Golden Gate to close?

[BarchCapper]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

Probably a pretty good measuring stick. The rest……?

I still think there should be about 10 tracks tops

I think we should follow the Australian model - 1 track for approximately every 73,000 people. (25.69 million, ~350 tracks)

330 million population in US = ~4500 tracks

[mike_123_ca]

Toronto closed 5 tracks over the years. There are some nice pics in the link below for those, like myself, that like to reminisce about the good old days.

https://www.blogto.com/city/2012/04/...ke_in_toronto/

[classhandicapper]

I hijacked his from the Jerry Brown thread because it's more relevant here.

Originally Posted by crestridge

What's wrong with Hong Kong's formula: few tracks, large handle, honest management, more basis toward honesty and strict rules enforced, class ratings, free past performances, many horses in the race, large attendance at the tracks, etc. Just two, three days a week, something to research.

This is where I suspect we are heading in terms of size. We'll see about the rest.

[46zilzal]

Originally Posted by mike_123_ca

Toronto closed 5 tracks over the years. There are some nice pics in the link below for those, like myself, that like to reminisce about the good old days.

https://www.blogto.com/city/2012/04/...ke_in_toronto/

that was E.P Taylor's move

[AndyC]

Seems to be going over well with the No. Ca. horse community.


https://www.drf.com/news/leading-nor...on-plan-viable

[GMB@BP]

Originally Posted by classhandicapper

I hijacked his from the Jerry Brown thread because it's more relevant here.



This is where I suspect we are heading in terms of size. We'll see about the rest.

i agree...no tobacco and a lot fewer horses in Ky...at least they have bourbon

[Thomas Roulston]

The only hope for racing in NoCal to be revived is the installation of turf courses at all of the fair circuit tracks - and for the tracks to lengthen and juggle the dates of their meets in such a way that there is continuous racing between the Labor Day weekend and the Memorial Day weekend.

[Tom]

I would'tt think they will be investing much capital in a fair track.

[elhelmete]

Originally Posted by Thomas Roulston

The only hope for racing in NoCal to be revived is the installation of turf courses at all of the fair circuit tracks - and for the tracks to lengthen and juggle the dates of their meets in such a way that there is continuous racing between the Labor Day weekend and the Memorial Day weekend.

The fairs are in the summer.

[craigbraddick]

Thomas:

Check out what CARF have planned. Your answer is not the ONLY answer. In fact, it is not even the most likely answer. I understand people's disillusion but seriously here is a chance to get behind and support something that will bring nearly year round racing to Northern California. Instead people just go online and deliver statements like the one you did when they can easily read about what is going on and say: "That is a great idea, what can I do to support it?" Or say the opposite - instead of just deciding this is the ONLY way forward.

CB

[horsefan2019]

If that quote from one of the owners in the Norcal circuit is the majority of the opinions, then there might be hope for them. They probably won't ship their horses to Socal and figure out how to setup something that works to their benefit. Frankly the logistics and costs don't make sense. You are going to ship your horses 400 miles down south to a more competitive circuit where there isn't much benefit to you and your costs increase dramatically. They might just be better off enlarging a fair circuit and base their operations around there.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by horsefan2019

If that quote from one of the owners in the Norcal circuit is the majority of the opinions, then there might be hope for them. They probably won't ship their horses to Socal and figure out how to setup something that works to their benefit. Frankly the logistics and costs don't make sense. You are going to ship your horses 400 miles down south to a more competitive circuit where there isn't much benefit to you and your costs increase dramatically. They might just be better off enlarging a fair circuit and base their operations around there.

I am not going to make predictions on who ships and who doesn't, but in general it's mistaken to say they can't compete down here. What would happen if they all did ship is that SoCal tracks would start carding races attractive to the shippers. So you'd see Maiden 16 races and $4k claimers and stuff. Indeed, you'd probably see races mostly filled with NorCal horses along with some people moving up from Los Al short track thoroughbred races.

If they came, some of those horses would win some races down here.

(On another note, I am highly skeptical of the expansion of the fairs to create a full NorCal circuit for another reason-- these fair meets will lose a lot of money, and the fairs are publicly owned and accountable to taxpayers. Frank Stronach could, of course, subsidize Northern California racing because owning racetracks is his hobby. But I assume people would start getting voted out of office if money intended to support agriculture in California- which is what the fairs are supposed to be about- gets incinerated on horse racing instead.)

[GaryG]

California racing was at its best when there was one circuit. This pretty much ended when Oak Tree was established. In those days NoCal got some top class horses and the Golden Gate Mile was a big race. But that wasn't enough action, so it became two year round circuits. Increased Fair dates sounds like an endless summer, but it was a dismal failure when Del Mar tried it. It doesn't matter, racing as we knew it is gone. The class disparity between our horses and the Euros is widening as well.

[horsefan2019]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

I am not going to make predictions on who ships and who doesn't, but in general it's mistaken to say they can't compete down here. What would happen if they all did ship is that SoCal tracks would start carding races attractive to the shippers. So you'd see Maiden 16 races and $4k claimers and stuff. Indeed, you'd probably see races mostly filled with NorCal horses along with some people moving up from Los Al short track thoroughbred races.

If they came, some of those horses would win some races down here.

(On another note, I am highly skeptical of the expansion of the fairs to create a full NorCal circuit for another reason-- these fair meets will lose a lot of money, and the fairs are publicly owned and accountable to taxpayers. Frank Stronach could, of course, subsidize Northern California racing because owning racetracks is his hobby. But I assume people would start getting voted out of office if money intended to support agriculture in California- which is what the fairs are supposed to be about- gets incinerated on horse racing instead.)

Frank doesn't run the company anymore. I doubt he is the one closing down the track. I see this more as the company getting max value from selling the land under which Golden Gate Fields sits at. And most likely not putting it back into the business.


Also I have a hard time believing the company is going to put up so much money to entice these guys to ship their cheap horses down south. It doesn't make financial sense. What is more likely is they are getting out of the smaller tracks and recouping what they can get out of it.

[horsefan2019]

Originally Posted by GaryG

California racing was at its best when there was one circuit. This pretty much ended when Oak Tree was established. In those days NoCal got some top class horses and the Golden Gate Mile was a big race. But that wasn't enough action, so it became two year round circuits. Increased Fair dates sounds like an endless summer, but it was a dismal failure when Del Mar tried it. It doesn't matter, racing as we knew it is gone. The class disparity between our horses and the Euros is widening as well.

The highlight of the California meet these days is the Del Mar summer meeting. Hard to replicate that considering a lot of that is due to the location and weather.