Quote:
Originally Posted by thespaah
Another issue I have with the BC...Its a month too late in the year. Should be the end of Sept.
This way, more areas of the country with appropriate venues could host the event.
I don't like the fact that the BC has basically been devolved into a "California only" event.
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Sigh. We go through this every year.
1. It isn't California only. Kentucky hosts it frequently. They would also still go to New York if NYRA bid for it, but they haven't been.
2. It was always intended to be mostly California. We not only have the best weather, but we also have large tracks with plenty of permanent seating. Three of the first four were in California, and that wasn't an accident.
3. We have the best weather in September as well as October and November.
4. The BC is already really disruptive to the traditional stakes schedule in October. Move it up a month and you can kiss the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Turf Classic, and Champagne goodbye. Do you think that would be good for the sport?
5. It isn't "unfair" to run it in California. Our tracks have some of the best attendance. The only track that announces higher figures is Churchill, and there's some question as to whether those are even accurate.
Moving the BC around more means the event will be more expensive to put on, draw less people, and make less money. And that's assuming other tracks will even bid for it or do so on competitive terms to SA or Churchill.
This is an event that is owned by a private enterprise. It needs to generate sufficient revenue to pay for itself. It isn't some altruistic gift to the sport. California and Churchill have proven over and over again that they can stage successful BC's.
