One way to save Racing - Horse Racing Forum - PaceAdvantage.Com

karlskorner · 12-16-2007, 12:19 PM

Invite someone who has never been to a race track. Yesterday I took a couple to CRC. who have never been to a race track in their lives. They explained since they have never been to a race track they were uncertain how to play.

Being Grand Slam II day with 4 Stake races there was a decent crowd, plus a free give away of a belly wallet. We spent time in the Paddock before every race, which they enjoyed very much, showed them how to wager, explained the track layout, explained the "conditions" of the races, all in all a general description of what horse racing is all about. They stated on the way home it was one of the best days they have had in a long time and they would be back. We made some money which made everybody happy.

I am sure everyone on this board knows people who have never been to a race track, INVITE THEM TO JOIN YOU. If you play from home, invite them over.

Zman179 · 12-16-2007, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by karlskorner

I am sure everyone on this board knows people who have never been to a race track, INVITE THEM TO JOIN YOU. If you play from home, invite them over.

Ummm, that doesn't always work. I took a good friend to the track once; it was her first visit. Her comment afterwards was, "I don't know why you like coming here to watch old men screaming at television sets."

boomman · 12-16-2007, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by karlskorner

Invite someone who has never been to a race track. Yesterday I took a couple to CRC. who have never been to a race track in their lives. They explained since they have never been to a race track they were uncertain how to play.

Being Grand Slam II day with 4 Stake races there was a decent crowd, plus a free give away of a belly wallet. We spent time in the Paddock before every race, which they enjoyed very much, showed them how to wager, explained the track layout, explained the "conditions" of the races, all in all a general description of what horse racing is all about. They stated on the way home it was one of the best days they have had in a long time and they would be back. We made some money which made everybody happy.

I am sure everyone on this board knows people who have never been to a race track, INVITE THEM TO JOIN YOU. If you play from home, invite them over.

karl: Good for you! The point is, there is no way folks will become racing fans if they don't have someone there like us to "show them the ropes" when they've never been been to the track before and are totally confused as to what's going on or how to bet. Racing is a beautiful sport and I think sometimes we lose "tracK" of how we fell in love with it in the first place! (Being shown the ropes ourselves by a mentor)

Boomer

Shenanigans · 12-16-2007, 07:53 PM

It never works out as smoothly as your day has. Everytime I bring someone new to the track, a horse breaksdown in front of the grandstand and they never want to come back to the races.

Marshall Bennett · 12-16-2007, 08:11 PM

Either that or they lose everything in their wallet and you have to pick up the check at dinner !!

karlskorner · 12-16-2007, 08:32 PM

Didn't exactly work out that way. We picked up my wife from the Hard Rock Casino and went to a Spanish Resturant to spend our winnings. Unfortunaley
I broke a cardinal rule I have. NEVER EAT WHAT HAS TO BE EXPLAINED TO YOU AND NEVER EAT WHAT YOU CAN'T PRONOUNCE. Didn't go to the track today, spent the day close to the toilet.

kenwoodallpromos · 12-16-2007, 11:11 PM

Sounds like your couple was open minded and willing to listen and learn.
If you ran Nor-Ca racing, what would you do to get all the fairgoers to go to OTB's or GGF the rest of the year? Set it up so the whole family can keep busy? Many couples and families attend the fair racing.

rdavislake · 12-17-2007, 01:20 AM

I''ve been in and around this silly business since 1983. I've yet to take anyone to the races who didn't win on their first visit to the track. Doesn't seem to matter whether they like the horse's name, the color of the silks, or "that grey horse". How's that for an interesting handicapping angle?

JustRalph · 12-17-2007, 02:37 AM

racing doesn't need to be saved.............it's doing ok...........I emphasis.............OK

gIracing · 12-17-2007, 03:07 AM

rdavislake, the quickest day of my handicapping life, opening day of oaklawn park about 2 years ago. my GF just had to come with me. I say okay. we get there, I try to explain the picks and who is going ot do what.. of course we get to the track, she wants to bet her birthday.

I had already had about a 20 dollar ticket on the first race.. I liked the 5 horse. Her birthday was october 25th. it was a 12 horse field. So she put 2 dollars on a 10/2/5 trifecta. i said you know...why not. 10/2/5 for me as well

payout was over 2500 dollars per 2 dollar ticket. 10 was a 12 to 1 shot first time starter.

first race of the card. we were back in little rock by 3 oclock lol. ate good thatnight.

jballscalls · 12-17-2007, 12:24 PM

Good story, as nobody becomes a racing fan by watching races on Tv or on one of those betting websites. go to the track. i take people to the track for the first time, and they all seem to atleast enjoy themselves, some of them start to go back on a regular basis.

Tom · 12-17-2007, 12:34 PM

I bet at home, so if I bring people there to watch me scream at jockeys in my underwear, that will help racing?

njcurveball · 12-17-2007, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jballscalls

Good story, as nobody becomes a racing fan by watching races on Tv or on one of those betting websites. go to the track. .

I am not sure I am buying this as there are about a million or more screaming pre-teens who would literally kill to see a teen girl hopefully not lip sync. All made fans by watching TV never having a chance to see the girl in person.

The point being that racing management is greedy and stupid with their product. I think many fans could be created with Television shows, if the industry wasn't "penny wise, dollar foolish" with their signals.

I also am pretty sure the people who come out to the track on Kentucky Derby day are fans of the Triple Crown races due to the hype the 3 year olds get on TV.

And I would bet that people who could not even tell you where the finish line is would recite the names Smarty Jones and Barbaro to you.

Racing is a great game and given the right marketing with the absence of greed, they would be having record numbers.

JustMissed · 12-17-2007, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by karlskorner

Invite someone who has never been to a race track. Yesterday I took a couple to CRC. who have never been to a race track in their lives. They explained since they have never been to a race track they were uncertain how to play.

Being Grand Slam II day with 4 Stake races there was a decent crowd, plus a free give away of a belly wallet. We spent time in the Paddock before every race, which they enjoyed very much, showed them how to wager, explained the track layout, explained the "conditions" of the races, all in all a general description of what horse racing is all about. They stated on the way home it was one of the best days they have had in a long time and they would be back. We made some money which made everybody happy.

I am sure everyone on this board knows people who have never been to a race track, INVITE THEM TO JOIN YOU. If you play from home, invite them over.

Karl,

Did you show them how a Chinese Double works? That would hook them for sure.

JM

onefast99 · 12-17-2007, 01:20 PM

My 7 yo's first time at the track she played a horse that was a grey and the jockey had bright pink silks, it was a low level maiden claimer at Mth park she didnt know the first thing about racing and could care-less, her horse won the race and paid $89.00 to win $52.00 to place and $5.60 to show she had $2 across the board, she wanted to leave when I gave her the winnings and go right to Toys R Us!