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

[dilanesp]

I'd come sooner rather than later. The economics are looking bleaker and bleaker here.

https://www.drf.com/news/socal-track...nge-are-needed

[jimmyb]

Jai Alai players had rock star status in Florida at one time. Greyhound racings demise... Horse racing seem seems to be going down the same path.

[horsefan2019]

Which track will be the last one that survives out here on the west coast. I'm guessing Santa Anita and Del Mar will probably be repurposed.

[TheRealPLM]

The only thing keeping California racing going is the weather. They were fortunate to get the call for the 2024 & 2025 Breeders Cup to give them a couple more years...

[GMB@BP]

Originally Posted by TheRealPLM

The only thing keeping California racing going is the weather. .

you could say that about all things California

[JustRalph]

Originally Posted by GMB@BP

you could say that about all things California

Good call

[Poindexter]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

I'd come sooner rather than later. The economics are looking bleaker and bleaker here.

https://www.drf.com/news/socal-track...nge-are-needed

Shocking news

According to figures provided by the racing board, betting on Thoroughbred racing in California declined 5 percent last year, from $1.528 billion in 2022 to $1.458 billion in 2023.



Truly shocking, Giving the whales everything including the Kitchen sink and handle down 5%. Go Figure.


No charity, downs goes horse racing. Might be time for a hail mary and reduce the takeout to the proper levels and get some new blood in the game. Nah, silly idea, just let the sport die. Look on the bright side. When racing goes down in California, the other states will pick up some of the handle to offset the retail handle they chase away. No worries the "smart people" have it all figured out.

[JustRalph]

Originally Posted by Poindexter

Shocking news

According to figures provided by the racing board, betting on Thoroughbred racing in California declined 5 percent last year, from $1.528 billion in 2022 to $1.458 billion in 2023.



Truly shocking, Giving the whales everything including the Kitchen sink and handle down 5%. Go Figure.


No charity, downs goes horse racing. Might be time for a hail mary and reduce the takeout to the proper levels and get some new blood in the game. Nah, silly idea, just let the sport die. Look on the bright side. When racing goes down in California, the other states will pick up some of the handle to offset the retail handle they chase away. No worries the "smart people" have it all figured out.

You will NEVER get new people in the game. It holds not one iota of interest to anyone born after about 1980.

Very few if any.

After 2000…even less interest.

It’s too much work to even come close to winning. There is no real edge left. Everyone gets basically the same data. Even when you do have a slight edge your odds are bet down to nothing

The computer/internet age did nothing for, and even hurt players in some ways. It made it easier to bet, but it equalized the opportunity for “the pool” to all have the same info.

[Poindexter]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

You will NEVER get new people in the game. It holds not one iota of interest to anyone born after about 1980.

Very few if any.

After 2000…even less interest.

It’s too much work to even come close to winning. There is no real edge left. Everyone gets basically the same data. Even when you do have a slight edge your odds are bet down to nothing

The computer/internet age did nothing for, and even hurt players in some ways. It made it easier to bet, but it equalized the opportunity for “the pool” to all have the same info.

Your complaint about the sport is the problem caused by rebates and excessive takeout. How is racing different than sports betting or poker. Everyone has the same information, most lose some win. Proper pricing makes those games thrive.

Racing has never in our lifetime been priced properly. But believe what you want. If racing doesn’t correct the pricing problem the people you say will never bet the game no matter what, will definitely never bet the game no matter what. Your attitude is no different than the attitude of the racing industry. The world’s greatest gambling game and you have the doors locked shut before they are ever opened.

[rastajenk]

I think there's much more to it than that; and in a way, it's much simpler. Times change, cultures change. And since this topic is about California, you can't get much more in the way of evolving and emerging and disappearing subcultures in a short period of time than that state.

We're always being told to look at Eastasian racing. It's a whole different culture that weakens whatever comparisons we're supposed to see in order to employ better methods. (Is PETA a presence in Hong Kong?) The sudden expansion of not just legalized, but aggressively pursued sports betting introduces another cultural shift. The ease with which I can wager on my favorite team's game this week, because it is my favorite team and not the result of extensive research into supposedly useful stats, is more handy than following a backstretch population of nearly 1000 horses or more. Some things are bigger than what we see when we use a microscope to examine racing's ills.

[Candybag]

Racing has no leadership or imagination. I have an idea that is a clear path to fixed odds wagering and the idea brings the actual dollars to make it happen or the negotiation to make it happen.

Fixed odds wagering is something that could benefit the racing fan, unlike slot fueled purses that did nothing for the customer.

People who know racing dismiss my idea out of hand. People who equally know racing and who are my professional peers (never met me) are interested in hearing more.

My idea may not even get an interview from a national publication, my request appears to be still pending or dismissed.

An industry that is sinking fast does not have the luxury to dismiss ideas out of hand.

[JustRalph]

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-rac...u-horse-racing

From the home page news

[racenomics]

Does anyone here think that racing would be more successful if you could only bet the races on track. If I wanted to bet the derby, I would have to go down to my local track to place the bet. That would drive many more people to the track, and there would be more new fans as you become a fan by going to the track. Not to mention the $ that the ADWs take out of the sport

[Andy Asaro]

This was inevitable. We boycotted in 2010/2011 and the only real reforms they made was the low take P5. It is mindboggling that they never got a clue from that success. Plenty of villains helped destroy Ca Racing and now they'll all claim it wasn't their fault.

There really isn't anything left to do other than hope they get alternative gaming revenue like sports betting or historical racing machines. Both of those don't seem to be any kind of priority for the State. The State/Governor don't give a crap about racing IMO

[racenomics]

Originally Posted by Andy Asaro

The State/Governor don't give a crap about racing IMO

They hate it