Biggest Challenges Facing Horse Racing

[chrisforbes]

What are your guys/gals thoughts going into 2015 and beyond are the some of the biggest challenges the sport of horse racing needs to change and change soon???

chris forbes

[dilanesp]

What are your guys/gals thoughts going into 2015 and beyond are the some of the biggest challenges the sport of horse racing needs to change and change soon???

chris forbes

Same as the last 30 years or so:

Doping.

Unfairness towards bettors.

Animal welfare.

Inability to get people to come to the track.

Need to close tracks and get rid of racing dates, and consolidate the sport.

[cj]

The biggest challenge is putting together races for bettors, not horsemen, otherwise handle will continue to fall.

[Tom]

Figuring out who the customer is.

[grimm7]

Being able to get a signal to play the tracks of your choice. Customers count. Hear that Monarch & Mid Atlantic Coop. We get caught in the middle with no say while the powers to be do everything possible to ruin racing.

[LottaKash]

Some "Vaseline" would be nice.... :)

[Robert Goren]

The biggest challenge is putting together races for bettors, not horsemen, otherwise handle will continue to fall.Just getting the powers that be to think that handle is the key to keeping this sport alive. They seem to willing try anything to increase revenue except trying to increase the handle.

[FocusWiz]

This has been a problem for decades. When I was in high school, thoroughbred racing was still the most popular spectator sport (though declining). It has failed repeatedly to attract younger people. It still retains a "stigma" associated with the negative side of gambling even as poker and other wagering grows in popularity (including lotteries, office pools, day trading, and fantasy football [even though a couple of these are not deemed "gambling" by legal definitions]). It is not in the mainstream thoughts of the general population. It does get much coverage in the media (newspapers are dropping their coverage of horse racing or relegating it to the smallest type font possible).

I have no confidence that the folks in charge know how to fix this.

Many claim that Hong Kong has no such problem and we should look there. I apologize in advance if I offend anyone, but I believe the culture there is very different and wagering there is not viewed much differently than any other form of investment. Wagering on horse racing there never had the "stigma" that we in America ascribe to it and thus does not have to overcome it. Older generations introduce younger generations to gambling in the games they teach and the examples they set.

I would suggest that perhaps that better model might be Australia where they seem to have better integrated local cards with simulcasting to provide more "action." We might be able to achieve something similar, but it could not be continent-wide as it is there. While I hate reading StillRiledUp's latest rant about two races going off at the same time (to the second!!!), he has a point. While it really is unlikely to be controlled nationwide, it would make sense if tracks grouped themselves such that they worked together to provide a race (live and simulcast) every 10 minutes or so as Australia does. The Sesame Street generations do not generally have a long enough attention span to endure 20 or 30 minutes between "action" activities.

I have no idea what the answer is, but while my kids (now grown) have voluntarily gone to movies, concerts, plays, musicals, baseball/football/hockey games, boxing matches, street fairs, carnivals, and bars with their friends, the idea of attending a thoroughbred race track for horse racing is nowhere on their list of possible things to do with their peers. For them, I do not think it is the "stigma" of horse race wagering as being evil; it is just not something that is "cool."

I did take one daughter to the track for the Belmont Stakes one year (place was empty since there was no Triple Crown potential) and she was thrilled at how much she enjoyed being there (interestingly, letting me to take her there at a significant cost for reserved seats was my Father's Day present). Based on her experience, my other daughter and her significant other have also offered to go with me to the track some day.

This game is really deteriorating and unless it attracts a younger crowd, it will die off as we do.

[DeltaLover]

The biggest challenge for horse racing is to recruit new gamblers from the younger generation.

[cj]

The biggest challenge for horse racing is to recruit new gamblers from the younger generation.

New gamblers should come from people with disposable income, and that is rarely the younger generation. Sure, we need new gamblers, but why assume it is only younger people?

[FocusWiz]

New gamblers should come from people with disposable income, and that is rarely the younger generation. Sure, we need new gamblers, but why assume it is only younger people?Not DeltaLover, but I share his views.

"Younger" is relative.

I have not seen statistics for the population who follows the tracks, but from observation, there are a much higher percentage of "old fogies" at the track and at the OTB now than when I was a kid (and I am one of them). My thinking is that the average age needs to be "younger" and that the percentage of younger participants needs to increase.

Even with that said, I have not seen young people in their 20s scrimping on their entertainment expenses, be it iPads or movies or travel, etc. Even though they may not have a great deal of disposable income, it appears that entertainment is very high on their priorities. On the other hand, some older folks I know have left the track because they are on fixed incomes and have already wagered away their nest egg. At least young folks have future earnings potential.

[alydar]

The problems and suggested fixes have been well documented on this site. Frankly, for me, these discussions get tiresome. All talk from concerned people on this site, but no changes. I think that the problems have been well identified, it is up to the industry leaders to do something about it. Don't anybody hold their breath.

[DeltaLover]

New gamblers should come from people with disposable income, and that is rarely the younger generation. Sure, we need new gamblers, but why assume it is only younger people?

Judging from the poker boom that created armies of pros and wannabes players in the less than 25 year old age bracket, it seems that disposable income is not a necessary condition for a new gambler. In contrary, horse racing as an industry needs to project the idea that it presents a viable possibility for someone to bet for a living as opposed to a black hole that needs to be fed in a pay-check by pay-check basis!

[burnsy]

Same as the last 30 years or so:

Doping.

Unfairness towards bettors.

Animal welfare.

Inability to get people to come to the track.

Need to close tracks and get rid of racing dates, and consolidate the sport.

Here it is right here...so simple but it never happens. It would also fix what Tom said about us customers. But Alydar is right its been years and it does get tiresome. I'm half believing some will milk the sport until its too late. The industry is so hard headed...the customer is always right....whether you like it or not. They never get that.

[Ruffian1]

Speaking in terms of the U.S.A. :

Having one voice, like a commissioner, that represents every owner and not only speaks out on behalf of the racing owners but , and this is the key, keeps the owners in line for the betterment of the game, not individual self interest.Owners should be forced to sell if found guilty of breaking the contract they would all need to sign,similar to the NBA or other sports.

Until the fans feel as though they are more than just an after thought, what you will see frustrating comments that are here all the time.

Fans are angry. And with good reason. They have no voice, no leadership and are taken for granted. This was worse, believe it or not, 40 years ago. It has made strides, but it has such a long long way to go.

Until fans can have responsible explanations for their questions, they have no choice but to think the worst.

The drugs are disgusting. Trust me, I know all to well. But... the vast majority of positives are not nearly as bad as it seems. Problem is, without explanation and sound reasoning for decisions about positives, what are fans left to think? It gives the game a black eye and leaves the bettor with nothing but skepticism moving forward.

It does not have to be this way, but it all starts with the owners. As long as they are out of control, and they are, nothing can possibly change.

Want to fix racing? Fix the owners ? Everything else will fall into place.

Want to set up an advisory board for the voice of racing to fall back on? Be sure and have not only a horseman's advocate, an employee advocate and a jockey's advocate on it, but have 2 reps for the gambler.

Many bettors as well as horseman, owners, etc. have a high passion for the sport. Sadly, it stops right there because they have no way to try and improve the experience for anyone, including the horses, the biggest heroes in this whole mess.

Please focus on this and thank you for asking the question. It's such a great game with sooo much wasted passion for it.

[Robert Goren]

When they put out a product worth betting on, people will bet on it. I know people who bet on cockroach races who would never bet on a horse race. There is a reason for that. People will always gamble on something, but the races are so bad and the takeout is so high that people would rather bet on what machine says than a horse race.

