Santa Anita can't fill cards

[Southieboy]

The races for Friday, January 14th will be drawn Wednesday, January 12th. Please refer to the Condition Book for races. All races are light. If they are still light by Wednesday, the card will be cancelled.

[Roy C]

So enter some horses and quit complaining

[Horseplayersbet.com]

The bigger purses must be intimidating a lot of the horsemen.

[macguy]

They should raise the takeout.

[cj]

Cancellations first, next will be purse cuts, then days cut.

[rrpic6]

Cancellations first, next will be purse cuts, then days cut.

I've e-mailed Ric Hammerle numerous times this past week, asking him how soon will the purses be cut and days cancelled. No response. Maybe he'll come up with a 25 cent pick 4 to stop the bleeding.

RR

[andymays]

YouTube - Sonny & Cher The Beat Goes On

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umrp1tIBY8Q

[gm10]

I am incredibly bored with SA right now. Mediocre, small fields in races that suit front runners. I prefer TUP then.

[jelly]

I've e-mailed Ric Hammerle numerous times this past week, asking him how soon will the purses be cut and days cancelled. No response. Maybe he'll come up with a 25 cent pick 4 to stop the bleeding.

RR



According to little Ricky Hammerle every thing is OK!

[cj]

I've e-mailed Ric Hammerle numerous times this past week, asking him how soon will the purses be cut and days cancelled. No response. Maybe he'll come up with a 25 cent pick 4 to stop the bleeding.

RR

I'll be the first to admit I don't particularly care for synthetic surfaces, but it was not the main problem in SoCal. Racing sucked there before synthetics, it sucked during synthetics, and it sucks after synthetics. They should have just left the surface and used that money to enhance purses, though that isn't working either.

Perhaps eventually they will figure out what the real problems are and stop solving problems that don't exist.

[gm10]

I'll be the first to admit I don't particularly care for synthetic surfaces, but it was not the main problem in SoCal. Racing sucked there before synthetics, it sucked during synthetics, and it sucks after synthetics. They should have just left the surface and used that money to enhance purses, though that isn't working either.

Perhaps eventually they will figure out what the real problems are and stop solving problems that don't exist.

One good thing about synthetics is that they make cheap races more exciting to watch, because horses can actually come from the back. SA indeed sucks right now.

[Horseplayersbet.com]

I'm thinking the lack of entries must have something to do with the snowstorm on the East coast.

[andymays]

California racing was all about the carryover. If I remember right in 2009 they had close to a 50% carryover rate.

I hear Fabulous Frank is due in town soon. I vunder vhat he's going to say.

[cj]

One good thing about synthetics is that they make cheap races more exciting to watch, because horses can actually come from the back. SA indeed sucks right now.

Honestly, and I'm not being a smartass, as a bettor how "exciting" a race is means nothing to me.

[Stillriledup]

They should raise the takeout.

ELEMENTARY MY DEAR WATSON!

- Sherlock Holmes.

[gm10]

Honestly, and I'm not being a smartass, as a bettor how "exciting" a race is means nothing to me.

I mainly meant exciting as a bettor. Speaking from my own perspective, I honestly don't see much value in backing pace horses.

[DJofSD]

What's a pace horse?

[thaskalos]

I am incredibly bored with SA right now. Mediocre, small fields in races that suit front runners. I prefer TUP then.Bet the Mike Chambers starters...61% winners overall. :)

[gm10]

What's a pace horse?

A horse with abundant early speed, which usually wins his races on the lead.

[cj]

I mainly meant exciting as a bettor. Speaking from my own perspective, I honestly don't see much value in backing pace horses.

I don't see how that has anything to do with a race being exciting.

[gm10]

Bet the Mike Chambers starters...61% winners overall. :)

I prefer the late closers ridden by Landeros ;)

[gm10]

I don't see how that has anything to do with a race being exciting.

These things are subjective, I guess.

[cj]

These things are subjective, I guess.

