Parx Fall Festival

[alhattab]

Anyone check out the condition book yet? Open $10k claimers going long, purse $50k. MSW $84k. NW4L $7.5k claimers, $38k and NW2L same tag $30k. For the love of God!

This is not good for the game in my view. It will further dilute quality racing at the major venues like Belmont and Keeneland (the festival runs to the end of October). No matter what Parx tries the absence of live bodies at the track and the lack of pleasing aesthetics will make it minor league regardless of the purse money they offer. We need the best racing to be at the venues where people are there to watch- that is the catalyst to attract new fans that will then go to offseason simulcasts or open online accounts.

[Tom]

High purse like that destroy the claiming game and invite larceny.
Believe it or not, not everyone in the game is honest.

[Donttellmeshowme]

Should be full fields whats not to like as a handicapper?

[Donttellmeshowme]

Anyone check out the condition book yet? Open $10k claimers going long, purse $50k. MSW $84k. NW4L $7.5k claimers, $38k and NW2L same tag $30k. For the love of God!

This is not good for the game in my view. It will further dilute quality racing at the major venues like Belmont and Keeneland (the festival runs to the end of October). No matter what Parx tries the absence of live bodies at the track and the lack of pleasing aesthetics will make it minor league regardless of the purse money they offer. We need the best racing to be at the venues where people are there to watch- that is the catalyst to attract new fans that will then go to offseason simulcasts or open online accounts.




Tell the owners of these horses that running for 50K is not good for the game.

[FrankieFigs]

Anyone check out the condition book yet? Open $10k claimers going long, purse $50k. MSW $84k. NW4L $7.5k claimers, $38k and NW2L same tag $30k. For the love of God!

This is not good for the game in my view. It will further dilute quality racing at the major venues like Belmont and Keeneland (the festival runs to the end of October). No matter what Parx tries the absence of live bodies at the track and the lack of pleasing aesthetics will make it minor league regardless of the purse money they offer. We need the best racing to be at the venues where people are there to watch- that is the catalyst to attract new fans that will then go to offseason simulcasts or open online accounts.

If you think this is high, then you will really freak when you see the action at Kentucky Downs in September. Check out the condition book...

http://www.kentuckydowns.com/live-racing/horseman-info/ (http://)

[FantasticDan]

In light of PARX's $$ announcement, NYRA issues a warning to trainers (courtesy of @DRFGrening):

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CMEnYkDWwAQ_Hc8.jpg

[PaceAdvantage]

I'm fairly certain in-house rules like the above, or close derivations thereof, have been the norm for quite some time, at NYRA as well as other tracks.

[cj]

I'm fairly certain in-house rules like the above, or close derivations thereof, have been the norm for quite some time, at NYRA as well as other tracks.

Yes, this is true everywhere as far as I know. Tracks don't like giving free accomodations to horses that don't run on the circuit. Exceptions are made for stakes horses of course.

[alhattab]

If you think this is high, then you will really freak when you see the action at Kentucky Downs in September. Check out the condition book...

http://www.kentuckydowns.com/live-racing/horseman-info/ (http://)

Unbelievable! At least the claiming purses are somewhat in line with the claiming tags. Also KD is a 7 day meet which is a little different than the Parx meet which I guess is in the range of 32-36 days (4 days/week over 8 or 9 weeks).

[andtheyreoff]

This is not good for the game in my view. It will further dilute quality racing at the major venues like Belmont and Keeneland (the festival runs to the end of October). No matter what Parx tries the absence of live bodies at the track and the lack of pleasing aesthetics will make it minor league regardless of the purse money they offer. We need the best racing to be at the venues where people are there to watch- that is the catalyst to attract new fans that will then go to offseason simulcasts or open online accounts.

I don't get this line of thinking.

Keeneland & Belmont aren't entitled to the best fields and best horses. If they want to draw horses away from Parx, they gotta fight for it.

That being said, I do hope that they try to make it more of a racing experience, besides the high purses. On-track promotions and a larger betting menu would be good places to start.

[pandy]

Anyone check out the condition book yet? Open $10k claimers going long, purse $50k. MSW $84k. NW4L $7.5k claimers, $38k and NW2L same tag $30k. For the love of God!

This is not good for the game in my view. It will further dilute quality racing at the major venues like Belmont and Keeneland (the festival runs to the end of October). No matter what Parx tries the absence of live bodies at the track and the lack of pleasing aesthetics will make it minor league regardless of the purse money they offer. We need the best racing to be at the venues where people are there to watch- that is the catalyst to attract new fans that will then go to offseason simulcasts or open online accounts.

Well, they are spending a lot of money on a new paddock, so they do intend on making the on track experience better.

[no breathalyzer]

I like parx racing. i can't wait for this. My stable mail is loaded up and ready to go :)

[Charli125]

Should be full fields whats not to like as a handicapper?