[biggestal99]

New gamblers should come from people with disposable income, and that is rarely the younger generation. Sure, we need new gamblers, but why assume it is only younger people?

Where do they get the money for poker?

Allan

[DeltaLover]

Where do they get the money for poker?

Allan

See here:

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/174/poker-goals-challenges/moving-thailand-play-online-poker-full-time-now-hong-kong-1434698/


http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/174/poker-goals-challenges/broke-brothers-grinding-partying-cambodia-1424119/

[Robert Fischer]

media

[Stillriledup]

When they put out a product worth betting on, people will bet on it. I know people who bet on cockroach races who would never bet on a horse race. There is a reason for that. People will always gamble on something, but the races are so bad and the takeout is so high that people would rather bet on what machine says than a horse race.


This. Is Spot on.

People bet on the BET, not the horse. "Racing" just assumes that you love the pomp and pageantry of horse racing, but for most folks, its just not a novelty anymore, its all about "how much is coming out of each dollar wagered" that's all that matters.

Bettors don't want to support horsemen and their lavish lifestyles, yet, that's exactly what they are doing.

The "Game" caters to horsemen as if they are not replaceable, especially these loudmouth "Celebrity" trainers who think they're bigger than the game, tracks buckle down to their demands when in reality, if they retired tomorrow, nobody would miss them and the game wouldn't lose 1 cent because of it.

CJ is also right when he says the game writes races for horsemen and not bettors. Most of these races have nothing to do with bettors, they're not "good betting races" and im not even talking about field size, you can have good non-horsemen races in 6 and 7 horse fields, you don't need 12.

Vegas Sports betting: 5% takeout, free parking, free admission, bet whatever you want without deflating your own odds, coffee is NOT 4 dollars.

Horse race betting: 20% takeout blended, 10 bucks to park, 10 bucks admission, 4 bucks for coffee, every dollar you wager knocks your own price down.

Anyone see a problem?

[barn32]

Sorry to say it, but horse racing is dying and will soon be dead.

Of course this will be hotly debated.

I like to talk about horse racing, think about it and read about it, but I no longer bet on it. It takes too much time and effort and it's very expensive.

I've lived in three towns where horseracing has disappeared. At one time it was very popular in all three places.

The handwriting is on the wall. The end won't be real soon, but it's coming. Consolidating racing venues into some mega-super tracks could possibly happen, and is a viable option in my opinion to keep things alive, but I don't see myself ever playing the horses again.

I've grown way too weary of people always trying to put their hands in my pockets.

There are much better gambles available.

[DeltaLover]

Sorry to say it, but horse racing is dying and will soon be dead.

Of course this will be hotly debated.

I like to talk about horse racing, think about it and read about it, but I no longer bet on it. It takes too much time and effort and it's very expensive.

I've lived in three towns where horseracing has disappeared. At one time it was very popular in all three places.

The handwriting is on the wall. The end won't be real soon, but it's coming. Consolidating racing venues into some mega-super tracks could possibly happen, and is a viable option in my opinion to keep things alive, but I don't see myself ever playing the horses again.

I've grown way too weary of people always trying to put their hands in my pockets.

There are much better gambles available.

What makes you so pessimistic? Why it is that horse racing is thriving in places like Hong Kong, Japan or Australia? Why you think that it is impossible for the game to reverse its decline and come back where it used to be ?

[Stillriledup]

Sorry to say it, but horse racing is dying and will soon be dead.

Of course this will be hotly debated.

I like to talk about horse racing, think about it and read about it, but I no longer bet on it. It takes too much time and effort and it's very expensive.

I've lived in three towns where horseracing has disappeared. At one time it was very popular in all three places.

The handwriting is on the wall. The end won't be real soon, but it's coming. Consolidating racing venues into some mega-super tracks could possibly happen, and is a viable option in my opinion to keep things alive, but I don't see myself ever playing the horses again.

I've grown way too weary of people always trying to put their hands in my pockets.

There are much better gambles available.

Good post Barn

I want to touch on your last 2 sentences, and that's exactly right, racetracks are just trying to pick the carcass clean without realizing that every speck of meat they leave on that carcass promotes growth in other areas. They're not interested in "growth" they're interested in how much money can they get from you TODAY while not worrying about tomorrow.

Like Apollo told Rocky on the beach, "there is no tomorrow, there IS NO TOMORROW"

Biggest problem i see is that there is really no such thing as "racing" and there's no such thing as the "racing industry" its every man for themselves, you have Penn National and Charlestown, owned by the same company, running races at the exact same time when they are the only 2 signals in America that are active, nobody seems to care that tracks and "gaming companies" are running the sport into the ground while chasing gaming dollars.

Its a sad state of affairs.

[Appy]

"horsemen and their lavish lifestyles"

I can see you've spent little to no time on the backside.
While it is true a few do live what you might deem a "lavish lifestyle", I challenge you to spend time really looking and getting to know a majority of the trainers in the country and you'll come away with a much different, and more accurate, picture.

[thaskalos]

What makes you so pessimistic? Why it is that horse racing is thriving in places like Hong Kong, Japan or Australia? Why you think that it is impossible for the game to reverse its decline and come back where it used to be ?
The only chance that the game has for a reversal of fortunes is if the industry that runs it becomes unified...and gets down to work on the real issues. This will never happen...so the revival of the game won't happen either.

[dilanesp]

This. Is Spot on.

People bet on the BET, not the horse. "Racing" just assumes that you love the pomp and pageantry of horse racing, but for most folks, its just not a novelty anymore, its all about "how much is coming out of each dollar wagered" that's all that matters.

Bettors don't want to support horsemen and their lavish lifestyles, yet, that's exactly what they are doing.

The "Game" caters to horsemen as if they are not replaceable, especially these loudmouth "Celebrity" trainers who think they're bigger than the game, tracks buckle down to their demands when in reality, if they retired tomorrow, nobody would miss them and the game wouldn't lose 1 cent because of it.

CJ is also right when he says the game writes races for horsemen and not bettors. Most of these races have nothing to do with bettors, they're not "good betting races" and im not even talking about field size, you can have good non-horsemen races in 6 and 7 horse fields, you don't need 12.

Vegas Sports betting: 5% takeout, free parking, free admission, bet whatever you want without deflating your own odds, coffee is NOT 4 dollars.

Horse race betting: 20% takeout blended, 10 bucks to park, 10 bucks admission, 4 bucks for coffee, every dollar you wager knocks your own price down.

Anyone see a problem?

I don't think takeout should be high, but bear in mind that there are plenty of bettors who don't care about it. That's why lottery tickets (50 percent takeout, usually) sell so well.

Similarly, lots of people don't care about admission charges when they go to a sports event. In fact, many of the most successful racetracks in America in terms of live attendance actually charge significant amounts to get in (e.g., Del Mar, Saratoga), whereas many places that charge next to nothing to get in (e.g., Aqueduct) don't draw anyone.

Don't confuse "what horseplayers might want" with "what will make the sport successful". They are two different things. That doesn't mean horseplayers shouldn't generally get a game that allows them to gamble at a low cost-- they should. But that alone isn't going to make the sport profitable.

[dilanesp]

I've lived in three towns where horseracing has disappeared. At one time it was very popular in all three places.

I'd be willing to bet anyone here that in the year 2034, there will still be over 100 days of live racing a year in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the New York metropolitan area, the state of Kentucky, and the Miami/Dade metropolitan area.

