Site Might - by Evan Hammonds

re: Site Might - by Evan Hammonds

Needler in Virginia — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 04:14:52 GMT

Why not just call the weekend the California BC and get on with it? That's what it has become and I agree with John From Baltimore, Strike The Gold, Old Old Cat, and SOUTHBENDFARM and Pedigree Ann. We've been sold a bill of goods, the "world" championships aren't REALLY that; I also agree that Woodbine should be in the mix and why not look at some other Canadian tracks, as well? Lord knows Lone Star Park had did a load of fixing up when the BC was held there. A REAL BC travels, or that's what we were told. Considering the SA location AGAIN, along with the race day drug "decisions" made lately, and the high profile resignations from the board, tells me the BC answers to big box trainers based in California and really could not give a tinker's damn about the breeders and owners and trainers from all over the rest of the country, never mind the rest of the world.

ATTENTION: SNARKY ALERT!!!

But all this is really OK, folks. Forget we ever had a Breeder's Cup, and let's start over with the SoCal Breeder's Cup weekend, add loads of two year old races, forget the turf races, forget the distance "marathons", and...........HEY! WHY NOT ADD QUARTER HORSES??? AND MAYBE EVEN BARREL RACING???

Bah, humbug. The windows at SA won't get any of my money nor will NBC get any of my time. I've had a bellyful of the BC lying to us. ENOUGH!

re: Site Might - by Evan Hammonds

rapture — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 01:53:51 GMT

I disagree wholeheartedly that the BC should stay at SA. I miss the years when it was consistently at different tracks. Woodbine. Arlington. Gulfstream. Monmouth. Lone Star Park. It would be fantastic to have it actually travel again. I would love to see it at Saratoga. The Breeder's Cup is being ruined by staying in one place. That's not how it started. That's not how it should be.

re: Site Might - by Evan Hammonds

palaceplace — Sat, 22 Jun 2013 20:36:56 GMT

santa anita is a dump. in the middle of nowhere. nice view yes.

woodbine and belmont are beautiful with the best turf courses in north america. the euro's come to woodbine in the fall for the big races. i will not be betting the b.c. this year as a show of disgust with the b.c. leaders. i will not be the only one.

re: Site Might - by Evan Hammonds

Pedigree Ann — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 15:43:28 GMT

A Breeders Cup perpetually in SoCal would cease to be a national event and become more of a regional one. There will be more and more Mineshafts, whose connections prefer not to ship so far to run on a track that is often speed-favoring, possibly in hellish heat and/or the smoke of fires in the foothills. The committee has sold its soul to NBC, forgetting the people who make their show possible.

re: Site Might - by Evan Hammonds

Proud Acres — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 12:41:06 GMT

Since I am from California I am prejudiced. With that said, there is no track like Santa Anita. The weather is usually always very comfortable. The view is remarkable, and I am delighted it is again at Santa Anita.

re: Site Might - by Evan Hammonds

Old Old Cat — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:32:39 GMT

Breeding a horse is an expensive and sometimes not so rewarding endeavour. Some breeders, like me, do not have a lot of money to throw away. As a yearling when it comes time to consider ponying up $500.00 for a Breeders Cup nomination, consideration has to be given to where the future sites might be. I paid my nomination fee fully expecting that at some point, in some years, the races would be less than a full continent away. Breeders with tons of money can easily afford to throw away $500 here and there with impunity, but the smaller breeder/owners have to very carefully weigh their decisions.

I think that if the committee had been open with the public, and posted where, (approximately), the future sites were expected to be, (California, California, California, California, etc) a lot less (not so rich) breeders would not be nominating.

We have been sold a bag of goods..

re: Site Might - by Evan Hammonds

SOUTHBENDFARM — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:40:55 GMT

I disagree. I think the Breeders Cup should move EVERY year and should also return to Woodbine. They did a great job hosting in 1996. Muddy tracks and bad weather are part of the everyday recing scene and to run away from it is silly. California has a great venue in Santa Anita, but it can't hold a candle to CHurchill Downs. Every attendance record is at Churchill. If they opened up the infield.....forget about any other track even approaching their attendance. SInce Santa ANita went back to conventional dirt, I don't mind it as much as when it was Synthetic. Woodbine is still Polytrack, but its not the same Polytrack as Turfway or Keeneland. It has to handle much colder weather then either KY track has to and much more rain. It is praised by all who have run on it. SO after 2014, the Breeders Cup should not return to Santa ANita for at least 5 to 7 years. The rest of the COuntry would like to have the event and Breeders Cup will benefit from moving it around as it was intended from the start.

re: Site Might - by Evan Hammonds

Strike the Gold — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:05:14 GMT

I am do not post often. I am more a gambler then a chatter, but this really made me sad. I feel like this is about making cash and not fans. The orginal intent was to have a championship for all, no regional bias, not a SO-CAL event, or just Churchill or Belmont. Is this all we have left?

re: Site Might - by Evan Hammonds

John from Baltimore — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:49:30 GMT

If fans from different parts of the country can't see the program live ever, they will slowly lose interest. The breeders cup and sport will lose in the long run and that is my opinion.