What's not to like? Well, here's a short list.

Ridiculously high takeout despite highly subsidized purses. Trainers with off the charts win percentages. A long history of drug positives with minor punishments.

[alhattab]

I don't get this line of thinking.

Keeneland & Belmont aren't entitled to the best fields and best horses. If they want to draw horses away from Parx, they gotta fight for it.

That being said, I do hope that they try to make it more of a racing experience, besides the high purses. On-track promotions and a larger betting menu would be good places to start.

My thinking is along the lines of your last paragraph. Agree Kee and Bel aren't entitled, but my thinking is that for the overall, long term good of the game it is better to have the best racing in well-attended, aesthetically pleasing venues that will attract people and TV coverage, and not "factories" like Parx. I have nothing against Parx and I believe it has its place in the game. But having major league racing at Parx over a two month period is akin to having the Yankees play in Scranton for two months. Even worse, it takes the Yankees and splits the squad up, with some in Scranton and the other in NY.

My own point of view is that U.S. racing, especially in the East, needs to migrate more toward the U.K. model. In the U.K. they may have a half-decent card at Lingfield or Chester or wherever every now and again. But the big races are at the big venues that people are willing to pay good money to attend. Right now, Parx isn't one of those places, and I think in the long run that is not good for the game.

[alhattab]

Well, they are spending a lot of money on a new paddock, so they do intend on making the on track experience better.

Pandy do you know what the renovations are? I saw the press release, but checked the Parx website and didn't see any plans.

[reckless]

I'm fairly certain in-house rules like the above, or close derivations thereof, have been the norm for quite some time, at NYRA as well as other tracks.

In the prior racing regime, Monmouth Park had notoriously taken a hard line against shipping horses to run elsewhere.

It's been well-known -- always unproven and often denied -- that Monmouth Park racing officials would put notices under a trainer's windshield wipers with this eloquent prose: 'Racing your horses elsewhere could affect your stall situation, either now or in the future'.

[ReplayRandall]

In the prior racing regime, Monmouth Park had notoriously taken a hard line against shipping horses to run elsewhere.

It's been well-known -- always unproven and often denied -- that Monmouth Park racing officials would put notices under a trainer's windshield wipers with this eloquent prose: 'Racing your horses elsewhere could affect your stall situation, either now or in the future'.

Reminds me of the unspoken "vicinity rule", where you couldn't race your stalled horse within 150 miles of the home track, without losing your stall spaces for the remainder of the meet.....

[pandy]

Pandy do you know what the renovations are? I saw the press release, but checked the Parx website and didn't see any plans.

Today is the last day of racing until August 29 and work on the new paddock will be done during that time. That's all I know right now. This gentleman wrote a blog about Parx.



http://www.americasbestracing.net/en/the-latest/blogs/2015/6/15/parx-racing-a-philadelphia-experience/

[pandy]

My thinking is along the lines of your last paragraph. Agree Kee and Bel aren't entitled, but my thinking is that for the overall, long term good of the game it is better to have the best racing in well-attended, aesthetically pleasing venues that will attract people and TV coverage, and not "factories" like Parx. I have nothing against Parx and I believe it has its place in the game. But having major league racing at Parx over a two month period is akin to having the Yankees play in Scranton for two months. Even worse, it takes the Yankees and splits the squad up, with some in Scranton and the other in NY.

My own point of view is that U.S. racing, especially in the East, needs to migrate more toward the U.K. model. In the U.K. they may have a half-decent card at Lingfield or Chester or wherever every now and again. But the big races are at the big venues that people are willing to pay good money to attend. Right now, Parx isn't one of those places, and I think in the long run that is not good for the game.

I understand your viewpoint. Unfortunately, with the exception of Del Mar, Keeneland and Saratoga, attendance at the Big League tracks, or the tracks that have excellent venues, is low. Arlington, Belmont, Santa Anita, are top class facilities but they draw small crowds except when there is a major racing day. Woodbine is also top class but I'm not sure what the attendance is like there. Monmouth does okay on weekends, I guess. Oaklawn has good crowds. But tracks like Arlington and Belmont are big and lonely.

I think any track that has good purses could take over as the top track in the country if they lowered the takeout, because most of the money being bet is off track. If Parx, for instance, went to a 10% takeout across the board and advertised it, and had good purses and full fields, it might take some time but eventually they would handle more than NYRA and Santa Anita, even if the attendance was low. Track attendance is low and will most likely continue to decline because millennials are not into horseracing.

[Rise Over Run]

Today is the last day of racing until August 29 and work on the new paddock will be done during that time. That's all I know right now. This gentleman wrote a blog about Parx.



http://www.americasbestracing.net/en/the-latest/blogs/2015/6/15/parx-racing-a-philadelphia-experience/
They've already started working on the new paddock and outside walking ring. The back walls of the paddock are already removed and the portions of the walking ring are torn up. They were saddling horses on the grass course yesterday. Looked to me like they started back up working yesterday when racing was finished at ~5pm.

