Is the Price Right?

re: Is the Price Right?

Nick — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:10:57 GMT

This is the optimum window to reduce retention rates. The revenue from alternative gaming will replace the dollars lost to the purse accounts & track operators during the course of the trial. If the theories on churn generated by lower take-out are correct, the issue will resolve itself in time. NOW...NOW...NOW!!!

re: Is the Price Right?

Oldie — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 17:16:49 GMT

I doubt I have all the answers, perhaps not even one, but my opinion is that the underpinnings of horse racing have been lost. Horse racing (to my way of thinking) is about which horse is fastest, sturdiest, and most wanting to win - naturally, not because of drugs, whips, connections, or "vitamins." When the public believes that's what they're seeing, they will flock to horse racing.

I have lately returned to my childhood love of horse racing because I am able to watch on TVG. I agree many more races should be on network television, but the networks have to tell viewers why the races are worth watching. Viewers have to have reasons to follow certain horses just as they have reasons to follow stars of other sports - one is a perpetual underdog, one is supernaturally talented, one is playing long past the typical age of retirement, etc. If major networks aren't following horses and telling their stories, no one knows they exist.

re: Is the Price Right?

Susie — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:13:57 GMT

Some warmblood breeds require horses to be inspected and approved before being accepting into the studbook. (See this website for explanation: www.superiorequinesires.com/.../inspection.htm)

Something along these lines could eliminate some of the conformation problems that lead to unsoundness, increase the quality of our breedingstock and reduce the supply thus increasing demand.

re: Is the Price Right?

RobertfromBMore — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:57:42 GMT

Alex, thanks again for putting yourself out there to hear from us the fans. Yes the move for horse racing should be to attract the big bettors back into betting horse racing. It is a shame that some have left horse racing to bet on something else but the take should be investigated as to why it is so high. I'm a small $20 a day guy betting mainly pick 4's. Will I not bet because the Pick 4 at my favorite track because the pick four takeout is 25% versus 16%? No but I would suggest that the big bettor watches the take more than I do. You may have to guarantee maybe a 12% takeout to bettors who bet $1,000 per day. I would suggest to find the big bettors in Vegas and around the country and wine and dine them. TELL the big bettor you want to earn his business. The sharp handicapper can make money on the rarces. As another blogger said before, the $2 bettor is nice but they don't pay the bills to run the place.

re: Is the Price Right?

Steve K. — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 05:31:38 GMT

Mr. Waldrop, Thank you for your insightful and thoughtful comments. I am a long time lover of horse racing and betting. However, the issue of high takeout is driving me out of the game. To me, horse racing is intrinsically the most exciting and thoughtful form of gambling. But, when i see so many alternative gambling opportunities with less takeout its hard to resist shifting to them(eg. poker). I actually feel insulted by the lottery level takeout on some exotic bets and by the illussionary marketing of $500,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 or 6 pools as if there is some value being offered in this proposition. You cant treat your fans like they are idiots. If you create a FAIR commission that allows the fan to experience more success, you will naturally create more excitement and a larger new and returning fan base. Success breeds interest and reinforces return. thank you.

re: Is the Price Right?

Umatilla Joe — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 22:55:09 GMT

I agree completely with Cangamble. Jim C is obviously not aware what takeout differences are or where the money comes from in the first place. The game has ignored the bettor for as long as I can remember and now the price is being paid.

re: Is the Price Right?

PTP — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:40:48 GMT

Mr Waldrop,

I assume you chatted with many of the horseplayers who gathered there, and that is a very good thing.

You are clearly up against it with this view, as witnessed by the first comment on this thread "If this industry continues trying to cater to the bettor it's going to fail."

No one in any business on earth would say if you cater to the customer, the business will fail. In fact, all businesses live by the exact opposite mantra, of "if you do NOT cater to the customer it will fail." But in horse racing, with all the factions, and fights and people with a voice, it is commonplace to hear such things.

I do not envy you one bit in your task, however I give you 100% support, as a horse owner and betting customer.

