Do they care anymore?

[Track Phantom]

Visited Sam Houston Friday Night (normally don't attend races in person any longer as there aren't any near me).

My observations and comments:



$28 per person to sit at a table and have the buffet. Buffet was decent but $112 cost for four of us was high. (By the way, Racing Forms are sold at $8.50 per....wow).
No outlets at the tables to plug in computer. I asked the admissions people if any of the tables had an available outlet and I might have had more success asking them to quickly compute the square root of 2,504. It was if I had beamed in from outer space with my fancy, complex piece of equipment....my computer. No outlets. I asked if people use computers here and they laughed.
TV's at the tables were of the 1992 variety. We moved to two different tables, most of the up/down buttons didn't work and none carried most of the simulcast feeds from places like Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park. (Luckily, they carried every single dog track. For Christs sake...)
Very drafty. We sat underneath a huge vent projecting arctic air on top of us. When we asked if anything could be done about it, we were told no. I wondered if anyone in management had ever sat in a seat at these tables. It was literally unbearable. Had my jacket on the entire time.
Poor and loud audio. Where we were sitting, the race caller, who talked about crap constantly and without any down time, was way too loud, distorted and impossible to hear. By the 8th race I had a headache and wanted to get the hell out of there.
Diet coke tasted awful. We ordered diet coke's and had to send them back as they tasted awful. Seriously tasted off. It's the first time I've ever returned a soda anywhere, anytime.
Can't come early. We are headed back for Saturday and I inquired about the early simulcasting. Just like Retama in June, they told me they didn't open until 5PM and i could not sit at my table in the early afternoon. No one knew about the big races, other tracks or anything related to horse racing.
Again, much of what I typed above is not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things. However, it would absolutely keep me from coming back...and it is doing just that. I was going to go to the track at 3Pm to play Santa Anita. Since they don't even have a channel for it and I can't sit in my seat anyway, I'll be viewing on line until live racing starts and we'll head over there then. (Our hotel is 1 mile from the track and I'm forced to stay in my hotel to watch Santa Anita).

I just cannot believe how little they apparently care about attracting horseplayers. Maybe I'm a dinosaur, or maybe they are, but either way, this was a poor experience. It is similar to what I saw at Retama and Delta Downs in the last year, as well.

It was the first time I ever "felt" like racing could absolutely go away. Maybe not at Keeneland or Saratoga or Del Mar...but if mid-level tracks like Sam Houston are so disinterested in customer service, there is no way they'll be around long term.

[Stillriledup]

But the Morning line is great, isnt' that a bonus? You could have gotten a juicy 6-1 on the grey Larry Jones filly that won the big race there recently. ;)

Your writeup in the "no outlets" point is what happens at most tracks, employees couldn't tell you which end of the horse eats...if you find an employee who has a commitment to their job, you have struck gold, they are probably few and far between.

The loud audio at tracks is really disturbing, that's one drawback to be there live, you have people blasting over the PA system their thoughts and analysis, nobody cares, people just want peace and quiet so they can concentrate on their betting.

A lot of the stuff you put there is, in a nutshell, why the horse racing industry is underachieving.....when tracks cry the blues about handle and have to lower purses to the horsemen, the things that are free to take care of that aren't taken care of is a big issue.

You want to show up there early and bet out of town races...they should be rolling out the red carpet for you, making you as comfortable as possible, doing whatever it took for you to get your bets in...every dollar that you dont bet on the simo is one less fractional dollar in the bottom line of the track, no excuse to not do something for the customers that costs nothing to implement.

A lot of your complaints could have been solved with just a better effort...its an effort issue, not a financial issue.

[garyscpa]

Sam Houston isn't showing SA or GP right now due to a dispute over simulcast fees. We've had several players make the trip to Gulf Greyhound lately so they could play those tracks.

It's a dump too, though, but they are friendly. About 45 minutes down I-45 in LaMarque.

[lamboguy]

Sam Houston isn't showing SA or GP right now due to a dispute over simulcast fees. We've had several players make the trip to Gulf Greyhound lately so they could play those tracks.

It's a dump too, though, but they are friendly. About 45 minutes down I-45 in LaMarque.where is Gulf Greyhound? i never heard of the place

[garyscpa]

Between Houston and Galveston.

[MONEY]

I go there every day. There is free admission & free parking.

In the general seating area there are tables that are about 6 feet long.

You have to get there early in order to get one of those tables.

Each one of the tables sits 4 people comfortable & has an outlet for
a laptop. I charge my computer at home so I don't need to plug it in.

Wi-Fi is free.

TV remotes are made to be used at very close range so that
you don't change other peoples channels.

The food court has meals that cost $7.25 or 600 player reward points.

Drinks are expensive so I just get ice water which is free.

I have been told that popcorn at the bar is free, but I never got any so
I'm not sure.

It costs $3.00 to sit in the players lounge & each seat has a TV & an electrical outlet.

The tv remotes are made to be used at very close range so that you don't change other peoples channels.

