NYRA to propose expanding Saratoga racing season

[Andy Asaro]

Twitter

https://wnyt.com/news/nyra-to-propos...ason-/5161109/

Excerpt:

According to sources, the meet would still include 40 days of races, but would now be dark on Monday and Tuesday.

[Zman179]

2018 Spa season on the calendar (7/20-9/3): 6 weeks, 4 days

Potential 2019 season: 7 weeks, 5 days

NYRA is going to kill the golden goose. For the fan who goes up for the season and many employees, this results in higher costs for no increase in pay and more time away from home.

[the little guy]

Originally Posted by Zman179

2018 Spa season on the calendar (7/20-9/3): 6 weeks, 4 days

Potential 2019 season: 7 weeks, 5 days

NYRA is going to kill the golden goose. For the fan who goes up for the season and many employees, this results in higher costs for no increase in pay and more time away from home.

Out of curiosity, how did you look at the initial post and come up with your inaccurate "potential" numbers?

[bello]

Originally Posted by the little guy

Out of curiosity, how did you look at the initial post and come up with your inaccurate "potential" numbers?

Do you know how to click links? There is a link in the body of Andy's post.

Damn Internet is so freaking complicated.

[Zman179]

Originally Posted by the little guy

Out of curiosity, how did you look at the initial post and come up with your inaccurate "potential" numbers?

Look at a calendar and count how many days (not racing days).

7/20/18-9/3/18 is 46 calendar days

7/11/19-9/2/19 is 54 calendar days.

[the little guy]

Originally Posted by Zman179

Look at a calendar and count how many days (not racing days).

7/20/18-9/3/18 is 46 calendar days

7/11/19-9/2/19 is 54 calendar days.

The Tweet says forty days over eight weeks. But thanks for the help.

[classhandicapper]

I'm not sure if this is good or bad for NYRA, but I know a few serious horseplayers that are going to be happy if they reduce to 5 days a week because doing trips and biases 6 days a week at Saratoga is a tough job.

[ReplayRandall]

Originally Posted by classhandicapper

I'm not sure if this is good or bad for NYRA, but I know a few serious horseplayers that are going to be happy if they reduce to 5 days a week because doing trips and biases 6 days a week at Saratoga is a tough job.

This will enable fuller fields for 5 days a week versus 6....A plus for the horseplayer.

Maybe it'll only rain on Mondays and Tuesdays this coming year...

[SG4]

I think expanding the meet to 8 weeks & racing 5 days a week would be a welcome & logical move in many aspects. I'm surprised by the hostile reaction from the city of Saratoga representatives, my initial analysis would be that this benefits the town, the fan & the racing industry. Has anyone provided any sort of data projections that back up their qualms, or is it just a gut feeling that this would dilute the Saratoga experience to a point where it would be a net negative? Or do the locals really just want one more extra week of peace & quiet before the masses descend?

[JustRalph]

The local businesses will love it? Am I right?

[Andy Asaro]

Twitter

[aaron]

Can't imagine why anyone would be against 8 weeks,5 days a week. Due to circumstances and upcoming construction at Belmont,this seems like a well thought out plan.
Only drawback,I can see is employees might not want to be at Saratoga for 8 weeks.

[Redboard]

I think it’s a good idea, as long as they keep the same number of races for the meet. Not like some tracks which reduced the number of racing days per week, but increased the number of races per day. Can’t understand the reaction of the locals who are worried about the “stature of Saratoga.” If they were so worried, why did they cancel their “Hats off” street parties which opened and closed the meet, that had been a tradition for many years? I believe the cost was something like $30k. Other cities have to build stadiums and things like that. Not to mention that the citizens voted down a measure to allow casinos a few years back. This is a town that had casinos before Las Vegas.

[Tom]

You forget, most of the people who put on the show are staying there as an expense, and if you add several more days of expense and no more days of races, it will be hitting them.

My preference is back to 28 days, a stake every day.
Make it special again.

[Zman179]

Originally Posted by Andy Asaro

https://twitter.com/racetrackandy/st...81756972511232

I found it interesting that he only denied that the meeting was today, he didn’t shoot down the idea that five day weeks are being considered.