Good Luck to you, and thanks for writing this piece, which the silent majority of our customers (who pay for the purses) have been saying for years.

re: Is the Price Right?

Cangamble — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:52:43 GMT

Jim C. The industry has not catered to the bettor, that is why it is not growing, that is why the big bettors have left.

In the US, internet gambling (other than horse racing) was banned a few years back, but guess what? It didn't help horse racing one bit if you look at the numbers.

Horse racing is not Nascar or the NFL. It never will be. Unless there is 10 races a week across the country that is. I'm sure nobody is pushing for that.

Without the bettor, horse racing is dead, and gamblers will be something else.

Most people aren't cognizant of track takeout, but they realize how long they last, and at other venues they last longer because the house take is smaller.

The longer they last, the more likely they are to expose friends, family and coworkers to the game.

Plus, if the game advertises winners (and that can only happen with lower takeouts), it will create a buzz and others will have a reason to learn and try to beat the races.

re: Is the Price Right?

afleetalexforever — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:33:51 GMT

I have to agree with Jim C. Mr. Waldrop the major problems that you are having with regards to the horse racing industry are, and let me list them:

1. There needs to be a governing board in place that handles the set up of race series, this would allow for competitive horse racing on the highest level with the "Greatest Fields" of competitive horses. Not just good to decent fields of horses that show up and run in races against allowance company horses.

2. Exposure of the industry does not need to be dictated by a company like the MSG Network, such historic races like the Woodward and the JCGC, Beldame, Personal Ensign and Mother Goose, and any other race that is historically significant with the top horses running in the race should be televised not just nationally but Internationally. All of America should have been able to see the history making Woodward Stakes, and it’s a shame that many millions didn’t even have the opportunity to follow and watch the race, other than Rachel Alexandra not going to the Breeders Cup; this is the biggest failure of horse racing this year.

3. The movement to synthetics "which is the Unknown Surface" has led to many horse players keeping their hands in their pockets, and sadly this will continue. Can anyone mandate that all tracks go back to dirt racing, im sure the answer to that is NO. But those tracks that keep the synthetics will have to suffer the fate that is pending. Numerous people will be happy to tell you that they will not pull a single $1 out of their pockets to take a chance on synthetic surfaces. Please understand that I've talked at long length with those in the West that have to endure this situation and they have been dealt a hand that is unfairly thrust upon them. It seems interesting though that the man that chaired the committee to mandate the synthetics has himself in an article stated that this was and is the wrong decision for horse racing as a whole, but especially in California!!!

4. This Governing Body or committee should be in place to develop a series of races for older horses that would warrant the connections of horses like the: Street Sense, Hard Spun, Any Given Saturday, and others that have such potential to continue to run their horses into their 4 and 5 year old seasons. The quality of the older horse division minus standouts like Curlin in 2008, Invasor in 2006 and Ghostzapper of 2004, Saint Liam of 2005, and the commentator of the 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 season, would be 2nd rate at best, why, because some of these same 3 year olds that never saw a track at 4 were retired to stud way too early.

5. The Breeders Cup is an event that the organizers apparently wanted to open up to the European and other turf horses of the world by allowing the event to be played out on a synthetic surface for the last two years. What has that led to, well the awful feeling of knowing that a horse like Rachel Alexandra was going to finish up her year in September instead of in November at the Breeders Cup. It seems that the money involved with the Euro’s coming over especially those that are not nominated to the event would cause an influx of cash, which I am sure is a correct assumption. But think about the number of horses that will not be leaving their stalls back East while this Turf event is being run.