Yes, if you allow simulcasting and internet wagering, small tracks are going to close and many places are going to have no live racing. Anyone with an ounce of sense could have predicted that in the mid-1980's when the simulcasting trend started.

But if you are big, famous track offering an attractive product, you can make money simulcasting. Simulcasting inexorably leads to a small number of tracks with huge handle. Before simulcasting, you could only bet the local track, which meant you got a large number of tracks with moderate handles.

[FocusWiz]

The points about takeout are more than valid, but I am not 100% sure how much the casual players focus on that. I understand the need to keep the current players from leaving, but I am not sure that will not save the sport unless we simultaneously find a formula for immortality. I have yet to meet a lottery player or Atlantic City regular who can accurately estimate the takeout percentages for their slot machine or lottery plays.

I am not saying that these are the players that will save the sport, but adding such players would not hurt handle and might even increase odds if they don't handicap particularly well. As they learn more about the sport, a percentage of these will advance in their handicapping skills and become regulars. Increased handle might (please note the italics) improve purses and attract larger fields and could even discourage increases in takeout (or at least reduce the need for such increases).

Beyond that, the sport needs to appear winnable and less difficult. Lotteries in general are not winnable, but many players focus on the one or two winners rather than the zillions of losers. Appearances matter. The folks I talk to all think card counting is easier than handicapping. They think playing black is easier than handicapping. They think pushing a button on a machine is easier than handicapping. They think saying "give me 10 Mega million quick picks" is easier than handicapping.

[DeltaLover]

I don't think takeout should be high, but bear in mind that there are plenty of bettors who don't care about it.

I have to disagree.

Even though many bettors might not be well aware about the size of the take out, they do not need to be so. The extremely hight take out, is reflected to the outcomes of their betting sessions and it does not take long for the new horse bettor to realize that his chances are way higher on any casino game like roulete, craps or baccarat.. Once they arrive to this realization, it is just a matter of time for the newcomer to disappear from the betting pools or limit his betting to the big days only.

[dilanesp]

I have to disagree.

Even though many bettors might not be well aware about the size of the take out, they do not need to be so. The extremely hight take out, is reflected to the outcomes of their betting sessions and it does not take long for the new horse bettor to realize that his chances are way higher on any casino game like roulete, craps or baccarat.. Once they arrive to this realization, it is just a matter of time for the newcomer to disappear from the betting pools or limit his betting to the big days only.

You know, I play a fair amount of live poker, and the 2/4, 3/6, and 4/8 tables in California cardrooms are overflowing with players playing games with extreme rakes that even Phil Ivey would have trouble beating.

I'd LIKE it to be true that casual gamblers are really price-sensitive. But I don't think they are. They play for different reasons.

[Stillriledup]

I don't think takeout should be high, but bear in mind that there are plenty of bettors who don't care about it. That's why lottery tickets (50 percent takeout, usually) sell so well.

Similarly, lots of people don't care about admission charges when they go to a sports event. In fact, many of the most successful racetracks in America in terms of live attendance actually charge significant amounts to get in (e.g., Del Mar, Saratoga), whereas many places that charge next to nothing to get in (e.g., Aqueduct) don't draw anyone.

Don't confuse "what horseplayers might want" with "what will make the sport successful". They are two different things. That doesn't mean horseplayers shouldn't generally get a game that allows them to gamble at a low cost-- they should. But that alone isn't going to make the sport profitable.

Lottery bettors dont care because the prize can be millions, and those are lever pulling brain dead idiots, horseplayers care about takeout, lottery players? Not as much.

The only people who don't care about 10/10 to park and get admitted are people who go once a meet. If i was only going to DMR on opening day, i wouldnt care at all about the 10 and 10, wouldn't phase me a bit.

However, if i'm a hardcore player who's there everyday, yeah, i'd care greatly about paying 10/10 on a daily basis.

Nobody cares about that if they are a once a year racetrack attendee. People who go all the time, care.

[Robert Fischer]

If I wanted to summarize my thoughts = "I don't think the powers that be are doing a good job, and there is probably a lot that I do not understand."


On the surface horse racing seems to be incredibly inept at using the media.

Part of the problem seems to be the division and the limited insight of various parties.

However, I can't see the whole system, and I honestly haven't devoted a lot of time and energy beyond simply looking and considering what seems blatantly obvious.

It may be that I see things differently, it may be that I see things in a distorted way complete with misperceptions and bias, and it could also be that I can not see the complete bigger picture of how horse racing connects with other nodes that happen to be competing for the same things.

[martini]

Lowering takeout is essential. It is hard to generate new gamblers to this game in its current state. The moment even a semi-regular $2 player reviews his records and realizes that he would have had a winning year if the rake was 12% in the exotics instead of 20+%, he will stop playing--or play a whole lot less.

Just as a disclosure, I'm a fan and small-time horseplayer ($5K to $6K a year through the tote with usually about 250-275 bets) who plays primarily exactas, dime supers, and the occasional P3, all of which tend to be high takeout. Why? They still pay well enough to keep a small player up over long periods of time. But even breaking even is a Herculean task with the takeout. I have played since 2010, and I have come close, but have not been able to get over the hump. Sure, better handicapping would help. But if the rake were lower (e.g., 12%), I would already be winning.

If I didn't love the sport, but became interested in it only as a gambling interest, I would have left it long, long ago. The takeout is too high.

[Stillriledup]

"horsemen and their lavish lifestyles"

I can see you've spent little to no time on the backside.
While it is true a few do live what you might deem a "lavish lifestyle", I challenge you to spend time really looking and getting to know a majority of the trainers in the country and you'll come away with a much different, and more accurate, picture.

The majority of everything isn't comparable to the elite, the very best. My point was that the way the game is set up, it set up for trainers to be able to reach the sky financially and otherwise. The game is not set up for bettors to reach that same sky. There are bettors out there with higher IQs than some of these trainers who are driving around like millionaires and the high IQ horseplayer is working longer hours for less pay while knowing infinitely more about the game than some of these trainers who can get a license out of a cracker jack box and start injecting this and injecting that while essentially letting the vets run the barn.

Trainers are a dime a dozen but the game is set up for them to succeed beyond their wildest dreams if they figure out what to do. To me, that means the model is broken if trainers are driving around in Mercedes Benz' and living on Manhattan Beach while horseplayers, even smart ones, are walking around with holes in their shoes.

[barn32]

In my opinion, the biggest reason for the downfall of horseracing is ease of use.

No casinos that I know of charge for parking to enter the premisis. (Although when Tunica opened their first casino you had to drive across a certain gentlemen's property and he charged each and every one of those long line of cars a dollar apiece. You also had to pay the casino $10 just to get in!)

No casinos that I know of charge an entry fee, and in Vegas at least parking is free.

You walk up to the roulette wheel or crap table, plop down your money, and you're in action. No thinking required. There is of course an illusion of having to think, but it's just that--an illusion.

Taking a friend to the track who's never been before.

Bob: You had to pay to park, how much was that?

Me: $5

Bob: $5 to get in! Shit, the casinos are free. What's that you're buying?

Me: A racing form

Bob: How much is that?

Me: $7

Bob: $7 bucks! Jesus! What do you need it for?

Me: It tells you all about the horses

Bob: What are you buying now?

Me: A program

Bob: What do you need that for?

Me: It tells you the horses post position, jockey and a few other things.

Bob: Isn't all of that in your racing paper?

Me: Well, yes but it can change.

Bob: Why does it change?

Me: Because of scratches.

Bob: What's a scratch?

Two hours later

Bob: You know man, I could have been at the casino and made a hundered bets by now. Why does it take so long between races?

