Woodbine in jeopardy after this year - Eaves

[Al Gobbi]

If Ontario’s provincial government does not reverse its position ending the slots at provincial racetracks, this year’s 153rd running of the famed Queen’s Plate could be the last.

That announcement was made at Thursday’s Plate draw by Nick Eaves, president and CEO of Woodbine Entertainment.

“If we don’t have an operating model to take us past the first of April 2013 then I can’t see a way for us to operate and if we’re not operating there won’t be a Queen’s Plate,” said Eaves, in a scrum.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2012/06/21/sp-queens-plate-woodbine-racetrack-horse-racing-ontario-government.html

[usedtolovetvg]

Shouldn't happen at WO. I think the OJC President is trying to look good to the industry. WO has a good location off the major highways, near the airport and tons of parking. Just some posturing IMHO.

[mannyberrios]

What a great track this Woodbine is. It would be a shame!

[CryingForTheHorses]

The Queens Plate is the oldest running stake in North America...This guy is talking out his ass!!

[racingfan378]

I disagree and I think Nick has a point

If they cant run those high purses, who would stay at WO to race? It would become the FE, ASD, NP of Toronto

If the slot money isnt going to be around, then those horses wont be there. I however dont think 2013 means they shut their doors, but I cant see the same quality of horses running at that track beyond this year.

A MSW purse is around $67k. That should be chopped in half once the slots go. Who is going to stay and run? Weaker horses ONLY and they will turn into the MNR of the north. MNR had full fields and great purses, once PA got the ball rolling and other states too, it has been a steady drop in purses in WV and the field sizes reflects that.

WO has attracted some big names through the years from the states to run up there and the WO broadcast package is some of the best TV work I've seen. It would be a shame to watch a track go from lower middle class in the early 90s to one of the best around only for the Canada Gov. to take it away. :ThmbDown:

[usedtolovetvg]

The writing has been on the wall for years. Woodbine has been warned that the slot money would not be around forever. That's what executives are paid the big bucks for, to grow the business and make it relevant in the changing times. The fat cats at WO chose to sit back and rely on something they did not own or control. The loss of the slot revenue was inevitable. Some of that money should have been used to devise a plan to bring racing into the 21st century, not pad management paychecks and their summer estates on Lake Rosseau. We here in the U.S. should be taking notes.

[OntheRail]

The writing has been on the wall for years. Woodbine has been warned that the slot money would not be around forever. That's what executives are paid the big bucks for, to grow the business and make it relevant in the changing times. The fat cats at WO chose to sit back and rely on something they did not own or control. The loss of the slot revenue was inevitable. Some of that money should have been used to devise a plan to bring racing into the 21st century, not pad management paychecks and their summer estates on Lake Rosseau. We here in the U.S. should be taking notes.
Could not of said it any better...

[JBmadera]

The writing has been on the wall for years. Woodbine has been warned that the slot money would not be around forever. That's what executives are paid the big bucks for, to grow the business and make it relevant in the changing times. The fat cats at WO chose to sit back and rely on something they did not own or control. The loss of the slot revenue was inevitable. Some of that money should have been used to devise a plan to bring racing into the 21st century, not pad management paychecks and their summer estates on Lake Rosseau. We here in the U.S. should be taking notes.

Bingo!!

[davew]

I think Woodbine Entertainment will be hurt the most. Maybe their operating model should include pay cuts, staff reductions, and tightening operating budgets, and selling some of their worldwide holdings.

[RXB]

It would be a shame to watch a track go from lower middle class in the early 90s to one of the best around only for the Canada Gov. to take it away. :ThmbDown:

For starters, it is the provincial government in Ontario, not the federal Canadian government that controls the casino gaming licences.

Second, it was only the slots subsidies that made the purses go up in the first place. The government giveth and the government taketh away. The horse racing industry is now under the illusion that it has a divine and eternal right to be subsidized to the hilt. (Who do they think they are, TBTF bankers?) If they can't operate on a profitable basis, too bad. Find another line of work, just like other people have to do.

