Message to NYRA

[MickJ26]

Message to NYRA:

Horse racing's rock star is likely making his last appearance in New York.
I'm referring to Curlin.
Wallpaper Manhattan with billboards, radio and TV media blitz.
You have three more weeks to promote the hell out of it.
Make it a special day.
After he wins, next October inaugurate "The Curlin Handicap".

[samyn on the green]

They promoted the heck out of Curlin up at Saratoga. They splurged on radio ads, made a Curlin website (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nyra.com%2FCurlin%2FCurlinCor ner.htm&ei=l1_ASIjkIZT6MrCrxWo&usg=AFQjCNFITU8C9Uns-6UN-Kzaelz6CXvqLw&sig2=gm4M0AxfZnGinuRcePFhPw) and they could not increase attendance. The masses just do not care (http://http://gregcalabrese.blogspot.com/2008/09/curlin-not-big-draw-for-masses.html) about a horse who was not in the triple crown hunt this year. More people showed up on Saturday the 09AUG at the Spa when there was not one Graded or Listed stakes race than for Curlins Woodward. Both days had fair weather. Curlin may draw a few hardcore fans but not enough numbers to justify a media blitz as these hardcore fans do not need to be cajoled to attend anyway.

[Indulto]

Message to NYRA:

Horse racing's rock star is likely making his last appearance in New York.
I'm referring to Curlin.
Wallpaper Manhattan with billboards, radio and TV media blitz.
You have three more weeks to promote the hell out of it.
Make it a special day.
After he wins, next October inaugurate "The Curlin Handicap".M6,
By himself, Curlin is not a draw in New York. Maybe because he has part-owners who are under indictment -- who knows. IMO NYRA should not open its promotion purse strings until they know who his competition will be.

Thie JCGC could be a tremendous race if enough Travers survivers show up. Throw in some HOTY hopefuls from synthetic venues (if Colonel John could do it, why not others?) and it could be the race of the year even without BB.

With a large, competitive field, a supporting undercard like the Travers had, and good weather, attendance should be signficant. Building up Curlin for this race could backfire if he loses like BB did after all the hype.

[OTM Al]

Building up for a horse this far out from a race is a very dangerous. All it takes is for the horse to catch cold a few days out and its over. You can promote the fact that the Yankees will be playing at home on the 19th becuase someone will be wearing the uniform, but you can't guarantee that Derek Jeter will play and that's exactly what you think they should do.

I'll be there. It'll be my 4th time to see him. But even if they spend $1 million on promos, 20,000 would be an unbelievable crowd. Just isn't worth it. People who follow racing know he's going to be there. They are advertising on sports radio. They really shouldn't do more.

[johnav]

MTH has been promoting Big Brown like Crazy, for 9/13, and are giving a Tee sHirt away as well, and they only expect 15,000 to show max!

[MickJ26]

You all bring up valid points. Perhaps it's a bit naive of me to think that people still go to the racetrack for the sporting aspect of it. Unfortunately most people perceive it as straight up gambling instead of a beautiful, majestic athlete.

[sandpit]

You all bring up valid points. Perhaps it's a bit naive of me to think that people still go to the racetrack for the sporting aspect of it. Unfortunately most people perceive it as straight up gambling instead of a beautiful, majestic athlete.

Only the super-cynical believe that there is no one interested in the sporting aspect. Just a few short years ago thousands of folks showed up at a hole in the wall track in Pennsylvania to see Smarty Jones in a WORKOUT...and when Lost in the Fog got what would be his final victory at Churchill Downs, there were an extra 3-4,000 fans there just to see him.
The synergy has to be just right for people to embrace a horse, and for whatever reason, Curlin doesn't have it.

[OTM Al]

The problem with Curlin was that he won the wrong race. No one cares about the Preakness if you didn't win the Derby in the general public. BB has a little more interest, but since his connections weren't "saying the right things" in the sports speak venacular, he doesn't have the following that he could have had. He doesn't have that human interest element to attract the casual fan. Both trainers have been shown to have drug violations and both owners have been shown to be questionable in the morals department (refering to Curlin's minority owners more here than Jackson). No warm fuzzy success story here to pull people in that normally wouldn't come.

[Indulto]

The problem with Curlin was that he won the wrong race. No one cares about the Preakness if you didn't win the Derby in the general public. BB has a little more interest, but since his connections weren't "saying the right things" in the sports speak venacular, he doesn't have the following that he could have had. He doesn't have that human interest element to attract the casual fan. Both trainers have been shown to have drug violations and both owners have been shown to be questionable in the morals department (refering to Curlin's minority owners more here than Jackson). No warm fuzzy success story here to pull people in that normally wouldn't come.Few fuzzies are warmer than the Smarty Jones story. Think of all the young kids from back then that will beome racing fans later because of him.

IMO a lot of BB's charisma comes from his back-to-back G! victories from the outside post position. His connections didn't become a big factor until the Belmont debacle. I doubt if so many would be critical of his Haskell if he had finished competitively in the Belmont. That race could be a better one than Curlin's Woodward. If so, his connections could be blowing an opportunity big-time. BB could go out as HOTY with a flourish by winning the JCGC.

[MickJ26]

Only the super-cynical believe that there is no one interested in the sporting aspect. Just a few short years ago thousands of folks showed up at a hole in the wall track in Pennsylvania to see Smarty Jones in a WORKOUT...and when Lost in the Fog got what would be his final victory at Churchill Downs, there were an extra 3-4,000 fans there just to see him.
The synergy has to be just right for people to embrace a horse, and for whatever reason, Curlin doesn't have it.


What would be the motivation for owners to bring champion horses back to the track if they're going to be met with public apathy? Where are the 150,000 or so who show up on Derby Day the rest of the year? Or the 50,000 or so who show up on Belmont Stakes Day? Sadly, probably more people show up at Pimlico on Preakness Day than every other racing day in the state of Maryland combined.

[OTM Al]

Those numbers aren't a great yardstick beacause a lot of people in the crowd show up to get drunk, not for the race. Lets talk 30-40,000 being outstanding crowd sizes if we want to be reasonable

[the little guy]

What would be the motivation for owners to bring champion horses back to the track if they're going to be met with public apathy?


Off the top of my head.....money and the enjoyment of watching their racehorses run.