Yavapai Downs to Race Again

[craigbraddick]

Originally Posted by spiketoo

Well done Craig. May make a drive to beat the heat this weekend. I'll buy (but don't let that get around OK?).

Hi Spiketoo!

Would love to see and meet you at AZD this weekend. Please let me know if you are coming up as I would like to introduce you to the team here and give you a tour of what is going on as well as playing the ponies!

Regards,

[v j stauffer]

Originally Posted by craigbraddick

We have a lot of great things going on at the new Arizona Downs right now!

The OTB is doing very well. Last week we had our first free to enter handicapping competition with cash prizes and we will have another one this week. All our welcome. First prize is $100.00!

Every weekend I am in the OTB meeting horseplayers and teaching newbies how to handicap. We have all the top tracks available to watch and wager on.

We also do a weekly podcast "The Starting Gate" on a Thursday night about goings on at AZD looking forward to this weekends racing. I produce and present that.

We also do "Arizona Downs Live" on Facebook every Saturday and Sunday and I preview some races with guest handicappers. I also update the FB page.

Over the next few months we will be opening more OTB's as we ramp up for opening day in 2019! Also, over the next few months the Grandstand renovation will be completed with new eating options and we are already planning non racing events to use the facility in different ways.

Dennis Moore one of the best track people in the world, responsible for renovations at Del Mar, Santa Anita and the Breeders Cup tracks will be responsible for the complete renovation of the racing surface! Truly working with the best in the business!

We have had tremendous support from the local community who want Arizona Downs to succeed and the reaction and support from the horsemen of Arizona has been fantastic.

Above all, we want to offer a customer service experience that is better, more enjoyable and more friendly than the competition and we are working hard to do that! In the coming months we will also be unveiling lots of new things improvements. So stay tuned!

It is a great experience to be contributing too and I am very thankful to the new owners and think we have the one of the best GM's in the country in Ann McGovern whose experience and expertise combined with the team she is assembling cannot wait to bring live racing back in May 2019!

And of course I would be happy to answer any questions on here!

I would invite those of you on FB to please follow us: www.facebook.com/arizonadownsracetrack

Cheers!

Craig.

Everything sounds great Craig. Who will your announcer be?

[highnote]

Originally Posted by craigbraddick

We have a lot of great things going on at the new Arizona Downs right now!

The OTB is doing very well. Last week we had our first free to enter handicapping competition with cash prizes and we will have another one this week. All our welcome. First prize is $100.00!

Every weekend I am in the OTB meeting horseplayers and teaching newbies how to handicap. We have all the top tracks available to watch and wager on.

We also do a weekly podcast "The Starting Gate" on a Thursday night about goings on at AZD looking forward to this weekends racing. I produce and present that.

We also do "Arizona Downs Live" on Facebook every Saturday and Sunday and I preview some races with guest handicappers. I also update the FB page.

Over the next few months we will be opening more OTB's as we ramp up for opening day in 2019! Also, over the next few months the Grandstand renovation will be completed with new eating options and we are already planning non racing events to use the facility in different ways.

Dennis Moore one of the best track people in the world, responsible for renovations at Del Mar, Santa Anita and the Breeders Cup tracks will be responsible for the complete renovation of the racing surface! Truly working with the best in the business!

We have had tremendous support from the local community who want Arizona Downs to succeed and the reaction and support from the horsemen of Arizona has been fantastic.

Above all, we want to offer a customer service experience that is better, more enjoyable and more friendly than the competition and we are working hard to do that! In the coming months we will also be unveiling lots of new things improvements. So stay tuned!

It is a great experience to be contributing too and I am very thankful to the new owners and think we have the one of the best GM's in the country in Ann McGovern whose experience and expertise combined with the team she is assembling cannot wait to bring live racing back in May 2019!

And of course I would be happy to answer any questions on here!

I would invite those of you on FB to please follow us: www.facebook.com/arizonadownsracetrack

Cheers!

Craig.

