Beulah, River Downs the next to go...

[ALostTexan]

Looks like Beulah and River Downs will be the next two tracks to fall. Bloodhorse is reporting (http://news.bloodhorse.com/article/46650.htm) that they have both only requested very short QH meets next year. This was my fear all along when the slot Amendment failed in 2006.

I have never been to River Downs, but Beulah is a great little track, and there will be a few that will miss it.

[GlenninOhio]

River Downs is a genuinely beautiful race track, with a very nice turf course to boot.

I'm not saying the plant itself is in the greatest condition, but when you look out at the track from the apron on a summer's day it is very easy on the eyes.

I'm not surprised that from the turn of the century through the 1920's this track was a premier stop on the national racing circuit.

And now they run for a ham sandwich.

Very unfortunate.

[SMOO]

Sad for the local fans, but maybe best trend for the industry as a whole. Less tracks & races, larger & more quality fields are what is needed. Nationwide I've seen way too many 4 & 5 horse fields that are pretty much unbettable.

[NoCal Boy]

Sad for the local fans, but maybe best trend for the industry as a whole. Less tracks & races, larger & more quality fields are what is needed. Nationwide I've seen way too many 4 & 5 horse fields that are pretty much unbettable.

They will race in 2009 if and when the THG group led by the OhIo HBPA head comes to its senses and agrees to send signals for less than the absurd 1/3 of gross.

I do not blame the horsemen for wanting more, but they over shot what is reasonable and now they get 1/3 of zero.

[GlenninOhio]

They will race in 2009 if and when the THG group led by the OhIo HBPA head comes to its senses and agrees to send signals for less than the absurd 1/3 of gross.

I do not blame the horsemen for wanting more, but they over shot what is reasonable and now they get 1/3 of zero.

You seem very well versed on this subject so I tread carefully when I ask the following question:

Wasn't the 1/3 of gross exactly what Ellis Park/Ron Geary agreed to with the horsemen in resolving their dispute, and isn't Geary now applauding this agreement as contributing to the financial success of his meet so far?

[Zman179]

...and isn't Geary now applauding this agreement as contributing to the financial success of his meet so far?

Would you kindly provide a link to his statements?

[1GCFAN]

Heard this was going to happen. BEU had a tough winter with many cancellations of live racing. I have heard a similar winter would make it too hard financially to continue. Looks like they are not going to chance it.

There is hope that someday Ohio voters will allow slots. A recent survey showed a casino in SW Ohio is being supported by Ohio voters by a 60-40 margin. This is a complete turnaround of last years and previous years votes for casinos or racinos. Voters are also showing they would be in favor of additional casinos. These tracks hope they can land a racino in a year or two. It's still early and the voters may change their mind but with a near record unemployment rate the tax money has to come from somewhere.

IMO slots are just a band aid. Ohio TB racing is pretty much doomed.

[gemcity39]

River is, or at least was, a very nice track. Great turf course, Cradle stakes winner Spend a Buck won the Ky. Derby, and many nice horses have come thru there over the years, but with purses going down, and a new casino set for a vote in Nov. that has NO racing involved, the gambling dollars in Ohio wil be dried up.

Beulah has also slipped, they had a decent turf course for years,then let it go, a nice clubhouse,great food, then it has just gone down as well. The many cancelled cards this winter certainly did not help either.

[Marlin]

IMO slots are just a band aid. Ohio TB racing is pretty much doomed.Were slots just a band aid at Mountaineer? Or have you forgot about the $1,100 purses at Waterford Park? Have you gone to Mountaineer and seen the 80% Ohio license plates in the lot?

[1GCFAN]

Were slots just a band aid at Mountaineer? Or have you forgot about the $1,100 purses at Waterford Park? Have you gone to Mountaineer and seen the 80% Ohio license plates in the lot?

I remember the $1200 purses at Waterford. The MTR has done great with slots and Ohio money. I went over for last years WVA Derby.

IMO the slot traffic will dry up as more and more states approve casinos and the baby boomers move on to that great casino in the sky. With todays generation working service jobs there isn't much left for any gambling.

[Marlin]

IMO the slot traffic will dry up as more and more states approve casinos and the baby boomers move on to that great casino in the sky. With todays generation working service jobs there isn't much left for any gambling.No question. I do not think all three tracks will survive much longer regardless. However, Ohio at one time had a significant competitive advantage over West Virginia. On a level field I have no doubt Ohio racing would succeed at one venue. Probably Thistledown. They have a superior racing surface, a significantly better backside, and a decent on track attendence. I imagine Beulah is in deep water. I cannot really offer an opinion of River Downs. But with their proximity to Kentucky...........

However, if my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle. A lot of ifs here.

