rwwupl
05-07-2009, 12:47 AM
Until the racing managers address the public perception that racing has a lack of integrity, our game will continue to slide.
There are many issues, but the one I will talk about here is the constant offering of short fields with multiple trainers in California.
Here is a race at Hollywood Thursday--
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2nd Race - Hollywood Park - Thursday, May 7th, 2009
ALLOWANCE OPTIONAL CLAIMING. 1 1/8 Mile Turf. Purse $58,000. FOR FILLIES AND MARES THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD WHICH HAVE NEVER WON $10,000 THREE TIMES OTHER THAN MAIDEN, CLAIMING OR STARTER OR WHICH HAVE NEVER WON FOUR RACES OR CLAIMING PRICE $80,000. Three Year Olds, 117 lbs.; Older, 124 lbs. Non-winners Of Two Races Other Than Claiming Or Starter At A Mile Or Over Since September 1 Allowed 2 lbs. One such race in 2009 Allowed 4 lbs. (Rail at 20 feet). (01:32 PM) (5)
Wager Types: $1 Exacta / $2 Quinella / $2 Parlay $2 Double / $1 Pick 3
Handicapper's Selections: 2,3,1
# Horse Odds Jockey Wgt A/S M/E Trainer
1 Persian Express (KY) 5/1 Martin Garcia 120 6 M L James M. Cassidy
2 Ainamaa (KY) 6/5 Mike E. Smith 120 5 M L Ben D. A. Cecil
3 Cat By The Tale (KY) 7/5 Rafael Bejarano 122 4 F L Neil D. Drysdale
4 Sky Mystic (KY) 10/1 Joseph Talamo 120 4 F L Neil D. Drysdale
5 Raymi Coya (ON) 6/1 Joel Rosario 120 4 F L Ben D. A. Cecil
Owners: 1 - Don Van Racing, Inc.; 2 - Camptown Stable, Featherston, Roger and Miller, Tom and Lynn; 3 - Raymond Keogh; 4 - Heerensperger, David and Jill; 5 - Claudio Pizarro
Breeders: 1 - Kingswood Farm; 2 - Shadwell Farm, LLC; 3 - T. F. VanMeter, Doug Hendrickson &Michael Lowenbaum; 4 - Gaines-Gentry Thoroughbreds; 5 - Anderson Farms Ont. Inc. &Marrette Farrell
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5 horses with two uncoupled "entries". Every Owner get an automatic check for participating.
The public views this as a license for the horsemen to do anything they so chose, and they are probably right.
They are giving away $58,000 in purse money,mostly from the fans take out.
Is this race really necessary? For who? It is not for the fans. The fans hate this kind of race. This race does not help attendence or handle.
It gives the impression that the horsemen could plan over coffee and practice with some and run for the purse with others. The horsemens Grandma could bet the one who is not practicing today .
Don't look for the Stewards to protect the bettors,they can't prove anything.
Why do we race? It is not for the connections and not for the race track. We race (I think) to attract the guys and gals in the grandstand and their pari-mutuel dollar to bet on the horses, not what the trainers have in mind.
WE can't attract anyone with races like this.
The rookie horseplayer will say ,Oh, thats swell fewer horses make it easier to pick the winners. They will learn that nothing is further from the truth.
What are the regulators doing about it? ---Nothing, even though it is their primary mission in California to protect the interests of the bettor.
Don't tell me that there are no horses. Other places have horses. Synthetics were supposed to attract horses and fans. Ha ha, tell me another one. Horses do not evaporate, they just go where there is a better venue, so do fans.
Until the managers address the issue (integrity and public perception) and put on programs that the fans want to see, California racing will continue to slide.
That is this horse players opinion.
There are many issues, but the one I will talk about here is the constant offering of short fields with multiple trainers in California.
Here is a race at Hollywood Thursday--
-----------------------------------------------------------------
2nd Race - Hollywood Park - Thursday, May 7th, 2009
ALLOWANCE OPTIONAL CLAIMING. 1 1/8 Mile Turf. Purse $58,000. FOR FILLIES AND MARES THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD WHICH HAVE NEVER WON $10,000 THREE TIMES OTHER THAN MAIDEN, CLAIMING OR STARTER OR WHICH HAVE NEVER WON FOUR RACES OR CLAIMING PRICE $80,000. Three Year Olds, 117 lbs.; Older, 124 lbs. Non-winners Of Two Races Other Than Claiming Or Starter At A Mile Or Over Since September 1 Allowed 2 lbs. One such race in 2009 Allowed 4 lbs. (Rail at 20 feet). (01:32 PM) (5)
Wager Types: $1 Exacta / $2 Quinella / $2 Parlay $2 Double / $1 Pick 3
Handicapper's Selections: 2,3,1
# Horse Odds Jockey Wgt A/S M/E Trainer
1 Persian Express (KY) 5/1 Martin Garcia 120 6 M L James M. Cassidy
2 Ainamaa (KY) 6/5 Mike E. Smith 120 5 M L Ben D. A. Cecil
3 Cat By The Tale (KY) 7/5 Rafael Bejarano 122 4 F L Neil D. Drysdale
4 Sky Mystic (KY) 10/1 Joseph Talamo 120 4 F L Neil D. Drysdale
5 Raymi Coya (ON) 6/1 Joel Rosario 120 4 F L Ben D. A. Cecil
Owners: 1 - Don Van Racing, Inc.; 2 - Camptown Stable, Featherston, Roger and Miller, Tom and Lynn; 3 - Raymond Keogh; 4 - Heerensperger, David and Jill; 5 - Claudio Pizarro
Breeders: 1 - Kingswood Farm; 2 - Shadwell Farm, LLC; 3 - T. F. VanMeter, Doug Hendrickson &Michael Lowenbaum; 4 - Gaines-Gentry Thoroughbreds; 5 - Anderson Farms Ont. Inc. &Marrette Farrell
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 horses with two uncoupled "entries". Every Owner get an automatic check for participating.
The public views this as a license for the horsemen to do anything they so chose, and they are probably right.
They are giving away $58,000 in purse money,mostly from the fans take out.
Is this race really necessary? For who? It is not for the fans. The fans hate this kind of race. This race does not help attendence or handle.
It gives the impression that the horsemen could plan over coffee and practice with some and run for the purse with others. The horsemens Grandma could bet the one who is not practicing today .
Don't look for the Stewards to protect the bettors,they can't prove anything.
Why do we race? It is not for the connections and not for the race track. We race (I think) to attract the guys and gals in the grandstand and their pari-mutuel dollar to bet on the horses, not what the trainers have in mind.
WE can't attract anyone with races like this.
The rookie horseplayer will say ,Oh, thats swell fewer horses make it easier to pick the winners. They will learn that nothing is further from the truth.
What are the regulators doing about it? ---Nothing, even though it is their primary mission in California to protect the interests of the bettor.
Don't tell me that there are no horses. Other places have horses. Synthetics were supposed to attract horses and fans. Ha ha, tell me another one. Horses do not evaporate, they just go where there is a better venue, so do fans.
Until the managers address the issue (integrity and public perception) and put on programs that the fans want to see, California racing will continue to slide.
That is this horse players opinion.