I don't get what pace horses had to do with anything. I hardly bet all pace horses, or even mostly pace horses. I bet plenty of others, and don't care if they win in an "exciting" finish or by 10, or lose a close one or by 10. That was my only point. "Exciting" certainly hasn't helped handle.

[Pell Mell]

Maybe they should pay a bonus to PA bred horses.:D

[The Hawk]

Perhaps eventually they will figure out what the real problems are and stop solving problems that don't exist.

The problem is there's too much racing, even at four days a week.

[gm10]

I don't get what pace horses had to do with anything. I hardly bet all pace horses, or even mostly pace horses. I bet plenty of others, and don't care if they win in an "exciting" finish or by 10, or lose a close one or by 10. That was my only point. "Exciting" certainly hasn't helped handle.

To clarify and, again, speaking from my own perspective, I find that there is more to analyze, and more value to be had, on surfaces where late runners have a fair chance, rather than having to rely on a pace meltdown which is NOT a very predictable scenario imo. Esthetically, I usually find a horse more majestic when it shows superiority at the end of a race even when I haven't had a bet. A personal preference - still allowed, right?

[gm10]

The problem is there's too much racing, even at four days a week.

Making people want to go to the races would be a start. If the audience doesn't want to go 4 days a week anymore, it'll soon not want to go 3 days a week either.

[classhandicapper]

It's a dying sport with preposterously poor economics for everyone involved in an environment where people don't have as much money to throw around.

[cj]

To clarify and, again, speaking from my own perspective, I find that there is more to analyze, and more value to be had, on surfaces where late runners have a fair chance, rather than having to rely on a pace meltdown which is NOT a very predictable scenario imo. Esthetically, I usually find a horse more majestic when it shows superiority at the end of a race even when I haven't had a bet. A personal preference - still allowed, right?

That is fine, I just didn't get it.

[thaskalos]

Esthetically, I usually find a horse more majestic when it shows superiority at the end of a race even when I haven't had a bet. A personal preference - still allowed, right?To be honest...I consider it more "majestic" when the horse carries a wager of mine to victory...regardless of running style. :)

[cj]

The problem is there's too much racing, even at four days a week.

That is certainly a big part of it in California. There aren't enough horses to put on competitive races that people want to bet. Of course, there are factors as to why there are too few horses. Addressing those would be a good start. Raising purses is not the answer, obviously. It is all part of a downward spiral that is probably spinning too fast to control now.

[gm10]

It's a dying sport with preposterously poor economics for everyone involved in an environment where people don't have as much money to throw around.

It's not in other parts of the world, though. It's still the second most attended sport in Britain for example. It's booming in Asia.

Hopefully Monmouth can continue their experiment, I found that very encouraging. If they can keep attracting a wider fan base (families for example) over the next years, they will reap the rewards before long imo. I don't think that gamblers (existing or new) are going to bring a lot more money to the game by lowering takeout by a few % or decreasing the number of races.

[The Hawk]

Making people want to go to the races would be a start. If the audience doesn't want to go 4 days a week anymore, it'll soon not want to go 3 days a week either.

They don't want to go 4 days a week because the racing sucks. The racing would be better if it were only 3 days a week, because the fields would be bigger, and the quality better.

But it doesn't matter much how many people go to the track anymore, as long as people across the country are interested in supporting your product. At this point, they're not, regardless of what's going on with takeout, and that's because no one wants to bet short fields. If they consolidate the cards and offer full fields betting would improve. Inevitably, that's what's going to happen, either by design, or when, like this week, they can't fill the cards.

Also, consider this: If the NBA held games every week, year round, at 1:00 on weekday afternoons, how quick would the media declare the sport dead when 2,200 people showed up on a Wednesday? Sure, they'd get more on the weekends, but the average attendance would be pretty poor. Also, it would lose a lot of its allure, since there would be a game almost every day of the week, and the quality of play would suffer, since the best players wouldn't be able to sustain their level of play all year, and rosters would be filled with athletes of lesser quality. Sound familiar?

