Quote:
Originally Posted by cj
If the current purses at the bigger tracks aren't enough to get more owners, I don't know what the answer is. Places like Oaklawn, New York, and Kentucky are absolutely through the roof. There are obviously some deeper, complicated issues.
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Agree.
I would add that for at least the past 10-12 years:
The one thing horsemen have been saying is "We need to get purses up"... to the exclusion of almost everything else.
As a result, that's been the major area of focus by the industry... to the exclusion of almost everything else.
Yet, with the exception of special event days (BC-Derby-Preakness-Belmont-Opening Day at Del Mar) and a handful of meets like Saratoga, Oaklawn, etc, horses have been running in front of empty grandstands.
Let's ignore all the reasons people stopped coming... high takeout, drugs, odds that change after the bell, racing commissions that sweep things under the rug, and slap on the wrist penalties, etc.
Back when racing was widely accepted by the public and horses were running in front of grandstands that were packed:
Foal crops were higher.
Why?
Because demand was higher.
Where does demand come from?
One place is the small number of regulars who go to the races who make the leap from fan to owner.
Imo, demand for the foal crop has always been a function of demand for the betting product.
Way smaller pool of prospective new owners to draw from today than back in the day.
-jp
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