Santa Anita Business

[drib]

The reported figures about parimutuel handle at Santa Anita (down 10-15%) are understating the disastrous fall in business. Here are a few factors that should be considered. In 2011, low handle Wednesdays have been dropped; all things being equal, the average daily handle this year should be up 5% just b/c of this. 2010 was unusual in that two big handle days (Martin Luther King and Strub) were lost to cancellation. The Mid-Atlantic combine boycotted the 2010 meet until Jan. 23rd. There has been talk about this year's loss of NYC OTB, but that entity did maybe $150k daily, so this loss would only account for about a 2% drop at best. The best way to judge business at Santa Anita is to compare comparable days, and the figures since Jan.23 are horrible. It appears that the track is off an average of at least a million a day; of course, there is one solution: last Thursday, Aqueduct, Oaklawn and Delta Downs all cancelled, leaving California with a virtual monopoly. That day the business at Santa Anita was way up....the only time they really beat 2010 figures.

[andymays]

drib, they know they need to make some changes but the TOC is screwing everything up. The CHRB and the TOC are the villains in California.

[toussaud]

As a business minded person the nly thing I care about, is the daily avg. Everything else is window dressing, if they are running less days it doesn't matter how much money they make versus last year.


On a day to day basis, are they bringing in more money than last year is what is important.

[Stillriledup]

Everything is fine guys, Paulick is flying a purse-raise banner from calracing and Ric Hammerle is saying the Boycott is nonsense, its all good in Cali world.

Its all good, nothing to worry about.

[drib]

Originally Posted by toussaud

As a business minded person the nly thing I care about, is the daily avg. Everything else is window dressing, if they are running less days it doesn't matter how much money they make versus last year.


On a day to day basis, are they bringing in more money than last year is what is important.

Well then, why not just run on Saturdays and holidays....watch that meaningless daily average soar.

[Stillriledup]

They must have hired someone to stick pins in the eastern tracks voodoo dolls, they've got a bunch of cancellations, the weather is MAKING them money! (ironic since everytime it snows, they blame the weather for losing handle)

[jelly]

Originally Posted by drib

The reported figures about parimutuel handle at Santa Anita (down 10-15%) are understating the disastrous fall in business. Here are a few factors that should be considered. In 2011, low handle Wednesdays have been dropped; all things being equal, the average daily handle this year should be up 5% just b/c of this. 2010 was unusual in that two big handle days (Martin Luther King and Strub) were lost to cancellation. The Mid-Atlantic combine boycotted the 2010 meet until Jan. 23rd. There has been talk about this year's loss of NYC OTB, but that entity did maybe $150k daily, so this loss would only account for about a 2% drop at best. The best way to judge business at Santa Anita is to compare comparable days, and the figures since Jan.23 are horrible. It appears that the track is off an average of at least a million a day; of course, there is one solution: last Thursday, Aqueduct, Oaklawn and Delta Downs all cancelled, leaving California with a virtual monopoly. That day the business at Santa Anita was way up....the only time they really beat 2010 figures.

Santa Anita handle last year Thursday $5,534,258.

This past Thursday $4,954,717

[drib]

Originally Posted by jelly

[/COLOR]





Santa Anita handle last year Thursday $5,534,258.
This past Thursday $4,954,717

You are correct; I misread the numbers, which means that every recent day, Santa Anita is down significantly from the comparable day last year; of course, this year's Strub Saturday ($12,256,630) had no comparison in 2010, so those daily averages get skewed. It should be noted that the preceding Saturday in 2010 did over 14 million. My point is that as the days add up, the discrepancies even out (except for dropping Wednesdays), and the true depth of parimutuel disaster should become apparent.

[toussaud]

Originally Posted by drib

Well then, why not just run on Saturdays and holidays....watch that meaningless daily average soar.

stop with the stupid exaggerations.

just like we like to talk about with the optimal takeout rate, there is an optimal amount of product you have to offer as well. That is more than 2 days I know for sure a week, but at this point, less than 4. I think honestly it's at 3 days a week.


It does a business no good if handle is up 20% but operating costs are up 30% if they had to run more days to achieve that handle, that's' why I say the rest is window dressing. But me saing that is not taking an anti boycott stands, I'm just injecting some objectivity into what is going on.. the rest really does not matter. I they are making more money on a daily basis than they did last year, is the only real number that should be paid attention to. Handle IS going to be down becuase they aren't running as much and takeout is higher. It's not going to go UP. But operating costs are going to be down 1/5th as well.

I see the point for instance, in looking at opening day, big cap day, derby day YoverY and judging, but getting into the "oh the 16th day, in the 8th race they made more money this day".that's just too much.

[drib]

Originally Posted by toussaud

stop with the stupid exaggerations.

just like we like to talk about with the optimal takeout rate, there is an optimal amount of product you have to offer as well. That is more than 2 days I know for sure a week, but at this point, less than 4. I think honestly it's at 3 days a week.


It does a business no good if handle is up 20% but operating costs are up 30% if they had to run more days to achieve that handle, that's' why I say the rest is window dressing. But me saing that is not taking an anti boycott stands, I'm just injecting some objectivity into what is going on.. the rest really does not matter. I they are making more money on a daily basis than they did last year, is the only real number that should be paid attention to. Handle IS going to be down becuase they aren't running as much and takeout is higher. It's not going to go UP. But operating costs are going to be down 1/5th as well.

I see the point for instance, in looking at opening day, big cap day, derby day YoverY and judging, but getting into the "oh the 16th day, in the 8th race they made more money this day".that's just too much.

The vast majority of Santa Anita's expenses are fixed. No matter the number of days they race, real estate taxes, property maintenance, and those fat executive salaries all get paid the same. Even on lower handle weekdays, revenue goes to the track. This year Santa Anita's income, beyond purse money, is way way down. By cutting down on racing days, they only save on per diem salaries, which are a very small proportion of expenses....Why do you think Stronach wants as many dates as possible, including Oak Tree's? The problem, of course, is the lack of horseflesh to fill races.

[Southieboy]

They are support to run Wednesdays in March and April.

[BlueShoe]

Originally Posted by Southieboy

They are support to run Wednesdays in March and April.

Beats me as to just how they are going make this fly. With short fields in the current 4 day schedule, going to 5 days seems like a reach. Hollywood just announced a 4 day racing week. Am expecting an announcement from SA management any day now, stating that Wednesday racing will not be offered due to a shortage of eligible entrants, and that the current 4 day schedule will continue for the duration of the meeting. If they should go 5 days, we would likely get 5 or 6 maiden and nw2L races a day.

[fmolf]

seems to me they should be thinking about running a saturday thru tuesday schedule.

[elhelmete]

Just for fun I looked at some recent numbers, by no means a scientific study but wanted to try and get a handle (no pun intended) on horse population vs. field size and looking at that from several standpoints.

I took a Wednesday and a Sunday card at SA and GP.

Sunday 1/30
GP had 100 runners in 11 races
GP showed 104 published workouts

SA had 67 runners in 9 races
SA showed 201 published workouts

Wednesday 2/3
GP had 96 runners in 9 races
GP showed 37 published workouts

SA had 62 runners in 8 races
SA showed 138 published workouts

[BlueShoe]

Originally Posted by fmolf

seems to me they should be thinking about running a saturday thru tuesday schedule.

If going to a permanent 4 day schedule, how about Friday thru Monday? When days become longer, push 1st post on Friday back a bit so as to allow fans getting off work to catch the last few races. More workers have Mondays off, or will take it off, than do those that have Thursday or Tuesday off.