Overkill in Ohio

[cosmo96]

Ohio is headed for horseracing overkill. Currently, there are three thoroughbred tracks and four harness tracks. Turfway Park is on the Cincinnati side of Kentucky. Hoosier Park, Indiana Downs, Keenland, Churchill, Red Mile, Presque, and Mountaineer are all close by. There are plans to build a harness track near Dayton, and a thoroughbred track near Youngstown. If all of this happens there will be three harness tracks within seventy miles of each other, and four thoroughbred tracks in or near Cleveland.

All of the tracks will have slots. In addition there will be casinos in Cincinnati, Columbus, Toledo, and Cleveland. There are casinos along the Ohio River from Cincinnati to Louisville. The nearby racinos are located in Indiana, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Where are they going to get the horses? With the economy the way it is how long will this last? Ohio needed a boast, but this is overkill. There is a thread about the pitiful fields at Aqueduct, if Ohio gets its way, you might have seven races per card with five horses in a field.

[davew]

The newer racinos are set up for casino / poker with not much of a horse set-up with little or no grandstand.

They have lower overhead than the mansions made in the past. The model involves shorter seasons for horses but 24/7 facilities.

So whats your definition of horseracing overkill?

[Track Collector]

So, with the significantly increased purses that come with racinos, will there be a new fair circuit for those horses that used to run for $3400 to $4500 total purses at Beulah?

I thought Ohio had something like 30-50 different fairs that ran Harness races during the spring, summer, and fall. Many are pari-mutuel too. I know the tracks are 1/2 mile with tight turns, but it would be interesting if some decided to set up rails for thoroughbred races. I know of only one fair in OH that runs thoroughbreds and that is in Van Wert. There they race Thoroughbreds for one day, traditionally on Labor Day Monday.

Just dreaming of course........since the demise of the Massachusetts racing fairs after 2005.

[CincyHorseplayer]

Last I heard Beulah was moving.

As far as Cincinnati I don't know where River Downs would put a casino unless it was a riverboat casino.They were talking about building a facility somewhere on their property but all of Kellogg avenue floods.

I don't know if any of this will affect the horse racing game positively.Racing in Ohio has sucked for years but with 3 states in a row all with racinos I don't see anybody increasing field size.I asked to talk to management at RD last year after they bought the place to see what the future holds for Ohio racing.Nothing doing.I'll try again this spring.

[Robert Goren]

Ohio is like most of the states that convert their race tracks into racinos. I don't think any of them really believe that it is going turn into something great for horse racing despite what they say publicly. It is a last ditch effort to stop the bleeding before the sport dies in their state.

[startngate]

Originally Posted by cosmo96

There are plans to build a harness track near Dayton, and a thoroughbred track near Youngstown.

You do realize the 'new' tracks are really just existing tracks moving locations?

Beulah is moving to Youngstown and Raceway Park is moving to Dayton. Also, Lebanon will be moving it's location somewhere nearby at some point as the fairgrounds doesn't want slots there.

There will be the same number of tracks, but hopefully with slots there will be more cooperation on racing dates. There is already some talk of a circuit between the Youngstown track and Thistledown. Less racing dates would be best in the long run, and with the increased purses, field size likely won't be an issue.

Originally Posted by CincyHorseplayer

As far as Cincinnati I don't know where River Downs would put a casino unless it was a riverboat casino.They were talking about building a facility somewhere on their property but all of Kellogg avenue floods.

If I were River Downs, I'd first look for a new location. Failing that, they could build a 3 or 4 story building with the slots on an upper level to keep them dry when flooding occurs. Getting people in and out is another story.

[CincyHorseplayer]

RD is too beautiful of a track to move IMO.Just for inland purposes to support a casino.It's location is perfect as it's right next to the highway for both states,10 minutes from downtown Cincinnati,next to the largest outdoor concert venue and a pool/amusement park.They have already moved their dates to start in May to avoid April dates being flooded out.Not sure how much land they own on the opposite side of Kellogg.If it stretches down to where the newtown exit comes off 275 then they'd be OK with a casino all year.

As far as the Youngstown/TDN.It pretty much already is a split date circuit,with dates only overlapping in April and November/December.

I still want to hear from RD about how the 1 arm bandits are going to affect racing and what their overall vision of Ohio racing is.

Originally Posted by startngate

You do realize the 'new' tracks are really just existing tracks moving locations?

Beulah is moving to Youngstown and Raceway Park is moving to Dayton. Also, Lebanon will be moving it's location somewhere nearby at some point as the fairgrounds doesn't want slots there.

There will be the same number of tracks, but hopefully with slots there will be more cooperation on racing dates. There is already some talk of a circuit between the Youngstown track and Thistledown. Less racing dates would be best in the long run, and with the increased purses, field size likely won't be an issue.


If I were River Downs, I'd first look for a new location. Failing that, they could build a 3 or 4 story building with the slots on an upper level to keep them dry when flooding occurs. Getting people in and out is another story.

[Tread]

Agreed, RD is a great venue and the only one in Ohio worth keeping. It is a shame they can't get better racing there. The problem with slots is, they were only an advantage when some people have them and some do not. Once everyone has them, there is no incentive to bring out of town horses somewhere else anymore.

[duncan04]

Originally Posted by Tread

Agreed, RD is a great venue and the only one in Ohio worth keeping. It is a shame they can't get better racing there. The problem with slots is, they were only an advantage when some people have them and some do not. Once everyone has them, there is no incentive to bring out of town horses somewhere else anymore.

While that is true it may help to keep the local horses around

[FrankieFigs]

If River Downs increases purses, they may get some better horses from CD. Seems more and more trainers are starting to slowly leaving Kentucky. Just a thought.....

[CincyHorseplayer]

Originally Posted by duncan04

While that is true it may help to keep the local horses around

I was looking through some old forms I was trying to wittle down the other day and there were enough local horses or horses period back in 2001 to make money on.I make about 3 bets every 2 days on Ohio races now.