Quote:
Originally Posted by thaskalos
This will never happen...and you know it. So...why should we keep dreaming instead of facing reality? Instead of wishing for miracles that I know will never take place, I choose instead to talk about things that have at least a slight chance of materializing. Like the possible implementation of a more reasonable takeout rate...the possible institution of a more effective drug enforcement policy...and the possible renovation of the current archaic wager processing system.
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That's a reasonable position.
I just have a funny feeling all the things you are focusing on would be great for keeping hard core gamblers, whales, and computer teams happy, but they aren't going to attract new fans.
Top mares run longer because the economics of racing are competitive with breeding. There aren't many ways to change the economics for males, but it's not impossible. The economics once allowed for top horses to run at 4 and sometimes even 5. I'm not informed enough to know what all the dynamics were that caused the change, but someone must know.
IMO, much larger purses would help, but the best way of doing that would be consolidation. A lot of people are against that.
Another would be a realization by some owners that they are losing their shirts paying ridiculous prices for yearlings. If the marginal owner suddenly refuses to pay stupid prices, then stud fees would decline and change the prices for stallions.
A lower take will increase the handle, but how much it that impacts the track's bottom line to raise purses is a little fuzzier.
