PA gov proposes $204 million cut to horse racing subsidies

[cj]

Originally Posted by therussmeister

So you are not a fan of Kentucky Downs?

I'd say at this point it isn't really a meet, not even a week of racing. Of course the racing is great during that time, not trying to say otherwise.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by cj

Some of the best racing days in my life were spent on the apron freezing my butt off in January after betting speed on frozen tracks at Philly Park and watching them wire and win off by many lengths! Some days was literally so cold I couldn't make it the whole race if it were two turns.

There was a time when you could blindly bet the 1 and 2 horse in every race and make a profit. For long periods of time. Inside was pretty much all that mattered.

My track-Buddy and I used to drive down to Penn and Key/Philly a few times a year....winter for sure when FL was closed. I still feel the cold some days!

God, those were the days!

[Redboard]

Originally Posted by cj

I'd say at this po....
Of course the racing is great during that time, not trying to say otherwise.

And why do you think the racing is great there?

Never mind.

[cj]

Originally Posted by Redboard

And why do you think the racing is great there?

Never mind.

They have used subsidies the right way, though the track wasn't given much choice as the other tracks fought hard against giving them more days.

[Afleet]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

The money goes into what they've called the "Horse Racing Development Fund". By the fund's very name a strong argument can be made that the horse racing industry no longer deserves this money. After all...in which way has this money helped in the "development" of the sport?

foal numbers increased in Pennsylvania-one of the very few in the nation

[alhattab]

Originally Posted by Tom

There was a time when you could blindly bet the 1 and 2 horse in every race and make a profit. For long periods of time. Inside was pretty much all that mattered.

My track-Buddy and I used to drive down to Penn and Key/Philly a few times a year....winter for sure when FL was closed. I still feel the cold some days!

God, those were the days!

I’ve been on a few of those days. Snuck in beers in our winter coats. So cold and windy one day that my friend said the bugle was going to stick to the buglers lips (they still had a live hornblower). Dave Monaci!

[cj]

Originally Posted by alhattab

I’ve been on a few of those days. Snuck in beers in our winter coats. So cold and windy one day that my friend said the bugle was going to stick to the buglers lips (they still had a live hornblower). Dave Monaci!

Didn't he pass away? He was one big dude. Always was nice to me the few times I met him, seemed to be a trainer a had a really good read on when his horses would run well.

[alhattab]

Originally Posted by cj

Didn't he pass away? He was one big dude. Always was nice to me the few times I met him, seemed to be a trainer a had a really good read on when his horses would run well.

He did, at 53. The obit is still on legacy.com. Central Jersey guy. When I did the search this gem showed up from a 2006 Pace Advantage Post:

“And then there was Big Dave Monaci, not a very pleasant character. Even when he wasn't running any, Dave would hang near the tunnel all afternoon and bet with both hands. He'd be wearing coveralls big enough to cover the Shea Stadium infield, scaring the women and small children, and sometimes me. Dave also had a nice sprinter back then -- Robyn Dancer, I think. ”

Big guy no doubt. I will remember him for having a horse lose by double digits then come back next out and wire the field. I’m sure he pulled the stunt a few times on that frozen Keystone track.

Anyone else remember the starter handicap star Blue Mug? I loved the Pha, GSP circuit. Marty Fallon, Jeff Kirk, Mark Reid, Camac. Good times!

[proximity]

Originally Posted by Redboard

The PA horsemen have had a lot of time to get their act together. We all knew purse supplements wouldn’t last forever. They’ve had a “window of opportunity” to put a decent product on the track that would interest horse players and make ends meet. And maybe threw in a couple of ideas we kicked around in the “Incentives for Track Attendee” thread.

First of all, there is no logical reason why PA’s three tracks can’t operate sequentially, instead of simultaneously. Penn National, Parx, and Presque Isle do not have to have overlapping meets. Southern California, for many years, ran three tracks (Hollywood, Santa Anita, and Del Mar) that way. With no purse supplements. Why can’t PA do the same?

Parx and Penn National run 12 months a year. For who? For what? From May to October, all three of them are running simultaneously. The three tracks run about 450 days a year combined, around 3,600 races.

As the new czar of PA racing, here’s what I’d do:
Penn National : March, April, May.
Presque Isle: June, July, August.
Parx: September, October, November.

Four days a week, 10 races per day. Take December, January, February off. That would equal around 480 races per meet, with three meets, that’s 1,440 races per year. I’m sure the governor would settle for a 50% cut in supplements ($125 million) rather than the 80% cut he proposed($204 M).
So you’d have 1,440 races to supplement with $125 million (rather than 3,600 races with $250 million). That’s about $87k per race rather than $69k(or about $18k more). You could offer higher purses which would attract better trainers/connections, and have better fields. Get rid of the statebreds, if these people can’t breed a decent horse that can compete, that’s their problem. I didn’t say “fuller” fields. The concept of larger fields being “better” fields for the horse player, is not always true.

The meets would be more “special,” since each track would have live racing only 12 weeks of the year. Attendance would be better.

with the possible exception of the state bred part I think this is probably a pretty good post if we're going to allow this farce to continue in Pennsylvania.

at this point on track bets made with a players card should be rebated 100% to make this palatable to the general gambler.

[TonyK@HSH]

A description from a Pa legislator regarding this issue. Shines light on the overall economic impact to the state as well as the legality of the Governors proposal.

YouTube

[PaceAdvantage]

Thought that was Phil Donahue for a second...yeah, I'm old.

[lamboguy]

Originally Posted by alhattab

I’ve been on a few of those days. Snuck in beers in our winter coats. So cold and windy one day that my friend said the bugle was going to stick to the buglers lips (they still had a live hornblower). Dave Monaci!

Dave Monaci never met a doughnut he didn't love

[biggestal99]

Originally Posted by Big Peps

Agreed. I think there are 4 premier meets at this point where racing is actually a solid attraction.

Keeneland ( spring/ fall) Saratoga and Oaklawn. That's it, IMO.

Everything else is pretty much tumbleweed filler

Agree with keeneland/Saratoga.

Disagree with oaklawn.

No turf course is the obvious drawback.

Allan