Me: The horses have to get ready

Bob: What's the deal with this race? None of the horses have any past performances?

Me: They are all first time starters

Bob: Isn't that just a way for the jockeys and trainers to rig the race? I mean, how do we know they aren't just setting things up?

How on earth are you supposed to look in that little racing paper of yours and determine which pile of dog food is gonna cross the finish line first?

This whole thing seems shady to me. It's just a giant guessing game. Plus it's expensive. It's slow. It's confusing. I'm bored.

Why don't we just get out of here and go find ourselves a poker game.

[alydar]

In my opinion, the biggest reason for the downfall of horseracing is ease of use.

No casinos that I know of charge for parking to enter the premisis. (Although when Tunica opened their first casino you had to drive across a certain gentlemen's property and he charged each and every one of those long line of cars a dollar apiece. You also had to pay the casino $10 just to get in!)

No casinos that I know of charge an entry fee, and in Vegas at least parking is free.

You walk up to the roulette wheel or crap table, plop down your money, and you're in action. No thinking required. There is of course an illusion of having to think, but it's just that--an illusion.

Taking a friend to the track who's never been before.

Bob: You had to pay to park, how much was that?

Me: $5

Bob: $5 to get in! Shit, the casinos are free. What's that you're buying?

Me: A racing form

Bob: How much is that?

Me: $7

Bob: $7 bucks! Jesus! What do you need it for?

Me: It tells you all about the horses

Bob: What are you buying now?

Me: A program

Bob: What do you need that for?

Me: It tells you the horses post position, jockey and a few other things.

Bob: Isn't all of that in your racing paper?

Me: Well, yes but it can change.

Bob: Why does it change?



Me: Because of scratches.

Bob: What's a scratch?

Two hours later

Bob: You know man, I could have been at the casino and made a hundered bets by now. Why does it take so long between races?

Me: The horses have to get ready

Bob: What's the deal with this race? None of the horses have any past performances?

Me: They are all first time starters

Bob: Isn't that just a way for the jockeys and trainers to rig the race? I mean, how do we know they aren't just setting things up?

How on earth are you supposed to look in that little racing paper of yours and determine which pile of dog food is gonna cross the finish line first?

This whole thing seems shady to me. It's just a giant guessing game. Plus it's expensive. It's slow. It's confusing. I'm bored.

Why don't we just get out of here and go find ourselves a poker game.

That pretty well sums up why racing is doomed except for the few who are intrigued by the challenge of handicapping. Casual gamblers have other options now.

[Canarsie]

I would like to start with something really easy. Have a wing in the racing hall of fame for authors, public handicappers, and people who revolutionized the game from a gambling standpoint. None of these people get any respect yet without them the game would have died decades ago.

Since I start this rant I would like to nominate two Andy's to be inducted into the first class if it ever happens. Just by listening to Byer and Serling giving their acceptance speeches will tell the people who don't listen what path to drive on.

Let's throw in Tom Durkin for announcer but there are many, many, more that deserve to be inducted that line is very long and should be recognized.

Just think if the people who ran the HOF actually did this attendance would probably quadruple at their facility the first year. Surely some of the new people who go to the museum will become fans and racing needs each and every one they can convert.

It would almost be like a father taking his son to Cooperstown. After leaving the hall stories will be told over dinner that will stay imbedded in quite a few people. Then the stories get retold and retold and while there is no quick fix a 5%-10% increase in handle and attendance would be something very positive. Just talking speed figures could take up an entire seven course dinner.

Just a dream the bigwigs don't care about the people who keep the sport running and auctions so profitable.

[chadk66]

The biggest challenge is putting together races for bettors, not horsemen, otherwise handle will continue to fall.as a former trainer I totally agree with this. My brother still has horses racing and is always having me look over the condition book for him. I cannot believe the insanity in these condition books compared to when I trained. It's nuts. Because I was never a bettor I never looked at it from a bettors perspective. But thinking about it, it has to be hell for bettors considering how these condition books are written.

[chadk66]

Just getting the powers that be to think that handle is the key to keeping this sport alive. They seem to willing try anything to increase revenue except trying to increase the handle.and it's as simple as that. they spend far too much time trying to figure out how they can increase purses by bringing in money from other avenues. that might be great for a short term fix but it will do nothing for them in the long run I don't feel.

[lamboguy]

the 3 biggest problems seem to be how the game get more people interested in the sport, bring them to the tracks, and find a way to make money on those people coming to the track outside of the wagering pools.

[dilanesp]

In my opinion, the biggest reason for the downfall of horseracing is ease of use.

No casinos that I know of charge for parking to enter the premisis. (Although when Tunica opened their first casino you had to drive across a certain gentlemen's property and he charged each and every one of those long line of cars a dollar apiece. You also had to pay the casino $10 just to get in!)

No casinos that I know of charge an entry fee, and in Vegas at least parking is free.

You walk up to the roulette wheel or crap table, plop down your money, and you're in action. No thinking required. There is of course an illusion of having to think, but it's just that--an illusion.

Taking a friend to the track who's never been before.

Bob: You had to pay to park, how much was that?

Me: $5

Bob: $5 to get in! Shit, the casinos are free. What's that you're buying?

Me: A racing form

Bob: How much is that?

Me: $7

Bob: $7 bucks! Jesus! What do you need it for?

Me: It tells you all about the horses

Bob: What are you buying now?

Me: A program

Bob: What do you need that for?

Me: It tells you the horses post position, jockey and a few other things.

Bob: Isn't all of that in your racing paper?

Me: Well, yes but it can change.

Bob: Why does it change?

Me: Because of scratches.

Bob: What's a scratch?

Two hours later

Bob: You know man, I could have been at the casino and made a hundered bets by now. Why does it take so long between races?

Me: The horses have to get ready

Bob: What's the deal with this race? None of the horses have any past performances?

Me: They are all first time starters

Bob: Isn't that just a way for the jockeys and trainers to rig the race? I mean, how do we know they aren't just setting things up?

How on earth are you supposed to look in that little racing paper of yours and determine which pile of dog food is gonna cross the finish line first?

This whole thing seems shady to me. It's just a giant guessing game. Plus it's expensive. It's slow. It's confusing. I'm bored.

Why don't we just get out of here and go find ourselves a poker game.

1. Take note that when racing was successful, you had to pay to get in.

2. It is easy to avoid admission charges and bet horse races from home for free. In contrast, you have no choice but to drive to the casino to play their games.

3. Casinos are often next to each other. There is never a competing racetrack across the street.

[cj]

1. Take note that when racing was successful, you had to pay to get in.

2. It is easy to avoid admission charges and bet horse races from home for free. In contrast, you have no choice but to drive to the casino to play their games.

3. Casinos are often next to each other. There is never a competing racetrack across the street.

You can absolutely play casinos at home.

[Robert Goren]

the 3 biggest problems seem to be how the game get more people interested in the sport, bring them to the tracks, and find a way to make money on those people coming to the track outside of the wagering pools.A business model out of 1985. 30 years later, problem is how to get the guy sitting in front of computer to bet more. Increasing handle is the only real answer. Chasing revenue first from casinos and now from sports wagering will only hurt horse racing. The guy betting blackjack is one less potential handicapper. That is even more true of the sports bettor. When internet poker was legal, I never bet a horse race for three years. If sports betting becomes legal, you can kiss horse racing goodbye. 90% of their customers will leave the sport because they basically the same gambling game.

[Robert Goren]

You can absolutely play casinos at home.yes you can but most gamblers do not trust online casinos to offer a fair game.

