pen gaming reaches new low....

[proximity]

well friends, i didn't think it was possible, but super-trainer mecca penn national has reached a new low in firing their longtime snack bar lady karen for giving a trainer an ice cream sandwich after closing. since the trainer is there almost everyday, wasting his money on their overpriced food and drinks (it is almost $3 for a dixie cup of coffee) it isn't like he wasn't good for it. i thought the 40% trainers, $6 poker rake (plus bad beat), and insulting fraction of a percent racing "rebates" were bad, but eliminating the one (non teller) employee who probably knew more horseplayers than anyone.... new low.

[Al Gobbi]

you have to be kidding? Another reason to get rid of these artificial slots track that have done nothing but further bury the game into the ground.

[MightBeSosa]

$3 for coffee? underlay of the year.

PENN is a public company. Call investor relations and tell then they suck.

[tbwinner]

Pretty bad. Since we're on the topic of bad firings by tracks, Arlington Park letting go of Customer Service Representative Diane Collopy is one of the worst decisions they made recently (and IMO, they made a ton this past year). I didn't post about it earlier last month because AP isn't exactly first-rate among posters here, and on the entire racing front either.

[HUSKER55]

maybe the trainers will get together and boycott the track. wouldn't that be a hoot over an icecream sandwich.

[proximity]

i hear penn national is taking the next step and closing simulcasting at 6:00 on sundays, mondays, and tuesdays and that (rightfully) in 2013 they will be a max four card a week live track.

recent moves:
* "outsourcing" telebet to oregon.
* firing the only longtime employee that consistently worked in their clubhouse.
* reduced simulcasting and (rightfully) live racing.

not heading in a positive direction here.

[Al Gobbi]

Woodbine has let go of twenty people and have put another twelve on seasonal status with more layoffs coming next week. One of the ones that was let go was the popular commentator Renée Kierans.

[netbet]

Wow,

Guess this is not a surprise but why Renee? I hope she lands along side Jessica on TVG or HRTV.




Woodbine has let go of twenty people and have put another twelve on seasonal status with more layoffs coming next week. One of the ones that was let go was the popular commentator Renée Kierans.

[Greyfox]

well friends, i didn't think it was possible, but super-trainer mecca penn national has reached a new low in firing their longtime snack bar lady karen for giving a trainer an ice cream sandwich after closing..

The stated reason and the real reason may be quite different.

If true, that's terrible. However, I suspect that there's more to this than you know.

[BlueShoe]

i hear penn national is taking the next step and closing simulcasting at 6:00 on sundays, mondays, and tuesdays and that (rightfully) in 2013 they will be a max four card a week live track.
:confused: That is 3:00 Pacific time, with several races still to come from the West. While California racing has come under criticism, Santa Anita is a light year ahead of Penn, and even Golden Gate is superior. Odd move.

[Track Collector]

i hear penn national is taking the next step and closing simulcasting at 6:00 on sundays, mondays, and tuesdays and that (rightfully) in 2013 they will be a max four card a week live track.

recent moves:
* "outsourcing" telebet to oregon.
What happened here? I thought telebet always used Oregon as their wagering hub.
* firing the only longtime employee that consistently worked in their clubhouse. Even if what the employee did was not right, I would think a warning was a better thing to do. As suggested by another poster, I suspect there is much more to this than what we have been told.

* reduced simulcasting and (rightfully) live racing. For live racing, they may lose a few horses to MD now that the slots subsidies are kicking in. Pen, as well as CT, do have a nice niche market on slow winter simulcast evenings though, especially with Mnr now taking Jan/Feb months off. As to the cutting off simulcasting early on certain days, I can see why some bean counter might think this is a good idea. One problem, and they may have already factored it in, is that once some folks are forced to wager on simulcasting at home for certain days, they may choose to do so on prime days like Friday and Saturday as well.
not heading in a positive direction here.

Prox, how are those poker sessions going for you? I'm glad NOT to be one of those fish at one of those tables you work. :)


Chris

[proximity]

The stated reason and the real reason may be quite different.

If true, that's terrible. However, I suspect that there's more to this than you know.

idk, as i was told the gist of the story by a VERY reliable source who i refer to as "red cloak" of the pen racing illuminati. of course you're right that in any job there will always be stuff going on behind the scenes that customers wouldn't be privy to.

[proximity]

:confused: That is 3:00 Pacific time, with several races still to come from the West. While California racing has come under criticism, Santa Anita is a light year ahead of Penn, and even Golden Gate is superior. Odd move.

my sources on this weren't as reliable as my source for the snack bar story so hopefully i'm wrong and they will at least extend sunday simulcasting to include all california races. at the minimum i'm sure they will at least continue to take bets on them. as for mnr and the night harness tracks, i'm not so sure?

[proximity]

Prox, how are those poker sessions going for you? I'm glad NOT to be one of those fish at one of those tables you work. :)


Chris

until very recently, telebet always employed its own operators in an on-track office. and i bet you could beat almost any poker game over at ct with about a week of practice. you know that a flush beats a straight, right? :)

[proximity]

the pen gaming axe continues to fall as charles town has now fired their racing secretary........

[edmond1]

Woodbine has let go of twenty people and have put another twelve on seasonal status with more layoffs coming next week. One of the ones that was let go was the popular commentator Renée Kierans.

I hope managers of broadcasting(video) dept. included. They've got to be the laziest useless liars on earth.....

[Shemp Howard]

I wonder who the cheapskate Penn trainer is?

Maybe he/she can hire Karen as a groom or hot walker.

[proximity]

I wonder who the cheapskate Penn trainer is?

Maybe he/she can hire Karen as a groom or hot walker.


i know it's gypsy penn national and everyone there is bad, but the trainer should be lauded for actually playing some simulcasts and supporting the game. he may even feel bad but it really wasn't his fault.

[proximity]

Maybe he/she can hire Karen as a groom or hot walker.

maybe one of the leading pen partnerships can give karen an honorary share for a few months in a gesture of goodwill to honor her quarter century of being a positive ambassador for a night at the races? :)

[proximity]

i'm now hearing that it has been posted that sunday closing times will indeed be 8:00 pm and not 6:00pm. glad to hear i was wrong about the early sunday closing. :)

[Stillriledup]

They decided not to run the remainder of their card? Not sure why, but they've cancelled for dec 22. No more Penn Nat for tonight boys.

[Saratoga_Mike]

I assume it was the wind gusts.

[Shemp Howard]

maybe one of the leading pen partnerships can give karen an honorary share for a few months in a gesture of goodwill to honor her quarter century of being a positive ambassador for a night at the races? :)
Yea, I hear there are plenty of shares available looking for someone to pay the daily.