 116 pounds. These races are to be run at long distances. This might attract European horses and so increase the field sizes. The fixed weights handicaps will also eliminate some claiming races and allow owners to run their horses without fear of losing them.

This idea might seem draconian but it sure beats bankruptcy, which is where the NYRA is heading. CA might follow.

By the way, did you notice that the decline in wagering seems to parallel the expansion of online wagering?

I have not gone to a racetrack in many years. Why should I, when I can place my bets online in a non-captive situation, in between mowing my lawn and walking my dog?

This eliminates impulse betting.

Incidentally, my regret today is that I cannot bet on the Grand National online.

re: Are the Clouds Parting?

FourCats — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 07:37:35 GMT

"Are the clouds parting?" Are you serious? I've been going to the races for 50 years, and the sport of horse racing is the bleakest that I've ever seen. When are you and other leaders of this sport going to wake up and recognize that our sport is in extreme crisis. Racing is in trouble in every state. The only ones even holding their own are those with slots; and slots will not save racing. I've always held that one should be polite, but it is basically just blather to infer anything positive about where our sport is headed. What is needed is for the leaders to be taking emergency action to promote the sport. We need to get people interesting in becoming fans by showing them how fascinating and exciting horse racing is. But witnessing the complete lack of any action by anyone with the ability to promote the sport does not give me much of a feeling of hope for the future.