[dilanesp]

You can absolutely play casinos at home.

UIGEA and other laws scare a lot of people off. For most people, it's a live casino or nothing.

Also, casino gambling is more "social" (except for slot machines). You are at a table with a bunch of other people. Betting the races is much less social. So a lot more horseplayers will be attracted to betting at home.

[FocusWiz]

One thing that seems clear is that if handle continues to decline, the sport itself is in danger of dramatic consolidation.

One thing that is not clear to me is the question of whether the goal should be to: Reduce the size of the sport so that a relatively small number of tracks exist with larger fields and potentially a better overall product Attempt to limit the decline in number of tracks by making it more attractive to the average bettorAlong with these is the question of who the tracks are trying to attract. Are the whales the ones who are funding this sport or is it an enthusiast like the type of person who frequents PaceAdvantage or is it the occasional player who may only play on a hunch or if he/she has nothing else to do.

I do not think that each is mutually exclusive, but depending on who the tracks are trying to attract may determine what is the best path to the sport's survival.

A whale may not really care how many horses, trainers, jockeys, or tracks exist as long as he/she has some relatively sure bets and a hefty rebate. They probably don't care if they are playing here or abroad, so the survival of Santa Anita or Belmont is not a real concern to them. Likewise, a series like The Breeders Cup may not be something that a typical whale may care about due to the lack of certainty in the investment. A good number of them likely pay a fee for a subscription to a more skilled handicapper who identifies the plays for them, so they may not care about the availability or validity of past performance unless they hear that a speed rating inconsistency caused them to lose. A spill in a race means nothing to them as long as their horse paid $2.10 to show if they only know the horses as numbers and amounts wagered.

An enthusiast may like the challenge of having multiple tracks and conditions and may like playing "nickel claimers" as well as G3 Stakes. The Breeders Cup is likely of significant interest to such an enthusiast because of the challenge it offers. The heritage of the sport means something to this player and the loss of a track like Del Mar or Saratoga due to cutbacks might seem like a seriously sad event. They get bent out of shape when the officials do not do their job or when jockeys do not give a good ride. They care about the horses and riders and take offense when their favorites are criticized.

An occasional player may find that handicapping is too involved, but may be attracted to an event like The Triple Crown or The Breeders Cup. To them they do not really know what all the terminology means. They may have no idea of the implications of a "mandatory pick 6 payout." They may not play if their local paper stops including a handicapper since they have less experience in handicapping on their own. They go to the track for a "day at the races" and don't care about the cost of a program or a hot dog since it is just like any other sport that charges a premium for everything once they take your ticket.

I do not have a handle on the proportionate share of handle that comes from each of these players, but it seems like the tracks care most about the big spenders.

I may be totally wrong, but I think most of us think that what the tracks need to do to survive is to make the product a more worthwhile and attractive one for the enthusiasts. They may not share that view.

[classhandicapper]

Also, casino gambling is more "social" (except for slot machines). You are at a table with a bunch of other people. Betting the races is much less social. So a lot more horseplayers will be attracted to betting at home.

I used to say that about NYC OTB. Some of them were like neighborhood clubs.

[classhandicapper]

Also, casino gambling is more "social" (except for slot machines). You are at a table with a bunch of other people. Betting the races is much less social. So a lot more horseplayers will be attracted to betting at home.

I used to say that about some of the NYC OTBs. Some of them were like neighborhood clubs. Now some of those people are hanging in, well, neighborhood clubs. :rolleyes:

[thaskalos]

All "losing" is not the same. The casino gamblers lose too...but at least they win a fair percentage of their bets...and that keeps them interested in the game. In horse racing, the player wins infrequently...and his losses often come in nerve-wracking streaks. Yes, our game offers the unique opportunity of winning back all our losses with a single bet...but the horseplayer has to reach a certain level of maturity before he can appreciate this aspect of the game. Sadly...most newcomers to our game never get to that point.

[Tall One]

Also, casino gambling is more "social" (except for slot machines). You are at a table with a bunch of other people. Betting the races is much less social. So a lot more horseplayers will be attracted to betting at home.



The majority of the time I wager at home, but at least once a month I'll head out to Keeneland for a Simulcast Saturday afternoon. I look for a group with an open seat at their table, introduce myself, and ask if I can sit with them.

While I don't know these people from a load of coal, we'll discuss our plays, and conversate about our hits and misses over a few beers, have a some laughs about the bullshit we just watched on the screen, and even cash some tickets along the way. I really enjoy this aspect of the game, and think the comraderie of the track is grossly underrated.

[AndyC]

......... Betting the races is much less social. So a lot more horseplayers will be attracted to betting at home.

I thought the exact same thing when offered the opportunity to bet from home. I enjoyed it at first but found out that I need the social experience of the track. Going to the track or OTB was like going to Cheers Bar. In my view, the lessening of the social aspect of the game has played a role in the downturn of the overall interest in racing.

[lamboguy]

when i used to go to the track, a bunch of guys would get interested in either claiming a horse or buying one. that worked through the mid 90's. the guys that bought the horses and won a few races came to the track and had a great time. when the big trainers became very prominent, those same owner's could never win another race. they stopped going to the track and bringing their friends with them.

the strength of horse racing vs other sports was fan participation. today there is very little of that going on, and now less people going to racetracks, and less people betting those horses from anywhere, along with less friends betting on those horses.

[whodoyoulike]

1. Take note that when racing was successful, you had to pay to get in.

2. It is easy to avoid admission charges and bet horse races from home for free. In contrast, you have no choice but to drive to the casino to play their games.

3. Casinos are often next to each other. There is never a competing racetrack across the street.

I'm uncertain what your point is. Regarding #1, racing is no longer as successful, so why are they still charging? Regarding #2, this is why ADW's are gaining acceptance. Regarding #3, this is why simulcasting is so popular.

[Stillriledup]

UIGEA and other laws scare a lot of people off. For most people, it's a live casino or nothing.

Also, casino gambling is more "social" (except for slot machines). You are at a table with a bunch of other people. Betting the races is much less social. So a lot more horseplayers will be attracted to betting at home.

its not only the laws that scare people off, its the idea that the games are rigged. At least playing live, you can see what's going on, with the internet, its a lot harder to trust the security of the games.

[chadk66]

the 3 biggest problems seem to be how the game get more people interested in the sport, bring them to the tracks, and find a way to make money on those people coming to the track outside of the wagering pools.I think the biggest mistake tracks make is that they have lost tough in the pagentry of the sport. They don't try to sell that. however, included in that pagentry is the issue of illegal drugs. hard to sell a tainted product.

[MJC922]

I think the biggest mistake tracks make is that they have lost tough in the pagentry of the sport. They don't try to sell that. however, included in that pagentry is the issue of illegal drugs. hard to sell a tainted product.

It's a good point, I think both illegal and legal drugs are a very deep root cause in all of the decline. I mean come on, Clen is legal now, this shocks me as I've seen a horse I know was treated drop dead in the late 90s from a heart attack nearly killed the jock in the process. The general public knows what's going on, all of the drugging, milkshaking, cobalt, it never ends, the occasional fixing (that too never goes away) the slaughterhouse etc, and quite frankly when the younger generation does go to the track and lose some money they don't even want to admit to their friends they went, they feel enormously foolish unless it's a big day like the Derby or BC. Hell I've been playing it since the late 70s and feel foolish... quite often. My favorite part is when I bet at 4-1 when they're loading up and get back six bucks. Makes me feel like a real smart cookie. Thanks for playing. :)

[Robert Goren]

"horsemen and their lavish lifestyles"

I can see you've spent little to no time on the backside.
While it is true a few do live what you might deem a "lavish lifestyle", I challenge you to spend time really looking and getting to know a majority of the trainers in the country and you'll come away with a much different, and more accurate, picture.Try living like the average bettor for a while and you see how lavish the horsemen have it compared to the bettors.

