Interesting poll - Horse Racing vs. Car Racing

[menifee]

There is a poll on ESPN that asks what is your favorite race:

Indy 500: 21%

Daytona 500: 36%

Kentucky Derby: 43%


100,000 votes. Interesting to see the breakdown by state. Horse racing is still a very popular game in this country.

[The Hawk]

Really? Wow. I mentioned auto racing and horse racing in the same sentence here a few weeks back and was ridiculed, albeit by a fool.

[raybo]

Originally Posted by menifee

There is a poll on ESPN that asks what is your favorite race:

Indy 500: 21%

Daytona 500: 36%

Kentucky Derby: 43%


100,000 votes. Interesting to see the breakdown by state. Horse racing is still a very popular game in this country.

Horse racing is not unpopular, IMO, it just doesn't get put in front of the public the way other racing/sports are.

The pageantry of the Derby has always drawn huge interest. Too bad it happens only once per year.

[Robert Goren]

How popular would it be they didn't allow legal gambling on it? I also wonder about the tv ratings for the races.

[raybo]

Originally Posted by Robert Goren

How popular would it be they didn't allow legal gambling on it? I also wonder about the tv ratings for the races.

The vast majority of Derby viewers do not wager on horse racing.

I go to a local coffee shop almost every morning, sitting at the "BS" table with 10-15 regulars. Horse racing never, ever, comes up in the many varied conversations (unless I can find a segue to it from someone's remarks, in which case I tend to go a little overboard and someone quickly changes the subject).

However, about 2 weeks before the Derby, the subject starts coming up and by the day before the Derby, it is at the top of the list.

It didn't hurt, I suppose when I mentioned my picks for the "Mine That Bird" upset and then the following day admit that I didn't bet the $287,000 superfecta payout that I would have had a part of.

I'll be hearing about that oversight every year, at Derby time, I'm sure.

[Kelso]

Originally Posted by menifee

There is a poll on ESPN that asks what is your favorite race:

Indy 500: 21%

Daytona 500: 36%

Kentucky Derby: 43%


100,000 votes. Interesting to see the breakdown by state. Horse racing is still a very popular game in this country.

Might have something to do with the Derby taking less than two minutes, rather than several hours, to run. Much easier to set aside the last half-hour of the scheduled KD broadcast ... and still see the race in its entirety ... than to dedicate an entire afternoon to watching all of either of the auto races.

[Hanover1]

Not sure about nowadays, but there was a time when horseracing was the most attended sport nationwide, and I'm sure the stat was arrived at by some convoluted way.
This poll reflects 3 particular events vs the sports in general as well. Wonder how they stack up when polled in a general sense? Judging by attendance on a daily basis at many racetracks vs events at other venues when held, we see yet another set of numbers?

[toussaud]

I think the people who don't like horse racing, are so loud it distorts the actual sentiment of who does and does not like horse racing.

Wont' be mistaken for the NFL, but I think the game is not in HORRIBLE shape. not in GREAT shape by any stretch but it has something to work with

[Dahoss9698]

Originally Posted by The Hawk

Really? Wow. I mentioned auto racing and horse racing in the same sentence here a few weeks back and was ridiculed, albeit by a fool.

Yeah, you're not bitter or miserable. Not at all.

[Hanover1]

Originally Posted by toussaud

I think the people who don't like horse racing, are so loud it distorts the actual sentiment of who does and does not like horse racing.

Wont' be mistaken for the NFL, but I think the game is not in HORRIBLE shape. not in GREAT shape by any stretch but it has something to work with

Flats may survive but when the boys figure out a way to quit funding all the harness tracks with slot money, they will all be gone. Not a self sustaining venture for several years now. A bygone era. More flys in the average clubhouse nowadays then bettors/spectators, and THEY can't stand the food either........

[Dahoss9698]

Originally Posted by The Hawk

Really? Wow. I mentioned auto racing and horse racing in the same sentence here a few weeks back and was ridiculed, albeit by a fool.

Plus, you're just lying about what happened. You said they were both fringe sports. I disagreed and presented my opinion why. You couldn't handle someone disagreeing and actually presenting an arguement why, so you had a tantrum.

Very impressive stuff. But, at least you're not still upset about it.

[toussaud]

Originally Posted by Hanover1

Flats may survive but when the boys figure out a way to quit funding all the harness tracks with slot money, they will all be gone. Not a self sustaining venture for several years now. A bygone era. More flys in the average clubhouse nowadays then bettors/spectators, and THEY can't stand the food either........

if horse racing needs to consolidate, haraness racing REALLY needs to consolidate. there should not be anymore than 2-3 haranass tracks in North America in reality.

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by toussaud

I think the people who don't like horse racing, are so loud it distorts the actual sentiment of who does and does not like horse racing.

Wont' be mistaken for the NFL, but I think the game is not in HORRIBLE shape. not in GREAT shape by any stretch but it has something to work with

The people who don't like horse racing are not loud at all...they just ignore the sport completely.

Those of us who loudly criticize what the sport has evolved into, do it because we care deeply about horse racing...and would like to see it thrive for many years to come.

I doubt that ignoring the sport's many current problems is the way to make this happen...

[bella sera]

MY sister, her friend, and I went to watch Zenyatta run her last Apple Bloosm last year. She had been a Nascar fan for many years. She is now a horse racing fan, and cannot get enough. She is 69 years old. Since then we have gone to Keeneland and the Breeder's Cup.
She said to me, "I have wasted my whole life watching cars go round and round, when I could have been watching this beautiful sport that has the nost wonderful fans".
Take someone to the track, and most are hooked. This is not the first time I have done this, nor will it be the last.

[CincyHorseplayer]

The question was what race do you like?Well with Nascar showing up smoking pot and getting wasted sounds like a lot of fun to a lot of people.

Not this kid though.And I know most of you are right there with me.Pushing the brain to the limit with cash riding on it watching these gorgeous animals run,there's nothing like it.I really don't care what the rest of the world likes.It doesn't exist!!!