[rastajenk]

What if the commission doesn't grant their requests? Does anyone think they'll just shutter the places and quit? And lose that easy simulcast revenue? I don't know how this will play out any more than anyone else, but I predict something other than gloom and doom.

And I don't think the proposal for the Wilmington casino has a chance. The last effort at expanded gaming polled well, too, but it went down badly. This one is being pushed by an out-of-state group, and there's no reason for residents of Cleveland, Youngstown, Toledo, and much of the rest of the state to back a single facility not near them.

[ALostTexan]

What if the commission doesn't grant their requests? Does anyone think they'll just shutter the places and quit? And lose that easy simulcast revenue? I don't know how this will play out any more than anyone else, but I predict something other than gloom and doom.

And I don't think the proposal for the Wilmington casino has a chance. The last effort at expanded gaming polled well, too, but it went down badly. This one is being pushed by an out-of-state group, and there's no reason for residents of Cleveland, Youngstown, Toledo, and much of the rest of the state to back a single facility not near them.

This was the major problem with the Amendment in 2006. The people of Columbus and Cincinnati were pissed that the Amendment only allowed "the tracks and two casinos in Cleveland to have slots", and even though Columbus would have had two casinos (at the tracks) and Cincinnati would have had one (at the track) the residents of those two towns cut off their noses to spite their faces.

There was a ton of money spent on the last campaign, and we worked our asses off to get the slots approved. This time, though, I cannot say I support the casino idea without the track involvement, although that is just a selfish stance as a racing fan. It doesn't really matter, either, as I am no longer an Ohio resident. I did feel that the '06 Amendment would have benefitted the state a great deal in the way it was worded, a stance I honestly stand behind.

[JustRalph]

The new casino is being pushed hard to replace the jobs in the article below.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080819/BIZ01/308190097

[Shenanigans]

There's a rumor that Magna has sold Thistledown in Cleveland. Anyone hear anything about that?

[GlenninOhio]

Would you kindly provide a link to his statements?

Since this is an Ellis Park press release, I don't think there is an issue with posting the entire article rather than linking and excerpting.

I took the liberty of bolding the most relevant material.


Friday, August 08, 2008

Ellis Park to Increase Purses for the Remainder of Live Meet

Henderson, Ky—Due to the continued strength in Ellis Park’s racing signal throughout the country as well as a solid live race meet, Ellis Park will increase purses by 5% (with the exception of previously announced stakes races). This purse increase will take effect Wednesday, August 13, 2008 and will continue through the remainder of the live race meet which ends Monday, September 1 (Labor Day). This increase will be added to the purses stated in the current condition book.

This purse increase is the direct result of a new contract between Ellis Park and the Kentucky Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association [KHBPA] whereby approximately 6% of advance deposit wagering [ADW] commissions go into purse funds in hopes of a purse increase mid-season. “We are very excited about the partnership we have with the KHBPA. We hope our agreement with the KHBPA will positively impact the entire thoroughbred racing industry.” said Ron Geary, owner of Ellis Park. “The innovative agreement Ellis Park leadership reached with KHBPA has allowed us to not only keep our doors open, but to buck an industry trend of declining purses.”

Poor economy and ADW blockage across the country have resulted in many tracks cutting purses. Del Mar Thoroughbred Club (Del Mar, CA) reported a 3.5% purse cut this season—its first purse cut in nearly thirty years. River Downs (Cincinnati, OH) reported a 15% purse cut, while Churchill Downs (Louisville, KY) reported a 20% purse cut in May. Laurel Park (Laurel, MD) has also reported that it will see significant purse cuts in the near future. Ellis Park is one of the only thoroughbred racetracks to see a purse increase during their 2008 live race meet.

[CincyHorseplayer]

Whoever said what a nice track River Downs is,is correct.It's a semi rural setting and overlooks the hills of Kentucky,plus as aforementioned it has a nice turf course,but they run too few races on it and promote too many statebred races over it also.Which is one of many problems it has.That it runs it's meet in the spring and summer,in a fairly large midwestern city,is 10 minutes from downtown Cincinnati and right next to the 3rd largest pool in the world and Cincy's top outdoor entertainment complex,they should do a whole lot better,but they don't.Indiana Downs and their slot fueled purses are stealing horses from the programs and Indiana casinos in general steal dollars away from Turfway's winter-spring meets also.KY and OH are sleeping on 21st century progress and I hope it's not too late.Being a horseplayer in the Cincinnati/tristate area is great because there is 10 months of live racing a year between River Downs/Turfway.And in knowing the Ohio circuit well I bet a lot on Beulah and Thistledown as well.It's a year round form of entertainment for me.I love it and it's profitable as well.With a decent state breeding program and it's proximity to KY I just can't see Ohio racing going away.Would be a sad day for this kid if it did.

