We're in trouble.

[Denny]

Something happened today that made me have to re-open this thread.

It absolutely fits under the "we're in trouble" topic.

They ran a race today, the 1st at Pimlico, with ONLY TWO horses.

ELEVEN horses were entered in this starter allowance for a $25,000 purse.

NINE WERE ALLOWED TO SCRATCH!!!

The winner went off 1/9 and paid $2.20.

The weather was beautiful, the track was FAST.

Are you allowed to scratch for any reason you want nowadays???

It makes a MOCKERY of the SPORT.

Shame on you Pimlico and the Stronach Group for allowing this to happen.

[Denny]

Apparently trainers view running on the Dirt is tantamount to a death sentence for a turf horse.

Guess it's the only reason you need.

(I didn't see that it was originally scheduled for Turf. My bad.)

Still.
Can't a track take precautions? NY (for example) always has MTO's listed for virtually all of it's Turf races.

It really looks bad for the game when this kind of thing happens.

[Tom]

Everything was done by the rules.
There was no intent to harm or inconvenience the customers.

In fact, I doubt the customer was ever considered at all.

[Track Phantom]

Not sure you can blame anyone but how the weather and scratches were handled at Pimlico during Preakness weekend made the sport look 2nd class. All of those scratches made their product unplayable. Then, the technology (or lack thereof) made it unviewable. I'm not saying I have the answer to the problem, I only know that it turned what should have been a top 10 day of national racing into a joke.

While I don't have the answers, I'm damn sure I would be having diligent meetings now to react to the inevitable happening again next year. There has to be something that can be done (increase purse if the race comes off the turf, etc).

[Denny]

Another lousy weather day, in NY this time.

A THREE horse race, a couple of FOUR's and FIVE's.

Horrible, boring races. Not worth watching or betting.

(Too much turf racing scheduled almost daily)

[Tom]

Wait until you tomorrow's cards - they replaced the traditional Met Mile big holiday of racing with a toilet bowl full of NY State In-Bred races!

Thank God for Monmouth.

[RunForTheRoses]

The Sunday Holiday Weekend festivities got off to a roaring start at Monmouth as Jorge Navarro won the first three races at short prices. He won a fourth later on.

[RunForTheRoses]

Originally Posted by Tom

Wait until you tomorrow's cards - they replaced the traditional Met Mile big holiday of racing with a toilet bowl full of NY State In-Bred races!

Thank God for Monmouth.

Just saw this post, maybe thank God for Emerald? Not playing but fields seem decent for there.

[Denny]

NO Monmouth for me, don't like that track.

If the races stay intact - stay on grass - I'll bet the NY-breds at Belmont tomorrow.

Large fields, competitive racing scheduled in NY.

Stay on the Turf NYRA.

(Do miss the Met Mile. But, that's the way it is.)

[TonyK@HSH]

Originally Posted by Denny

Another lousy weather day, in NY this time.

A THREE horse race, a couple of FOUR's and FIVE's.

Horrible, boring races. Not worth watching or betting.

(Too much turf racing scheduled almost daily)

Short fields don't mean you can't find value. Dave Schwartz will tell you 5 horse fields are very profitable.

[jay68802]

Originally Posted by TonyK@HSH

Short fields don't mean you can't find value. Dave Schwartz will tell you 5 horse fields are very profitable.

Short field, long price. might as well get used to it.

[Denny]

The upcoming feature stakes at Santa Anita has a field of FIVE - for a grade 3.

Can't blame the weather, like they do everywhere else.

The favorite is 3/5 right now, the second choice 2/1.

Where's that Value TonyK?

[Denny]

Originally Posted by jay68802

Short field, long price. might as well get used to it.

Get used to it - or stop betting thoroughbreds?

[Denny]

That was exciting.

The 2/1 dropped to 4/5 in the last couple minutes, wins easily by many.
The other goes off 1/1 and runs second.

Thrilling stuff in that 5 horse race.

I'm leaning more towards quitting every day, I'm way past getting used to it!

Harness racing any better? I think it might be.

Anybody else?

[jay68802]

Originally Posted by Denny

Get used to it - or stop betting thoroughbreds?

Did not say to stop betting, just am stating it has been the norm now for a long time. Had to adjust to it myself. $16.00 to $30.00 payouts are fine by me, and in shorter fields the longest price has a much better chance to hit. Of course, I would like to see larger fields, but wish in one hand, sh$t in the other, what do you have the most of? I will just try to keep taking what is there, and hope for changes.