[The Hawk]

It's not in other parts of the world, though. It's still the second most attended sport in Britain for example. It's booming in Asia.

Hopefully Monmouth can continue their experiment, I found that very encouraging. If they can keep attracting a wider fan base (families for example) over the next years, they will reap the rewards before long imo. I don't think that gamblers (existing or new) are going to bring a lot more money to the game by lowering takeout by a few % or decreasing the number of races.

I could be wrong, but I think they only run on weekends in Asia.

Monmouth's experiment this summer proved that less racing leads to better racing.

[classhandicapper]

It's not in other parts of the world, though. It's still the second most attended sport in Britain for example. It's booming in Asia.


I don't know.

I have a funny feeling that as we export some of our other forms of entertainment to the rest of the world, horse racing is not going to do as well elsewhere either. The good news is that it's a huge market.

If the economics were better, it would attract more capital.

[thaskalos]

This is no longer the game we fell in love with.

This game used to be the best gambling game, AND the ultimate intellectual pursuit...where the horseplayer - armed with the DRF - would be a Sherlock Holmes of sorts...unraveling the mystery of the race by looking for the clues hidden within the past performances.

Now, it has become a contest of who will bankrupt the customers first; the tracks - with their small fields and escalating takeouts...or the horsemen - with their unscrupulous methods of operation.

[The_Knight_Sky]

They don't want to go 4 days a week because the racing sucks.

The racing would be better if it were only 3 days a week,
because the fields would be bigger, and the quality better.



Correct on the 3 day a week part. At least for for part of the year.
At this rate Del Mar may have to seriously consider going to 4 days/week
for a couple of weeks. A bitter pill to swallow for Joe the blogger.

But what will happen on March 1st when SA racing cards are scheduled
for 5 days a week right until the end of April? It should be fun to watch,
because many of us (except Robert Goren) certainly won't be wagering at that time.

I am very surprised that "the Monmouth solution" has not been implemented
at racetracks around the country. It is a sad development when horsemen, racing commissions, and racetrack can't get their acts together and think about long term benefits of a revised schedule and a new purse structure.

[classhandicapper]

The problem with the Monmouth solution is that another business was subsidizing racing purses. That simply doesn't make economic sense even if it helps racing because that capital could be used for other things that generate a superior return.

[cj]

The problem with the Monmouth solution is that another business was subsidizing racing purses. That simply doesn't make economic sense even if it helps racing because that capital could be used for other things that generate a superior return.

I agree, they lost a lot of money.

However, you have to cut racing days to create competitive fields. From there, you pay purses based on handle, it is as simple as that. If there isn't enough handle to pay adequate purses, you drop purses. It is business 101, but racing thinks it is immune from those things.

[David-LV]

Let's blame the lack of entries at Santa Anita on President Bush. :confused:

_______
David-LV

[The_Knight_Sky]

I agree, they lost a lot of money.


Says who? The conniving Mr. Hanson?
Why he didn't even wait for the Elite Summer Meet to be completed
to write that garbage up in his report.

Hanson's intention was to prove the NJSEA was a money-wasting agency
funneling horse racing funds out of horse racing/OTW/Simulcasting/ADW's
and into other non-racing related projects.

Well he's got the NJSEA out of running The Meadowlands.
Monmouth may be sold too in the near future.

The news is that Monmouth Park has designs on another summer-fall meet modeled after the Friday-Saturday-Sunday weekends of 2010.
So it couldn't have been all that bad financially, for the track nor the horsemen. 3 day racing weeks are the wave of the future. And the future is now.

[garyscpa]

The problem is there's too much racing, even at four days a week.

Apparently the problem only exists in California. Gulfstream, Turfway, Fairgrounds are all racing full fields for the most part.