[Meunuco]

Needless to say, the quality of racing up there has significantly DIMINISHED over the past few years. They've gone from FULL fields and fair courses to Golden Gate type field sizes and some of the most ridiculous SPEED biases you'd ever want to see -- and I have seen many over the past 30 years. Add a jockey colony that would EASILY, across the board, fail ANY IQ test (and this is with Jono Jones not even factored into the equation) and what once was my favorite track to play is now a JOKE.

It's really time to close.

[appistappis]

they're all playing politics right now...the old boys club that has run WO for years and years have strong ties to the conservative gov't. The liberal gov't in power now dosen't care the least about horseracing, just how much they can sqeeze out of the public with lotteries and slots.

The whole gaming landscape is about to have a giant change here in ontario and they are all trying to position themselves....as usual, nobody cares about the betting customer.

[Al Gobbi]

Needless to say, the quality of racing up there has significantly DIMINISHED over the past few years. They've gone from FULL fields and fair courses to Golden Gate type field sizes and some of the most ridiculous SPEED biases you'd ever want to see... and what once was my favorite track to play is now a JOKE.

It's really time to close.

Glad you brought this up. The fields have gotten smaller the past two years and there are biases almost every day speed or closers, not to mention a Poly surface that no longer drains well at all.

Tomorrow they have 74 horses for a 10 race card. Also, the current purse structures can be considered a disappointment when looking at wagering handle per card at WEG on both TB and Harness.

Here is a May file showing YTD figures from WEG on racing: http://www.ontarioracingcommission.ca/uploadedFiles/WEG%20ap%20to%20vary%20Mohawk%20STATISTICS%20-%20May%2015%202012.pdf

[Robert Goren]

they're all playing politics right now...the old boys club that has run WO for years and years have strong ties to the conservative gov't. The liberal gov't in power now dosen't care the least about horseracing, just how much they can sqeeze out of the public with lotteries and slots.

The whole gaming landscape is about to have a giant change here in ontario and they are all trying to position themselves....as usual, nobody cares about the betting customer. And why should they? The only role government should have in any gambling venture is to make sure the betting public is not being cheated. Am I the only one is sick and tired off people in the horse racing whining about that they are no longer profitable because they have lost their customer base because of their own ineptitude. It is always sad when people lose their livelihood because management mistakes, but it happens all the time in every industry. WO has had pretty of time to right the ship with the aid of casino money and has failed to do so. It may be time to pull the plug. Lets hope the rest of the industry is watching and learning, but I seriously doubt it is.

[davew]

And why should they? The only role government should have in any gambling venture is to make sure the betting public is not being cheated. Am I the only one is sick and tired off people in the horse racing whining about that they are no longer profitable because they have lost their customer base because of their own ineptitude. It is always sad when people lose their livelihood because management mistakes, but it happens all the time in every industry. WO has had pretty of time to right the ship with the aid of casino money and has failed to do so. It may be time to pull the plug. Lets hope the rest of the industry is watching and learning, but I seriously doubt it is.

Management ineptitude is not as big a cause as a declining market, negative cash-flow business.

[Maximillion]

Very disappointing as this track seemed to be the "model" for doing things right-(me viewing from afar...not knowing the details).....just out of curiosity, if the worst scenario happens and this track does close (hate to see it happen).....where would these horses eventually race?

[usedtolovetvg]

Management ineptitude is not as big a cause as a declining market, negative cash-flow business.

With all due respect that's what management's job is, to mitigate against that happening. Another great Canadian company Rimm is going through the same thing. They failed to keep up with the changing times. Always keep moving forward or you'll fall behind. I blame management for their archaic thinking.

[Al Gobbi]

Very disappointing as this track seemed to be the "model" for doing things right-(me viewing from afar...not knowing the details).....just out of curiosity, if the worst scenario happens and this track does close (hate to see it happen).....where would these horses eventually race?

