Praise for Horseplayer Magazine Editor

[andicap]

Not sure if this belongs here or in the "Library" section---

In an era when customer service is a four-letter word at many companies I am very happy to report an editor who is not only responsive but proactive about helping people who email the publication with problems.

Two days ago I registered for the blog at Horseplayerdaily.com and waited for the confirming email. It never came. So I emailed the anonymous "comments" rep about the problem and was pleasantly surprised to receive a letter from Editor in Chief Jeremy Plonk the very next morning. Not only did Jeremy promise to look into the situation pronto but he urged me to email him back within a couple of days if I had not heard from the publication.

My hats off to such quick responsiveness.whereas I was on the fence before this incident about subscribing to the magazine, I am now inclined to spend the $40 -- if only to reward someone who is so reader friendly. (Unless some reader tells me here that the circulation problems that used to plauge the magazine -- copies coming so late that customers would receive the Kentucky Derby previiew issue in time for the Preakness, etc. -- are continuing.)

Jeremy Plonk, thank you in advance for solving the problem and your ultra-speedy response.

:ThmbUp:

(Disclaimer: I am in no fashion related to Horseplayer Magazine or Horseplayerdaily.com either personally or in a business arrangement. In fact I have never spoken to or emailed Mr. Plonk before this happened.)

[blind squirrel]

Not sure if this belongs here or in the "Library" section---

In an era when customer service is a four-letter word at many companies I am very happy to report an editor who is not only responsive but proactive about helping people who email the publication with problems.

Two days ago I registered for the blog at Horseplayerdaily.com and waited for the confirming email. It never came. So I emailed the anonymous "comments" rep about the problem and was pleasantly surprised to receive a letter from Editor in Chief Jeremy Plonk the very next morning. Not only did Jeremy promise to look into the situation pronto but he urged me to email him back within a couple of days if I had not heard from the publication.

My hats off to such quick responsiveness.whereas I was on the fence before this incident about subscribing to the magazine, I am now inclined to spend the $40 -- if only to reward someone who is so reader friendly. (Unless some reader tells me here that the circulation problems that used to plauge the magazine -- copies coming so late that customers would receive the Kentucky Derby previiew issue in time for the Preakness, etc. -- are continuing.)

Jeremy Plonk, thank you in advance for solving the problem and your ultra-speedy response.

:ThmbUp:

(Disclaimer: I am in no fashion related to Horseplayer Magazine or Horseplayerdaily.com either personally or in a business arrangement. In fact I have never spoken to or emailed Mr. Plonk before this happened.)


i've been a subscriber since it's inception. i've read many great articles
in HORSEPLAYER,yet i was distressed to see them have QUARTERHORSE'S
on the cover and featured in a recent issue.....that's not what i signed up
for.

one of their best features is to take a "pro's" NOTES,ANALYSIS from the racing form.....then reveal how the race played out.....they are wrong quite
often{like everybody else}.

[Niko]

Their delivery issues have improved...I'm actually receiving the issues before the events take place now. I'm also of the opinion that their content has greatly improved in the last year or two. A couple years earlier I posted on this site that it wasn't worthwhile to subscribe too... I said save your money....now I'd definately recommend the publication. It's a quick read, but I'd rather have that than a lot of fluff. They're listening to their customers and it shows.

Good humor (the nose), handicapping insights and insider insights. A nugget or two in each issue.

[Rico8812]

Pretty good mag, but they only feature tracks that buy advertising with them.

[mudnturf]

Pretty good mag, but they only feature tracks that buy advertising with them.

ANDY : I know Jeremy, and he is "genuine"..... a man of his word who loves this sport and cares about the people with whom he deals.
I'm going to make sure he sees your kind words.

RICO: I'll ask him to comment on your statement which I find hard to believe.

[banacek]

Their delivery issues have improved...I'm actually receiving the issues before the events take place now. I'm also of the opinion that their content has greatly improved in the last year or two.