[cj]

Says who? The conniving Mr. Hanson?
Why he didn't even wait for the Elite Summer Meet to be completed
to write that garbage up in his report.

Hanson's intention was to prove the NJSEA was a money-wasting agency
funneling horse racing funds out of horse racing/OTW/Simulcasting/ADW's
and into other non-racing related projects.

Well he's got the NJSEA out of running The Meadowlands.
Monmouth may be sold too in the near future.

The news is that Monmouth Park has designs on another summer-fall meet modeled after the Friday-Saturday-Sunday weekends of 2010.
So it couldn't have been all that bad financially, for the track nor the horsemen. 3 day racing weeks are the wave of the future. And the future is now.

What I am saying is the handle did not support the purses. They relied on subsidies that won't last forever. I agree we need less racing, and I've said so many times. But, the Monmouth experiment can't really be compared to places with no slots/subsidies. I would love to see all tracks like that go to less racing days. Horsemen are getting welfare, they should at least have to face real competition to get it.

[fmolf]

Apparently the problem only exists in California. Gulfstream, Turfway, Fairgrounds are all racing full fields for the most part.
might as well throw in tampa bay downs and parx(philly park)as well.For whatever reasons it seems like cal. cannot support a healthy populated horse colony.Is it their state bred program?The cost of running horses at their tracks?High taxes?...why can't they attract horses?

[Track Collector]

IMO, the largest problem facing CA horse racing is that they hold themselves in much higher esteem than what is represented by today's reality. They still see themselves as being part of the upper echelon of horse racing, whereas bettors have voted otherwise by flocking to tracks with larger field sizes and higher profit potentials. They have failed to understand the importance of their customers, and thus are unable explore and enact changes which will help their business to survive and even grow.

Free market is a good thing, and will eventually sort things out, even without the consent of those who run horse racing in CA. :)

[The Hawk]

What I am saying is the handle did not support the purses. They relied on subsidies that won't last forever. I agree we need less racing, and I've said so many times. But, the Monmouth experiment can't really be compared to places with no slots/subsidies. I would love to see all tracks like that go to less racing days. Horsemen are getting welfare, they should at least have to face real competition to get it.

CJ is right, and he's also right in saying that the purses now should be tinkered with to make the whole project viable. It is indeed Business 101. The beginning point, though, is less days of racing.

[Horseplayersbet.com]

CJ is right, and he's also right in saying that the purses now should be tinkered with to make the whole project viable. It is indeed Business 101. The beginning point, though, is less days of racing.
The beginning point should be a lower takeout throughout the industry before date reductions are considered.

[The_Knight_Sky]

CJ is right, and he's also right in saying that the purses now should be tinkered with to make the whole project viable. It is indeed Business 101. The beginning point, though, is less days of racing.


I agree that the purses should be "tinkered with" and they no doubt will be doing just that when condition book #1 is released.

My feelings were (and still are) that the 3 day racing week works well
for the weekend warrior and given the glut of racing in the mid-atlantic
Monmouth put out a unique brand of racing.

Almost no other track is implementing that 3 day per week sked
to the letter. Purses notwithstanding.
But I have a strong feeling that you do not need to average $800,000 in daily purses to get stronger results over the previous year.

[Stillriledup]

This is no longer the game we fell in love with.

This game used to be the best gambling game, AND the ultimate intellectual pursuit...where the horseplayer - armed with the DRF - would be a Sherlock Holmes of sorts...unraveling the mystery of the race by looking for the clues hidden within the past performances.

Now, it has become a contest of who will bankrupt the customers first; the tracks - with their small fields and escalating takeouts...or the horsemen - with their unscrupulous methods of operation.

Totally agree with this.

The game has gone downhill, it used to be a handicapping game. I don't want to blame Beyer figs or workout reports, but back in the day, you could actually get some meat on the bone, now all the meat is gone because with escalating takeouts and an incredible amount of 'free' information out there, not to mention sharing profits with people who know which horses are drugged and ready to win TODAY.