Anyone who thinks Woodbine is gonna close is not seeing it well. They are like the little boy who cried wolf when something is on the verge of going away. There is enough money bet via simulcasts to support purses of around $200-250k per day for a 95-100 day meet. Already there is too much racing and cutting Summer racing (July, August) and December would be a start.

If the harness is sent packing, they could revert that back into a 7F grass course too. All WEG wants is a little kickback from the slots for itself and could give little care about its horsemen. They made the announcement this week as they had the most free press offered b/c of the QP itself. They wouldn't be making the announcement if it was the Breeders' or the International.

[davew]

There was quite an impressive show at Woodbine today - I truly enjoyed watching the RCM and their dancing horses between the 7th and 8th race.

[funnsss1]

The writings been on the wall for the last 10 years.Ever since the breeders cup was there in 1996 the powers that be at woodbine did nothing to grow the business.From the blatent fixing of races by the ontario jockey club to the outrageous take outs from the pools to forgetting about the small time gambler that built that track its inevitable that the purses will have to be cut once slot money is taken from them.They only have themselves to blame and if the people that rely on racing for there livelyhood dont fix the problems this sport will be extinct by 2020.The daily handles at most tracks have fallin sharply in the last 10 years and its due to the people who run racing robbing the everyday bettor and people will only tolerate so much.I know of at least 50 people that use to bet regularly that now dont bother because of the fixing and blatent disregard for the little guy.I will definitely miss woodbine as I think its one of the top 3 tracks in north america

[nijinski]

There was quite an impressive show at Woodbine today - I truly enjoyed watching the RCM and their dancing horses between the 7th and 8th race.
Glad to hear this and hoping the same for the future. :ThmbUp:

I would also like to ask our Canadian friends and thoroughbred fans if there are any changes over at the old Windfields farm site. Last I heard , post sale , Northern Dancer's gravesite was surrounded by weeds. :(
I hope things have improved and I hope a museum is still in the future ?
Sorry to be off topic , but I thought it would grab some attention.

[appistappis]

I just google earth'd the old farm site as I know the area quite well. It looks like everything to the south has been developed into housing and to the north i know the durham college bought some of it for sports fields....it looks like there is still a small farm area and I guess that is what they will preserve.

[PaceAdvantage]

The writings been on the wall for the last 10 years.Ever since the breeders cup was there in 1996 the powers that be at woodbine did nothing to grow the business.From the blatent fixing of races by the ontario jockey club to the outrageous take outs from the pools to forgetting about the small time gambler that built that track its inevitable that the purses will have to be cut once slot money is taken from them.They only have themselves to blame and if the people that rely on racing for there livelyhood dont fix the problems this sport will be extinct by 2020.The daily handles at most tracks have fallin sharply in the last 10 years and its due to the people who run racing robbing the everyday bettor and people will only tolerate so much.I know of at least 50 people that use to bet regularly that now dont bother because of the fixing and blatent disregard for the little guy.I will definitely miss woodbine as I think its one of the top 3 tracks in north americaYou keep going on and on about all these fixed races. Maybe you can point some out to us in real time either before (that would be best) or shortly after...

[nijinski]

I just google earth'd the old farm site as I know the area quite well. It looks like everything to the south has been developed into housing and to the north i know the durham college bought some of it for sports fields....it looks like there is still a small farm area and I guess that is what they will preserve.

I heard Durham may have changed hands and that there was neglect of what is left of the grounds and the gravesites. Public pressure seemed to help and some action was taken.
Without EP Taylor , what is left is a promise . Lets hope they keep . This was a birthplace that should never be forgotten. Thanks for checking it out .

[Al Gobbi]

Guelph Mercury - End of slots deal may be end of horse racing - Eaves

http://t.co/RNoRuhty

What a joke WEG and Eaves are becoming. They are talking all they want about it yet are taking no action to save something. It easy to see why the sport is doomed no one wants to make an effort to do action to support the sport.

[appistappis]

this is the latest I could find on the property..I'm going to go up there this summer and check for myself.

http://www.uerev.com/index.php?pid=windfields

[northerndancer]

Greed kills....