This is not a good start for the year.

[the little guy]

Originally Posted by $w1fT

Major Winter Tracks

Fairgrounds - turf is unplayable and frankly unsafe. Small fields dominated by super trainers Total handle was down 33% from January 2023 from same month 2022.

Aqueduct - up 2% over same period but with 33 more races due to nicer weather. Small fields of cheap claimers and maidens.

Gulfstream- down 4%. Most of their non premier days and dominated by Tapeta races of cheap claimers.

Oaklawn has stayed flat, full fields, but high takeout on almost all wagers.

Santa Anita - down nearly 23% but 27 fewer races from last year due to unusually poor weather. To me, meet has been decent but late odds movements like in the Kilroe are turnoffs.

Aside from the big days, What’s appealing here?

From minor tracks, Tampa and SH (obviously) are also down significantly.

Turfway has taken a big jump in handle due to full fields, penny breakage, low takeout multi race wagers, and move to night time on Saturdays.

So, yet another false post from a usual source?

Originally Posted by Sheffwed

this certainly had to do with older people staying at home looking for things to do during the worst of the pandemic from 2020-22, created a wave which may be subsiding

and yes, racing has been terrible in 2023 (in the US) relatively speaking, and surely that hasn't helped

this Big A meet has been particularly, unprecedentedly awful

[Inner Dirt]

I would imagine inflation has continued to eat into money people spend on entertainment, you have also have extreme weather conditions, and more competition from sports betting.

[$w1fT]

Originally Posted by the little guy

So, yet another false post from a usual source?

https://twitter.com/ejxd2/status/162...nwANfqWzZXV3Tg

I know Ed’s another guy you turn your nose up at, but I’d imagine he wouldn’t be making the numbers up.

[the little guy]

Originally Posted by $w1fT

https://twitter.com/ejxd2/status/162...nwANfqWzZXV3Tg

I know Ed’s another guy you turn your nose up at, but I’d imagine he wouldn’t be making the numbers up.

You don’t know anything about me and/or whose opinion I may value. That doesn’t stop you from spewing nonsense about me.

[$w1fT]

Originally Posted by the little guy

You don’t know anything about me and/or whose opinion I may value. That doesn’t stop you from spewing nonsense about me.

So is Ed’s information false? Because that’s the topic of the thread…declining handle numbers.

[castaway01]

Originally Posted by $w1fT

So is Ed’s information false? Because that’s the topic of the thread…declining handle numbers.

I know this requires common sense, but perhaps because the other poster's opinion was that Aqueduct had been awful but the facts state their handle is actually up, that's why Andy was called that opinion into question? I'm not a Twitter regular and I know a bunch of you have a little battle going on over there, but isn't this point pretty obvious?

[the little guy]

Originally Posted by $w1fT

So is Ed’s information false? Because that’s the topic of the thread…declining handle numbers.

I like the real Ed. Internet Ed is of little interest to me. I could say that in general. Sadly, many things are backwards on the internet, especially Twitter. Years ago, a friend told me a funny line that went something like "if you don't know history, you're doomed to mis learn it from Hollywood." Well, now you can replace Hollywood with social media, and this seems especially true with racing, but that may be only because I often know the truth, or something close to it, in racing and am ignorant on many other subjects.

Unfortunately, people hear what they want to hear. I've tried, for years, to explain, for instance, the truth about the NYRA slot agreement with the State. Yet, the same people I have said it to, will often regurgitate the same misinformation that is frequently written about it. Eventually you wear down from trying to correct mistruths. Those that want to believe them, for the most part, will continue to. The only thing we all need to ask ourselves is if we are believing things because we want to, or because we actually can justifiably see them as truths. For the most part it's the former, it's human nature, but we should all strive for the latter as much as possible.

[o_crunk]

Through this morning, AQU handle at the current meet, which began on 1/1/23, is down 32% (-$96M) on 74 fewer races and 710 fewer interests vs the same period last year. Per interest is down 7.8% (-$8.7K) and per race is down 14.8% (-$122K).

Just the facts.

[kyle r]

Originally Posted by castaway01

I know this requires common sense, but perhaps because the other poster's opinion was that Aqueduct had been awful but the facts state their handle is actually up, that's why Andy was called that opinion into question? I'm not a Twitter regular and I know a bunch of you have a little battle going on over there, but isn't this point pretty obvious?

If it is accurate that NYRA has in fact run 33 more races this year than last for this period then they are down significantly…per race and certainly per starter. And those are the proper metrics for comparison sake.

[the little guy]

Originally Posted by o_crunk

Through this morning, AQU handle at the current meet, which began on 1/1/23, is down 32% (-$96M) on 74 fewer races and 710 fewer interests vs the same period last year. Per interest is down 7.8% (-$8.7K) and per race is down 14.8% (-$122K).

Just the facts.

We have run 34 days in 2023 at Aqueduct. We have run 19 more races than in 2022.

The above post, which claims to be factual, is a perfect example of what I meant about misinformation on the internet.

[kyle r]

Originally Posted by the little guy

We have run 34 days in 2023 at Aqueduct. We have run 19 more races than in 2022.

The above post, which claims to be factual, is a perfect example of what I meant about misinformation on the internet.

The discussion and comparison is not year to date, but January and February. Or am I wrong?

[the little guy]

Originally Posted by kyle r

The discussion and comparison is not year to date, but January and February. Or am I wrong?

I responded to what was posted. I'm not a mind reader.

[kyle r]

Originally Posted by Poindexter

https://paulickreport.com/news/the-b...-upward-trend/

Wagering on racing is down 6.2% for January and February combined, despite, more race days, more races and inflation. But no worries, purses are up over 8% for the year, so life is good.

Maybe the 2 big mandatory payouts we had over the weekend will help March get back on track.

Little One, no mind reading required. Simple reading comprehension would do.

[the little guy]

Originally Posted by kyle r

Little One, no mind reading required. Simple reading comprehension would do.

31 posts and you're insulting me! Impressive. To the garbage pail you go.

[kyle r]

Originally Posted by the little guy

I'm not a mind reader.

I didn’t set out to insult you, but maybe if you didn’t first bring a certain jerk store vibe to the convo. Maybe on your days off you stay off the internet and work on cultivating a bit more self-awareness. Or is it just internet Andy who’s oblivious?