The most important aspect of the frustration that most of us that truly love horse racing feel is the so called leveling of the playing field, by taking the B.C. dirt races and putting them on a surface that translates so well to turf that turf horses train on the synthetics. It seems as if after 25 or so years of traditional racing on dirt where a European horse would have to come over to acclimate itself to the surface the Breeders Cup and its partners have decided that the American Horses should be put in this awkwardly precarious situation. A foreign surface that dirt horses don’t train on or race on but it is called the “Championship Event”. In many opinions it’s far from being that. As a matter of fact if you take the horses that will not being coming and line them up in a race at Belmont on the same day it would be a much more exciting race. It’s basically a slap in the face to the connections of horses that run on dirt. The Barclay Taggs, Nick Zito’s, Todd Pletcher’s, Steve Asmussen’s, Kiaran McLaughlin’s, Bill Mott’s, Graham Motion’s, Larry Jones’s, Rick Dutrow, Tony Dutrow, Tom Albetrani’s, and there are many more that wont be shipping to the Breeders Cup with some of their horses. Why, well because we want more European exposure, and as I think back to the ridiculous comments of Jerry Bailey last year after Raven’s Pass won the Classic and he said it will make the Breeder’s Cup better in the long run. It makes me realize that even Hall of Famers such as himself and Gary Stevens who are both out there drinking all of the Kool-Aid of West Coast racing, can make mistakes and at times with all of the knowledge that they have really can come off as rank-amateur in their thought process.

Last let me say sir, you seem to be very passionate about trying to fix the problems that face horse racing and you are to be applauded for this, but instead of doing a lot of talking, and showing us that you are willing to do something by means of these blogs and forums, let us see some action. We are not asking that anyone save the world by making huge swift changes, but we are asking that someone take the initiative to step up to the plate and start making some decisions, especially in regards to the health of these magnificent creatures. We’ve seen very little about your thoughts on the number of break downs at Delmar this year. We’ve seen very little about what you want to do to correct issues like this nationwide where there are issues that pop up. We see your thoughts on money and how to save the industry but it you want to take it back to basics, lets focus on the horse which is the entity that drives the industry each and everyday. The humans or the connections are fine, the economy is bad but it will recover, these horses dying day in and day out at these tracks is not something we want to continue to hear about. Let’s get a fix to these problems also. Action is needed not just words, we realize you are a stand up, man of your word, and we would like to see this continue in the future.

AAF

re: Is the Price Right?

Graeme Beaton — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:41:25 GMT

The problem, as I see it, is we are selling a defective product and consumers are onto us.

The reason consumers are increasingly rejecting our product is because they have no confidence in it. They cite the reality or perception of doping, cheating and corruption, break-downs and questions that we rarely consider. For example: Are the jockey's hurting the horse with that whip? Are those ponies allowing the horses to warm up sufficiently to avoid injury?

Let's take the first two major perceptions. They relate to race-day medication. As I argued in The Bloodhorse Final Return recently, Lasix (salix) masks other drugs which stokes the perception that certain trainers (and their vets) have an unfair advantage. Bute and other legal substances mask injuries resulting in break-downs.

But, unless I missed it Alex, you have not addressed these issues in the article above. The NTRA Safety Alliance would seem the perfect forum for dealing with these issues and explaining to fans and potential fans why the rest of the world is wrong on race-day medication and we are right. And, to take things a step futher, to explain why we are doing so much better than the rest of the world because we tolerate race-day medications other countries do not.

I am not arguing that betting take-out is not an issue. It is, but to elevate it above race-day medication is, to me, misguided to say the least.

re: Is the Price Right?

Rachel A. (for real) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:19:51 GMT

I forgot to add a thank-you for all your communicating with us...a lot more than any other sport out there. I wish you the best.

re: Is the Price Right?

Rachel A. (for real) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:17:41 GMT

You have a hard job...I can tell you reasons why people aren't attracted racing (and have ;-))...but the true players will have to give you insight on your questions on the gaming end..I only bet for fun.

re: Is the Price Right?

Jim C — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:21:57 GMT

Mr. Waldrop,

I'm sorry but "back to the basics" is the last thing we need. If this industry continues trying to cater to the horse player "bettor" it's going to fail. Does the NFL cater to bettors? Do the thousands who throng to NASCAR races only do so to bet? Enough already!