if you always wanted to go to the races in California...

[Robert Fischer]

Originally Posted by Candybag

Racing's 800-pound gorilla: The industry has repeatedly gone to the legislative "well" too many times, yet the industry is still in decline. Eventually creditability evaporates, support fades. In Ohio alone, Sunday racing, more gimmicks, simulcasting and slot fueled purses were supposed to be the cure all. Yet, racing dollars are still in decline, tracks closed.

There are a lot of great ideas to save racings currently, or should I say theories that require the racing industry to use their money and political capital to experiment? Perhaps one or more ideas could work. How does a person with an idea convince the industry to try yet another experiment at the industry's own expense/political capital?

My possible solution to the 800-pound gorilla:

...Get a state's attention with a solution that reduces Medicaid dollars paid in error

...My company's money is used to fund the Medicaid pilot project, the State has no upfront costs. No Medicaid savings, no cost to the state

...No new legislation is needed. Members of the house and senate observe the pilot project in the background at no political risk

...Should the pilot program produce the projected savings, then the racing community asks for legislative help with results of the pilot program in hand

...To be clear, no Medicaid dollars or savings go to racing although legally those saving could via a budget process

This "wait and see" approach funded by a private company deserves consideration. Nothing is asked from the state or racing industry other than to try a new idea using my money. If the idea produces great savings for the state, the racing industry gets consideration on legislation to help grow the industry (prop bets, fixed odds wagering, exchange betting, etc.). If the pilot project fails, it goes away quietly at no loss to state and no embarrassing exposure to members of the legislative body, it was an operation of current law to pursue albeit it was unsuccessful.

I have made several requests to get audience with people of importance. No response to date. Not sure I will get a response; cold calling is tough stuff.

The racing industry is so fragmented and rudderless, can it even recognize a "can't lose" proposition?

Just don't reduce missppent social security dollars. Then the simulcasting rooms are truly doomed

[Andy Asaro]

Twitter

[racenomics]

Originally Posted by Andy Asaro

https://twitter.com/racetrackandy/st...32675969536042

One thing I have to say is that even with the terrible field sizes, people still bet SA which makes me think that if they cut purses handle would not suffer that much. Kinda like people put a million in the WPS pool in a MCL for NY breds going a mile on the turf at Saratoga even though the horses have no form expect to a smaller extent

[Andy Asaro]

Originally Posted by racenomics

One thing I have to say is that even with the terrible field sizes, people still bet SA which makes me think that if they cut purses handle would not suffer that much. Kinda like people put a million in the WPS pool in a MCL for NY breds going a mile on the turf at Saratoga even though the horses have no form expect to a smaller extent

The purse cuts will be devastating. And I think a takeout hike will be mentioned fairly soon

[PalaceOfFortLarned]

Originally Posted by racenomics

One thing I have to say is that even with the terrible field sizes, people still bet SA which makes me think that if they cut purses handle would not suffer that much. Kinda like people put a million in the WPS pool in a MCL for NY breds going a mile on the turf at Saratoga even though the horses have no form expect to a smaller extent

Santa Anita has long been one of my favorite tracks to wager. Rarely are there concerns about weather conditions, scratches, etc.

However, the last decade (probably more), the product has significantly changed. And not for the better.

This meet has been abysmal with 5 to 7 horse fields for near entire cards making most races unwagerable.

The end is nigh.

[racenomics]

Originally Posted by Andy Asaro

The purse cuts will be devastating. And I think a takeout hike will be mentioned fairly soon

With all respect, you act like takeout is the end all be all. It is not. Who looks over a card at FG and Tampa day and decides to bet one and not the other because of a slightly smaller takeout?

[Poindexter]

Originally Posted by racenomics

With all respect, you act like takeout is the end all be all. It is not. Who looks over a card at FG and Tampa day and decides bet one and not the other because of a slightly smaller takeout?

I agree with you on this. For the survival of the sport I want takeout to go down, because every time they raise it they are taking the sport farther away from where it needs to be. I have said before (maybe a long while back) that I don't think it matters too much to the long term survivability of the sport if they cut it down a couple of points (it is not enough to matter and make any difference) and raise it a couple of points. Either the sport will do the right thing with seems almost impossible at this point or it will ultimately perish.

That being said If you can nail say a strong superfecta play in an 11 horse field at a 24% takeout that is far better than a crappy superfecta play in a 7 horse field even at a 18% takeout (not sure if there is such a thing, but you get the point).

The purpose of lowering takeout should be to keep people in the game by making sure they are losing at least reasonable percentage on the dollar. From a bettor's perspective, much better to zero in on strong plays where you feel you have an edge than worry about whether the takeout is 15% or 24%. At least imo. That is certainly the direction I am heading when betting.

[Andy Asaro]

Originally Posted by racenomics

With all respect, you act like takeout is the end all be all. It is not. Who looks over a card at FG and Tampa day and decides to bet one and not the other because of a slightly smaller takeout?

it's takeout, field size, and pool size. I mention takeout because we boycotted in 2010/2011 over a takeout hike

[JustRalph]

Originally Posted by Andy Asaro

it's takeout, field size, and pool size. I mention takeout because we boycotted in 2010/2011 over a takeout hike

Field size and pool put me out of the game.

Odds changes were the last straw’

I haven’t even cashed my Derby Tickets on Mage yet….tells you how often I make the trip to Sam Houston anymore.

I’ve got about $800 to collect. Maybe this coming week…..it’s a 35 minute drive each way….

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by v j stauffer

Horse Racing is part of the fabric of our society.

Horse racing could disappear tomorrow...and 95% of our "society" wouldn't even notice.

[racenomics]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

Field size and pool put me out of the game.

Odds changes were the last straw’

I haven’t even cashed my Derby Tickets on Mage yet….tells you how often I make the trip to Sam Houston anymore.

I’ve got about $800 to collect. Maybe this coming week…..it’s a 35 minute drive each way….

Come see the Ladies classic, maybe live stream it on YouTube for the rest of us to see as SHRP seems unwilling to do that for some nonexistent reason? Does anyone know?

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by racenomics

One thing I have to say is that even with the terrible field sizes, people still bet SA which makes me think that if they cut purses handle would not suffer that much. Kinda like people put a million in the WPS pool in a MCL for NY breds going a mile on the turf at Saratoga even though the horses have no form expect to a smaller extent

I would much rather bet a full field of NY bred Maiden Claimers on the Saratoga turf than the average race SA serves up in 2024.

[racenomics]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

I would much rather bet a full field of NY bred Maiden Claimers on the Saratoga turf than the average race SA serves up in 2024.

What im saying is if said Saratoga race with same everything was at aqueduct it would get 40% the handle it would get at toga. Keep everything at a Santa Anita race the same but the track is Sunland Park, and they get 1/8th the handle. People, for some reason bet SA no matter how bad the racing really is.

[JustRalph]

Originally Posted by racenomics

Come see the Ladies classic, maybe live stream it on YouTube for the rest of us to see as SHRP seems unwilling to do that for some nonexistent reason? Does anyone know?

I wasn’t even aware. This used to be a big day every year on my calendar. Now you got me thinking…….

https://www.shrp.com/news/detail/bel...ston-race-park

[v j stauffer]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

Horse racing could disappear tomorrow...and 95% of our "society" wouldn't even notice.

That 5% is a tough bunch of cookies.

I don't know much.

But I do know thoroughbred horse racing taint goin anywhere McGee.