Monmouth Park- Kulina to Retire

[alhattab]

Monmouth announced his retirement earlier today.

http://www.monmouthpark.com/News.aspx?id=11425

[MonmouthParkJoe]

Curious to see what the future will be now. I might go back ;)

[onefast99]

Curious to see what the future will be now. I might go back ;)
I have no comments on the past few years that Bob was at the helm. I wish him a happy retirement.
My big concern here is the reduction of racing days to where the meet resembles a state fair. NJ bred breeding is at an all time low and the competition from surrounding tracks as well as the whole Navarro situation has hurt the track significantly. Maybe sports wagering gets its due and the track manages to pull a rabbit out of a hat.

[Bluto Blutarsky]

Good riddance. Kulina gets 194K in pension money a year from the state. (Monmouth Park was owned and operated by the state under his tenure before the NJTHA took over) And in addition he was getting an ungodly salary from the Darby Development the manager of MP-a salary ultimately paid by the horsemen. He has had no vision forward for the track. This year, Kulina was opposed to twilight racing, he said no to racing on 4th of July when it was on a weekday, he wasn’t in favor of next year’s racing schedule, just to name a few of the issues. The entire NJTHA board voiced to Drazin that it wanted him out, he was holding the track back. Goodbye Bobby. Baffert is going to miss you and the suitcases of money you gave as `appearance fees` for him and his horses.

[alhattab]

Good riddance. Kulina gets 194K in pension money a year from the state. (Monmouth Park was owned and operated by the state under his tenure before the NJTHA took over) And in addition he was getting an ungodly salary from the Darby Development the manager of MP-a salary ultimately paid by the horsemen. He has had no vision forward for the track. This year, Kulina was opposed to twilight racing, he said no to racing on 4th of July when it was on a weekday, he wasn’t in favor of next year’s racing schedule, just to name a few of the issues. The entire NJTHA board voiced to Drazin that it wanted him out, he was holding the track back. Goodbye Bobby. Baffert is going to miss you and the suitcases of money you gave as `appearance fees` for him and his horses.

I don't have any ill will toward the guy but Bluto you are absolutely right the guy either had zero vision or was just collecting a paycheck. In addition to the points you raise, look at what happened with William Hill Room. Completely unused before, now it has become a focal point even before there is any sports betting.

Part of Monmouth's appeal has to be as a more multifaceted entertainment venue, with racing at its core. Things like the BC party and other events at Wm Hill are part of that vision, but Kulina either lacked the vision or wherewithal to make meaningful change.

[onefast99]

I don't have any ill will toward the guy but Bluto you are absolutely right the guy either had zero vision or was just collecting a paycheck. In addition to the points you raise, look at what happened with William Hill Room. Completely unused before, now it has become a focal point even before there is any sports betting.

Part of Monmouth's appeal has to be as a more multifaceted entertainment venue, with racing at its core. Things like the BC party and other events at Wm Hill are part of that vision, but Kulina either lacked the vision or wherewithal to make meaningful change.
I strongly believe after 2007 he became complacent in his job. He walked around the track like he was better than anyone he talked to. In my 15 plus years of racing there he was the only one associated with the racing office who acted like this. I am also disappointed that the horseman agreed to any form of compensation to him that wasnt based on achieving certain goals. Get someone in there that is young and energetic enough with the BS.

[upthecreek]

https://amp.app.com/amp/900671001

[lamboguy]

Good riddance. Kulina gets 194K in pension money a year from the state. (Monmouth Park was owned and operated by the state under his tenure before the NJTHA took over) And in addition he was getting an ungodly salary from the Darby Development the manager of MP-a salary ultimately paid by the horsemen. He has had no vision forward for the track. This year, Kulina was opposed to twilight racing, he said no to racing on 4th of July when it was on a weekday, he wasn’t in favor of next year’s racing schedule, just to name a few of the issues. The entire NJTHA board voiced to Drazin that it wanted him out, he was holding the track back. Goodbye Bobby. Baffert is going to miss you and the suitcases of money you gave as `appearance fees` for him and his horses.that is pretty bazaar, the $194,00 a year pension. you just basically pointed out the biggest reason why racing is going backward. these people that run race tracks are overpaid and very underproductive.

[Tom]

On the menu - more state bred races.

Oh goodie goodie.
:puke:

[MonmouthParkJoe]

https://amp.app.com/amp/900671001

Well this should be interesting.

[onefast99]

Dempsey is a good guy. He knows what he is doing since he has been a racing secretary for quite a longtime. On the other hand a media guy filling the roll of racing secretary is something no one is excited over. Hopefully Dempsey will be the behind the scenes RS.
Since Navarro has been given a "new" life at GP I'm sure they will rely heavily on him to fill races next year. That being said MP will need a revenue stream to go forward. Or they can hope Pennsylvania reduces the racing days and purses at Parx and the playing field purse wise is leveled.

[biggestal99]

Dempsey is a good guy. He knows what he is doing since he has been a racing secretary for quite a longtime. On the other hand a media guy filling the roll of racing secretary is something no one is excited over. Hopefully Dempsey will be the behind the scenes RS.
Since Navarro has been given a "new" life at GP I'm sure they will rely heavily on him to fill races next year. That being said MP will need a revenue stream to go forward. Or they can hope Pennsylvania reduces the racing days and purses at Parx and the playing field purse wise is leveled.

Well there is the sports betting that will be decided by SCOTUS, most likely in the spring. With a few tweaks to the law, betfair will be a player should the opinion go Jersey way. And will Hill is just itching to take bets on football in the fall.

