Golden Gate to close?

[v j stauffer]

Originally Posted by AndyC

I can't imagine that shipping cheap horses is very cost effective.

It's a way to end up with no chips and fast!

[JustRalph]

I don’t know, so I’ll ask. What does it cost to ship a single horse from GGF to Santa Anita? One way

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by classhandicapper

Bettors want fairly large competitive fields, but quality is also obviously part of the thinking. If quality wasn't a major factor the handle figures around the country would look a LOT different than they do.

Let me ask you this. Suppose instead of the crap we currently card, Santa Anita consistently carded 14 horse fields of somewhat cheaper horses. Do you think handle would go down?

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

I don’t know, so I’ll ask. What does it cost to ship a single horse from GGF to Santa Anita? One way

Just the van? $500 to $1000. But there's also getting stable space, the cost of transporting personnel, etc.

[Inner Dirt]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

Just the van? $500 to $1000. But there's also getting stable space, the cost of transporting personnel, etc.

Are those current numbers or off the top of your head from days gone by?
The reason I ask is all the freight charges I incur and hear about from others is that freight charges have shot way up in the last couple years. Of course neither I nor my peers have ever shipped livestock. $500 for just the horse seemed cheap to me.

[cj]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

Let me ask you this. Suppose instead of the crap we currently card, Santa Anita consistently carded 14 horse fields of somewhat cheaper horses. Do you think handle would go down?

Probably not at first, but eventually, yes. It also depends on the "somewhat" definition. People can bet plenty of big field, cheap claiming races.

[MooseDog]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

Just the van? $500 to $1000. But there's also getting stable space, the cost of transporting personnel, etc.

The quoted lower figure is close, I have done some book keeping for owners.

Originally Posted by dilanesp

If NorCal racing were profitable, I doubt the Stronach people would be seeking to close GGF in the first place.

According to a long-time NorCal trainer least one high ranking TSG exec told horsemen that GGF was very profitable. There are other factors at play and they are financial and have nothing to do with the activists or the proposed Berkeley ordinance (which likely had little chance of passing or withstanding legal challenges).

https://paulickreport.com/news/ray-s...al-human-toll/

[thespaah]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

I don’t know, so I’ll ask. What does it cost to ship a single horse from GGF to Santa Anita? One way

According to Google maps, the distance is 385 miles.
Lets say a 2-4 horse trailer pulled by a 10k GVWR dually pickup burning diesel.

According tog gasbuddy.com, diesel prices in CA are around $4.25 to $4.40/gal.
The average pickup truck hauling a 1,100 horse. tack, hay and water in a trailer that we'll benefit of the doubt is aluminum frame. Lets say the trailer has an empty weight of 3,000 lbs.
I guestimate the truck will burn somewhere around one gallon every 10 to 12 miles. So lets use the higher number ...12mpg
385/12 equals 32 gallons...Now that is in a perfect world. No traffic. 32X.$4.35/gal equals $139....I'm guessing the driver is getting paid at least $25 hr. The process includes pickup and receiving barn protocols, lets say 1.5 hours on each end. 3 hours. With moderate traffic its probably a 50 mile/hr avg
7.7 hours. My guess is a groom or caretaker will also ride along. California's min wage is $15/ hr. SO labor costs are $40 per hour. If these are employed by state law, factor in payroll taxes and other deductions paid by the employer. Multiply the hourly rate by 2.5 and that is the true cost of labor..$100 per hour for the two people.....so lets say 11 hours total, $770 for labor, $140 for fuel....I'm gonna say it will cost about $1,000 to ship ONE horse

[thespaah]

Originally Posted by MooseDog

The quoted lower figure is close, I have done some book keeping for owners.



According to a long-time NorCal trainer least one high ranking TSG exec told horsemen that GGF was very profitable. There are other factors at play and they are financial and have nothing to do with the activists or the proposed Berkeley ordinance (which likely had little chance of passing or withstanding legal challenges).

https://paulickreport.com/news/ray-s...al-human-toll/

I did a breakdown below using fuel cost, labor cost, etc.
I'm kind of winging it using my knowledge as an owner of a small load LTL trucking business,
I may be off on the labor rates.

[thespaah]

Read this on HRN.com
https://www.horseracingnation.com/ne...ate_Fields_123
Seems Sen Diane Feinstein is calling the Stronach Group onto the carpet

[Belkster]

Originally Posted by thespaah

Read this on HRN.com
https://www.horseracingnation.com/ne...ate_Fields_123/
Seems Sen Diane Feinstein is calling the Stronach Group onto the carpet

I don't think the senator's questions will affect anything. Golden Gate will be closed.

[classhandicapper]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

Let me ask you this. Suppose instead of the crap we currently card, Santa Anita consistently carded 14 horse fields of somewhat cheaper horses. Do you think handle would go down?

