Crist sounds off on NY's Palm Sunday/Easter Sunday racing ban

[jeebus1083]

http://www.drf.com/news/crist-new-yo...ns-defy-belief

It is unfathomable how state legislators can allow such an illogical law to remain on the books when the VLTs, Lottery games, Indian gaming, and Bingo games are allowable gambling options on these two days.

I decided to bring the issue up with my Assemblyman, Jim Tedisco, who is also a member of the Assembly Racing & Wagering Committee:

Assemblyman Tedisco,

Steven Crist of the Daily Racing Form wrote a
provocative article in regards to the prohibition of horse races or wagers on an
in-state advance-deposit wagering (ADW) platform on both Palm Sunday and Easter
Sunday, describing the law as an "antiquated and unreasonable ban" given how
State Lottery games and the Video Gaming facilities at the racetracks can
operate. I side with Mr. Crist, as outside of angering a religious minority,
there is no logical or rational explanation for such a double-standard. I ask
that you read this article (http://www.drf.com/news/crist-new-yo...ns-defy-belief),
and actively persue this matter for the greater good of people who wish to wager
on horse races.

Thanks

A day later, I received a reply from Assemblyman Tedisco's office:

Thank you for your recent email sharing your displeasure with New York State’s prohibition of horse races or wagering on both Palm Sunday and Easter.

As a member of the Assembly Racing and Wagering Committee, I always welcome suggestions especially when they could improve our state’s racing and wagering process.


After reading Steven Crist’s column, I truly understand your
plight on this issue. Your points were well made and will be fully taken
into consideration should this issue be brought up in a committee meeting.


Again, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on this
topic.


Sincerely

James N. Tedisco
110th Assembly District

I then e-mailed him again, asking when the next committee meeting was, intending not to let him off the hook. He then cited that Gary Pretlow, the chair of the committee, schedules the meetings, and that he (Tedisco) would see that the matter was brought up in the next meeting.

I have since e-mailed Assemblymen Pretlow, Bob Reilly, and State Senators Roy McDonald, and Senate committee chair John Bonacic. I am still awaiting a response from their respective offices.

I encourage all NY horseplayers, as well as those outside NY who enjoy betting on NYS racetracks, to write to your Assemblyman and State Senator, or go to the NYS Assembly or Senate site, and write to Assemblyman Pretlow and State Senator Bonacic, and fight for this archaic law to be abolished, once and for all.

[jeebus1083]

If the next committee meetings are open to the public, I plan on trying my hardest to attend.

[Cardus]

Good for you, Jeebs.

It's nice to see someone attempting to do something constructive -- reasonably -- with state legislators over here.

[classhandicapper]

I understand some of the inconsistencies is these rules, but when the industry is in such disarray I'm having a tough time understanding Crist's passion on this issue. Something like this is probably 100th on my list of things that should be changed. Not that I don't appreciate the effort. I just don't understand why he isn't writing about more pressing issues.

[cj]

Originally Posted by classhandicapper

I understand some of the inconsistencies is these rules, but when the industry is in such disarray I'm having a tough time understanding Crist's passion on this issue. Something like this is probably 100th on my list of things that should be changed. Not that I don't appreciate the effort. I just don't understand why he isn't writing about more pressing issues.

I was wondering that myself. Sure, it should be changed, but in the grand scheme of things it is way, way, way, way, way down on the priority list in my opinion.

[Tom]

I like the day off.

[classhandicapper]

Originally Posted by Tom

I like the day off.

Me too. I'm not particularly religious, but I'd rather not have to look at the card and bet blindly or miss the day altogether when it's likely I am going to spend time with my family on those days (certainly on Easter).

I understand Crist's (and NYRA's) position on this. The inconsistency of the rules is preposterous and may be costing NYRA money. It's just not something that keeps me up at night since I personally like it better this way.

For someone that is not Christian or that is not religious at all it must seem like total idiocy. They'd rather be betting, making extra handle on the weekend, etc.. , but they don't have family obligations like some of us.

[JustRalph]

Originally Posted by classhandicapper

I understand some of the inconsistencies is these rules, but when the industry is in such disarray I'm having a tough time understanding Crist's passion on this issue. Something like this is probably 100th on my list of things that should be changed. Not that I don't appreciate the effort. I just don't understand why he isn't writing about more pressing issues.

I was wondering the same thing. This guy wields the biggest hammer in race writing. He can write about anything. He decides this is the issue du jour ?

This is another one of those moments where I feel like the race writers are no longer players. It comes with having the larger bankroll if you ask me.

The more money they can throw at races along with other things, the less connected to guys like me they become. Then again, there are less and less guys like me playing. I guess this is a mirror of other sports over the last ten years or so. Why I think it should be different I don't know.

There feels like there is this middle ground where you are either part of the intelligentsia or you are "just another grinder, player" subject to the whims of those who have the bully pulpit or the cash. There are still some enjoyable types to listen to, read etc. But they are very few.

[classhandicapper]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

I was wondering the same thing. This guy wields the biggest hammer in race writing. He can write about anything. He decides this is the issue du jour ?

This is another one of those moments where I feel like the race writers are no longer players. It comes with having the larger bankroll if you ask me.

The more money they can throw at races along with other things, the less connected to guys like me they become. Then again, there are less and less guys like me playing.

