Wiener dogs and ostriches and dwarves: game's savior?

re: Wiener dogs and ostriches and dwarves: game's savior?

Susan — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 07:46:14 GMT

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

Susan

http://onlinemariogames.net

re: Wiener dogs and ostriches and dwarves: game's savior?

what integrity — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:16:22 GMT

I have to echo the comments of others, these promos are great! They bring new people to the track, maybe they'll like it and come back. And it makes the day more lighthearted.

re: Wiener dogs and ostriches and dwarves: game's savior?

Kevin Stafford - The Aspiring Horseplayer — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:49:37 GMT

Fantastic article. Hadn't realized I had missed ostrich races, but now that you mention it, yeah...I'd pay to see that.

They actually have Jack Russell Terrier races at the Maryland Millions the last few years.

Like you say, whatever it takes....and I think to make things even more fabulous, I'd request to see Gary Coleman riding an ostrich. That would be life changing. :-)

re: Wiener dogs and ostriches and dwarves: game's savior?

dachshudnguy — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 20:44:59 GMT

Well, this promotion got myself along with 6 others who have never been to the track out To GGF.

When I received the flyer promoting Dachshunds at Golden Gate, I immediately scheduled this as a must see. I blogged it, contacted friends and got a party together.

I contacted Golden Gate Fields and spoke to the promotions department thanking them for this great promotion and was pleasantly surprised by their warm and welcoming conversation.

It was the 1st time in 5 years I have travelled to Golden Gate Fields and it was a grand day. The racing was good for this area, the crowd was electric and the atmosphere was positive.

I have never seen so many people at Golden Gates fields in all the years I went.

The dogs were fantastic...

The dollar day promotion was great!

When simulcast signals dominant, and at home betting with TVG or HRTV or the many others take away from seeing races live, these types of promotions are exactly what are needed to bring people in to see the races.

Funny but you just don't know what you were missing until you are there in person.

And I have to admit that I travel to Los Alamitos every year for their Dachshund derby and this year to Cal Expo for theirs also.

re: Wiener dogs and ostriches and dwarves: game's savior?

Real Racing Fans Speak Out — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:25:50 GMT

I have no problem at all with these cute additions of other racing animals. Anything that promotes animal use to the general public is fine with me. By the way Daniel, in Japan horse racing is king. And they also eat horse meat. Imagine that, no activists screeching every 5 seconds that horse slaughter is "equicide", and their horse racing industry thrives as well.

re: Wiener dogs and ostriches and dwarves: game's savior?

Daniel — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 05:49:11 GMT

could you please use the term Little people.. the term dwarf while it does offer an explanation of what these people are it can be an insult.. And its sad that these people are being subjected to carnival like side showism.. Just sad..

When people are showing more so to watch side show acts and performances then the real feature of racing, then you have not won a darn thing.. Chances are those people are not exactly there for the races nor are they liable to come back..

We need to look at japan racing, they have racing promotion down and are selling out huge venues.. Im impressed by what the JRA has done.. and have to say I would more likely attend a race there then here in the states..

re: Wiener dogs and ostriches and dwarves: game's savior?

pittsville moe — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 13:33:49 GMT

Yes, let racing do what the great Bill Veeck did. and it will wind up in Baltimore like the Browns. Oh and by the way, how Maryland racing doing these days?

re: Wiener dogs and ostriches and dwarves: game's savior?

whobet — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 04:08:17 GMT

It's not sad,

People don't belive in the day to day menu that horse racing offers,

cause of drugs or what ever,

they come if they can for fun and innocent,

there is very little inncocent in racing any more,

it needs to be cleaned up,

If you do people will come back,

but racing has got to get rid of it's bad practices, NOW

re: Wiener dogs and ostriches and dwarves: game's savior?

Dreamer's Mom — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 22:56:48 GMT

Last summer our track also had Ostrich and Camel races. The place was packed. They are on tap again this year and I am hopeful that once again the apron will be full of curious on-lookers. The odd races really are a hoot and I hope the people stay for the rest of the card. Sad we have come to this, but if it gets butts in the seats, then I have to be for it.

re: Wiener dogs and ostriches and dwarves: game's savior?

merrywriter — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 20:21:43 GMT

You hit the nail on the head when you said, "I understand horse racing has a much steeper learning curve than most other sports, and learning to decipher the hieroglyphics in a racing form is a daunting task for many neophytes of the game." That is why people don't go to the tracks. Hence the popularity of weiner dogs done hot dog gone. Go doggie go. No handicapping, no pedigree for speed, sprint or distance, just a pure race on legs too short to break down.

I don't know if you've ever seen the camel races in Reno, but there's an animal that can travel too when it gets going. And a race that is understood by all - one camel is faster than another. Simple.

It isn't just that tracks need to have more fun for fans at the races, they need to help educate with some sort of Dummies Dictionary so the fan can even begin to start to figure out who, what when, where, and why with thoroughbreds. I've been singing this same song for a couple of years on Blood Horse when I asked that a webpage of terms be put on the site/ Even my subscription hasn't done much good to educate me as to terms, they are just thrown around like everybody knows them. And no, everybody does not know them anymore: furlong - some fraction of a mile; or turn of foot - why not acceleration? Say what is meant.

So racing industry stop crying in your champagne glasses until you take it upon yourselves to back track a little and give the newbie some information he can understand to play the game.

For another race everyone can understand, y'all might want to (re)read Twain's Jumping Frog of Calaveras County which continues to this day - without the buckshot - and attracts thousands.

And like Smarie pointed out, there is absolutely no room for the many avenues of abuse to the horses, it's killing the sport, so stop breeding so many of them just to see who "might could" run and who won't with slaughter as the end result, forget doping, and throw out the breeders and trainers who do.

re: Wiener dogs and ostriches and dwarves: game's savior?

Smarie — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 15:46:28 GMT

We have a Dachshund and he's a ball of energy and fun. If we could get him to cooperate, we'd enter him in a Dachshund Derby too. He's a bit strong minded and I don't know if he'd run his race or if he'd just want to investigate the other dogs. I think something light hearted like this is just what people need. There hasn't been much lately to laugh at and I salute the folks who came up with this. People need to be able to laugh and enjoy themselves. Horse racing doesn't fill that bill, what with some trainers and their continual trying to cheat with drugging their horses, owners being arrested and charged with many counts of animal cruelty, horse slaughter and break downs at the track. Good for Golden Gate! I hope the Dachshund Derby becomes an annual event. I also hope and pray that those involved in horse racing can clean up their acts, and if they can't, that the powers that be give them the boot. Cheaters and those who participate in animal cruelty and suffering have no place in horse racing or in any venue involving animals.

re: Wiener dogs and ostriches and dwarves: game's savior?

Cary — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 23:45:24 GMT

A well done, spot on article Brad!

re: Wiener dogs and ostriches and dwarves: game's savior?

Joyce Luck — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:04:01 GMT

People were texting me from Golden Gate to tell me about the wiener dog races, Brad, and the packed crowds. Miserably packed, apparently. It's a shame it takes gimmicks to get people in the door anymore. But as you say, whatever it takes to keep the sport alive.

re: Wiener dogs and ostriches and dwarves: game's savior?

RachelSatterfield — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:49:58 GMT

Bravo. Silly as these things may seem, they work to get people's attention. Bring out people to the track for other wacky reasons, and there's more of a chance they'll come back to see racing than if they'd never been to the track at all. I noticed the advertising for the ostrich and camel racing at Hawthorne when I was there on Illinois Derby day. I was sorely tempted to go the next day just to see the insanity.