[NTamm1215]

I go there every day. There is free admission & free parking.

In the general seating area there are tables that are about 6 feet long.

You have to get there early in order to get one of those tables.

Each one of the tables sits 4 people comfortable & has an outlet for
a laptop. I charge my computer at home so I don't need to plug it in.

Wi-Fi is free.

TV remotes are made to be used at very close range so that
you don't change other peoples channels.

The food court has meals that cost $7.25 or 600 player reward points.

Drinks are expensive so I just get ice water which is free.

I have been told that popcorn at the bar is free, but I never got any so
I'm not sure.

It costs $3.00 to sit in the players lounge & each seat has a TV & an electrical outlet.

The tv remotes are made to be used at very close range so that you don't change other peoples channels.

If you want to bet on simulcast races, go to the Players Lounge, as Money stated there. Outlets at every seat, personal TV and TVs overhead. The problem is all you're getting are Fair Grounds, Oaklawn and Aqueduct. Mid-Atlantic/Monarch impasse very much snarling SHRP's generally strong simulcast business.

If you want an alternative, make a reservation in the Jockey Club tonight. It's at the opposite end of the grandstand, the tables have more outlets and the buffet is (usually) cheaper. Provided it's not filled with member reservations (and rarely is) they'll give you a table.

[thespaah]

I go there every day. There is free admission & free parking.

In the general seating area there are tables that are about 6 feet long.

You have to get there early in order to get one of those tables.

Each one of the tables sits 4 people comfortable & has an outlet for
a laptop. I charge my computer at home so I don't need to plug it in.

Wi-Fi is free.

TV remotes are made to be used at very close range so that
you don't change other peoples channels.

The food court has meals that cost $7.25 or 600 player reward points.

Drinks are expensive so I just get ice water which is free.

I have been told that popcorn at the bar is free, but I never got any so
I'm not sure.

It costs $3.00 to sit in the players lounge & each seat has a TV & an electrical outlet.

The tv remotes are made to be used at very close range so that you don't change other peoples channels.
Sounds good....Kind of makes one wonder why for example Sam Houston is not taking a page from the book Gulf Greyhound is using.

[garyscpa]

To avoid confusion, let me point out that MONEY and NTamm are referring to Sam Houston.

[summersquall]

SHRP has the players lounge which for three dollars provides a suitable betting experience with readily available tote machines, free wifi, electrical outlets, original seats-televisions from the plants opening in the early 90's. Meanwhile, a trip to TexasCity, close to Galveston, is necessary for wagering on Stonrach tracks.

[whodoyoulike]

I go there every day. There is free admission & free parking...

I have been told that popcorn at the bar is free, but I never got any so
I'm not sure...

I'm beginning to like this place and their progressive ideas.

Where and how do you get there?

[Donttellmeshowme]

Does Sam Houston still charge for parking?

[mountainman]

The loud audio at tracks is really disturbing, that's one drawback to be there live, you have people blasting over the PA system their thoughts and analysis, nobody cares, people just want peace and quiet so they can concentrate on their betting.

.

What tracks blare analysis right over the pa system? I know Mahoning does, but aside from them, I mean.

On a handful of past occasions-several wv derbies, a seminar with Byron king, etc-my analysis was pumped out over the public address system, and it just felt wrong. Intrusive and inappropriate. That platform is for race--callers, not talking heads.

[fmolf]

What tracks blare analysis right over the pa system? I know Mahoning does, but aside from them, I mean.

On a handful of past occasions-several wv derbies, a seminar with Byron king, etc-my analysis was pumped out over the public address system, and it just felt wrong. Intrusive and inappropriate. That platform is for race--callers, not talking heads.
I know from personal experience that nyra tracks have Andy Serling doing race analysis and Maggie Wolfendale doing her paddock report. Both have been helpful and insightful and far from annoying. I attend the live races at Aqueduct and Belmont once a week and spend a weekend at Saratoga every year. Like any racing info, one has to decipher what is wheat and what is chafe!

[The Hawk]

EVERY professional sports venue seems to think we want a non-stop barrage of noise in our ears.

[mountainman]

I know from personal experience that nyra tracks have Andy Serling doing race analysis and Maggie Wolfendale doing her paddock report. Both have been helpful and insightful and far from annoying. I attend the live races at Aqueduct and Belmont once a week and spend a weekend at Saratoga every year. Like any racing info, one has to decipher what is wheat and what is chafe!

No, you're misunderstanding me. I'm a talking head and realize lots of other tracks likewise have in-house analysts. What I'm wondering is how many of those analysts are piped right over the public address system..as opposed to the tv feed?

[elhelmete]

No, you're misunderstanding me. I'm a talking head and realize lots of other tracks likewise have in-house analysts. What I'm wondering is how many of those analysts are piped right over the public address system..as opposed to the tv feed?

The analysts at Santa Anita who give the morning seminars (Quigley and a guest on weekends) Do it in a corner of the paddock with their own PA system for the assembled audience. They always pause when Trevor goes on the mic with info.