If I had his stage I would be writing almost exclusively about the track take, drugs in racing, small uneconomic tracks surviving on casino money hurting the viable ones in multiple ways, handle that is still going off shore for rebates, improving the race track experience for everyone so we can create more fans, what racing can learn from the poker boom, scheduling Grade 1 races at different tracks in a less competitive way so the quality improves etc...

Then again, I don't want his job. I couldn't deal with the hate mail.

[jeebus1083]

Originally Posted by classhandicapper

I understand some of the inconsistencies is these rules, but when the industry is in such disarray I'm having a tough time understanding Crist's passion on this issue. Something like this is probably 100th on my list of things that should be changed. Not that I don't appreciate the effort. I just don't understand why he isn't writing about more pressing issues.

When you think about it, the Palm Sunday/Easter Sunday ban in NY is a pressing issue, as the amount of money wagered by New Yorkers both on live and out-of-state races is significant.

Point #1: Handle that would have gone on Aqueduct (or any horse racing product running in NY) re-directs elsewhere, or is lost entirely.

Point #2: Out-of-state simulcasts (e.g. Santa Anita, Gulfstream, Keeneland) lose out on any handle generated by the NY tracks and OTBs.

Point #3: Major stakes races, especially Triple Crown preps, become unaccessible to New Yorkers, thus, the tracks lose NY handle that way. I have watched preps and other major races on ESPN over the years that looked like supreme betting affairs, but were unavailable to New Yorkers.

Point #4: Major exotic wagers, such as a Pick 6 carryover, become unaccessible to New Yorkers. Why do you think Gulfstream forced its Rainbow 6 carryover into a mandatory payday last season? New Yorkers would have gotten the shaft.

All of this ties into your argument that the industry is in disarray. By leaving New York out of the equation, it is even more so in disarray, as the current laws disenfranchise New Yorkers.

Of course the obvious solution would be for a player to open an account with either an out-of-state ADW, or an offshore shop. If a player wants to play THAT badly, they will do so, but should it have to be necessary?

It is a farce, plain and simple, to think that the sounds of one-armed bandits will be echoing throughout Aqueduct on Palm and Easter Sundays, yet horse racing, a form of gambling that is older than the State Lottery that controls the VLTs, is illegal.

Gambling is gambling.

[aaron]

It must have been a slow day. As others have mentioned on the list of priorities for racing,this is not that important.
I would have rather seen him write an article on the ridiculous Pick 6 scratch rules.

[classhandicapper]

Originally Posted by jeebus1083

When you think about it, the Palm Sunday/Easter Sunday ban in NY is a pressing issue, as the amount of money wagered by New Yorkers both on live and out-of-state races is significant.

Point #1: Handle that would have gone on Aqueduct (or any horse racing product running in NY) re-directs elsewhere, or is lost entirely.

Point #2: Out-of-state simulcasts (e.g. Santa Anita, Gulfstream, Keeneland) lose out on any handle generated by the NY tracks and OTBs.

Point #3: Major stakes races, especially Triple Crown preps, become unaccessible to New Yorkers, thus, the tracks lose NY handle that way. I have watched preps and other major races on ESPN over the years that looked like supreme betting affairs, but were unavailable to New Yorkers.

Point #4: Major exotic wagers, such as a Pick 6 carryover, become unaccessible to New Yorkers. Why do you think Gulfstream forced its Rainbow 6 carryover into a mandatory payday last season? New Yorkers would have gotten the shaft.

All of this ties into your argument that the industry is in disarray. By leaving New York out of the equation, it is even more so in disarray, as the current laws disenfranchise New Yorkers.

Of course the obvious solution would be for a player to open an account with either an out-of-state ADW, or an offshore shop. If a player wants to play THAT badly, they will do so, but should it have to be necessary?

It is a farce, plain and simple, to think that the sounds of one-armed bandits will be echoing throughout Aqueduct on Palm and Easter Sundays, yet horse racing, a form of gambling that is older than the State Lottery that controls the VLTs, is illegal.

Gambling is gambling.

If I'm not mistaken (someone please correct me if I'm wrong), NYRA gets other racing dates to replace those two Sundays. Given that some people won't be betting on those Sundays that normally do, it may be close to a wash.

I have accounts at NYRA, the DRF and elsewhere. I've had multiple accounts off shore, at YouBet, NYCOTB, and elsewhere in the past. There are pluses and minuses to each. I want to make sure I can bet all the tracks and see all the races live. The way things are organized now, sometimes one service has things the other doesn't. (now that's something to write about!!!!)

If I wanted to bet on Easter I'd make sure I had an account that allowed me to or I'd make a trip to the Meadowlands or something. To me, anyone that's not religious or feels inconvenienced by the track being closed has about a million ways to get their bets in if they want. Who knows, I may even bet that day.

Point being, I'm not disagreeing with the point being made by you and Crist. I just think it's 100th on the list of things that need to be fixed and addressed because some people prefer those days off. As Aaron said, it must have been a slow news day.

[Robert Goren]

It doesn't hurt to throw the religious nuts like me a bone every now and then.

[jeebus1083]

Originally Posted by Robert Goren

It doesn't hurt to throw the religious nuts like me a bone every now and then.

Knowing Albany, it wouldn't be surprising if it was a "bone"...

[Tom]

Stevie writes about this, CJ writes about a GROSS incompetence going on at Gulfstream - still!

No wonder I never read Crist. There is more useful racing stuff right here at PA than you will get from the entire community of "racing writers," except for a couple.