[Murph]

There is no thoroughbred racing in Indiana in Dec, Jan, Feb. and Mar. Turfway is a destination for Indiana based runners in the winter.

In my experience, many of the past OH shippers were daily ship ins and not stabled on the grounds. The advent of casino enhanced purses will likely draw additional Ohio connections, I'll need to wait until the first casino meeting is run at Hoosier Park to give my opinions on what effect they will have on the fields there.

Live thoroughbred racing at Hoosier Park begins Friday Aug. 29th with a 12:45pm post time. Post times for Fri. Sat. and Sun. are changed from 6:45pm to 12:45pm for the duration of the meeting. Wed. and Thur. post times will stay as before with evening racing beginning at 6:45pm.


Whoever said what a nice track River Downs is,is correct.It's a semi rural setting and overlooks the hills of Kentucky,plus as aforementioned it has a nice turf course,but they run too few races on it and promote too many statebred races over it also.Which is one of many problems it has.That it runs it's meet in the spring and summer,in a fairly large midwestern city,is 10 minutes from downtown Cincinnati and right next to the 3rd largest pool in the world and Cincy's top outdoor entertainment complex,they should do a whole lot better,but they don't.Indiana Downs and their slot fueled purses are stealing horses from the programs and Indiana casinos in general steal dollars away from Turfway's winter-spring meets also.KY and OH are sleeping on 21st century progress and I hope it's not too late.Being a horseplayer in the Cincinnati/tristate area is great because there is 10 months of live racing a year between River Downs/Turfway.And in knowing the Ohio circuit well I bet a lot on Beulah and Thistledown as well.It's a year round form of entertainment for me.I love it and it's profitable as well.With a decent state breeding program and it's proximity to KY I just can't see Ohio racing going away.Would be a sad day for this kid if it did.

[Marlin]

There's a rumor that Magna has sold Thistledown in Cleveland. Anyone hear anything about that?It is sold. However, there are due diligence issues that need to be overcome.

[1GCFAN]

I have read that the Wilmington casino has the support of nearly all the elected officials in the town and county as they see it as an opportunity to replace the lost DSL jobs.

Last years initiative had very little political support especially here in Central Ohio where the very influential Columbus Dispatch continually pounded out messages about the evils additional gambling and how it would corrupt society while lining the pockets of greedy track owners.

[uncbossfan]

I live 5 minutes from RD and will be crushed if this is true. I have been going there every summer for as long as I can remember. My parents would take me their every yr for my birthday, and eventually I got hooked to the sport.

The quality of racing has dropped off quite a bit though. 8 horses is a vry large field there. They scratch too many of their races off the turf, and haven't had a well known horse run in their signature race - The Cradle Stakes since Bellamy Road a couple yrs ago.

That being said, I still love it. You can tailgate in the parking lot that bumps up against the track, DRF's are only $3.50, they have a great little tiki bar by the paddock, and it runs all summer long!

Hopefully they will stop running on Tuesdays (ghostown) or just shorten their meet up, but I for one would lose some interest in this sport if I couldn't go to RD every weekend...

[CincyHorseplayer]

There is no thoroughbred racing in Indiana in Dec, Jan, Feb. and Mar. Turfway is a destination for Indiana based runners in the winter.

In my experience, many of the past OH shippers were daily ship ins and not stabled on the grounds. The advent of casino enhanced purses will likely draw additional Ohio connections, I'll need to wait until the first casino meeting is run at Hoosier Park to give my opinions on what effect they will have on the fields there.

Live thoroughbred racing at Hoosier Park begins Friday Aug. 29th with a 12:45pm post time. Post times for Fri. Sat. and Sun. are changed from 6:45pm to 12:45pm for the duration of the meeting. Wed. and Thur. post times will stay as before with evening racing beginning at 6:45pm.


Murph I know Indiana doesn't run in the winter but I know a lot of people that would rather go to Argosy or Grand Victoria than Turfway in January.I still go in the winter because I can't stand being cooped up at the house or looking at a tv screen watching races if I don't have to.I get big odds from two things at Turway during the winter-one,watching warmups;I regularly get longshots simply by betting the most vigorously warmed up horses,they outrun their odds consistently during the winter.Two,the casual notion that synthetic surfaces cater to closers gives up great odds when speed is dominating.I was killing Turfway last season when I found Hoosier Park horses who could get 21.4 to 22.3 in a quarter mile as long as they weren't stone cold quitters.Check it out.

[rastajenk]

At today's commission meeting, the topic of dates was tabled for a couple months. A cooling off period, another round of negotiations, call it what you want, but I think the scene will look different in October than it did yesterday. :ThmbUp: