1st Racing go F yourself

[ScottJ]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

Look, we're most likely not going to have racing in California in a few years, except maybe Del Mar and perhaps a fair meet or two. The economics don't work anymore.

But if we ARE to save racing in California, if it is saveable, we can only have one circuit. I would have preferred that this would have included northern California, and that we had done this when Hollywood Park closed, with a return to the pre-1960's single circuit where we move between the South and the North. But the horsemen threw a temper tantrum so we got a Los Al meet nobody wanted instead.

If Santa Anita is lost to development, the SoCal "circuit" would be Los Alamitos and Del Mar so horsemen had better start thinking seriously about Doc Allred's role going forward and stop banking on the Stronach Group being the SoCal stalwart supporter of the game.

A single, standalone racetrack such as Del Mar will not survive based on current purse structure and the fact that the nearest tracks, without Los Al, would be 450 miles away (ironically, NoCal and the "on-the-mat", Turf Paradise).

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by ScottJ

If Santa Anita is lost to development, the SoCal "circuit" would be Los Alamitos and Del Mar so horsemen had better start thinking seriously about Doc Allred's role going forward and stop banking on the Stronach Group being the SoCal stalwart supporter of the game.

A single, standalone racetrack such as Del Mar will not survive based on current purse structure and the fact that the nearest tracks, without Los Al, would be 450 miles away (ironically, NoCal and the "on-the-mat", Turf Paradise).

Los Al is useless. No turf course and tight turns, and horsemen don't support it anyway (after demanding it).

Best case scenario if Santa Anita closes is we end up with Del Mar as a vacation meet, a la Oaklawn. Worst case scenario is we shut down entirely.

[craigbraddick]

There is a very feasible and realistic plan for the continuation of racing in Nor Cal. What they are doing in the south is nothing short of moral cowardice. Destroy thousands of peoples lives to cover for their own manifold mistakes.

The Nor Cal Horsemen, CARF and the fans are a fantastic group of people and the plan will work. There will be challenges and a great deal of hard work but no-one is afraid of that. It will be different from the past but it will also work, imo. Listen tomorrow and see for yourself.

What Santa Anita are doing here and they know it is wrong. They have laid their cards on the table and it is now clear they will NEVER have the best interests of California racing at heart. They know they are on the wrong side of history here.

Love Live Nor Cal racing!

[PaceAdvantage]

I find this part concerning:

In the letter, Fravel said the yet-to-be-presented proposal by the California Assn. of Racing Fairs “is lacking in so much detail that it is difficult to understand what has been done over the last eight months [since the closing of Golden Gate was announced] and even more difficult to understand how the Board can be asked to put the entire thoroughbred industry in the state at risk by allocating dates on the basis of speculation.”

He has a point...they've had eight months and they are just now submitting a proposal?

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by PaceAdvantage

I find this part concerning:

He has a point...they've had eight months and they are just now submitting a proposal?

Yep. Very telling.

[horsefan2019]

Originally Posted by Sheffwed

I mean really, use eminent domain to also take Santa Anita back

https://www.latimes.com/sports/story...ita-sell-close

I don't think anybody is going to save it if they threaten to shut it down. In fact they would probably assist them in getting it done.

[drib]

Surprising these comments avoid the biggest negative for Cali racing: Indian casinos. They have tremendous political power, and will never allow slots in the tracks; as further demonstration, Calif just turned down sports wagering in referendum opposed by the casinos. They are the reason, unlike NY, KY, Ark, Fla, Md. Pa, La etc., Cali purses are totally dependent upon betting handle.

[horsefan2019]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

Los Al is useless. No turf course and tight turns, and horsemen don't support it anyway (after demanding it).

Best case scenario if Santa Anita closes is we end up with Del Mar as a vacation meet, a la Oaklawn. Worst case scenario is we shut down entirely.

Los Alamitos is not long for this world either. I've heard that once Doc passes the property will be sold.

[ScottJ]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

Los Al is useless. No turf course and tight turns, and horsemen don't support it anyway (after demanding it).

If this is the prevailing view, SoCal is slitting its own throat and cannot blame the Stronach Group for the resulting blood that is let.

Originally Posted by dilanesp

Best case scenario if Santa Anita closes is we end up with Del Mar as a vacation meet, a la Oaklawn. Worst case scenario is we shut down entirely.

Dilan, you are a reasonable poster, so let's take a careful look at the Oaklawn comparison (which I knew was inevitable).

Does Del Mar have a hotel trackside? Do they even have the land available aside from the all-dirt driving range?

A casino?

A restaurant district?

How about an expanding meet from December to May?

Maiden special weights at $115,000?

I love the Del Mar vibe and have been on-track for each of the last two years (in addition to Saratoga).

However, you are not accounting for the costs to think a 10-week meet can make this circuit fly.

If SoCal does not think LosAl is a viable option in the post-Santa Anita world, the game on the West Coast is done.

Hence, I hope that Santa Anita is NOT a racetrack casualty.

[ScottJ]

Originally Posted by horsefan2019

Los Alamitos is not long for this world either. I've heard that once Doc passes the property will be sold.

Exactly my point - the horsemen need to be working with Doc Allred, not chastising the fact that he has done what he can with his property. Doc has been a q-bred guy that has been able to help the t-bred community for years. Still, they offer him the back of the hand.

[Sheffwed]

Originally Posted by ScottJ

Exactly my point - the horsemen need to be working with Doc Allred, not chastising the fact that he has done what he can with his property. Doc has been a q-bred guy that has been able to help the t-bred community for years. Still, they offer him the back of the hand.

I believe he is 87 years old, and Los Al has long been expected to close once he passes as his family isn't interested

[bisket]

Then there’s this angle yet to be discussed…..

https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.co...omy-of-a-deal/

[JustRalph]

Originally Posted by bisket

Then there’s this angle yet to be discussed…..

https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.co...omy-of-a-deal/

Some read…..

Incest is becoming more notable, how many of these powerful gamblers are in collusion behind the scenes.

NYRA being a minority owner somehow bothers me.

There is absolutely no place for the little guy anymore

[horsefan2019]

Originally Posted by lamboguy

there is no threat, they can't do to much with the property other than race horses there, the town of Arcadia will not allow it.

for such a big parcel of land that they own, they really do underperform.

The city of Arcadia may want to keep it as a horse racing track, but if the track isn't pulling its weight, aka giving tax revenue like it used to, the city may not care if it continues as a horse racing track and would rather see it utilized as something else. This is what happened to Hollywood Park.

[dilanesp]

Also, while Arcadia may WANT a racetrack there, they can't force Stronach to operate a racetrack there. It's not like the City is going to spend the money to operate a track at a loss. It's not like Baltimore where you have a bunch of politicians who are willing to spend a bunch of the taxpayers' money to try and keep horse racing.

If Stronach closes the track, Arcadia will allow something to be done with the land. They won't just let it sit empty. Nature abhors a vacuum.