Hollywood Park's future to be presented on Thursday

[Al Gobbi]

A decision on whether Hollywood Park will conduct a fall meeting later this year, or be closed for future development, is expected to be announced at Thursday’s California Horse Racing Board meeting at Santa Anita.

Hollywood Park has not publicly indicated what will be announced Thursday. The track’s president, Jack Liebau, declined to elaborate on the track’s plans earlier this month. There are expectations among industry officials that the track will conduct racing this fall, according to two people familiar with the discussions. Hollywood has been assigned racing dates from Nov. 6 to Dec. 22, according to the racing board’s website.

http://www.drf.com/news/hollywood-parks-future-be-presented-california-horse-racing-board

[so.cal.fan]

It will be interesting to see/hear what they do.
I plan to listen to the CHRB meeting online tomorrow. Last item on their agenda addresses the Hollywood Park FALL dates.

Our guess is they will bail on the fall meet. Keep the summer meet for the time being, and will probably make arrangements to keep the track for stabling and training until the time comes to develop the property.
This may or may not happen soon, hard to say.
The fall meet makes little if any profit.

[Al Gobbi]

They have decided that they will run the fall meet, though it is unclear if they will run on the weekend of December 21.

[cj]

They have decided that they will run the fall meet, though it is unclear if they will run on the weekend of December 21.

Was there really a doubt?

[bob60566]

Quote from John Shirreffs this week,

"In the last 25-30 years, I haven't seen the kind of vision we need for this industry," he says. "The people in charge are the people we depend on to make decisions for things to work, and they haven't. Why should I expect that to change now?".

Well they had a emergency meeting this month because there was word Hollywood park could close.

[RXB]

Quote from John Shirreffs this week,

"In the last 25-30 years, I haven't seen the kind of vision we need for this industry," he says. "The people in charge are the people we depend on to make decisions for things to work, and they haven't. Why should I expect that to change now?"

Fair enough. My question in response is: How exactly have trainers been helping the cause? Or breeders? Because track management can only work with the product that the horsemen provide, and the fact is that horses average only half as many lifetime starts as 50-60 years ago, which makes the game much less desirable for bettors and prospective horse owners.

The backstretch and the breeding industry like to make themselves out as innocent victims of poor racetrack management but that is simply not the case.

[ronsmac]

Fair enough. My question in response is: How exactly have trainers been helping the cause? Or breeders? Because track management can only work with the product that the horsemen provide, and the fact is that horses average only half as many lifetime starts as 50-60 years ago, which makes the game much less desirable for bettors and prospective horse owners.

The backstretch and the breeding industry like to make themselves out as innocent victims of poor racetrack management but that is simply not the case.
Not to mention the countless times horsemen have blacked out signals to the detriment of the bettor.

[Tom]

Didn't they close last year?

[SandyW]

No great lost, stop threatening to close and close down already.

[Al Gobbi]

The cards at SA since the SA Derby have been pathetic and opening day at HP has 62 entries before scratches. With the higher purses at Del Mar who exactly is going to want to run at Hollywood the final 3-4 weeks of the meet?

[Not4Love]

Four races with only 6 entries . How is THIS going to work?

[bob60566]

Four races with only 6 entries . How is THIS going to work?

They have to show some effort and then get to Three tracks operating year round., might take while and some emergency meetings during the standoff.

[Robert Goren]

Four races with only 6 entries . How is THIS going to work?6 entries was a full field at AQU in Jan and Feb. They got through it.

[Track Collector]

I have never been to (Betfair) Hollywood park yet in my track travels. Their pending close will encourage me to get in a visit this fall. Even if it is nothing special, it is always good to add a new track to the visit list.

[v j stauffer]

I have never been to (Betfair) Hollywood park yet in my track travels. Their pending close will encourage me to get in a visit this fall. Even if it is nothing special, it is always good to add a new track to the visit list.

It is something very special.