Have you ever brought someone new to the track?

[EMD4ME]

Most of us complain about the game we love dying. Just wondering. Good & bad.... who has brought people to the track? What was the result? Did they ever come back? Did they like it? What feedback did they provide?

[elhelmete]

I've brought dozens of newcomers to various tracks both existing and defunct (Del Mar, Santa Anita, Hollywood, Suffolk, Rockingham, Hazel Park, Northville Downs).

For the most part, they came as part of the twice-yearly company excursions I would organize. The rest were friends I invited individually.

Two have stayed on as fans/recreational horseplayers and will occasionally go to the track on their won now.

A handful more will still accompany me happily to the track if I ask.

The rest were one-and-done.

I have to be honest...the biggest sense I got as far as feedback is concerned is a general sense of being "too far" and too long of a day.

[FantasticDan]

This topic gets trotted out pretty often here. I've brought various family over the years, they're all happy to play a couple races (none know much about how), and it's always fun if they win a few bucks. But a couple races is usually the limit. Nobody's interested in sitting there for :3: hours and pouring over PPs. :p

[FrankieFigs]

I have taken friends and family members to the track throughout the years. The majority of them got hooked when I organized a day at Ellis Park. Reserved seats in the Sky Theater and sponsored a race. Everyone had a great time. It has now turned into a yearly gathering. We have a core group of 8-9 of us. Usually end up with 12-15 total. Been going on 5 years.

Out of this group, 2 will usually give me a shout every now and again to go and see live racing. The rest we can count on being there once a year.

I also organized a day at Kentucky Downs this year to give them a different perspective. We tailgated and hung out by the paddock area. This went really well, too. Several are looking forward to doing it again in 2015.

The key to getting them interested was the offer to see live racing. No one is really interested in simulcasting.

[andtheyreoff]

Yes; I had an outing last year at the Meadowlands for my birthday. I hope to do a similar one at either Monmouth or Belmont next year.

They usually have a lot of fun, but don't really come back often. It's kind of weird.

And for those that haven't: make sure to bring at least one new person out to the track. It can only help grow the game.

[jballscalls]

My boss and I mention this all the time. We bring friends/family/acquaintances out all the time, they seem to have a great time, they say they had a great time.....then they never come back.

[elhelmete]

My boss and I mention this all the time. We bring friends/family/acquaintances out all the time, they seem to have a great time, they say they had a great time.....then they never come back.

Here's the weird thing: my friends that used to go to several baseball or basketball games a year no longer do that either.

Obviously the ticket prices of pro sports far outstrip a day at the track so that's not a comparable metric.

It might just have to do with time and the lack of an ability to multi-task. I mean who has 3-4 hours to sit on one place anyway?

[Track Phantom]

I've done it a bunch of times most was 15 -20 years ago. Almost a universal response. Fun early on, starts to drag on them in the middle and end. It has the feeling that 25-30 minutes between races is far too long for them.

I really think if the time between races was closer to 15 -18 minutes, it would change the experience.

By the way, out of all the people I've introduced to the game, I can't think of one who has gone on their own.

[thaskalos]

I have never brought a newcomer to the track...nor do I ever intend to. I have enough on my conscience...

[Appy]

I've introduced numerous folks to live horse racing, but not to any of the upper tier tracks.
We have a nice little hometown track in Eureka, Ks which offered an unusually "up close and personal" experience. When I was able I would take a few guests to the backside with me so they could look around and get acquainted with one or two horses as we got them ready to run. The guests always got really excited by that, enough that they afterward occasionally traveled out of state to go to other tracks we were at.
Unfortunately politics closed down our racing opportunity in Kansas ending Eureka's 140? year run.
The point is horse racing has lots of great things about it to attract fans if the presentation is right.

[EMD4ME]

I have never brought a newcomer to the track...nor do I ever intend to. I have enough on my conscience...

LMAO but I hear you...... don't want to be the cause of a 'problem'....

[EMD4ME]

I've introduced numerous folks to live horse racing, but not to any of the upper tier tracks.
We have a nice little hometown track in Eureka, Ks which offered an unusually "up close and personal" experience. When I was able I would take a few guests to the backside with me so they could look around and get acquainted with one or two horses as we got them ready to run. The guests always got really excited by that, enough that they afterward occasionally traveled out of state to go to other tracks we were at.
Unfortunately politics closed down our racing opportunity in Kansas ending Eureka's 140? year run.
The point is horse racing has lots of great things about it to attract fans if the presentation is right.

You are right. This game has a lot of positive to offer. Btw, what happened to Eureka? What shut it down?

[biggestal99]

I have brought over 100 newbies to the track plus i talk to everyone within earshot about the wonderful game ofhorse racing and horses in general. I always take them to the paddock so we can get up close and personal with the animals in question. A few became lifelong fans
And a couple serious bettors. Some became casual fans. About 50% left the track with me and never came back to my knowledge..

Horse racing is not for everyone. Some like my wife don'tlike whipping, so i always temper my enthusium about urging a horse when i am around her at the track. But she doeslike betting on her favorite horses.

Allan

[onefast99]

Over the past 11 years I have done a group get together with my friends at MP where we watch the races from the grandstand with both new and existing players. Most of the newer players enjoyed the day but did complain about the major league baseball pricing on everything from food to beer to ice cream. Most comeback but go to the picnic area as a larger group where they don't need to buy anything except pari mutuel tickets.

[Robert Goren]

I took an old girl friend to the track once. It is not a mistake I would repeat. In todays world, I would have serious moral qualms about introducing somebody to racing.

[soupman2]

I took an old girl friend to the track once. It is not a mistake I would repeat. In todays world, I would have serious moral qualms about introducing somebody to racing.

Why? I don't get that-- There are casino's opening on every corner, the states pretty much all have lotteries and gaming machines. You can play the lottery in every corner store and gas station.

I've taken my kids but we didn't last long at the late Suffolk because they didn't sell ice cream. They used to love the trotters at the Rock.

I also have a buddy that will only go to the track with me. We usually go to the Rock for what we call Mountaineer Monday, have a cigar and get out of the house for awhile (my kids are now teenagers.....oye).

[jross0108]

I've brought probably a dozen friends and coworkers to the track with me over the last two years but for people in their early to mid 20's most of them get bored with the races when they find out there is 25-30 minutes between each race. If they have $20 they'd rather go over to the casino and play blackjack and be out of money in 5 minutes as opposed to waiting a half hour to bet a horse.

[thespaah]

I've brought probably a dozen friends and coworkers to the track with me over the last two years but for people in their early to mid 20's most of them get bored with the races when they find out there is 25-30 minutes between each race. If they have $20 they'd rather go over to the casino and play blackjack and be out of money in 5 minutes as opposed to waiting a half hour to bet a horse.
Unreal....
That scenario is illogical

[Appy]

You are right. This game has a lot of positive to offer. Btw, what happened to Eureka? What shut it down?

Short story; a Tea Party governor with a personal agenda.

[BettinBilly]

Friends? Seldom. I think once or twice.

Dates?

I always bring women to the track if I think I may be in a relationship with them for a while. Most, over the years, have liked it very much. Surprisingly so. Kentucky Derby and other gala venues aside, if the track is upscale, and the crowd is decent, I've had good success with introducing my ladies to racing.

I've luckily dated a lot of women whom like Horses, and I usually get them down to the rail and have them watch the Thoroughbreds thunder by. These women have been impressed enough to ask to go back on a few occasions.

I dated one gal whom embraced it big time. She was a Financial Analyst for a large investment firm. She loved handicapping and dove right in. I recall she wanted to go to the track as much as I did. I should have married her.

[JustRalph]

Friends? Seldom. I think once or twice.

Dates?

I always bring women to the track if I think I may be in a relationship with them for a while. Most, over the years, have liked it very much. Surprisingly so. Kentucky Derby and other gala venues aside, if the track is upscale, and the crowd is decent, I've had good success with introducing my ladies to racing.

I've luckily dated a lot of women whom like Horses, and I usually get them down to the rail and have them watch the Thoroughbreds thunder by. These women have been impressed enough to ask to go back on a few occasions.

I dated one gal whom embraced it big time. She was a Financial Analyst for a large investment firm. She loved handicapping and dove right in. I recall she wanted to go to the track as much as I did. I should have married her.

Quagmire, I didn't know you posted here? :lol:

Matt Helm ? "My ladies?" :lol:

[PhantomOnTour]

I used to try to get new folks out to the track, but then I stopped going myself (play from home 99.99% of the time) so there goes that idea.

Plus, the pressure to win with a newbie in my presence was almost more than I could bear. I felt as though my handicapping prowess that day would determine whether the newbie comes back in the future.

It's better to teach them how to read the pp's before ever taking them to make live bets. They can then form some of their own opinions (and that's the fun challenge of handicapping)...one's OWN opinion...instead of just betting what you bet.

During my younger days (and during a hot streak) I would invite people to the track basically to show off...how ridiculous, and a great way to end a hot streak :blush:

[BettinBilly]

Quagmire, I didn't know you posted here? :lol:

Matt Helm ? "My ladies?" :lol:

Are they YOUR ladies? :lol:

[EMD4ME]

Friends? Seldom. I think once or twice.

Dates?

I always bring women to the track if I think I may be in a relationship with them for a while. Most, over the years, have liked it very much. Surprisingly so. Kentucky Derby and other gala venues aside, if the track is upscale, and the crowd is decent, I've had good success with introducing my ladies to racing.

I've luckily dated a lot of women whom like Horses, and I usually get them down to the rail and have them watch the Thoroughbreds thunder by. These women have been impressed enough to ask to go back on a few occasions.

I dated one gal whom embraced it big time. She was a Financial Analyst for a large investment firm. She loved handicapping and dove right in. I recall she wanted to go to the track as much as I did. I should have married her.


That is cause for an immediate marriage proposal!!!

My buddy introduced his girlfriend to the track. She bought all books, studies like you don't believe and now will go without him if he's busy!!!

He married her!

[BettinBilly]

That is cause for an immediate marriage proposal!!!

My buddy introduced his girlfriend to the track. She bought all books, studies like you don't believe and now will go without him if he's busy!!!

He married her!

I was amazed at this gal. As I posted, she was a Financial Analyst, so she liked numbers to begin with, or, at least worked with numbers a lot. She dove into the PP's and asked about 100 questions rapid fire. She got fairly good fairly quickly. Every weekend, she wanted to go to the track. She read a few of my books on Handicapping, but did a lot of research online and improved her capping mostly by herself.

The really amazing thing was, she was a ball of fire when it came to cheering for her horse. She REALLY got into it. I'd bet she is still into it to this day. I've never seen anyone swan dive into being a Horseplayer more than she did.

[cutchemist42]

I have taken friends and family members to the track throughout the years. The majority of them got hooked when I organized a day at Ellis Park. Reserved seats in the Sky Theater and sponsored a race. Everyone had a great time. It has now turned into a yearly gathering. We have a core group of 8-9 of us. Usually end up with 12-15 total. Been going on 5 years.

Out of this group, 2 will usually give me a shout every now and again to go and see live racing. The rest we can count on being there once a year.

I also organized a day at Kentucky Downs this year to give them a different perspective. We tailgated and hung out by the paddock area. This went really well, too. Several are looking forward to doing it again in 2015.

The key to getting them interested was the offer to see live racing. No one is really interested in simulcasting.

Thats how I got hooked. I would only watch the Triple Crown on tv because I knew of it, but going live to even a small track like ASD made me love it.

[EMD4ME]

I was amazed at this gal. As I posted, she was a Financial Analyst, so she liked numbers to begin with, or, at least worked with numbers a lot. She dove into the PP's and asked about 100 questions rapid fire. She got fairly good fairly quickly. Every weekend, she wanted to go to the track. She read a few of my books on Handicapping, but did a lot of research online and improved her capping mostly by herself.

The really amazing thing was, she was a ball of fire when it came to cheering for her horse. She REALLY got into it. I'd bet she is still into it to this day. I've never seen anyone swan dive into being a Horseplayer more than she did.

That is blanken AWESOME !!!! Love it!

[EMD4ME]

Thats how I got hooked. I would only watch the Triple Crown on tv because I knew of it, but going live to even a small track like ASD made me love it.

There is nothing like live racing & a lively crowd :)

[jahura2]

I stopped taking newbies to the track years ago. When I do go to live racing I like to get to Keeneland early, and do not have the patience to wait for someone to get ready and then entertain them before the first race.
When I was single, KEE. WAS a good date place and always yielded "results", those days are in the past however:D.

[EMD4ME]

I stopped taking newbies to the track years ago. When I do go to live racing I like to get to Keeneland early, and do not have the patience to wait for someone to get ready and then entertain them before the first race.
When I was single, KEE. WAS a good date place and always yielded "results", those days are in the past however:D.

I'm the same way. I have a routine. Get there an hour early. Triple check scratches, triple check pick 5 tickets. Go outside, check the flags, check the cushion of the main track, write down the round robin parlays of the day etc.