I think SA has a lot of brand value. So larger fields would initially attract larger handle despite the lower quality. But IMO that brand value comes from years of running high quality races that fans are interested in. If it kept running more and more cheap races, it would slowly lose its brand and the handle would decline.

This is similar to the debate we had here about Saratoga potentially running at Belmont during the pandemic. Saratoga has a better brand than Belmont. So it attracts more fans and higher handle. But that brands exists in part because they card an endless stream of great stakes races with the best horses that people are interested in. If you shifted those races to Belmont, IMO Belmont would do better than usual even if not as well as Saratoga. A brand takes awhile to build or destroy. Hell, IMO if you shifted all those important stakes races and purses to Finger Lakes permanently, Finger Lakes would become a vacation shot spot for horseplayers eventually.

[v j stauffer]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

I don’t know, so I’ll ask. What does it cost to ship a single horse from GGF to Santa Anita? One way

About $750. There are vans running back an forth several times a week. In an emergency you can get a guy to take one or two rather than a full load but of course it costs a little more.

After Bay Meadows closed there were a few guys who immediately realized they'd have to be a much bigger presence down south to sustain their business.

Hollendorfer was first to go followed by Art Sherman, Billy Morey. Then later Jeff Bonde and Andy Mathis et al.

The reason why GGF closing is such a disaster is because of the horsemen who do not want to or cannot re-locate.

This is a devastating blow to guys like Steve Specht, "Brother" Bill Mclean, Quinn Howey, Aggie Ordonez and many others. They have lives, families, homes where it just won't work or will be miserable to even try.

Not to mention the people who have worked there for decades. Loyal employees who loved GGF and did quality work.

On a more personal note I immediately thought of Matt Dinerman. I was in SF six weeks ago and ran into Matt.

I asked he he had applied at Oaklawn. Every young announcer wants to graduate to calling Grade 1 races that the world watches.

He told me he'd given it some thought but had decided to stay at GGF. And IMO for all the right reasons. They gave him his first break. They take great care of him and consider him a valuable asset. And perhaps most importantly he simply loves his life in the East Bay.

Thoughts of a young man mature beyond his age.

I'm sure he'll land on his feet. He does a fine job and has an expansive skill set. However, I couldn't feel worse for him. To make a commitment like that and have TSG pull the rug out totally F-ING sucks.

TSG saying this will positively impact racing at Santa Anita is the biggest load of happy horseshit I've ever heard.

GGF closing will help SA about as much as me pissing on a forest fire.

As always in this life it's about the Golden Rule.

Those with the GOLD make the rules.

Thank goodness I'm at the end of my career. I can't imagine someone having to try and make their way with the way things are going in our industry.

SAD, PATHETIC, F-ED!!

[cj]

Times have changed, as I'm sure Matt learned. There is no loyalty any longer at most companies, you have to look out for yourself. If a better opportunity arises, RUN to it as fast as you can and don't look back.

[ranchwest]

Originally Posted by v j stauffer

About $750. There are vans running back an forth several times a week. In an emergency you can get a guy to take one or two rather than a full load but of course it costs a little more.

After Bay Meadows closed there were a few guys who immediately realized they'd have to be a much bigger presence down south to sustain their business.

Hollendorfer was first to go followed by Art Sherman, Billy Morey. Then later Jeff Bonde and Andy Mathis et al.

The reason why GGF closing is such a disaster is because of the horsemen who do not want to or cannot re-locate.

This is a devastating blow to guys like Steve Specht, "Brother" Bill Mclean, Quinn Howey, Aggie Ordonez and many others. They have lives, families, homes where it just won't work or will be miserable to even try.

Not to mention the people who have worked there for decades. Loyal employees who loved GGF and did quality work.

On a more personal note I immediately thought of Matt Dinerman. I was in SF six weeks ago and ran into Matt.

I asked he he had applied at Oaklawn. Every young announcer wants to graduate to calling Grade 1 races that the world watches.

He told me he'd given it some thought but had decided to stay at GGF. And IMO for all the right reasons. They gave him his first break. They take great care of him and consider him a valuable asset. And perhaps most importantly he simply loves his life in the East Bay.

Thoughts of a young man mature beyond his age.

I'm sure he'll land on his feet. He does a fine job and has an expansive skill set. However, I couldn't feel worse for him. To make a commitment like that and have TSG pull the rug out totally F-ING sucks.

TSG saying this will positively impact racing at Santa Anita is the biggest load of happy horseshit I've ever heard.

GGF closing will help SA about as much as me pissing on a forest fire.

As always in this life it's about the Golden Rule.

Those with the GOLD make the rules.

Thank goodness I'm at the end of my career. I can't imagine someone having to try and make their way with the way things are going in our industry.

SAD, PATHETIC, F-ED!!

I truly appreciate your perspective on this matter.