Cleaning all the drugs and cheats out of the game is the first step.

[The_Knight_Sky]

The game has gone downhill, it used to be a handicapping game.



It's not enough to handicap for winning horses anymore.
The modern game forces one to be able to come up with the
place and show horses at a price in addition to the winners.

The modern handicapper also has to develop a skill to find a
high percentage of losing favorites - and attack them vertically and horizontally.

I don't envy the newcomers entering the game during this era.
They have an enormous learning curve of 5 to 10 years before they're
able to hold their own against the current clientele, robotic wagering, etc.

[bks]

This is no longer the game we fell in love with.

This game used to be the best gambling game, AND the ultimate intellectual pursuit...where the horseplayer - armed with the DRF - would be a Sherlock Holmes of sorts...unraveling the mystery of the race by looking for the clues hidden within the past performances.

Now, it has become a contest of who will bankrupt the customers first; the tracks - with their small fields and escalating takeouts...or the horsemen - with their unscrupulous methods of operation.

Another excellent post by thask. The mystery of the race has been replaced by mysterious reversals of form, mysterious betting patterns and other less-appetizing mysteries [like the mysteries of uneven standards wrt disqualifications, and the mysteries of trainer discipline].

The economic squeeze exacerbates these tendencies toward "mystery", as every dollar gets battled for.

My play was centered on SoCal for many years, during a time when Santa Anita's product dwarfed Aqueduct's and was often superior to Gulfstream's. I never imagined I would lose interest in the racing there. I figured I would run out of money first. I guess I should be grateful.


I don't envy the newcomers entering the game during this era.
They have an enormous learning curve of 5 to 10 years before they're
able to hold their own against the current clientele, robotic wagering, etc.

Very, very few are coming to the game under these conditions.

[dansan]

cut it down to 3 racing days already and stop horsin

[DeanT]

Another excellent post by thask.

It'd take me nine paragraphs to say what he says. It's an art I wish I had!

[Stillriledup]

It's not enough to handicap for winning horses anymore.
The modern game forces one to be able to come up with the
place and show horses at a price in addition to the winners.

The modern handicapper also has to develop a skill to find a
high percentage of losing favorites - and attack them vertically and horizontally.

I don't envy the newcomers entering the game during this era.
They have an enormous learning curve of 5 to 10 years before they're
able to hold their own against the current clientele, robotic wagering, etc.

100% true.

[owlet]

It's a dying sport with preposterously poor economics for everyone involved in an environment where people don't have as much money to throw around.

"Preposterously" poor for everyone except Baffert, Sadler, Carava, etc. And the vets who "tend" to the animals. And the stallion syndicators.

Every hear these people complain about poverty????

[BlueShoe]

I am incredibly bored with SA right now. Mediocre, small fields in races that suit front runners. I prefer TUP then.
With 20% takeout on wps wagers, far worse than SA?

[gm10]

With 20% takeout on wps wagers, far worse than SA?

I use Betfair for win bets (take out: 4.5%)

[gm10]

I don't know.

I have a funny feeling that as we export some of our other forms of entertainment to the rest of the world, horse racing is not going to do as well elsewhere either. The good news is that it's a huge market.

If the economics were better, it would attract more capital.

Certainly true. If takeout was 5% and tax was raised on profit rather than revenue, it would attract a whole new grand of investors.

[toussaud]

1. Remember, this is actually a 5 day race week, MLK day is monday and everyone races then.

2. Del mar gets pretty dang good fields, they dont have to cut races. you get your 5 horse fields maybe once a day but who doesn't. If all year had the same field size as del mar, they would be racing 5 days a week now.

3. I think a big problem with cal racing is their breeder program is horrible. There is no real incentive to bred a cal bred, and at that point, no point to race in cali. Even with the purses like they are, who is going to pay to ship a claimer all the way across the country for open class races? That doesn't make much sense. They need a much better state bred program

[Southieboy]

Del mar gets pretty dang good fields, they dont have to cut races.


