DONE WITH NYRA

[PhantomOnTour]

My point was that the non theft at poker tables is due to surveillance and security, and not the higher integrity of poker players over horseplayers.

[DeltaLover]

Originally Posted by PhantomOnTour

My point was that the non theft at poker tables is due to surveillance and security, and not the higher integrity of poker players over horseplayers.

I have been taking a laptop to the track for many years.

I usually stay in the player's room and never had any issues about a stolen device even if I go out for a smoke (many times with the original poster Emerald, who happens to be my friend)..

If anyone, it is only myself who can be blamed for robbing me...

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by PhantomOnTour

My point was that the non theft at poker tables is due to surveillance and security, and not the higher integrity of poker players over horseplayers.

That was my point too. The security at racetracks sucks. There shouldn't be anyone at a racetrack who isn't there to watch the races or bet on them. It's 2014.

[Stillriledup]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

That was my point too. The security at racetracks sucks. There shouldn't be anyone at a racetrack who isn't there to watch the races or bet on them. It's 2014.

Another "Parasite" is the person who stands at the SAM machine "swishing" ticket after ticket that he found on the floor while blocking the lines of the people who actually bet.

[Track Phantom]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

"The problem are all the addicts and idiots crying because they lost a $2 bet, and then demanding a level playing field. It will never be a level playing field. There are a lot of things people don't know...and won't know."

"If you bet on horses, I would call you an idiot. I don't bet, there is a reason they call it gambling. I train to win and that's all I care about. It's not my problem (if the general public is deceived). They ought to bring in slot machines, then we could run our horses and make a living without worrying about some crybaby calling the stewards and raising a fit."

-- Jeff Mullins, 2005

I remember this Mullins quote but didn't remember it verbatim and didn't recall his comments about slot machines. Wow! That is pretty revealing and I would bet that a vast majority of the horsemen and track management feel the same way.

The problem is there are two segments of horseplayers at the track. The first, of which I am a part of, are those that go to the track, keep the themselves, don't complain or demand, and are basically anonymous to track management. The second, for which most perceptions are built, are those that live at the track, complain, demand, are often rude, disrespectful and irritating. If I worked at a track and dealt with these kinds of people daily, I would be jaded, too.

[pat]

Ive said it before thats the type of people you get when you dont charge admission.
The homeless hang out at Aqueduct in the day and JFK airport terminals at night.
I work security for an airline when i arrive at 5am the people I see at Aqueduct at 11am I see at 5am with a small carry on bag sleeping in terminal ( pre TSA ) making believe they missed their flight and are waiting for next am flight.
We need to charge admission and with the price of admission you get a program or a reduced rate on drf, that way if your not betting neither item would benefit you.
Therefore having no purpose to enter with paid admission.
I attend racing daily in Ny Friday thru sunday Im at belmont Monday,wednesday and thursday Aqueduct.

[Cholly]

Originally Posted by pat

...I work security for an airline when i arrive at 5am...I attend racing daily in Ny Friday thru sunday Im at belmont Monday,wednesday and thursday Aqueduct.

I want your life!

[Stillriledup]

Originally Posted by Cholly

I want your life!

Pat is the EF Hutton of PA, when he posts, its a good idea to listen!

[Cholly]

Originally Posted by Stillriledup

Pat is the EF Hutton of PA, when he posts, its a good idea to listen!

He certainly has the scheduling thing smartly dialed in...reminds me of my uncle, who played golf almost every afternoon of his life. Uncle told me this, "If a man has a job that doesn't make him a living by noon, then he needs to find another job."

[Grits]

Originally Posted by Valento

I remember this Mullins quote but didn't remember it verbatim and didn't recall his comments about slot machines. Wow! That is pretty revealing and I would bet that a vast majority of the horsemen and track management feel the same way.

The problem is there are two segments of horseplayers at the track. The first, of which I am a part of, are those that go to the track, keep the themselves, don't complain or demand, and are basically anonymous to track management. The second, for which most perceptions are built, are those that live at the track, complain, demand, are often rude, disrespectful and irritating. If I worked at a track and dealt with these kinds of people daily, I would be jaded, too.

