For those keeping score:

[thespaah]

Originally Posted by Sheffwed

Ah memories

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/08/s...structure.html

You've posted a story that is behind a paywall.
Don't do that.
Thanks

[burnsy]

Keeping Score

Change it to Bel at SA just like they do at Aqueduct . I might as well be at Belmont cause the East coast cleaned their clocks on the dirt . And the Euros took care of the Turf .

Most races it wasn’t even close . They pretty much had nuttin out there this year .

And that crummy Saratoga vs Delmar poll. The competition here is way better. The Saratoga horses that ran here . Cleaned up !
Like I said ..,,, nuttin honey

[molson721]

Originally Posted by the little guy

West is best!!

The horses, jockeys and trainers in the west dominated the Breeders Cup. Yes, the west is best or did I miss your sarcasm?

[dilanesp]

Given the sad state of California racing these days I would totally be in favor of running Santa Anita At Aqueduct (SAQ) nrext year.

[djm1959]

i just saw 2005 was last year at belmont,,,,thats insane

[djm1959]

baffert blanked no smiley family with him lol

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by djm1959

i just saw 2005 was last year at belmont,,,,thats insane

Belmont just wasn't a good BC host. BC's always got lost in the New York media and sports scene and never managed to get a lot of publicity there. Weather was always cold, there was a pretty bad off track in 1995, and historically the BC and NYRA did not have a great relationship (this really dates all the way back to the creation of the BC). Crowds were not good.

The one thing that was positive was that New York was an easier travel burden for European stables, but as the sport grows in Asia I am not sure that is a significant calculation anymore.

So the BC eventually just stopped going there. It's not really insane. Bear in mind it isn't as though NYRA needs the BC either.

They are apparently going to come back to NY, perhaps in 2026. But it still has all the problems as BC site it always had.

OTOH, the BC will need new sites once racing dies here in California.

[Brass Hat]

It was unfortunate that it was cold in 2005, well maybe for Californians, not so much for east coast people, because the Sunday the day after was a beautiful day, warmer with nice foliage.

[ClockersCorner]

I’m not sure why the relative success of horses from a region would make a difference in a discussion of choice of venue.
Was a reason given by the track or the Breeders Cup for not having the infield open this time at SA?

[PalaceOfFortLarned]

Originally Posted by PaceAdvantage

Today, Breeders' Cup day, over at Belmont Park it's going to be 60 degrees with a light wind and partly sunny.

So be sure to log this info for the next time the argument arises that the weather makes it prohibitive to hold a BC at Belmont.

By the way some people talk, it should be 34 degrees here with 30mph gusty winds and a threat of 3-6 inches of snow.

Well, one thing is for sure. Weather at Santa or Del Mar will be 75 to 85, sunshine, and very little chance of rain in any given year in early November.

Any track in the Northeast? Could be 60. Could be 30. Could be sunny, or rainy, likely windy, and very likely a chance of some kind of precipitation.

Been to a number of Breeder's Cups, and Santa Anita is without any doubt the best venue to host the event.

Maybe they should move it back a month and have the BC the first week of October. Would make a huge difference, and the Northeast would be a more than viable option.

[rastajenk]

Originally Posted by horsefan2019

I'm talking about the Breeders Cup organization. They are the ones organizing the entire event. The track is just the setting. By limiting attendance they make it a better experience for the smaller, wealthier crowd.

That's the goal of HISA, too. What a coincidence.

[dilanesp]

The BC announced 66,000 as the attendance on a day when the Santa Anita infield was closed, the apron was not near packed, the betting lines were short, and the grandstand seating was not close to filled.

As someone who attended many days that featured actual 66,000 person crowds back in the day (including, for instance, Santa Anita Handicaps of yore), this is a completely fictional number. I'm ready to join in with Andy Serling on the "California tracks are lying through their teeth on attendance" bandwagon.

There were 25,000 on track Friday and 33,000 or so on Saturday. And the BC wanted it this way by a pricing and facility usage strategy that was designed to completely deter ordinary people from attending.

[PalaceOfFortLarned]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

The BC announced 66,000 as the attendance on a day when the Santa Anita infield was closed, the apron was not near packed, the betting lines were short, and the grandstand seating was not close to filled.

As someone who attended many days that featured actual 66,000 person crowds back in the day (including, for instance, Santa Anita Handicaps of yore), this is a completely fictional number. I'm ready to join in with Andy Serling on the "California tracks are lying through their teeth on attendance" bandwagon.

There were 25,000 on track Friday and 33,000 or so on Saturday. And the BC wanted it this way by a pricing and facility usage strategy that was designed to completely deter ordinary people from attending.

East Coasters are truly the worst.

Everything has to revolve around them, or it simply doesn't happen or isn't real .

[classhandicapper]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

And the BC wanted it this way by a pricing and facility usage strategy that was designed to completely deter ordinary people from attending.

If that’s true, they should probably rethink that strategy. The regulars will just play from home like do all the time anyway, but if you aren’t generating new fans of the sport with the premier races of the year and best horses in the world, don’t complain when 10 years from now there are even fewer regulars betting from home.

[horsefan2019]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

The BC announced 66,000 as the attendance on a day when the Santa Anita infield was closed, the apron was not near packed, the betting lines were short, and the grandstand seating was not close to filled.

As someone who attended many days that featured actual 66,000 person crowds back in the day (including, for instance, Santa Anita Handicaps of yore), this is a completely fictional number. I'm ready to join in with Andy Serling on the "California tracks are lying through their teeth on attendance" bandwagon.

There were 25,000 on track Friday and 33,000 or so on Saturday. And the BC wanted it this way by a pricing and facility usage strategy that was designed to completely deter ordinary people from attending.

The crowd looked pretty good although probably not as good as the biggest Breeders Cups at Santa Anita. I think they did a disservice by not opening up the infield, even to let in the plebs so they could experience one of the biggest days of the American horse racing calendar. My guess is they rather have the security and staffing accommodate the richer attendees that show up on that day.