They also used to race 6 days a week.

[gm10]

CJ is right, and he's also right in saying that the purses now should be tinkered with to make the whole project viable. It is indeed Business 101. The beginning point, though, is less days of racing.

I disagree. It's an investment and the people behind it hope that the investment will pay off in the long run. It doesn't have to the same year. To me it seems that the last thing racing needs is more short term thinking. At some point you have to invest in the long term viability of the sport (that also involves cleaning up the sport).

[toussaud]

They also used to race 6 days a week.
Yeah but saratoga is the only meet in the country that can realistically pull that off. 5 days is more than enough for del mar. Plus if I am actually at del mar, I want 2 days off to go play.

[The_Knight_Sky]

Yeah but saratoga is the only meet in the country that can realistically pull that off.




Even Saratoga isn't what it used to be.

Not with 40+ days of racing helped by an gluttony of turf races
and NY-breds. No one can deny that the Spa's quality has deteriorated.

[misscashalot]

No one can deny that the Spa's quality has deteriorated.

I deny it. The quality races are still there, the extra days adds lesser quality but does not interfere with the overnight and grades stakes affair.

[The_Knight_Sky]

I deny it.

The quality races are still there, the extra days adds lesser quality
but does not interfere with the overnight and grades stakes affair.




I must say you do a terrific job of contradicting yourself. http://i54.tinypic.com/10n9gqs.gif

[DJofSD]

Even Saratoga isn't what it used to be.

Not with 40+ days of racing helped by an gluttony of turf races
and NY-breds. No one can deny that the Spa's quality has deteriorated.
Wow. A gluttony of turf racing is considered a sign that racing quality declining?

For me, the availability of competitive turf racing during the meeting is one of very few reasons for me to bet during the summer. Del Mar certainly doesn't give me good cards to bet but having races like the grass races from SAR does get me to handicap and wager. Take those away and I'll quit altogether.

One man's ceiling is another man's floor.

[The_Knight_Sky]

Wow.

A gluttony of turf racing is considered a sign that racing quality declining?




Sorry, I wasn't clear.

An over-reliance of turf races that feature grass sprints, claiming fare,
as well as NY-breds races to an otherwise strong Saratoga program that does not need it.

[The Hawk]

I disagree. It's an investment and the people behind it hope that the investment will pay off in the long run. It doesn't have to the same year. To me it seems that the last thing racing needs is more short term thinking. At some point you have to invest in the long term viability of the sport (that also involves cleaning up the sport).

So you're saying they should race five days a week, year round, even with five-horse fields and seven or eight races on the card?

[DeanT]

Kling seems to be wondering what's going on out there and opines on a purse cut.

http://blog.horseplayersassociation.org/2011/01/nick-kling-in-troy-record-will-santa.html

[cj]

Any word on the card for Thursday?

[Horseplayersbet.com]

Any word on the card for Thursday?
Looks like they got 63 horses in 8 races:
http://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA011311USA-EQB.html

[The Hawk]

That link was for Thursday. Were you referring to Friday, CJ?

[Southieboy]

Friday and Saturday have been drawn. We think.

[JohnGalt1]

Very few horses ship to California.

Look at the charts. Almost all horses last ran in California. Then look at the charts for Florida, Kentucky and most other tracks who have horses shipping from all over.

I like the challenge of deciphering full fields of horses who call raced at different circuits meeting for the first time, msot on a track they never raced on before.

[cj]

That link was for Thursday. Were you referring to Friday, CJ?

No, I didn't see the PPs so I wasn't sure. They still aren't posted at DRF.

[tubesockshakur]

I am incredibly bored with SA right now. Mediocre, small fields in races that suit front runners. I prefer TUP then......being that this is my home track for my entire life i have to agree.......its sad to say but i couldnt care less about so. cal racing anymore. wait till they go to del mar....talk about a cluster fk.

