Horse Player Now - Horse Racing Forum - PaceAdvantage.Com

highnote · 10-04-2014, 01:44 PM

Horse Player Now is a horseplayer magazine -- unless it isn't.

http://issuu.com/horseplayernow/docs/hpnmagoct14#

Jeremy Plonk is the publisher. He wrote an article that mentions HANA's boycott in the issue at the link.

Plonk claims that even though the boycott is hurting CD it is playing into the hands of CD management. Management knows that racing is a dying industry and would like to get rid of the tracks. Plonk is critical of the boycott and claims it plays into the hands of CDI management.

But hold on a second Mr. Plonk. Are you saying horseplayers should pay the higher takeout for altruistic reasons? Are you saying horseplayers should play CD to help keep it afloat? You said yourself CDI enjoyed record profits even as CD was losing money. Perhaps you should have written that CDI should be altruistic and support the great Churchill Downs racetrack.

In my opinion, CDI management needs to get rid of CD and let a racing friendly and player friendly ownership team run it. A boycott actually benefits CDI as well as horseplayers. A boycott is a win-win.

It is ridiculous to even suggest that horseplayers should support a high takeout track that the owners don't really want to own.

If CDI finds owning CD to be a losing proposition they will shed the asset and that would be a win for everyone. Perhaps a new ownership group can run it profitably for the benefit of themselves, horsemen and horseplayers.

It is disappointing to read an anti-horseplayer piece in a magazine that dares to use the word "horseplayer" in it's title.

Don't be fooled. It's an industry magazine trying to disguise itself as a horseplayer magazine.

Notice the sponsors.

Since Mr. Plonk appears to be pro-higher takeout, perhaps HANA should call for a boycott of HPN.

-----

Mr. Plonk also writes about Fair Grounds Race Course being for sale for $147 million.

He writes that "A seasoned horseplayer like you ought to be able to organize a syndicate of well-heeled individuals willing to take a crack at running a racetrack. ... Why don't you pool the resources of those guys you hang out with at the track beneath the television monitors near the hot dog stand?"

His comments are exactly what is wrong with race track owners. I embrace those guys who hang out by the monitors. Those are the customers. Any moron who doesn't get that should not own a racetrack and if they do, they deserve to lose money.

It's too bad HPN does not come in newsprint. It would be the perfect material for lining the bottom of the bird cage.

Charli125 · 10-06-2014, 01:15 PM

It was a rather odd article with twisted logic in my opinion and I agree with your assessment.

So if the takeout increase hurts them, then they'll be proved correct that racing is dying out and will focus on gaming, thus we should bet into the high takeout to prove them wrong? It just doesn't make sense. Yes, hurting their handle plays into their overall strategy, that doesn't mean we should "donate to the cause" by betting into high takeout.

And I know that quite a few players have discussed buying a racetrack, but there are a whole host of issues including, but not limited to, the lack of control most racetracks have over the pricing, availability, signal fee, etc. of their product. I'd assume most horseplayers willing to buy a track would want to run the track the right way, which is almost impossible unless you find a jurisdiction without racing, and are able to get the legislature to go along with your ideas. Even Keeneland and Kentucky Downs can't set takeout below a certain level.

thaskalos · 10-06-2014, 01:35 PM

I've read Jeremy Plonk's new online magazine...and I found that it really IS worth the price that he charges for it.

highnote · 10-06-2014, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thaskalos

I've read Jeremy Plonk's new online magazine...and I found that it really IS worth the price that he charges for it.

Some of the articles in HPN by some of the journalists might be worthwhile, but as a horseplayer I was totally turned off from the magazine by Plonk's attitude toward horseplayers.

If he's not writing for horseplayers then who is he writing for?

Why the hell would any publication called Horse Player Now denigrate the guys who hang out under the monitors and laugh at them for not being able to afford the purchase price of an overpriced racetrack? Hell, he even says the New Orleans Saints ownership thought the price was too high.

I know he is pandering to his sponsors, but it makes him look like an idiot to horseplayers. So why would any horseplayer want to read his bird cage liner of a free magazine? Maybe he thinks we're all so stupid that we won't notice he's putting us down?