[pandy]

I'll be there in September to check it out.

[forced89]

I understand your viewpoint. Unfortunately, with the exception of Del Mar, Keeneland and Saratoga, attendance at the Big League tracks, or the tracks that have excellent venues, is low.

Include Oaklawn as one of the best. Low cost of admission, great attendance, large fields, great purses, and important races. The interesting thing is that Oaklawn is a destination in that many people drive in from out of town (Texas, Oklahoma, etc), rent rooms and stay multiple days.

[pandy]

Include Oaklawn as one of the best. Low cost of admission, great attendance, large fields, great purses, and important races. The interesting thing is that Oaklawn is a destination in that many people drive in from out of town (Texas, Oklahoma, etc), rent rooms and stay multiple days.

Yes, Oaklawn is one of the few tracks that actually gets good attendance.

[onefast99]

Parx rules for entries, Pa breds get first choice, horses on grounds get first choice. Combine the two and you are in!

[Bigadam119]

Saw the first entries came out for the new purse structure. Quite a few NY trainers sending horses down for the undercard races. Will be interesting to see how it plays out once the Spa meet is over.

[Stillriledup]

I didnt see the races yesterday but there were a lot of outside posts that won. Did the bias change today?

Also what was with the 9th today, looked like a boat race, where were all the horses?

[Robert Fischer]

I didnt see the races yesterday but there were a lot of outside posts that won. Did the bias change today?

Also what was with the 9th today, looked like a boat race, where were all the horses?

I posted some p3's today in the selections forum. Did pretty good (http://www.paceadvantage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=125633). Thought the results were logical for the four races I played.
I'm not very good at guessing inside-outside ('path') bias other than how it relates to the expected trip and turns. I just bet the good horses and the overlays and hope there is a fairly run race.

I've noticed that Parx can be weird in the past where late-backstretch approaching the far turn, you see riders regularly make a premature looking wide move, so maybe there's something to it.

Stonetastic was simply too fast for others in the 9th and she was aggressively ridden early.

[castaway01]

I posted some p3's today in the selections forum. Did pretty good (http://www.paceadvantage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=125633). Thought the results were logical for the four races I played.
I'm not very good at guessing inside-outside ('path') bias other than how it relates to the expected trip and turns. I just bet the good horses and the overlays and hope there is a fairly run race.

I've noticed that Parx can be weird in the past where late-backstretch approaching the far turn, you see riders regularly make a premature looking wide move, so maybe there's something to it.

Stonetastic was simply too fast for others in the 9th and she was aggressively ridden early.

Parx regularly favors wide/outside turn and stretch runners, to the point where riders try to make wide moves instead of avoiding them. It's been that way for years.

[no breathalyzer]

I understand your viewpoint. Unfortunately, with the exception of Del Mar, Keeneland and Saratoga, attendance at the Big League tracks, or the tracks that have excellent venues, is low. Arlington, Belmont, Santa Anita, are top class facilities but they draw small crowds except when there is a major racing day. Woodbine is also top class but I'm not sure what the attendance is like there. Monmouth does okay on weekends, I guess. Oaklawn has good crowds. But tracks like Arlington and Belmont are big and lonely.

I think any track that has good purses could take over as the top track in the country if they lowered the takeout, because most of the money being bet is off track. If Parx, for instance, went to a 10% takeout across the board and advertised it, and had good purses and full fields, it might take some time but eventually they would handle more than NYRA and Santa Anita, even if the attendance was low. Track attendance is low and will most likely continue to decline because millennials are not into horseracing.

For what Arlington has been putting out there they been drawing decent crowds, i was quite shocked how many people were there when i made my visit the day after the Million. The place is absolutely beautiful. Its a shame whats going on in Illinois.

[wisconsin]

For what Arlington has been putting out there they been drawing decent crowds, i was quite shocked how many people were there when i made my visit the day after the Million. The place is absolutely beautiful. Its a shame whats going on in Illinois.


Wasn't that something? No shortage of patrons, but they just don't bet much, but then again, the average Joe outlays $25 for admission and food before a bet is even attempted.

[cj]

Wasn't that something? No shortage of patrons, but they just don't bet much, but then again, the average Joe outlays $25 for admission and food before a bet is even attempted.

Tons of people come to Remington and it is free, but still nobody bets much.

[wisconsin]

Tons of people come to Remington and it is free, but still nobody bets much.


I was at Lone Star July 18th, no seats to be had, a huge crowd with a handle that barely made it over $500k ALL SOURCES. people will come, they just won't bet. Then again, $5 to get in without a seat and then an easy $30 in food and concessions. No wonder nobody is betting.