Its been a long time since reading this quote. Its still hard to read these words. To think trainers or others in the industry, whose livelihood, bettors support feel this way -- his remarks are quite loathsome.

[EMD4ME]

Originally Posted by Stillriledup

You can't ever love the "suits" acting in this fashion, but i want to say that i think you need to keep separate the incident with "Dean" Travers and the inability of the customer service to process your money. Now, i guess that if you had gotten your money in there and hit for the 10 grand, you wouldnt be as mad at the Dean, but what he did is not something i agree with, you have to cater to players. What i don't understand is if he didn't care, why would he ask you and the others to meet with him? Why not just do what he was going to do anyway, i don't get why it was necessary to tell you to your face that you are going to be stuck in the corner (like baby).

SRU. For the record, they are two separate incidents and I have separated them, however, they are linked. I would not have attempted to use the money gram feature that they advertise if the room at Belmont was open.

Response #2. Buddy, believe you me, I don't care if I hit for 4.2 Million, I would 10000000% still be upset at Mr. Traver's poor communication skills, business sense, decision making capabilities, SARCASM and I would most definitely file my complaint with anyone who cares at NYRA.

I don't know why he brought us down for a discussion. After 2 minutes of humane, interactional, 2 way communication with his "clients", he rudely cut off a high roller and said "fellas let me cut to the point. We spent 7 million on Aqueduct and it's going to work". In other words, I don't really care to discuss your opinions or your attempts at negotiation. One player immediately asked if this is open to discussion. To paraphrase him, he said no. I asked him politely about the possible opportunity cost of his decision and his response was sarcastic (he told me that I can go to Belmont & play on my thousand dollar laptop if I don't like aqueduct-as their wont be any machines for me to wager on up in the room). (I had made a prior reference that I can't go to aqueduct because my laptop can be stolen at any time there-he used my valid concern, sarcastically, in his later response to me).

Real professional....

At that point, I said I will reduce my handle to nill and if they want me to go away, I will.

[EMD4ME]

Originally Posted by DelMarJay

Customer service in EVERY conceivable corner of America has shrunk over the years to the putrid levels we all experience today. But in this case, you'd think money talks loud. Guess incompetent leadership trumps logic and reason.

Seriously, it's hard for a $10 buck a race lifer like myself to imagine your levels of play, but I can understand your valid feelings. Not even sure of solutions here. Almost wish the horse industry realized they and they alone have CHOSEN to die slowly instead of giving a shit and fought to market the greatest sport ever.

Retain your undying loyal fans(like OP and everyone here) by listening and reacting. Create growth by marketing the passion and excitement to the young people. And lastly realize that while ADW's have a large role in the success of racing, the live racing experience and the social gathering of the Off Track Parlors have still got to be above par activities. So that's my penny's worth. And for F sakes, get rid of the beggars and parasites.

Quite frankly, it's not about my handle or anyone else's handle. It's the principle of how a client should be treated and how they are spoken to.

I have nothing against Mr. Travers on a personal level. I do however, have the right to speak up (and this is the only way I know how) when I feel mistreated. If he turned around tomorrow and was a true gentlemen and a true professional who I truly felt cared and acted upon the concerns of his clients, I would be his biggest advocate. I sadly do not think that will ever happen. I see the writing on the wall, 1 less player who was dedicated to NYRA & no one who would even notice.

You are right. The parasites and beggars should be thrown out. I don't exactly know how. Maybe through client complaints (secretively to protect the players) but they need to go.

It just boggles my mind how you can have a dying (literally) on track crowd and you take your TOP clients in for a conference and tell them: (paraphrasing) I don't care what you want, why you want it and how you want it but you will eat this dog poo poo, you will like it and you will come back.

No I wont.