I'm at the point where if anyone slows me down, I tell them, I'm sorry. I'm working.

Many times people get pissed. I swear I see so many people yapping and talking and never taking notes and then expect me to stop working so I can chit chat.

I brought 5 newbies to the track this summer. Was very hard explaining and touting and entertaining and yapping. Meanwhile all I wanted to do was watch the head on replay and take notes lol.

[elhelmete]

I'm the same way. I have a routine. Get there an hour early. Triple check scratches, triple check pick 5 tickets. Go outside, check the flags, check the cushion of the main track, write down the round robin parlays of the day etc.

I'm at the point where if anyone slows me down, I tell them, I'm sorry. I'm working.

Many times people get pissed. I swear I see so many people yapping and talking and never taking notes and then expect me to stop working so I can chit chat.

I brought 5 newbies to the track this summer. Was very hard explaining and touting and entertaining and yapping. Meanwhile all I wanted to do was watch the head on replay and take notes lol.

If I'm "group leader" for the day I pretty much don't bet.

[EMD4ME]

If I'm "group leader" for the day I pretty much don't bet.

Smart but can be torturous, especially if follow up plays are winning at good prices. Overall, a very good idea...

[Nitro]

Over the last 40 odd years I've introduced many of my friends and relatives to horse racing by taking them to the local tracks in NY and NJ. I have no qualms or regrets about it either! Most of the time we had a lot of fun because we made money and no one seemed to care about the time lapse between races, because for them it was time for socializing and discussing the excitement of the previous race (win or loose). From what I understand many of these people still look forward to another day at the races. I know one couple that since going to the track with me many years ago continues to regularly visit Belmont and Saratoga just to see the beauty of these animals and how they perform. They don't do any betting at all. My personal thrill has always been seeing the reaction of someone new to the game when they've made a nice score.

[Robert Goren]

Why? I don't get that-- There are casino's opening on every corner, the states pretty much all have lotteries and gaming machines. You can play the lottery in every corner store and gas station.

I've taken my kids but we didn't last long at the late Suffolk because they didn't sell ice cream. They used to love the trotters at the Rock.

I also have a buddy that will only go to the track with me. We usually go to the Rock for what we call Mountaineer Monday, have a cigar and get out of the house for awhile (my kids are now teenagers.....oye). I had to listen to her bitch about dirty restrooms for 6 months.
As for introducing somebody today racing, no way. THE PRODUCT THEY PUT OUT STINKS TOO MUCH.

[Robert Fischer]

I have never brought a newcomer to the track...nor do I ever intend to. I have enough on my conscience...

I took a girlfriend to the track, and as the races went by, her attitude soured and she became more and more negative.

Then I hit one of the later races pretty good, and she was suddenly in a very pleasant mood, and wanted to go out and spend the money.

I learned a lot more about her, than she did about the races...

[Overlay]

I took my son (now an attorney who also just got married) with me to the track when he was a kid and we were living in Lexington, Kentucky. (Of course, we were surrounded by the game at every turn there.) He's not what I would call a hard-core racing fan, but he knows his way around the past performances, and we've regularly discussed occasions when he's gone with a group of friends to one of the tracks in New England (where he's been living for the last nine years). I don't know whether he'll retain any interest in racing as his career and marriage progress, but I did what I could. :)

[BettinBilly]

I took a girlfriend to the track, and as the races went by, her attitude soured and she became more and more negative.

Then I hit one of the later races pretty good, and she was suddenly in a very pleasant mood, and wanted to go out and spend the money.

I learned a lot more about her, than she did about the races...


Good point. As I posted earlier, if I think that I'm going to date a girl for more than a few months, I take her to the track. Usually a nice track. I've used Santa Anita and Saratoga just to name a few for some dates. Made a weekend of the trip and tried to make it fun for the dates.

You do learn a lot about the woman when she's with you at a track. Not just her attitude toward the sport, but her view on risk assessment, management, mood shifts, enthusiasm and persistence. Some of these translate to life, and you can sometimes form a "snapshot" of what life with her may be like down the road.

My current girlfriend enjoys it, but is not a huge fan. She's just as happy with Slot Machines as she is with Horse Racing. However, she DOES play and get involved when we are at the Track, and she has fun with the sport. Net, net - she understands the passion. That's what's important. I never get flack for studying PP's or watching HRTV. She let's me roll with it.