Preakness moving date?

[cj]

Originally Posted by Speed Figure

If the Preakness is in trouble, The Santa Anita derby will replace it! I don't see 1st racing giving up their triple crown spot!

Santa Anita Derby
Kentucky Derby
Belmont Stakes

If they mess up the TC by screwing up the Preakness, no way they get another TC race.

[Pigpen]

Originally Posted by cj

If they mess up the TC by screwing up the Preakness, no way they get another TC race.

I agree with this statement. This is going to be interesting.

[castaway01]

Derby/Belmont/Travers makes the most sense, but they're not giving NYRA two of the three (I know it's not a "formal" thing, just saying). So I think Arkansas/KD/Belmont works. The KD will have its drawing power no matter the sequence and will probably still draw a huge field and big event crowds. It's creative scheduling this way but it's a solid idea (hopefully CJ gets a minor stakes race named after him).

Plus Oaklawn, Churchill, and Belmont are better bets to still be running in a few years than Pimlico is.

[dilanesp]

The "Triple Crown" is a jointly held trademark. None of us are privy to the agreements over its use, but it's unlikely that the owners of Pimlico can be squeezed out without their consent/selling the mark.

On the other hand, what racing fans and industry insiders accept as the three most important 3 year old races is not dependent on who owns the trademark.

[Speed Figure]

I can't see a race track having a triple crown race that doesn’t have a turf course. Turf racing is a major part of the undercard.

[Frost king]

Just find another track that will run the sandwich race.

[ScottJ]

"We have a lot of issues in horse racing, the triple crown is not one of them." - Graham Motion

[rastajenk]

Move the Preakness back a week; then two weeks until the Belmont. What's the difference?

[bisket]

Originally Posted by rastajenk

Move the Preakness back a week; then two weeks until the Belmont. What's the difference?

What makes it complicated is I’m sure NBC and Fox don’t want the races on a holiday weekend. Memorial Day and July 4th complicates moving the races to a different weekends.

Another point to what some have suggested is the biggest thing trainers have to overcome is that the derby is so early for the horses in their 3 year old year. I don’t think networks would except the blowback of moving the first race up a month no matter where it is.

[Sheffwed]

"The state apparently already has the legal authority to take the tracks through eminent domain under a 2009 section of Maryland law governing business regulation — Md. Business Regulation Code Section 11-521, 'Condemnation of Private Thoroughbred Racing-Related Property for Public Use' — but such condemnation is viewed by most as a somewhat unrealistic 'nuclear option' "

https://www.marylandmatters.org/2023...s-celebration/

[bisket]

Originally Posted by Sheffwed

"The state apparently already has the legal authority to take the tracks through eminent domain under a 2009 section of Maryland law governing business regulation — Md. Business Regulation Code Section 11-521, 'Condemnation of Private Thoroughbred Racing-Related Property for Public Use' — but such condemnation is viewed by most as a somewhat unrealistic 'nuclear option' "

https://www.marylandmatters.org/2023...s-celebration/

That law was passed because Magna went into bankruptcy and DeFrancis was threatening to buy the tracks back. The reason MD tracks are in the shape they are now was a direct result of Joe DeFrancis Jr’s agreement to sell the tracks to Magna. The Governor and legislature wanted to give MD tracks the license to have slots. The idea behind it was to give the tracks a way to update and increase purses. DeFrancis Jr. sold the tracks to Magna with agreement that he would get all the revenue from slots and Magna would only be purchasing the tracks and revenue from racing. That’s the reason slots weren’t passed for another 10 years, and the tracks haven’t had the funding to make improvements.

[Cholly]

Originally Posted by Snow Chief

...The Preakness purse is lower with no resources to increase it. Cox and TAP already skip it every year...

Cox, and TAP skip the Preakness because they’re all-in on the Derby, and the type of Owners they work for aren’t interested in having their horses run back in two weeks unless they have a shot at a Triple Crown.

This idea of adjusting the spacing between the races has been bandied around for years, but NYRA & NBC have always resisted any change. With most of the strongest 3yo’s avoiding the 2-week turn-back, the current set-up results in the Derby winner drawing a weaker field in the Preakness, increasing the likelihood for a Triple Crown riding on the Belmont Stakes…which when it happens has resulted in a financial windfall for NBC and NYRA.

What’s different now is that NYRA has sold the TV rights for the Belmont Stakes to Fox, so NBC no longer has any vested interest in whether a Triple Crown happens or not. But they are vested in amping up the marquee value of the Preakness. If NBC believes they can attract more viewers by changing the date of the Preakness, then the date’s going to change.

My guess is that if NBC moves the Preakness, Fox will follow suit with the Belmont. The increased viewership that occurs when a Triple Crown is in play is likely too enticing for Fox to pass up.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by Sheffwed

"The state apparently already has the legal authority to take the tracks through eminent domain under a 2009 section of Maryland law governing business regulation — Md. Business Regulation Code Section 11-521, 'Condemnation of Private Thoroughbred Racing-Related Property for Public Use' — but such condemnation is viewed by most as a somewhat unrealistic 'nuclear option' "

https://www.marylandmatters.org/2023...s-celebration/

The state can take the tracks, but it can't take the trademarks. If Maryland ever does that, they'll end up owning Pimilico while Stronach runs the Preakness at Santa Anita or Lone Star or something.

[bisket]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

The state can take the tracks, but it can't take the trademarks. If Maryland ever does that, they'll end up owning Pimilico while Stronach runs the Preakness at Santa Anita or Lone Star or something.

Gulfstream...

unlike other businesses racing is connected to the state by the mutual pools. There's a stronger case for the state to have the ability to condemn and keep the Preakness. At least a long drawn out case in the state courts to decide that. I don't think NBC wants any part of that. Looks like New York will moving the Belmont...

[Tom]

Frankly, the Preakness is the crown jewel of the TC.
Derby is pretty much a joke with too many starters.
Without a TC on the line, who caes about a mile and a half race/

Derby
Preakness
Haskell (move it up a couple weeks)