Gulfstream Way Up

[The Hawk]

I thought racing was dead?

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/62686/gulfstream-posts-across-the-board-increases?source=rss

[Mr_Ed]

I thought racing was dead?

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/62686/gulfstream-posts-across-the-board-increases?source=rss

The only place 'trickle-down' economy is working.

[RXB]

One track and one season doth not an industry make.

Also, remember that in the glory days of yesteryear GP raced six days per week.

[BIG49010]

GREAT WEATHER AND LOTS OF TURF RACING HELP, WHEN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY HAS RAIN AND TONS OF SNOW!

[The Hawk]

One track and one season doth not an industry make.

Also, remember that in the glory days of yesteryear GP raced six days per week.

Yesteryear is most certainly dead.

I know no one wants to take anything positive out of anything racing related, but I will: Major racetracks which race seasonally are doing well enough to survive, if not thrive. The overall national figures are dragged down by those tracks that shouldn't be running as much as they are. Places like Saratoga, Oaklawn, Gulfstream, etc., do fine, but when so many other circuits try to have competitive racing year round it's counterproductive on several different levels.

Look at it this way: there's not a sport in this country that would thrive if it were offered 364 days a year with the majority of their events held on weekday afternoons.

[The Hawk]

GREAT WEATHER AND LOTS OF TURF RACING HELP, WHEN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY HAS RAIN AND TONS OF SNOW!

I think that's the idea behind having quality winter racing in Florida.

[RXB]

Yesteryear is most certainly dead.

I know no one wants to take anything positive out of anything racing related, but I will: Major racetracks which race seasonally are doing well enough to survive, if not thrive. The overall national figures are dragged down by those tracks that shouldn't be running as much as they are. Places like Saratoga, Oaklawn, Gulfstream, etc., do fine, but when so many other circuits try to have competitive racing year round it's counterproductive on several different levels.

Look at it this way: there's not a sport in this country that would thrive if it were offered 364 days a year with the majority of their events held on weekday afternoons.

I've got no problems taking positives; it's just that there aren't many to take. Remove alternate gaming revenue sources and things wouldn't be looking so rosy at some of these places, including GP. Tampa is the only track that I can think of during the past several years that has grown its business almost exclusively due to racing.

Many people speculate that the decline in racing is due to too many tracks and too many races, but the number of races annually in North America has actually been decreasing fairly steadily over the past couple of decades. The real problem is that the proportion of the population interested in gambling on and/or owning racehorses is in a steady retreat.

[The Hawk]

Many people speculate that the decline in racing is due to too many tracks and too many races, but the number of races annually in North America has actually been decreasing fairly steadily over the past couple of decades. The real problem is that the proportion of the population interested in gambling on and/or owning racehorses is in a steady retreat.

Actually, both are right: There's too much racing and interest in gambling AND owning is dwindling. I propose that the two go hand in hand.

[mannyberrios]

Racing is not dead, it just smells funny!