Tom · 10-06-2014, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thaskalos

I've read Jeremy Plonk's new online magazine...and I found that it really IS worth the price that he charges for it.

After all the work it took me to download the damn thing, I fell I should bill THEM for the issue.

Kudos to HANA for a first class, PLAYER's magazine.
As far as the boycott - betting that crap track would be playing into someone's hand.

Racing would be better off if CD were to close up and go away.

duncan04 · 10-06-2014, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom

After all the work it took me to download the damn thing, I fell I should bill THEM for the issue.

Kudos to HANA for a first class, PLAYER's magazine.
As far as the boycott - betting that crap track would be playing into someone's hand.

Racing would be better off if CD were to close up and go away.

As far as what HANA puts out, I don't like the columns. Why present it like that?

thaskalos · 10-06-2014, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom

After all the work it took me to download the damn thing, I fell I should bill THEM for the issue.

Kudos to HANA for a first class, PLAYER's magazine.
As far as the boycott - betting that crap track would be playing into someone's hand.

Racing would be better off if CD were to close up and go away.

Thanks, Tom. I was starting to think that no one would understand what I was trying to say.

Charli125 · 10-07-2014, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duncan04

As far as what HANA puts out, I don't like the columns. Why present it like that?

Can you elaborate? Do you not like the format or the actual columns? If it's the format, we're always open to suggestions.

If it's the columns, I'd have to say that you're in the minority because we get a ton of excellent feedback on the articles. While we always try to keep it fresh, I don't predict any major deviations.

duncan04 · 10-07-2014, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charli125

Can you elaborate? Do you not like the format or the actual columns? If it's the format, we're always open to suggestions.

If it's the columns, I'd have to say that you're in the minority because we get a ton of excellent feedback on the articles. While we always try to keep it fresh, I don't predict any major deviations.

The articles are great. It's the format. Sorry for the confusion. Seems like it would be easier to read across instead of on one side and then scroll back up to read other side of the page. Just my opinion and may be in the minority.

Charli125 · 10-07-2014, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duncan04

The articles are great. It's the format. Sorry for the confusion. Seems like it would be easier to read across instead of on one side and then scroll back up to read other side of the page. Just my opinion and may be in the minority.

We hear you on that, and have been looking for some software to do that without needing a lot of technical expertise(or money!). We've found a few options and it shouldn't be too many more issues before we have it in a better format.

We just decided to start with a pdf in order to get it out there rather than wait.

Thanks for the feedback.

DeanT · 10-08-2014, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by highnote

I embrace those guys who hang out by the monitors.

Most of us call it home.

mountainman · 10-08-2014, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thaskalos

I've read Jeremy Plonk's new online magazine...and I found that it really IS worth the price that he charges for it.

Dig me some Plonk. A man of numerous talents, and very humble, no strut whatsoever.

Charli125 · 10-29-2014, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duncan04

The articles are great. It's the format. Sorry for the confusion. Seems like it would be easier to read across instead of on one side and then scroll back up to read other side of the page. Just my opinion and may be in the minority.

Check out the new format: http://horseplayersassociation.org/hanamonthly.html

Still exists in PDF for those that like that, as well as a more magazine style version.

highnote · 09-16-2015, 12:28 PM

So I just stumbled across this thread about a year after it was first started.

Mr. Plonk dragged HANA and horseplayers through the mud in the Oct 2014 issue. The November 2014 issue looks like it was dedicated to HANA.

http://issuu.com/charli125/docs/novissue

Weird.

One thing I do like about the HPM link is all the links that are given to other magazines. I especially enjoyed reading the ones geared toward training thoroughbreds.

Stillriledup · 09-22-2015, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by highnote

So I just stumbled across this thread about a year after it was first started.

Mr. Plonk dragged HANA and horseplayers through the mud in the Oct 2014 issue. The November 2014 issue looks like it was dedicated to HANA.

http://issuu.com/charli125/docs/novissue

Weird.

One thing I do like about the HPM link is all the links that are given to other magazines. I especially enjoyed reading the ones geared toward training thoroughbreds.

Which article?