[Robert Goren]

People used follow horses, often very cheap claimers. They ran every week or ten days, so you could do it. Now days run every month or 6 weeks. It is very hard to follow a horse who runs that often. The longer layoffs between races has hurt racing with its fans a lot, yet nobody talks about it.

[NY BRED]

perhaps tracks will consider revising their weekday schedule to
run races at night? In NY, the majority of the afternoon attendance appears to be
seniors, and either workers who are on a late shift ,and the unemployed.

When you've a day job, handicapping or betting races isn't exactly
a simple act, unless you are self employed and not working for others.

That said, Both AQU and BEL would need to enclose their grandstands;

AQU, with the adjoining racino could become a dynamic showplace
with night racing, fans could theoretically jump back and forth
between the racino and betting the "ponies"
Those of us betting via the internet would benefit regardless if betting or
simply watching the events live rather than replays.

Day racing would be presented on the weekends...

Dreaming on and on...

[P Matties Jr]

Sorry if I hijacked this thread, but I don't have a blog and reading the posts in this thread stirred this up in me.

Obviously, horse racing in the United States is need of an overhaul. Before that can be done, the powers that be (whoever they are) have to realize that horse racing is a unique enterprise that comes from many different directions, combining the spirit of competition, the beauty of mother nature, and the challenges of problem solving and strategy. It's not just a game. It's not just a sport. It's not just a gambling business where you can set a switch to a percentage and sit back and collect the profits. It's much more than all of those things. Name one form of entertainment where the patrons are more important and just as engaged as the participants. These complexities are what makes horse racing great and if run correctly, what makes it more attractive than any other entertainment businesses.

What makes horse racing great also hurts it, though, because all the fragmented parts and organizations look at horse racing from only their points of the view. It's easy to think you're the most important part, but nothing and nobody is more important than anything else. The greed and the discourse that is created from within horse racing has been devastating to the game for years and the fear it's failing has multiplied it. There has to be harmony among everybody for this thing to work. Have faith in your game. Make horse racing healthy and in turn everyone within the industry will be healthier, too.

At the top, racetracks can't dwell on the fact that horse racing doesn't have the ease that running a simple slot parlor has. They have to embrace the fact that they're running one of the better things that man has ever created and there are no simple answers or quick fixes to end their declining revenues. It goes against the feelings of modern society, but everybody in horse racing has to see the overall picture is way more important than one person's bottom line. The actions of the major racing corporations have been the exact OPPOSITE. Handle and churn is way more complicated for the biggest percentage of smaller pie strategy that many tracks have implemented to work. And even if you are successful in that aggressive tactic, it's not the smartest marketing tool when every media outlet and blogger writes every week your business is dying because your handle is decreasing. Until they see unity is a wiser move, the business part of this game will remain stagnant. It's a shame because there will always be potential in horse racing because unlike the lifelessness of casinos and slot parlors, horse racing has the ability to create passions, like no other sport or hobby or past time in this world. Millions of us, all over the world, have been and will continue to be attracted to the beauty of horses, the talents of the athletes, the dynamics of breeding, the development of young horses, the styles of the jockeys, the patterns of the trainers, the sporting element of the owners, the history of the sport, the fans of the game, the action of gambling, the fashion of the spectators, the pageantry of the racetracks, the education of the game, the comradery of the patrons, the societal aspects of the days or the art and science of handicapping. Obviously, that's a wide range of characteristics that are a little more interesting than hitting a button every 3 seconds. As this website can attest, handicapping alone can be broken into hundreds of different directions and subsets.

At some point, horse racing has to realize horse racing's diversities is what makes it so attractive, and they can and should cater to all these factions. Without a doubt, this is way easier said than done, but throughout the course of my lifetime, horse racing has never had this philosophy. Their business model is and has always been to turn the lights on and collect the money, which of course is the slot parlor business model. That's why companies like Churchill and Penn National are so enamored by slot machines. It goes hand and hand with horse's racing long standing business philosophy. In their eyes, it's exactly what they've been looking for, but what they are missing is these forms of gambling will be short lived because they lack the aforementioned passions horse racing has. You will never see Barbara Livingstone taking pictures of old ladies pulling slot machines or rubbing scratch offs. Some might call me naive but that's why horse racing won't die completely. Because of all the good things associated with it, horse racing will long outlive slot machines, and rigged casino games and lotteries, but it won't thrive like it should until the ones in charge realize what a great thing they have at their fingertips.

With this realization comes two important parts that have to be addressed going forward. First, the business of horse racing can't solely rely on gambling takeouts and the overpricing of refreshments and parking. It might have worked in 1950, but it won't work now. You have to incorporate all the aspects of this great game to the well connected world we live in. Horse racing must use what they have to create more diverse revenue streams. That's one of the reasons, I've never been against slot revenues and other alternatives for purse money. Where is it said that horse racing has to sustain itself by gambling dollars alone? Let alone the subsidies of purse monies for owners who have no direct affiliation with the track, itself. If somebody is willing to pay $1.9 million dollars for a horse like Ria Antonia, the owners can surely come up with a different solution for purse monies. It doesn't make sense that one horse can be worth more than the track he's running at. Common sense should prevail and a more realistic system should be created.

Once you get past this incorrect governmental imposed criteria for a business model, you can move into the arguments of lowering takeouts or even NO takeouts. If you think poker and NFL are popular, what do you think Saturdays at Saratoga would be like with no vig? Also, once you get passed these archaic rules and restrictions, we can move into realistic ADW rules and betting avenues. Why shouldn't Amazon be able to take bets on the Kentucky Derby or any race run from any person in this world? Creative admission prices would also be a good start, but a place like NYRA has to understand an outdated venue like Aqueduct and even Belmont will not work going forward. You have to have a place that reflects what's good in horse racing, not what's bad. Do you think people would pay 100s of dollars to go see a Yankee game in a rundown park in Staten Island with dirty facilities and bad views and bad foods. So why do you think people will want to go to Aqueduct? or Suffolk? or Hollywood Park? Again, it's the turn on the lights and let the fools blow their money mentality. There are no passions for horses if you can't even see them.

The other problem racing faces on a daily basis is no different than it has been for 100, 200, 500 years. They can't allow their customers to go DEAD and LEAVE, but somehow, nobody has ever figured that out. Everybody knows hundreds of people who have moved on from the game they loved because they simply can't afford it anymore. Their "passion" has become too dangerous to their bottom line and their future and their family. Horse racing doesn't need new customers. It needs the ones it has lost. Horse racing has to create an environment where this doesn't happen, anymore. Period. Maybe it's fantasy betting or contests. Maybe it's chances to win huge prizes for little investment or it's simply a way to stay closely connected to the game without gambling. Nobody said there are easy answers but if Stronach can build a $100 million dollar Pegasus in his parking lot, there's a way and a strategy that will work. With this, comes the extra benefit of the removal of all the bad stigmas that are attached to horse racing gambling. Like I said, I don't have all the answers, but if something as trivial and useless as Facebook can create trillion of dollars, horse racing can come up with something.

