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View Full Version : Great Article, hope some one listens


Jasonm921
06-11-2010, 08:13 AM
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/columns/story?columnist=plonk_jeremy&id=5273504

lamboguy
06-11-2010, 10:37 AM
for years, racetracks have viewed other racetracks as the enemy to the sport. the people that run racetracks only care about their paychecks. if the paychecks are 5 minutes late, they would have whomever is responseble for the tardiness arrested.

the article hit on good points

joanied
06-11-2010, 12:23 PM
Glad this article was posted (I was gonna do it myself)...very good read, and IMO, hits the nail on the head.
Tracks competeing aginst one and other, just like this weekend with the filly/mare races...and it happens weekend after weekend...so why does anyone wonder about the short fields we have (for the most part) in the Graded races...
shipping is easy, everyone picks their spot, and there are generally too many spots to pick from...like the Fleu De Lis, Obeah and Ogden Phipps on the same weekend :bang:
I hope this article brings some discussion amonst the powers that run the major tracks...something needs to be done, the stakes scheduel needs changing...and why can't 'they' see that each of the tracks is actually cutting off their nose to spite their face...if, for example, the above filly/mare races were spaced apart, most of these horses would be in the same race, which would bring in more fans and more handicappers to each track that holds them.
Right?

kenwoodall2
06-11-2010, 04:45 PM
Correct me if I am wromg-The national body is the Graded Stakes Committee, who decides about grading the races AFTER they are set by the local track racing secretary as a stakes race. These races are set up to 1 year ahead.
I believe I have seen articles about MC, clasiming, and stakes; allowances and handicaps are disappearing. Maybe some of tese graded stakes should be handicaps? I mean, stakes can be $50k up. THere are like 430 geaded stakes per year. Weekend features seem to be the bulk of available purse money.
But I am going to suggest that inconsistent running and less races per horse per year may be why some gradeds are small fields.