How badly dpes TBred racing need a TC winner?

[kenwoodallpromos]

How badly does racing need as horse to win the TC?

[KMS]

How badly does racing need as horse to win the TC?

it would be great for the sport's visibility to have a TC winner (without any breakdowns in the races). That said, racing has plenty of problems that a Triple Crown horse won't fix.

[GameTheory]

I don't think a TC winner would do much of anything except create a (very) short-term burst of exposure. What would be good for the game was a TC winner or any major champion horse that KEPT RACING and KEPT WINNING. It seems like Cigar with his big win streak was the biggest attention-getter I can remember since I've been involved with horse racing. Or maybe it just seemed like it because I was in SoCal at the time and went to some of those races.

The book and movie of Seabiscuit created more interest than anything that happened in the actual sport itself in recent times. But then that wore off...

[JustRalph]

I don't think a TC winner would do much of anything except create a (very) short-term burst of exposure. What would be good for the game was a TC winner or any major champion horse that KEPT RACING and KEPT WINNING. It seems like Cigar with his big win streak was the biggest attention-getter I can remember since I've been involved with horse racing. Or maybe it just seemed like it because I was in SoCal at the time and went to some of those races.

The book and movie of Seabiscuit created more interest than anything that happened in the actual sport itself in recent times. But then that wore off...


I think the way things went today, there may well be just as much coverage.

[Sailwolf]

How badly does racing need as horse to win the TC?


Not that much. short lived if at all. I want a TC winner from a small stable who managed to be in the right place at the right time.

[alhattab]

How badly does racing need as horse to win the TC?

I think a TC winner as "savior" is the most overrated concept. Every article you read, especially in mainstream press, talks about how important it would be for the game. In my view, as others have said, it would mean very little. Nothing can mask the fundamental and structural weaknesses of the sport- too costly to play, generally infrastructure that hasn't been updated to compete in the entertainment marketplace today, bad customer service, weak management. Racing has had its chances just with all the press a potential winner gets, and with Seabiscuit, and has not capitalized one iota.

Yesterday Belmont Park resembled a Mumbai slum, except most of the inhabitants were Anglo. Every bathroom in the grandstand was locked due to a water shortage, and the floor of the grandstand was wet with an unknown substance. It was inexcusable and a black eye, and I can't imagine why anyone would think going to the racetrack is a fun and pleasant experience after yesterday's fiasco.

Everyone seemed to bitch and moan about Monmouth Park's BC. My view was that they did an excellent job despite some very trying conditions. Belmont, which always ballyhoos itself as being able to handle anything due to its size, fell way short of the mark (save for ease of betting- important to me but not many of yesterday's throng).

[hibiscus]

The rumor that I heard from an insider is that the bathroom issue was due to sabotage from the maintenance workers union. Apparently the union and track management were in a dispute and the union pulled a stunt with the plumbing. Don’t know if there’s any truth to this whatsoever but if it’s true then you can’t really blame the track for the issue. Blame the blue collar morons that screwed the innocent patrons to try to extort whatever it is that they want out of management. Yet another example of why unions have killed this country. If true would love to see NYRA break the union and send them all to the unemployment lines. I hope the person who did the deed winds up living in a refrigerator box.

[Tom Barrister]

What racing needs is management who will get their head out of the sand, come out of the 1960's and into this millenium, and deal with the world as it is today. People have many more options for their recreational time, disposable income, and gambling dollars than they did 40 years ago, but you wouldn't know it from the way most of racing officials operate.

[Bruddah]

want a Triple Crown winner. They want it for ratings and a quick fix in their revenue streams. so much so, they hype phoney stories and create tear jerk journalism. But, that's their jobs.

Me? I want a "REAL" Triple Crown Champion. One deserving of the Honor. None of this hype crap. I want it done on the track, against legitimate competition, in Class I time(s) at the Classic distances and time intervals. Thank Goodness the Racing Gods stepped in and prevented the Crowning of an unworthy recepient yesterday. (JMHO)

I am Bruddah and I endorse this view of a Triple Crown winner. ;) :D

[dartman51]

want a Triple Crown winner. They want it for ratings and a quick fix in their revenue streams. so much so, they hype phoney stories and create tear jerk journalism. But, that's their jobs.

Me? I want a "REAL" Triple Crown Champion. One deserving of the Honor. None of this hype crap. I want it done on the track, against legitimate competition, in Class I time(s) at the Classic distances and time intervals. Thank Goodness the Racing Gods stepped in and prevented the Crowning of an unworthy recepient yesterday. (JMHO)

I am Bruddah and I endorse this view of a Triple Crown winner. ;) :D

Oh, and let's not forget the TOOTH FAIRY, EASTER BUNNY, FAIRY GODMOTHER and SANTA CLAUSE.

[BUD]

My DRF cost what 5 bucks?...It doesn't make it to the store consistently.....Information is very hard to come by....Well very expensive.......

So as A newbie do I want to spend all this money just to get involved a bit....Never mind if I wanted to attempt to get "good" at it....Magazine subscriptions for well over 100 bucks.....PP's at an un godly price for a guy just starting out.....My first wagering site charged a freekin quarter every time I wagered...OK...I stink as it is I'm just trying the water and I get nothing but fleeced.....Everywhere you turn its more money for this and for that....Forget about going broke being a lousy handicapper....You go broke just attempting to learn this game.......
The only reason I made it this far is I am a young guy who got disabled on the job...So I have all the time in the world and did not have any real thing challenging to occupy my mind and time....

My take being a newbie is the sport does do everything in its power not to grow....If you want it to grow make it interesting and accessible for newbies to learn.....

I was also blessed in having a person or two take and interest and help me along in the learning process....

Its not Gospel just my take...

[tribecaagent]

Not that much. short lived if at all. I want a TC winner from a small stable who managed to be in the right place at the right time.

I'm with you, Sailwolf. I want to see a great story as well as a great horse.

How great a story would it have been if Smooth Air was a possible Triple Crown winner?

I realize its the horse that does the winning, but this group (Big Brown's) was hard to root for. I'm wondering if that's the reason why there was only 95k in attendance...Smarty Jones drew 125k+.

[alhattab]

Smarty Jones drew 120k. My own view as to why the decline are 1) the heat, 2) banning carry-in alcohol and 3) absence of busloads of Philly fans who were really behind Smarty.

[ghostyapper]

Smarty Jones drew 120k. My own view as to why the decline are 1) the heat, 2) banning carry-in alcohol and 3) absence of busloads of Philly fans who were really behind Smarty.

The state of the economy is more a cause than the busload of philly fans. Remember even funny cide drew over 100 on a miserable rainy day.

[alhattab]

The state of the economy is more a cause than the busload of philly fans. Remember even funny cide drew over 100 on a miserable rainy day.

Yeah maybe. I think the carry-in policy has the biggest effect on the raw attendance figs. No big deal- as much as I'd like to bring my own, on a day like Saturday we're better off without those people because they just take up space and don't bet.