Getting past some of these general statements and back to the original point of this thread, I would try to make every day at the racetrack an EVENT. If it's not event worthy, then don't run. If that means some tracks have to run 100 days a year, or 4 days a year, than so be it, but this country doesn't need any more 5 horse maiden races. If the field quality, sponsor involvement, the gambling dollars on the line don't make the day EVENT, it's not worth it. I realize every day can't be the Breeder's Cup or Whitney Day at Saratoga, but every day of racing should create excitement and bring out those passions. If it's not, you are not doing something right. In simple terms, that's why Hong Kong is so successful and in this country, that's the reason it works at Keeneland, Del Mar and even the Hot Dog day at Suffolk. It's just a simple guideline that would be easy to uphold.

I have some personal things that I would change as well, especially source market fees and clearer rules and stiffer penalties for medications, but like I said earlier, let's get horse racing as whole right first.

[lamboguy]

excellent post Paul, i promise you that your effort was worth it today.

[AndyC]

@ P Matties Jr

Thanks for taking your time to state your case for what racing must do. I admire your passion.

I don't think the problems with racing are nearly as complex nor the answers as easy as you believe.

Racing has evolved, through no real fault of anyone, into a failed business model. Technology and competition have been the catalyst for the evolution. While many like to point fingers at the industry and claim that nobody has a clue. The powers that be do realize that "horse racing is a unique enterprise". But it all comes down to the simple equation of generating enough revenue to cover expenses while giving the owners a reasonable return on their investment.

Do you really believe that every operating group and every ownership group in the US hasn't hashed over every problem or idea mentioned in your post?

[ReplayRandall]

So why do you think people will want to go to Aqueduct? or Suffolk? or Hollywood Park? Again, it's the turn on the lights and let the fools blow their money mentality.


Paul, this post was well written, even though it's over a year old. Since HP and Suffolk are both closed, what are your feelings now on further contraction down to 10 super-hub tracks, thus giving handicappers/bettors what they truly want...... large quality fields?

[chadk66]

People used follow horses, often very cheap claimers. They ran every week or ten days, so you could do it. Now days run every month or 6 weeks. It is very hard to follow a horse who runs that often. The longer layoffs between races has hurt racing with its fans a lot, yet nobody talks about it.very true. the training philosophy has changed alot.

[chadk66]

Try living like the average bettor for a while and you see how lavish the horsemen have it compared to the bettors.the percentage of trainers living lavishly is in the single digits percentage wise.

[lamboguy]

Paul, this post was well written, even though it's over a year old. Since HP and Suffolk are both closed, what are your feelings now on further contraction down to 10 super-hub tracks, thus giving handicappers/bettors what they truly want...... large quality fields?believe me, Paul knows about tracks that are closed. he has vast knowledge in this game from all ends. owning, training and betting. he is by far the best horse player alive today in the USA, second is not even close to him.

[AndyC]

believe me, Paul knows about tracks that are closed. he has vast knowledge in this game from all ends. owning, training and betting. he is by far the best horse player alive today in the USA, second is not even close to him.

How does one rise to become the best horse player alive in the US? Was this the AP or the coaches poll?

[thaskalos]

Sorry if I hijacked this thread, but I don't have a blog and reading the posts in this thread stirred this up in me.

Obviously, horse racing in the United States is need of an overhaul. Before that can be done, the powers that be (whoever they are) have to realize that horse racing is a unique enterprise that comes from many different directions, combining the spirit of competition, the beauty of mother nature, and the challenges of problem solving and strategy. It's not just a game. It's not just a sport. It's not just a gambling business where you can set a switch to a percentage and sit back and collect the profits. It's much more than all of those things. Name one form of entertainment where the patrons are more important and just as engaged as the participants. These complexities are what makes horse racing great and if run correctly, what makes it more attractive than any other entertainment businesses.

What makes horse racing great also hurts it, though, because all the fragmented parts and organizations look at horse racing from only their points of the view. It's easy to think you're the most important part, but nothing and nobody is more important than anything else. The greed and the discourse that is created from within horse racing has been devastating to the game for years and the fear it's failing has multiplied it. There has to be harmony among everybody for this thing to work. Have faith in your game. Make horse racing healthy and in turn everyone within the industry will be healthier, too.

At the top, racetracks can't dwell on the fact that horse racing doesn't have the ease that running a simple slot parlor has. They have to embrace the fact that they're running one of the better things that man has ever created and there are no simple answers or quick fixes to end their declining revenues. It goes against the feelings of modern society, but everybody in horse racing has to see the overall picture is way more important than one person's bottom line. The actions of the major racing corporations have been the exact OPPOSITE. Handle and churn is way more complicated for the biggest percentage of smaller pie strategy that many tracks have implemented to work. And even if you are successful in that aggressive tactic, it's not the smartest marketing tool when every media outlet and blogger writes every week your business is dying because your handle is decreasing. Until they see unity is a wiser move, the business part of this game will remain stagnant. It's a shame because there will always be potential in horse racing because unlike the lifelessness of casinos and slot parlors, horse racing has the ability to create passions, like no other sport or hobby or past time in this world. Millions of us, all over the world, have been and will continue to be attracted to the beauty of horses, the talents of the athletes, the dynamics of breeding, the development of young horses, the styles of the jockeys, the patterns of the trainers, the sporting element of the owners, the history of the sport, the fans of the game, the action of gambling, the fashion of the spectators, the pageantry of the racetracks, the education of the game, the comradery of the patrons, the societal aspects of the days or the art and science of handicapping. Obviously, that's a wide range of characteristics that are a little more interesting than hitting a button every 3 seconds. As this website can attest, handicapping alone can be broken into hundreds of different directions and subsets.

At some point, horse racing has to realize horse racing's diversities is what makes it so attractive, and they can and should cater to all these factions. Without a doubt, this is way easier said than done, but throughout the course of my lifetime, horse racing has never had this philosophy. Their business model is and has always been to turn the lights on and collect the money, which of course is the slot parlor business model. That's why companies like Churchill and Penn National are so enamored by slot machines. It goes hand and hand with horse's racing long standing business philosophy. In their eyes, it's exactly what they've been looking for, but what they are missing is these forms of gambling will be short lived because they lack the aforementioned passions horse racing has. You will never see Barbara Livingstone taking pictures of old ladies pulling slot machines or rubbing scratch offs. Some might call me naive but that's why horse racing won't die completely. Because of all the good things associated with it, horse racing will long outlive slot machines, and rigged casino games and lotteries, but it won't thrive like it should until the ones in charge realize what a great thing they have at their fingertips.

With this realization comes two important parts that have to be addressed going forward. First, the business of horse racing can't solely rely on gambling takeouts and the overpricing of refreshments and parking. It might have worked in 1950, but it won't work now. You have to incorporate all the aspects of this great game to the well connected world we live in. Horse racing must use what they have to create more diverse revenue streams. That's one of the reasons, I've never been against slot revenues and other alternatives for purse money. Where is it said that horse racing has to sustain itself by gambling dollars alone? Let alone the subsidies of purse monies for owners who have no direct affiliation with the track, itself. If somebody is willing to pay $1.9 million dollars for a horse like Ria Antonia, the owners can surely come up with a different solution for purse monies. It doesn't make sense that one horse can be worth more than the track he's running at. Common sense should prevail and a more realistic system should be created.

