Missing Persons

re: Missing Persons

Charles Braxton — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:30:05 GMT

Richard Bomze is a great man, he has helped the little guy always. One of the pricipals founding the backstrech daycare center, as President of the horseman he always was there sometimes with his own money to help every backstretch worker in need. Richard is sorely missed and NYRA will miss the added handle he brought to the track. He should never have lost his box. What were they thinking?

re: Missing Persons

Ray Manley — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:30:23 GMT

Rob Wilson,

I feel your pain. My wife and I moved from New Jersey to Kentucky (we love Kentucky)21 years ago. We raised a family and actually had a 17 year spread between trips to the Spa. We have taken the family to the track each of the last 5 years and hopefully will not miss another season. My point in writing is to tell you that my dad and I would make a day trip to the Spa every year. We lived about 180 miles from the track. We got up early and came home late. But I looked forward to that day with my dad to visit Saratoga all year long. We started our yearly tradition when I was 7 or 8 and continued it into my 30's. If there is anyway you can scrape up the bucks, do it. You won't regret it. And if you can't, I hope prosperity strikes you in the months to come so you can make it next year.

re: Missing Persons

DAKIN — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:08:13 GMT

Rob made a great point-- the middle class bettor has left Saraotga. Just look at the hundreds of empty seats in the clubhouse and grandstand any weekday, and on most weekends. Why?

NYRA has misread the market and the customer. I've owned seats in the clubhouse for 20+ years, after I fell in love with the sport while a college kid. The younger crowd today aren't buying those seats when they become available.

NYRA is trying to market racing upstate like the NY sports teams do in the metro area. I fear you just won't be able to afford to go more than a few times a season because it costs too darn much. What's next, personal seat licenses a la Churchill Downs? NYRA seems most interested in finding people willing to shell out $100's for an "experience" on a day to day basis, than to cater to the bettor who actually comes to the track to watch and bet on the races. Nobody I know bothers with the "luxury" boxes, paddock/rail tents, new high roller room, etc. I bring friends and customers, teach them about the sport and how to bet, and that is the experience. Most love it once they come with someone else who does. Racing is always about the horses and the betting.

re: Missing Persons

rob wilson — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:27:13 GMT

Sadly, this is the first summer in 18 years my wife and I will not be able to make the 200 mile trek to the Spa from our home in Rhode Island. Hearing about the Fourstardave handicap yesterday rekindles fond memories of a race I was at in the early 90's when the "Sultan of Saratoga" ran a hard fought third to the greats Lure and Paradise Creek at Saratoga. The failing economy has hit our family hard and we felt that we could not afford the trip to Saratoga this summer. Reading your article makes the heartache feel a little less severe as I see we are part of another looming problem the horseracing industry faces-losing the middle class bettor at the track. Let's hope things turn around in this great land of ours because my wife will not be able to tolerate me during another summer of Saratoga withdrawls!!

re: Missing Persons

Alex — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:02:02 GMT

I miss Off. Pelligri of the Saratoga Police Dept., whom I have not seen in a couple of years. He would work the corner of Union and East avenues at the end of racing days and no one could nail and shame an errant jay-walker as he could.

I suggest that Josh Brolin could play him if they ever make a movie.

re: Missing Persons

luke — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 12:38:48 GMT

Not having Bomze at Saratoga is racing's loss. I hear he has just lost interest in the game thanks to the escapades in NY. The horsemen in NY had a chance to have a strong voice under Bomze's leadership and participation in Empire Racing. It's really a shame the NYRA was able to persuade the NYTHA to abandon ship, as the Empire group was formed for all the right reasons; positve change and enhancement of NY racing. Maybe someday if the "new" NYRA is ever formally sanctioned, Bomze will once again feel welcome.