I quit subscribing three years ago. Almost always the issues arrived after the events. And I thought that there was too much advertising (well I guess too much is never bad for a magazine) and not enough handicapping content. It just seemed like there was only 1 or 2 things that really interested me as a handicapper. Sounds like they have improved. Might have to give them another try.

[andicap]

ANDY : I know Jeremy, and he is "genuine"..... a man of his word who loves this sport and cares about the people with whom he deals.
I'm going to make sure he sees your kind words.

RICO: I'll ask him to comment on your statement which I find hard to believe.

Thanks, Lee

No luck yet. I hope Jeremy can get their IT folk to fix the problem.

I really think I have a shot at the blog contest -- winner gets a column in the magazine.

[mudnturf]

Pretty good mag, but they only feature tracks that buy advertising with them.

Rico: I DID check it out with Jeremy. Here, in essence, is what he said:

"We focus on what readers want. We've had extensive coverage of NYRA for more than a decade but they never once advertised in our magazine.
As far as supporting our advertisers.... we think it makes good business sense to include some coverage of the tracks and companies that are the primary reason this publication is able to exist".

[nomadpat]

i've been a subscriber since it's inception. i've read many great articles
in HORSEPLAYER,yet i was distressed to see them have QUARTERHORSE'S
on the cover and featured in a recent issue.....that's not what i signed up
for.

I appreciate the QH coverage. A few years back they had an article by Randy Moss on making speed figures for QH races. Besides, the QH articles aren't very long so they are easily skipped over if you don't like them :)

[andicap]

Well, I got my blog up and going -- I think it might have been using a hotmail account, so I switched to my regular ISP and it worked fine.

Anyway, I'll post the link once I get a couple of items up there. The contest is a good one and the competition is tough. The judges rate the top blogs every week and if you don't get in there, it's a real blow to the ego.

I'm going to use the space to discuss industry topics and my handicapping ideas of course, but also to chronicle my progress in turning up my game to make it a solid second income. I'm hoping to turn it into an entertaining human interest tale that will get the judges' attention.

[Tom]

Pretty good mag, but they only feature tracks that buy advertising with them.

That is pretty minor leauge. Nothing about Sartoga or Delmar. And thier name, - HorsePLAYER.....really confuisng when you actually look at the content - this is by far, the most disappointing magazine about horseracing ever published. They started out with many well know authors, a lot of handicapping articles, and showed real promise. That faded rather quickly.

I have no doubt many blogs will have far better content than the mag itself.
Good luck Andy.

[aaron]

I e-mailed them about renewing my subscription and I never heard from them.I called the 800 number and left a message,but was never called back.

[Tom]

I e-mailed them about renewing my subscription and I never heard from them.I called the 800 number and left a message,but was never called back.

Same here - they are not cutomer oriented in that repsect. I was virtually ignores several times, then, got one rather rude email telling me tough luck if I didn't see Saratoga covered, becasue they did not advertise, so HP could not be bothered giving them coverage. Gee, I thought HORSEPLAYER magazine was for HORSEPLAYERS, and we bet Saratoga.

[SmartyMarty]

delivery issues are now simply peachy...

too bad the content doesn't address "Horseplayer's" interests..

did not renew..

cuz the mag

stinks ta high heaven...

[JeremyPlonk]

Thanks for the discussion regarding HorsePlayer. I appreciate all the comments (even those 'heavenly scented' blasts above!) and look forward to joining some of the discussions now that I've signed up at Pace Advantage. Great board, folks!

A few quick points about the magazine:

1) We've worked hard to address the timeliness of the magazine, and seems as though we're doing a good job in that arena.

2) Content-wise, we're constantly evolving and trying new things...some work, some don't. But we realize that stagnant, same-old, same-old doesn't cut it. Trying to stay on the edge means sometimes you fall off of it. And sometimes you look like Evel Kneival and leap the canyon and get the girl.

