Kentucky Assembly Stuck in Neutral - By Tom LaMarra

re: Kentucky Assembly Stuck in Neutral - By Tom LaMarra

Kevin L — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 19:18:48 GMT

Horse racing should not be looking to the government to fix what is ailing the horse racing industry. The horse racing industry has been stuck in “neutral” for years. Consumers have many more options today in which to spend their discretionary dollars than during the boom years of horse racing. The industry has failed to adapt to these changes. What is horse racing doing to attract new clients? I live near Philadelphia Park. I cannot recall ever hearing an advertisement or reading an advertisement in a newspaper or magazine regarding horse racing at Philadelphia Park. Delaware Park had a radio advertising campaign a few years back. That is the only advertisement that I have ever heard specifically advertising horse racing. How do you expect to grow your client base if you don’t advertise your product? That is business 101.

The horses are the stars of horse racing. The public needs to get more exposure to them to allow them to grow a bigger fan base. Unless you follow horse racing closely, you would not know when or where a horse will race next. At the Delaware County Ohio fair grounds, spectators are able to go into the stables to see the horses up close. A barrier that the spectators can see through but keeps them a safe distance away from the horses will allow spectators to observe the horses up close. My young daughter would be thrilled to get an up close look at the race horses.

Owners and trainers have gotten to risk adverse. They are racing horses less which limits their exposure to the public. After their 3 year old year, many of the top male horses get retired to the breeding shed. If these horses were left to race another year or two, their fan base would grow drawing bigger crowds to the track. Races will become more competitive due to the improvement in quality of the horses running. This will make the races more exciting to the public, drawing them to the track to watch them race. Last year everyone in horse racing was anticipating a race between Zenyatta and Rachel Alexander. Unfortunately the race never happened. Having horses race later in life will allow more superstars to meet on the track.

Racing horses later in life will also help breeders determine which horses are more durable so they can breed more sound horses.

Racinos are not the answer. This amounts to welfare for the horse industry. The government giveth, and the government taketh away. Look what happened in Indiana. When budget deficits grow, casino revenue will be diverted from horse racing into more "necessary" areas. The horse industry needs to make itself self sustaining. The question is who is going to take the necessary steps to help return horse racing to the glory days? Who will take charge and move the gear shifter from neutral to drive?

re: Kentucky Assembly Stuck in Neutral - By Tom LaMarra

Fran Loszynski — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 12:12:50 GMT

Lexington and Louisville are to a fan where racehorses are born and bred and retired. It is the first area that comes to mind. We are so lucky to have such beautiful places for racehorses. It should be the area in the forefront of displaying horse racing as an exciting and wonderful sport not tied up in opinions and legislation. This is one of the reasons horse racing is always on the back burner of sports. We should have out there how great in sync everything is--owners, trainers, stables, tracks. I visited Lexington and I wlll never forget the beauty and kindness of people there, the beautiful Thoroughbred farms. There may be people there that don't want to be known only as the horse racing capital of the nation but you are so very lucky. I think alot of the legislators need to take a few walks along the beautiful white rail fences on a spring day and have a racehorse nuzzle your shoulder after he speeds across the field.

re: Kentucky Assembly Stuck in Neutral - By Tom LaMarra

Tiznow Supahstar — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 21:40:09 GMT

I'm as big a fan of horse racing as anybody but I can see where the other side is coming from. These aren't exactly the best of times.

I agree with fb0252, don't villify someone just because they have a different opinion than you. Try working with them instead of against them.

re: Kentucky Assembly Stuck in Neutral - By Tom LaMarra

Homeless too! — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 18:30:55 GMT

Our owner/trainer operation has been using Turfway summer rental and supporting racing there, and other KY tracks, for 4 years since selling our farm in another state. This allowed us to live in our house and ship to run. It's not the fact that they are closing down but the fact that they waited so long to make it public. The information came out on 3/1, the day stall applications were due at both Keeneland and Churchill, but allowing enough time to consider Thistledown, which is owned by Harrah's, which also owns part of Turfway along with Keeneland. How convenient!

