States of Confusion - By Dan Liebman

re: States of Confusion - By Dan Liebman

PAUL — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 16:58:39 GMT

The Preakness is May 15th not the 14th.

re: States of Confusion - By Dan Liebman

BUckley — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:15:19 GMT

New Orleans Times Picayune this week reported that at the Fairgrounds Racetrack and Slots the horse racing business is down 30% off last year, which was also a bad year. Has anyone bothered to do a study about how the slots have done nothing for the horse racing business from a marketing standpoint.

Fort Erie racetrack and slots has closed. The horse racing business at Remington racetrack and slots is down abysmally.

Expect the states with racinos to in the near future to just cancel their horse racing business and exclusively run the "not as profitable as they used to be" slots.

re: States of Confusion - By Dan Liebman

KettleRiver — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:09:42 GMT

NJ Trotter, its cease, not sieze

re: States of Confusion - By Dan Liebman

Johnnybag — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:47:23 GMT

Slots and Casinos not needed. &10.00 minimum WPS wagers with a 10% take. $5.00 double wagers with the same. No pick six,no trifecta and limited exacta. The 2.00 window is the only thing that kills racing and the takeout. Compete with a casino game take and racing wins. 2.00 on a 2-1 shot back in the three stooges days paid for the day. Food,program,entry etc. A 10.00 2-1 shot today might do the same. First High stakes track that gets the legislature to approve wins. Full fields, big pools and limited take and racing is reborn.

re: States of Confusion - By Dan Liebman

Bill Fossett — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:34:20 GMT

One man in Md., Speaker of the House Michael Bush is the one most responsibile for the demise of racing because he refused to bring up the slots bill for a vote and the other politicians in Md. let him get away with it. Md will never catch up with Pa.and Md had a 200 year head start.

re: States of Confusion - By Dan Liebman

Bill Daly — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:43:37 GMT

The situation in NY gets more bizarre by the day. For a good laugh [or cry] open this link: www.nypost.com/.../bettor_wait_minute_lHnFr3KBwj6wseJkbc6clJ. Don't hold your breath for the Empire State to resolve this mess any time soon.

re: States of Confusion - By Dan Liebman

Chroma — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:29:31 GMT

I say look to Tampa Bay Downs, a small but very respected track by horsemen and players alike. It seems to have avoided the slots issue altogether (they do have a poker room).

Their racing surfaces are top notch. They sell out their stalls. They no longer charge for admission during the week, parking is free and their purses increase on a regular basis.

They seem to be doing everything right without the need for slots revenue.

re: States of Confusion - By Dan Liebman

Rowner — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:08:39 GMT

I agree with Gail above, since when is it the governments job to tell me how to spend my money! Whether its moral or not I earned it and I'll spend it the way I want. Who cares if Tom, Dick and Harry spend their last dime in a slot machine its with in their right to do so. Its not our fault that they are penniless, there are lot of responsible gamblers out there also. It is all about power and who stands to benefit from the profits. Anyone who thinks these governments care about what best for horseracing and or the public is dreaming.

re: States of Confusion - By Dan Liebman

DQ'd — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 03:59:43 GMT

Synthetic surfaces, jockeys stepping up, N.J., Md., N.Y., Ky., etc. When will racing figure out they need a national commissioner ?

The states want their own rules and jurisdiction. So how is that working out ? It's time !!!!

re: States of Confusion - By Dan Liebman

Gail — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 02:32:48 GMT

The idea that you can legislate morality is a sad joke. Kentucky horsemen are paying the price for this. The criminal act is where the politicans control people's lives. Kentucky is HORSES, obviously the Senate Majority leader has made his money some other way and now thinks he can control people's lives with his power. Make no mistake this is about power and control. He doesn't care who in the state gets hurt. The Governor is right, it is time for changes in the State House,time to elect people who actually care about the whole of Kentucky.

re: States of Confusion - By Dan Liebman

Stan in NYC — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 01:38:54 GMT

With horse racing being in a complete state of anarchy, it won't be long before I start my nights handicapping the next days races at Royal Ascot, Goodwood, Longchamps, and Australasia. Yep, the powers that be here in the states have really done a number on this game called horse-racing, and just can't seem to find a starting point to turn this thing around! To all you horseman/woman and politicians etc, thanks for nothing!

re: States of Confusion - By Dan Liebman

ndm123 — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:59:55 GMT

You should add Ohio to that list in your story .If you want to see politics at it's finest check these cats out !! Ohio is going on mabe 17 years with the slots issue .

re: States of Confusion - By Dan Liebman

horseplayer — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:25:44 GMT

Why should racetracks get slots?If the public is sick of drugged up horses, questionable rides and horses "bouncing"and don't want to gamble on horses why should tracks get welfare.Philly Park has slots,do you think they lowered their 30%takeout on exotics? Of course not,but they have 5 claimers racing for 20 grand.

re: States of Confusion - By Dan Liebman

NJTrotter — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:51:12 GMT

You can add New Jersey to that list. It was reported that the NJSEA, a government agency which runs Monmouth Park and The Meadowlands Racetrack, lost 22 mil last year. Monmouth Park could see it's racing days cut to 50 while The Big M, the premier Standardbred track, could seize operation altogether. The Big M sits adjacent to the new Jets/Giants stadium at the Meadowlands Sports Complex and could be sold to developers. The Atlantic City big-wigs would block any effort to bring slots to the Big M. Moral to this story: it's the politicos who are ruining our game as well as everything else.

re: States of Confusion - By Dan Liebman

Erin — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:10:35 GMT

It's a good thing they aren't in Pennsylvania, where the jockeys decide who can train and who can't.

Why don't they do pre-race inspections there instead? If a horse is lame they get scratched. That way the trainers don't get ruined in the jocks room.!!!

re: States of Confusion - By Dan Liebman

Shamfan49 — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:05:42 GMT

Good to note that killing horse racing in New York which is controlled by the Dems and Kentucky which is controlled by the Reps is a buy-partisan effort. I still cannot figure out why any person or political group has a say in how a legal business should be operated other than those who actually have their own money at risk. Other than assuring the public that the racing and gambling is legit, gum'mint should just butt out.

re: States of Confusion - By Dan Liebman

David — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:55:20 GMT

All true Dan. The only good news is that Racing is at least in the conversation in New York, Maryland and Kentucky. A real doomsday scenario would have alternative gaming initiated without industry players at the table. You can already see in more forward-thinking states quietly expressing the sentiment of “tell me again why is it we needed those guy?”. Until racing can demonstrate growth potential instead of just being the guys with their hand out, it’ll be an uphill fight to get decent splits. Not very pretty.