3) As for Saratoga/Del Mar, each were covered in our current issue's Fourplay section, a capsule meet analysis that includes wagering takeouts, horsemen stats to watch, best times to bet the track, etc. It's a feature that has given equal coverage to more than 40 different US tracks since its inception a few years back. Each issue includes 4 tracks - big and small - hence the name, Fourplay. For more than a decade, HorsePlayer did a full-fledged Saratoga/Del Mar spread preview in its summer issue and we felt it was getting a bit stale. We took a chance by eliminating this summer and are currently evaluating responses to see if it should come back in full force next summer. It had nothing to do with advertising as you'll Del Mar purchased a full two-page ad spread in the center of the magazine, and yet was covered in Fourplay the same as Saratoga, who did not advertise, for instance. It was my editorial call...maybe I blew it? Not sure...but I'm big enough to admit it if that's how it shakes out.

4) Your input is valued. I would say that between a third and half of the articles that get printed in the magazine are reader suggestions that we run with and make assignments. We want to be your voice and researchers. Drop me a line anytime editor@horseplayerdaily.com and put us on to a good lead ... maybe you're upset at why something happens at your favorite track, or want to know more about a particular handicapping product/strategy/race meet.

5) Quick note about us - we're a privately owned and operated company that does not have the resources of a major corporation in terms of a customer service director, department, etc. We're horseplayers who make up a small team that prides ourselves in putting out a darned-good publication that has gone more than a dozen years as an idependent product supported only by your subscriptions and loyal advertisers who get bang for their buck. We can't get to every request as fast we like, but when we do, we give it personal care and touch. Just like some of the posters in this forum have found out. We're guys/gals at the track - just like you.

6) Finally...and I'll probably make some people self consicious here. We cycle new and different writers all of the time because, honestly, I've found that some of the 'name' writers in the industry don't have the credentials you might think. We evaluate all the writers and analysts for accuracy, including their picks/observations. Let's just say that I'm 100 percent confident that some of you reading this forum are better handicappers than the big-name folks that have been force fed to players for years. We're looking to develop people like you, not rely on past reputations, while also including the most reputable, successful big-name analysts.

[RXB]

Welcome to the board, Jeremy. I remember watching you do the TV gig at Remington, back in the summer of '97. (I made a fistful of money at RP that year; unfortunately, gave most of it back playing LaD.)

Back in those days, RP was a great track to play. Big fields, good turf course.

[aaron]

Jeremy-
I appreciate your reply,but I do wonder why you didn't address my needs when I was trying to subscribe.
The reason I did not renew my subscription was that you were actually printing articles by John Piesen,who has become a tout. I could understand you accepting his advertising,but to print articles which in essence says that he is an legitimate handicapper made no sense to me.
On the other hand,I did see an article by Brad Thomas and that was the reason I tried to renew my subscription to no avail.I filled out the card you sent me in the mail and never heard from you again.

[SmartyMarty]

Thanks fer finally signin up buddy..

maybe ya can do a piece on internet racin messageboards down the road?..

free lifetime subscription for the advice would be thoughtful..

tink about it..

[JeremyPlonk]

Aaron,

To the best of my recollection, the only thing regarding John Piesen in our magazine was a Match Race interview we did with John and TV 'capper Kurt Hoover - where we group 2 people together and control the questions (ala Durkin/Denman last summer, the NHC/HPWS winners this spring). We do not permit editorial space to people selling selections (other than buying an ad). The questions in that Q&A were all along the lines of "what do you look for," "what's most important to you," "what's an overrated angle..." etc.

As for your subscription renewal/sign-up, my sincere apologies if you were overlooked. We're a very small staff and sometimes things fall in the cracks. We were in the middle of a complete website overhaul - including our emails - this spring and I do know that some of those items got lost in the cyber shuffle. We should have done better to close the gaps.

I agree on Brad Thomas - simply an incredible handicapper. We want to have Brad in as much as possible, but his schedule is very labor-intensive in NJ and doesn't allow it. That's how he stays as good as he is, by working harder than most.

JP