Del Mar News - Horse Racing Forum - PaceAdvantage.Com

rwwupl · 09-11-2009, 11:11 AM

http://www.dmtc.com/racinginfo/news.php#1

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Del Mar News
Friday, September 11th

Five-Day Week Spurs Positives for Del Mar

"The key to most everything we did this summer was the change to the five-day race week. It was overwhelmingly popular and absolutely successful." -- Joe Harper, president and general manager, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club

Del Mar's 70th racing season came to a close Wednesday and -- despite generally hard economic times nationally and a tough go in the racing industry in particular -- the seaside track just north of San Diego had some good news to report.

On-track daily average attendance and handle for the seven-week session ran ahead of last year's numbers with all signs pointing to the track's shortened five-day race week as the triggering element for much of the enhancement.

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When I first read this story, I thought Del Mar did a great job."Spin" is what people do to put the best face on things.
I will probably be looked at as another disgruntled gambler if I voice my opinion that points out anything but the positives, but thats O.K.
People can see things differently ,and I accept that,So I hope others can do the same

I thought,if I played five rounds of golf,and wanted my average score,that would be easy. But,if I wanted to improve my average score,I could throw out my worst day,and that would improve my average.
Del Mar changed its reporting to measure all numbers on a daily average basis while taking out its poorest day,Monday. It would be expected the average would look better.

The news release said it was a season of win, win, win for everyone but then I read the bottom line and the most important fact. Total handle was down 13.7% from last year,but that was "understandable" given that there were fewer racing days.

How does that work for you? who benefited?

DJofSD · 09-11-2009, 11:15 AM

I heard all of this on the local radio and TV yesterday.

Your point about the average being raised b/c of the lack of Monday's being included in the mix is spot on.

andymays · 09-11-2009, 11:17 AM

Has Del Mar and Joe Harper crossed the line when it comes to "spin"?

I say yes and on more than one occasion. During the meet I questioned 2 articles about handle from Del Mar and both authors emailed corrections to me.

As I've said many times before people should be skeptical of information from California in my opinion!

I currently have a request in to CHRIMS to certify the numbers from Joe Harper and Del Mar.

I won't hold my breath!

CHRIMS

http://www.chrims.com/Customers.aspx

CBedo · 09-11-2009, 12:05 PM

I was cringing reading the article with their spin. You gotta love when everything is great....and handle is down almost 77 million.

Does anyone have average field size numbers for 2009 v 2008? I haven't run that query.

DJofSD · 09-11-2009, 12:49 PM

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Does anyone have average field size numbers for 2009 v 2008? I haven't run that query.

I wish I could answer that question. As a BRIS user, I used to scrape HTML pages for data including the results and charts. But since the charts are now only PDF format, I no longer try to maintain that information.

I'm sure some one else with another data provider, like perhaps HDW, would provide a pretty good answer.

ddog · 09-11-2009, 12:57 PM

I give them credit, they cut back a day and that helped some of the other days maintain a decent(?) set of races.

If they had ran the extra day what do you think would have changed other than the field sizes would have been even worse.

They need to cut another day and maybe add 1 race to each day that's left.

The game is shrinking and they can't stop that in any way.

DJofSD · 09-11-2009, 01:04 PM

Agree.

Jeff P · 09-11-2009, 01:27 PM

I have the stats that would allow for a one year to the next field size comparison. But I have the machine with that db on it right in the middle of number crunching for some new R&D ideas I am working on. If no one else posts field size numbers by tonight I'll try to come back to this thread and post them.

I have one comment about the article - and it pertains to this quote:

Quote:

"...We offered a better show this summer in so many ways and the across-the-board response to it has been gratifying."

The above quote tells me Harper doesn't understand the big picture. What just about every track operator, horsemen's group representative, and NTRA/TRA committee member fails to realize is that they are not in the business of putting on a show at all.

They are in the business of selling mutuel tickets. The sooner they wake up and realize what business they are in the better off the industry will be.

Quote:

Total handle for the 37 days came in at $482,487,630, as opposed to $559,253,943 for 43 days the previous year. That was a decline of 13.7%, understandable given the six fewer Monday racing cards.

No, it wasn't understandable because they ran fewer days. It was understandable because they don't even realize what business they are in.

-jp

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andymays · 09-11-2009, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff P

I have the stats that would allow for a one year to the next field size comparison. But I have the machine with that db on it right in the middle of number crunching for some new R&D ideas I am working on. If no one else posts field size numbers by tonight I'll try to come back to this thread and post them.

I have one comment about the article - and it pertains to this quote:
The above quote tells me Harper doesn't understand the big picture. What just about every track operator, horsemen's group representative, and NTRA/TRA committee member fails to realize is that they are not in the business of putting on a show at all.

They are in the business of selling mutuel tickets. The sooner they wake up and realize what business they are in the better off the industry will be.
No, it wasn't understandable because they ran fewer days. It was understandable because they don't even realize what business they are in.

-jp

.

Keep in mind that CHRIMS won't certify Harper's handle numbers despite repeated requests. A little suspicious in my opinion but I could be wrong!

http://www.chrims.com/Customers.aspx

ddog · 09-11-2009, 01:37 PM

they understand that part of the biz very well, i expect.

It's in the tank and it isn't climbing out anytime soon.

Hell, even the NFL is having a hard time filling stadiums now and are worried about the blackout rules,etc.

People have other choices, many other choices and most of them better than racing or spending 500 bucks to sit in a stadium on Sunday.

DJofSD · 09-11-2009, 01:48 PM

Jeff, I suspect that Joe's comments are in large part about the concert series, i.e. the non-racing entertainment. DMR is still putting on a show and folks still pay to get in -- gate receipts -- and so, he's still happy with the results.

Sailwolf · 09-11-2009, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CBedo

I was cringing reading the article with their spin. You gotta love when everything is great....and handle is down almost 77 million.

Does anyone have average field size numbers for 2009 v 2008? I haven't run that query.

Average field size (Del Mar) was 8.56, down slightly from 8.59 last year, TJCIS reported. The drop is counter to most cases in which fewer programs yield bigger field size, as was the case with Ellis Park in Kentucky this summer.

Blood horse.com

DJofSD · 09-11-2009, 01:59 PM

What are the differences in the total number of contests, last year v this year?

Tom · 09-12-2009, 12:04 PM

Steve Byk has a Del Mar flunky on his show last night - who was pretty condesending to a caller complaining about the track conditions. I thought his comments said it all for Del Mar......why bother? The track is a a peice of crap because it is run by jerks. Next year, try 4 day, or three - no one will really care.

Java Gold@TFT · 09-12-2009, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailwolf

Average field size (Del Mar) was 8.56, down slightly from 8.59 last year, TJCIS reported. The drop is counter to most cases in which fewer programs yield bigger field size, as was the case with Ellis Park in Kentucky this summer.

Blood horse.com

Also from the Bloodhorse article:

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If Monday racing from 2008 is taken out of the equation, average daily handle actually dropped 1%, and attendance was off 0.4%, officials said.

I don't remember but weren't wednesdays free admission and $2 beers or something like that? Plus the concert series that they didn't have last year.

Quote:

Total purses paid dropped by about $2 million because the track raced six fewer days.

I'm sure that the horsemen were thrilled with this.