Were CA Racing Officials in a Deep Sleep?

[Vince P 777]

I'm willing to pay someone thousands of dollars to educate me on why in God's Holy Name does Oaklawn Park, Kentucky Downs, NYRA tracks and a gadzillion other tracks across the USA continue to share the financial benefits from Casinos, Slots, Sports Betting, etc, while California Racing suffers.

What went wrong?

Did the Indians scam us big time with clever Casino bills?

Were the TOC and CHRB asleep at the wheel years ago?

Do California voters hate horse racing that much, while having a love affair with Indian casinos?

I just don't understand how this could go so wrong.

Who can I blame, lol?.

Please advise.

Vince P

[thespaah]

Originally Posted by Vince P 777

I'm willing to pay someone thousands of dollars to educate me on why in God's Holy Name does Oaklawn Park, Kentucky Downs, NYRA tracks and a gadzillion other tracks across the USA continue to share the financial benefits from Casinos, Slots, Sports Betting, etc, while California Racing suffers.

What went wrong?

Did the Indians scam us big time with clever Casino bills?

Were the TOC and CHRB asleep at the wheel years ago?

Do California voters hate horse racing that much, while having a love affair with Indian casinos?

I just don't understand how this could go so wrong.

Who can I blame, lol?.

Please advise.

Vince P

In 2020, the voters of Florida decided to alter the state constitution. As result , Casinos were de-coupled from race tracks.
Gulfstream and Tampa Bay seem to be doing just fine.

[racenomics]

Originally Posted by Vince P 777

I'm willing to pay someone thousands of dollars to educate me on why in God's Holy Name does Oaklawn Park, Kentucky Downs, NYRA tracks and a gadzillion other tracks across the USA continue to share the financial benefits from Casinos, Slots, Sports Betting, etc, while California Racing suffers.

What went wrong?

Did the Indians scam us big time with clever Casino bills?

Were the TOC and CHRB asleep at the wheel years ago?

Do California voters hate horse racing that much, while having a love affair with Indian casinos?

I just don't understand how this could go so wrong.

Who can I blame, lol?.

Please advise.

Vince P

I think that it’s the people of Cali that you have you point the blame on. If there was a referendum on Racing in CA much like Greyhounds in Florida, I think they would ban it sadly

[SG4]

Originally Posted by Vince P 777

I'm willing to pay someone thousands of dollars to educate me on why in God's Holy Name does Oaklawn Park, Kentucky Downs, NYRA tracks and a gadzillion other tracks across the USA continue to share the financial benefits from Casinos, Slots, Sports Betting, etc, while California Racing suffers.

Vince P

If you looked at the 1st post in the recent topic about the decline of Cal racing you'd see a linked article from DRF. As the article says:
"A 2022 California ballot measure that would have allowed sports betting at racetracks was soundly defeated by voters.
Native American tribes operate casinos throughout California, and are so strong politically that the development of casinos at racetracks is considered nearly impossible."


So do I get all the thousands of dollars you're willing to pay or should it be split with that original poster & Steve Andersen of DRF?

[elhelmete]

Originally Posted by SG4

If you looked at the 1st post in the recent topic about the decline of Cal racing you'd see a linked article from DRF. As the article says:
"A 2022 California ballot measure that would have allowed sports betting at racetracks was soundly defeated by voters.
Native American tribes operate casinos throughout California, and are so strong politically that the development of casinos at racetracks is considered nearly impossible."


So do I get all the thousands of dollars you're willing to pay or should it be split with that original poster & Steve Andersen of DRF?

There were TWO competing ballot questions to allow sports betting, and each had various tribes backing it. The advertising was so pervasive and annoying BITH ballot questions were voted down. If the tribes had all banded together and there was just 1 ballot question, it would have passed.

[horsefan2019]

Originally Posted by Vince P 777

I'm willing to pay someone thousands of dollars to educate me on why in God's Holy Name does Oaklawn Park, Kentucky Downs, NYRA tracks and a gadzillion other tracks across the USA continue to share the financial benefits from Casinos, Slots, Sports Betting, etc, while California Racing suffers.

What went wrong?

Did the Indians scam us big time with clever Casino bills?

Were the TOC and CHRB asleep at the wheel years ago?

Do California voters hate horse racing that much, while having a love affair with Indian casinos?

I just don't understand how this could go so wrong.

Who can I blame, lol?.

Please advise.

Vince P

The people that cared about the sport in California have expired. The ones that are still around are not in big enough numbers to influence anything.

[Andy Asaro]

Deals came close to being made but at the time Horse Racing still thought they were on solid ground. As we know now that was a HUGE mistake.

[Vince P 777]

Originally Posted by SG4

If you looked at the 1st post in the recent topic about the decline of Cal racing you'd see a linked article from DRF. As the article says:
"A 2022 California ballot measure that would have allowed sports betting at racetracks was soundly defeated by voters.
Native American tribes operate casinos throughout California, and are so strong politically that the development of casinos at racetracks is considered nearly impossible."


So do I get all the thousands of dollars you're willing to pay or should it be split with that original poster & Steve Andersen of DRF?

I read the blurb re the CA Measure in the DRF last week.

I was at a horse meeting about 5 years ago when those measures first came up for discussion.

My recollection was that the Sports Betting at Race Tracks (Los Al, Santa Anita, Del Mar and my precious GGF) would initially help increase purses 10% or more and that the Internet Betting Bill would be much more lucrative to the horsemen - a 25%+ increase in purses. Obviously neither happened and problem won't until we can sleep with the Indians (Casinos).

But more curious to me, and I know we should just move forward, is HOW this happened.

Was it when Arnold was in charge?

Was it because we misread/misunderstood Prop 5 years ago?

Thanks,
Vince P

[ScottJ]

Final Jeopardy time.

Tonight's Final Jeopardy category is "New York Racing" and our final answer is this : "New York City OTB, New York Regional OTBs (Nassau, Suffolk), and TVG share this animal characteristic".

Good luck, players.

The correct question is "What is a leach?"

Initially, they all sounded like a great idea to increase handle (and therefore host track monies) and were initially thought to be incremental revenue.

Instead as time moved forward, they were/are all parasitic organizations that voraciously suck money from the game. Each was/is a self-serving intermediary draining dollars from the ongoing health of the racing.

So, what went wrong in California? Bottom line : If you want the tracks to survive, you have to maintain the direct connection between the host tracks and the end consumer. Anything else has been proven over and over to be ineffective.

[Vince P 777]

Originally Posted by Andy Asaro

Deals came close to being made but at the time Horse Racing still thought they were on solid ground. As we know now that was a HUGE mistake.

Excellent Point.

[racenomics]

Originally Posted by ScottJ

Final Jeopardy time.

Tonight's Final Jeopardy category is "New York Racing" and our final answer is this : "New York City OTB, New York Regional OTBs (Nassau, Suffolk), and TVG share this animal characteristic".

Good luck, players.

The correct question is "What is a leach?"

Initially, they all sounded like a great idea to increase handle (and therefore host track monies) and were initially thought to be incremental revenue.

Instead as time moved forward, they were/are all parasitic organizations that voraciously suck money from the game. Each was/is a self-serving intermediary draining dollars from the ongoing health of the racing.

So, what went wrong in California? Bottom line : If you want the tracks to survive, you have to maintain the direct connection between the host tracks and the end consumer. Anything else has been proven over and over to be ineffective.

It’s something that is so true and the tracks somehow fail to realize that