[EMD4ME]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

The track owners and the horsemen already have an image in their minds of what the "greatest sport ever" would be...and the horseplayer is an unnecessary and unwelcomed participant in it. It's an image of an ocean of intoxicated slots players merrily and mindlessly lining up to entirely take over the responsibility of funding the purses which necessitated the toleration of those aggravating and forever complaining horseplayers all these years.

For years they've wanted to get rid of us...but they didn't know how to manage it. Well, now they do...and they are not shy to tell it to our faces.

Sadly, I hate to admit it but you are 100% correct. It's a shame but you are 100% correct.

[EMD4ME]

Originally Posted by pacer

I just prefer to play in my house over the track any day I live NY and Don't like going to belmont unless there is live racing and doesn't matter if they r live at aqu that place is a horror show.

To be extremely forthright with you I'll tell you why. When I was 3 1/2 years old, I was found to be a mathematical talent. I was advanced for my age. I was at Charles Town, picked up a racing form and was calculating turn times at the ripe old age of 4 or 4 1/2. No joke. Some would call that a curse and some would laugh.

Long story short, as I've gotten older, going to the track is an opportunity to rekindle old memories of mom and dad taking me to Charles Town when I was 4. I pick up my mom a Tele (that's what a racing form was called back in the day for those that don't know) for the next day's card, give her something to look forward to and pick her up the next day to head to the track. Now before you assume she can't handicap, she can and she's excellent at it. She doesn't handle more than 50,000 a year but she is an excellent handicapper and money manager.

It is a crying shame that I can't bring this elderly lady to a hospitable and warm environment because Mr. Travers doesn't see the value of opening a LOW COST ROOM for his top players.

Mom stays home now. No Saratoga for her. No wonderful feeling of I'm going somewhere on Saturday to break up this boring routine called retirement.

That's what a good live experience means to me. Since Mr. TRAVERS and the company that he represents don't care, how could I care about NYRA anymore?

[EMD4ME]

Originally Posted by DeltaLover

To be honest and fair, Aqueduct has done a ton of progress lately. The new player's room, is one of the best places in racing I have ever seen from any way you can see it: luxurious seats with very clean environment and very polite and helpful NYRA employees, clean restrooms and a nice bar. I really see no reason to go to Belmont or any other place to play horses...

Delta, you know I love you. There is no but there. To each his own. However, as human beings we all have our preferences. If you really need to know why I, personally want and need to go to Belmont, please see below.

Major inconvenience (during the Spa meet, I like to go to the beach and them the track. Going to Aqu eliminates that possibility)

Call me crazy but I do not like sitting a dark room with zero windows during the 7 hot and beautiful weeks of the Saratoga meet. I like to visit the beautiful Belmont back yard, with my tablet and get sun while I play the Spa.

Lower handle. It takes 1 hour to drive home from Aqu (11 miles from home). It takes me 17 minutes to get home from Belmont and it is 16 MILES from my home). I'm an avid Emerald Downs player. That extra 53 minutes is two races that I don't wager on at Emerald (at the conclusion of the spa card).

Crowd-Layout. The Aqu room is nice if you are a casino fan (darkness-no windows-strangers all around). Yes, you are in a "secure" environment but it is not secure. Anyone can walk in to the players club as the door is not manned. My $1000 laptop and tablet (with thousands of personal items on it) can be swiped in a nano second at Aqueduct. At Belmont, we all know each other, the guard stands by closely, the attendant knows everyone. It's night and day different.

VIP parking. For 11 months, I am privy to a spot up front at Belmont. Now I am told go to aqu and place your car in an unattended lot and it's first come first serve? Excuse me????

You and I both know that people have been murdered and attacked in the aqueduct parking lot. I do not feel comfortable walking 500 yards with 10,000 on me to my car at aqueduct. Call me scared but I do not. At Belmont, yes.

Sorry for the rant. There is no I'm right your wrong. To each his own. I respect your opinion immensely. I just hope you respect mine.

Hope to see you soon but unfortunately it wont likely be at aqueduct.