[gm10]

.....being that this is my home track for my entire life i have to agree.......its sad to say but i couldnt care less about so. cal racing anymore. wait till they go to del mar....talk about a cluster fk.

I'd like to visit TUP one day. Looks like a decent, well-run track. I always like the preview with Howard Hong and the other fellow (forgot his name).

[gm10]

So you're saying they should race five days a week, year round, even with five-horse fields and seven or eight races on the card?

No, I disagree with the purses having to be tinkered with because it's not viable. It's a LT investment, it doesn't need to be profitable from day 1.

[cj]

No, I disagree with the purses having to be tinkered with because it's not viable. It's a LT investment, it doesn't need to be profitable from day 1.

It does if you don't have any money.

[gm10]

It does if you don't have any money.

not really, no

[ronsmac]

I'd like to visit TUP one day. Looks like a decent, well-run track. I always like the preview with Howard Hong and the other fellow (forgot his name).
Dang, Howard Hong is still around . I remember when he was a college kid working Rillito Park.

[nijinski]

The track has been quite fast , saw that many years in Cali
when all was formally dirt. DRF has reported some injury complaints
and also mention Tedesco knows he needs to do something with the mixture.
Maybe that with the economy and just too many days is causing the problems , it's a concern.

[cj]

not really, no

How do you pay purses without money?

[AZWrobel]

I'd like to visit TUP one day. Looks like a decent, well-run track. I always like the preview with Howard Hong and the other fellow (forgot his name).

TUP overall scores very well. They advertise very well and manage some decent crowds on weekends. Field sizes are usually big and offer a nice opportunity to win some coin. Being my home track, it's nice to have a good product close by.

[thaskalos]

TUP overall scores very well. They advertise very well and manage some decent crowds on weekends. Field sizes are usually big and offer a nice opportunity to win some coin. Being my home track, it's nice to have a good product close by.
If only they would do something about that 20% WPS takeout...

[gm10]

How do you pay purses without money?

For the tenth time, this is an investment. The high purses are part of a project that wants to build the brand Monmouth Park racing for the long term.

I honestly don't understand why people keep making such a fuss about the purse structure. Of course it's too high, but I don't think it is the long term purse structure. It is about upgrading the product right now, so it doesn't disappear altogether in a few years. Maybe it's also about increasing market share.

[The Hawk]

For the tenth time, this is an investment. The high purses are part of a project that wants to build the brand Monmouth Park racing for the long term.

I honestly don't understand why people keep making such a fuss about the purse structure. Of course it's too high, but I don't think it is the long term purse structure. It is about upgrading the product right now, so it doesn't disappear altogether in a few years. Maybe it's also about increasing market share.

I don't think you understand that Monmouth, for instance, doesn't have the luxury of planning for long-term. Every meet could be their last, so this long-term project you speak of doesn't exist. The "long-term project" is to survive. They need to make money, NOW, and show the state that racing in New Jersey is viable. The way to do that is NOT by losing money because they're giving away too much in purses. They purses have to be supported by the handle.

[gm10]

I don't think you understand that Monmouth, for instance, doesn't have the luxury of planning for long-term. Every meet could be their last, so this long-term project you speak of doesn't exist. The "long-term project" is to survive. They need to make money, NOW, and show the state that racing in New Jersey is viable. The way to do that is NOT by losing money because they're giving away too much in purses. They purses have to be supported by the handle.

Yes I agree. And if they hadn't done anything, the racing could have stopped next summer. They have been trying to upgrade their brand for a few years now, I hope they'll succeed, I have a fondness for the place.

[Tom]

Nckel claimers running for $25-30,000 is upgrading stock?

[The Hawk]

Nckel claimers running for $25-30,000 is upgrading stock?

No, it meant larger fields, which helped the handle immensely, which helped convince the state that maybe people really are interested in horse racing here. So there will be a meet at Monmouth in 2011, instead of another mall.