Once you get past this incorrect governmental imposed criteria for a business model, you can move into the arguments of lowering takeouts or even NO takeouts. If you think poker and NFL are popular, what do you think Saturdays at Saratoga would be like with no vig? Also, once you get passed these archaic rules and restrictions, we can move into realistic ADW rules and betting avenues. Why shouldn't Amazon be able to take bets on the Kentucky Derby or any race run from any person in this world? Creative admission prices would also be a good start, but a place like NYRA has to understand an outdated venue like Aqueduct and even Belmont will not work going forward. You have to have a place that reflects what's good in horse racing, not what's bad. Do you think people would pay 100s of dollars to go see a Yankee game in a rundown park in Staten Island with dirty facilities and bad views and bad foods. So why do you think people will want to go to Aqueduct? or Suffolk? or Hollywood Park? Again, it's the turn on the lights and let the fools blow their money mentality. There are no passions for horses if you can't even see them.

The other problem racing faces on a daily basis is no different than it has been for 100, 200, 500 years. They can't allow their customers to go DEAD and LEAVE, but somehow, nobody has ever figured that out. Everybody knows hundreds of people who have moved on from the game they loved because they simply can't afford it anymore. Their "passion" has become too dangerous to their bottom line and their future and their family. Horse racing doesn't need new customers. It needs the ones it has lost. Horse racing has to create an environment where this doesn't happen, anymore. Period. Maybe it's fantasy betting or contests. Maybe it's chances to win huge prizes for little investment or it's simply a way to stay closely connected to the game without gambling. Nobody said there are easy answers but if Stronach can build a $100 million dollar Pegasus in his parking lot, there's a way and a strategy that will work. With this, comes the extra benefit of the removal of all the bad stigmas that are attached to horse racing gambling. Like I said, I don't have all the answers, but if something as trivial and useless as Facebook can create trillion of dollars, horse racing can come up with something.

Getting past some of these general statements and back to the original point of this thread, I would try to make every day at the racetrack an EVENT. If it's not event worthy, then don't run. If that means some tracks have to run 100 days a year, or 4 days a year, than so be it, but this country doesn't need any more 5 horse maiden races. If the field quality, sponsor involvement, the gambling dollars on the line don't make the day EVENT, it's not worth it. I realize every day can't be the Breeder's Cup or Whitney Day at Saratoga, but every day of racing should create excitement and bring out those passions. If it's not, you are not doing something right. In simple terms, that's why Hong Kong is so successful and in this country, that's the reason it works at Keeneland, Del Mar and even the Hot Dog day at Suffolk. It's just a simple guideline that would be easy to uphold.

I have some personal things that I would change as well, especially source market fees and clearer rules and stiffer penalties for medications, but like I said earlier, let's get horse racing as whole right first.

Not to disagree with you...but identifying the problem(s) isn't as difficult as finding -- and implementing -- the solution. The "powers that be" in this game already KNOW that their enterprise is in dire straits...but they are unwilling to do anything about rectifying the situation. How long has Andy Beyer been pleading for a unified governing body in this game? Is the leadership of this game any more "unified" now than it was 50 years ago?

"OUR game"...the horseplayers say, and I've even said this myself. "They are ruining OUR game". Whoever told us that this is OUR game? Did anybody in this game ever ask us for advice? Did any of the casino profits ever come OUR way...by way of a reduced takeout? Don't the tracks who run the most lucrative casino businesses also collect the biggest takeouts? Isn't that a slap in the face of the horseplayer?

This is not "our" game; it's THEIR game...and they run it as THEY see fit. The only time the horseplayer is called a "partner" in this game is when things are getting bad...and the horseplayer is asked to dig deeper into his pocket in order to show his love and support for those who regard him as less than an afterthought.

No one is listening to us, my friend...even as the horse racing ship is sinking. Instead of coming up with innovative ways to survive in an ultra-competitive marketplace...they are sitting there foolishly counting their casino profits...and fighting over who gets the biggest slice of the pie. And they couldn't care less if the horseplayer starves.

[ReplayRandall]

believe me, Paul knows about tracks that are closed. he has vast knowledge in this game from all ends. owning, training and betting. he is by far the best horse player alive today in the USA, second is not even close to him.


Lambo, He re-posted this here, after writing it over a year ago. That was my point......He is not the best horse player alive, not even close and Paul knows it, unless you made the comment in jest.......

[P Matties Jr]

believe me, Paul knows about tracks that are closed. he has vast knowledge in this game from all ends. owning, training and betting. he is by far the best horse player alive today in the USA, second is not even close to him.

I'm sure it's not true but thanks for the kind words, Lambo.... I used tracks that closed on purpose....To answer the one post, I don't know what all tracks are thinking. I do know there is some people behind the scenes at NYRA who are trying to do things different. In NY, I think it's more of a red tape issue than a monetary one on why things can't get done, but even some of their actions have to be questioned. How they thought the source market fee issue was not going to lead to declines in handle. They're years into the closing of New York City OTB and have done nothing about it. They made an announcement last month, they are going to raise their signal price again, despite the fact, that they've watched Churchill's business erode in the last year or so, and that the Atlantic group has boycotted Stronach for doing the same thing. I did think the original plans of Suffolk's horse racing based casino were noble, and they had potential to do new and radical things that could have worked if they were given the chance at the time they wanted to do it, but they never had the chance. There were several new tracks built in Ohio in 2014 and I don't see anything that's being attempted that's new or innovative in any of them. In the 20 years of slot revenues, has anything been done for the players with that money? In that whole time frame has one horsemen's group made a decision with the whole picture of horse racing in mind. I hear that tracks say modern society wants a faster product but has anybody run every 5 minutes or run in the morning. Yonkers tried something very new and radical and it was extremely successful, but despite their efforts, the American bettors couldn't bet in the big pools, so the true potential was never reached. I mentioned that mediocre horses are bought for millions of dollars everyday to counter this notion there is no money in the game to do anything. They may be thinking about it and talking about the things I wrote about, but they're certainly not doing anything significant about it. I guess that's why I was inclined to write what I wrote in the first place.

[thaskalos]

I'm sure it's not true but thanks for the kind words, Lambo.... I used tracks that closed on purpose....To answer the one post, I don't know what all tracks are thinking. I do know there is some people behind the scenes at NYRA who are trying to do things different. In NY, I think it's more of a red tape issue than a monetary one on why things can't get done, but even some of their actions have to be questioned. How they thought the source market fee issue was not going to lead to declines in handle. They're years into the closing of New York City OTB and have done nothing about it. They made an announcement last month, they are going to raise their signal price again, despite the fact, that they've watched Churchill's business erode in the last year or so, and that the Atlantic group has boycotted Stronach for doing the same thing. I did think the original plans of Suffolk's horse racing based casino were noble, and they had potential to do new and radical things that could have worked if they were given the chance at the time they wanted to do it, but they never had the chance. There were several new tracks built in Ohio in 2014 and I don't see anything that's being attempted that's new or innovative in any of them. In the 20 years of slot revenues, has anything been done for the players with that money? In that whole time frame has one horsemen's group made a decision with the whole picture of horse racing in mind. I hear that tracks say modern society wants a faster product but has anybody run every 5 minutes or run in the morning. Yonkers tried something very new and radical and it was extremely successful, but despite their efforts, the American bettors couldn't bet in the big pools, so the true potential was never reached. I mentioned that mediocre horses are bought for millions of dollars everyday to counter this notion there is no money in the game to do anything. They may be thinking about it and talking about the things I wrote about, but they're certainly not doing anything significant about it. I guess that's why I was inclined to write what I wrote in the first place.
I have been writing similar things here for years...and people much wiser than I have also voiced similar opinions in a much more widespread manner. It hasn't done any good...and it won't do any good now. You can't expect to attract new customers, when you can't even keep the customers who have been loyal to you for years and years. The "powers that be" are not looking for "customers", anyway. They are looking for SUCKERS.