A few bucks will surely go Darby,s way.

Allan

[alhattab]

On the menu - more state bred races.

Oh goodie goodie.
:puke:

I think the only way they could run more state bred races would be to run standardbreds. The T-bred foal crop is a shadow of its former self- see below.

The oddest thing about this to me, other than an attorney/media guy being the racing secretary, is to delay formal announcement until Spring. I would think you would want the new team fully on board in short order, trying to recruit barns from winter locales.


1995 436
1996 454
1997 414
1998 400
1999 402
2000 420
2001 344
2002 401
2003 353
2004 334
2005 344
2006 330
2007 401
2008 303
2009 260
2010 237
2011 193
2012 170
2013 152
2014 118
2015 122

[Bluto Blutarsky]

Next year, the Drazin plan is to close MP backstretch completely on October 1.
Wait until the trainers hear about that! Where do you train your horses for that 1 month gap until Tampa opens beginning of November?
Prediction- there will be even less horses stabled at MP in 2018 than there were in 2017. Go to Delaware Park- at least you are assured of stall space/training there until late October-just ship in to MP.

[cj]

Next year, the Drazin plan is to close MP backstretch completely on October 1.
Wait until the trainers hear about that! Where do you train your horses for that 1 month gap until Tampa opens beginning of November?
Prediction- there will be even less horses stabled at MP in 2018 than there were in 2017. Go to Delaware Park- at least you are assured of stall space/training there until late October-just ship in to MP.

Doubt Delaware will let you stable and train there and turn around and race at Monmouth very often.

[Bluto Blutarsky]

cj-
the point is-trainers/owners have will have options other than stabling at MP.
Drazin`s plan is shortsighted.

[reckless]

Doubt Delaware will let you stable and train there and turn around and race at Monmouth very often.

When I was in the game Del Park charged trainers a rental fee for each stall they used.

This 'allowed' trainers to ship horses elsewhere, anytime without any negative repercussions from the racing office.

I am not sure if this custom is still prevalent.

[onefast99]

When I was in the game Del Park charged trainers a rental fee for each stall they used.

This 'allowed' trainers to ship horses elsewhere, anytime without any negative repercussions from the racing office.

I am not sure if this custom is still prevalent.Palm Meadows charges for their stalls $10 a day when the horse runs at GP they get $300 it is available only 1x per month and ends in april.

[onefast99]

Well there is the sports betting that will be decided by SCOTUS, most likely in the spring. With a few tweaks to the law, betfair will be a player should the opinion go Jersey way. And will Hill is just itching to take bets on football in the fall.

A few bucks will surely go Darby,s way.

Allan
It could hear the case as early as this February , but experts believe a more likely timetable is sometime this winter, with a decision in late spring or early summer.

[onefast99]

Next year, the Drazin plan is to close MP backstretch completely on October 1.
Wait until the trainers hear about that! Where do you train your horses for that 1 month gap until Tampa opens beginning of November?
Prediction- there will be even less horses stabled at MP in 2018 than there were in 2017. Go to Delaware Park- at least you are assured of stall space/training there until late October-just ship in to MP.
Just hope they get sports wagering. I also hope they get rid of a recent hire who is just one of the good ole boys and adds nothing to the bottom line!

[onefast99]

cj-
the point is-trainers/owners have will have options other than stabling at MP.
Drazin`s plan is shortsighted.Is there a conflict of interest that Forbes is paid by Drazin and represents the horseman?
If what you said earlier about the October 1st closing of the track(no one can confirm this at MP) and the fact that there is a meet going on at the meadowlands where would the trainers keep their horses?

[alhattab]

Is there a conflict of interest that Forbes is paid by Drazin and represents the horseman?
If what you said earlier about the October 1st closing of the track(no one can confirm this at MP) and the fact that there is a meet going on at the meadowlands where would the trainers keep their horses?

Club Med portion of meet scheduled to end 9/29

[onefast99]

Club Med portion of meet scheduled to end 9/29Then ending the use of MP as a training facility on 10-1-18 makes sense. Since GP is still running and Parx is in full swing as well as Laurel and Delaware and Penn and Aqueduct there are plenty of places to go.

[alhattab]

Then ending the use of MP as a training facility on 10-1-18 makes sense. Since GP is still running and Parx is in full swing as well as Laurel and Delaware and Penn and Aqueduct there are plenty of places to go.

Perhaps but it is a big competitive advantage to have a more permanent facility. I guess there isn't much difference between closing Oct 1 or Nov 1- at some point one has to pick up and leave or find a place to board- but man it would be nice to have year-round capabilities for 300-500 horses.

I like the Palm Meadows model. Run once per month you are essentially rent-free at worst. For Monmouth, pay $10/day off season- say $3k for the year-and get $500 starters bonus you get out if you run 6 times over an 18 week period.

[onefast99]

Perhaps but it is a big competitive advantage to have a more permanent facility. I guess there isn't much difference between closing Oct 1 or Nov 1- at some point one has to pick up and leave or find a place to board- but man it would be nice to have year-round capabilities for 300-500 horses.

I like the Palm Meadows model. Run once per month you are essentially rent-free at worst. For Monmouth, pay $10/day off season- say $3k for the year-and get $500 starters bonus you get out if you run 6 times over an 18 week period.When MP paid $1000 guaranteed per start a few years ago horses were running every two weeks. I forget the name of one of the horses who ran on the turf but I saw him entered 3 times a month for 2 months...