They didn't give the people a chance to make plans for their stables.I think we all need to make noise and let our voices be heard. Call everyone you can think of, representatives, governor, HBPA members, KHRC, general managers, and all Thoroughbred periodicals. A voice can be a powerful thing if it is used.

re: Kentucky Assembly Stuck in Neutral - By Tom LaMarra

KY FARM — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 17:30:24 GMT

3 boarded horses are leaving our farm today to ship to another state.

re: Kentucky Assembly Stuck in Neutral - By Tom LaMarra

Picksburg Phil — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 23:35:11 GMT

Sue M, let me see if I understand you. 99% of the people in Washington are trying to fill the coffers (who uses that word anymore?) and those of big business. OK. But you are in favor of filling the coffers of big racing business. So, you're not opposed to filling coffers, just filling the coffers that you want. Got it.

re: Kentucky Assembly Stuck in Neutral - By Tom LaMarra

Sue M. — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 20:01:13 GMT

Ugh. It appears that conservatism isn't just killing my home state (Michigan) and my new state (Ohio), now it's killing the state that breeds my favorite animal (The Thoroughbred) and supports my favorite sport (horse racing). I'm sorry you have Rand Paul but in Michigan Snyder is gearing up to strip workers/local govt rights. I had no idea things were so bad in Kentucky with horse racing. I'm a moderate myself, but at the moment I have nothing but contempt for 99% of the people who are sitting in Washington. All they do is try to fill their own coffers and those of big business. They're too worried about who's going to vote in 2012 to fix what's wrong right now.

re: Kentucky Assembly Stuck in Neutral - By Tom LaMarra

Stephen — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 19:39:58 GMT

We could do something about saving the industry if we would. The biggest challenge we have to overcome is the short sighted, me, me, me greed that is pervasive in this industry. Its a "divided we fall" issue. If the industry would unite into one body, with one voice of power we could accomplish something. Instead we are selfishly concerned with only our own share of the shrinking pie. Its the old monkey trap: we have a hold of a banana through the hole in the wall, and won't let go for fear of losing it, but can't get it out cause the hole's too small. Meanwhile the banana is rotting so there wil be nothing left.

re: Kentucky Assembly Stuck in Neutral - By Tom LaMarra

tim martin — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 15:31:49 GMT

We are in the 18th century in Kentucky, and in a few years we'll wonder what happened to horse racing. Turfway will close and so will Ellis Park. Somehow southern Kentucky and the morality parade run this state instead of the reality that exists in the cities, where people actually live and where the tracks are; it's sad but no one has enough guts to challenge the Southern Kentucky religious politicians.

re: Kentucky Assembly Stuck in Neutral - By Tom LaMarra

bill evans — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 15:24:54 GMT

It's sad, but somehow Louisville, Lexington and Northern Kentucky don't run the state. It's the the Bible Belt with their scare tactics and religion that make the minority opinion the only one mentioned.

re: Kentucky Assembly Stuck in Neutral - By Tom LaMarra

MidwaySue — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 14:23:16 GMT

I would like the lawmakers to let us know when the horse industry is gone what jobs they are creating to replace the thousands that are lost, including the ones that are related to the tourisum industry, bed and breakfast, resturants, hotel, motels.Small towns with shops like the one I live in will dry up.Property values will drop, etc. They come here to see the farms and the horses. No one will come to see the Toyota plant, cows, empty fields and rundown barns and houses.

It's not only the people in the industry like myself; I can pack up and move.What will they do to help the people that stay? But it won't really bother the lawmakers much, they can still take their overly moral butts across the line to Indiana and go to the casinos like they have done for years! Its no wonder Indiana has a billboard thanking Kentucky residents for coming and spending money on a road leaving one of its casinos.

re: Kentucky Assembly Stuck in Neutral - By Tom LaMarra

jessie baker — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 22:49:09 GMT

send them a message on election day saying your fired if you cant represent us you are not doing your job anyone else who does not preform at their job gets fired why should they be any different

re: Kentucky Assembly Stuck in Neutral - By Tom LaMarra

Jeff G — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 22:09:51 GMT

Tom,

Thanks for your advocacy. May the Horse be with you.

re: Kentucky Assembly Stuck in Neutral - By Tom LaMarra

Homeless — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 22:05:02 GMT

I'm one of the trainers being kicked out of Turfway. I have applied for stalls at two other tracks, neither of them in Kentucky. If I find a new home I won't be back in the Commonwealth until they rediscover, their roots as a leader in the Industry.

re: Kentucky Assembly Stuck in Neutral - By Tom LaMarra

nancyalis — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 19:46:54 GMT

You voters elected Rand Paul. Now deal with him. Good Luck.

re: Kentucky Assembly Stuck in Neutral - By Tom LaMarra

James, Fairfax, CA — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 19:32:21 GMT

I purchased horses at auctions in Lexington for years. If the Kentucky thoroughbred industry continues it's rapid decline the very future of horse racing in this country is in serious doubt. This is simply a case of social conservatives holding a state hostage and threatening its signature industry. Morals over bread, as it were. I have to believe the people of Kentucky can vote to solve this problem.

re: Kentucky Assembly Stuck in Neutral - By Tom LaMarra

fb0252 — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 18:17:44 GMT

might part of the problem be continuingly vilifying the opposition that you are trying to sway to your side?