Yavapai will be the only U.S. track I will wager on for now. The former management team built up a lifetime of goodwill by asking HANA to brainstorm solutions to keep them afloat.

I hope all HANA members will spread the word and encourage other members and non-members to bet your races.

Good luck!

[craigbraddick]

Originally Posted by highnote

Yavapai will be the only U.S. track I will wager on for now. The former management team built up a lifetime of goodwill by asking HANA to brainstorm solutions to keep them afloat.

I hope all HANA members will spread the word and encourage other members and non-members to bet your races.

Good luck!

Highnote!

Thank you for your comments. That was actually myself who did that. I very much value what horseplayers have to say.

Regards,

[craigbraddick]

Originally Posted by v j stauffer

Everything sounds great Craig. Who will your announcer be?

Management will make that announcement when they are ready to do so.

[jimmyb]

Originally Posted by craigbraddick

We have a lot of great things going on at the new Arizona Downs right now!

The OTB is doing very well. Last week we had our first free to enter handicapping competition with cash prizes and we will have another one this week. All our welcome. First prize is $100.00!

Every weekend I am in the OTB meeting horseplayers and teaching newbies how to handicap. We have all the top tracks available to watch and wager on.

We also do a weekly podcast "The Starting Gate" on a Thursday night about goings on at AZD looking forward to this weekends racing. I produce and present that.

We also do "Arizona Downs Live" on Facebook every Saturday and Sunday and I preview some races with guest handicappers. I also update the FB page.

Over the next few months we will be opening more OTB's as we ramp up for opening day in 2019! Also, over the next few months the Grandstand renovation will be completed with new eating options and we are already planning non racing events to use the facility in different ways.

Dennis Moore one of the best track people in the world, responsible for renovations at Del Mar, Santa Anita and the Breeders Cup tracks will be responsible for the complete renovation of the racing surface! Truly working with the best in the business!

We have had tremendous support from the local community who want Arizona Downs to succeed and the reaction and support from the horsemen of Arizona has been fantastic.

Above all, we want to offer a customer service experience that is better, more enjoyable and more friendly than the competition and we are working hard to do that! In the coming months we will also be unveiling lots of new things improvements. So stay tuned!

It is a great experience to be contributing too and I am very thankful to the new owners and think we have the one of the best GM's in the country in Ann McGovern whose experience and expertise combined with the team she is assembling cannot wait to bring live racing back in May 2019!

And of course I would be happy to answer any questions on here!

I would invite those of you on FB to please follow us: www.facebook.com/arizonadownsracetrack

Cheers!

Craig.

Great stuff, Craig. How are those Persimmons doing?

[craigbraddick]

Originally Posted by jimmyb

Great stuff, Craig. How are those Persimmons doing?

60 hour plus work weeks are not leaving much time for golf right now, Jimmy! They are definitely being neglected but still it is great to be working in racing again!

[highnote]

Originally Posted by craigbraddick

Highnote!

Thank you for your comments. That was actually myself who did that. I very much value what horseplayers have to say.

Regards,

It has been so long ago that I can't remember the names of the people we met with, but I do know we were treated very well. I am glad to see Yavapai back in business!

[v j stauffer]

Originally Posted by craigbraddick

Management will make that announcement when they are ready to do so.

Traditionally that's proven to be the best time.

[anotherCAfan]

Originally Posted by craigbraddick

Dennis Moore one of the best track people in the world, responsible for renovations at Del Mar, Santa Anita and the Breeders Cup tracks will be responsible for the complete renovation of the racing surface! Truly working with the best in the business!

This is really good to hear. Hoping he still stays involved with the SoCal racing circuit, but glad he is helping you all out.

Originally Posted by craigbraddick

Management will make that announcement when they are ready to do so.

There will be someone retiring later this year and moving to that part of Arizona who management should consider at least reaching out to, to gauge his interest.

[craigbraddick]

Originally Posted by anotherCAfan

This is really good to hear. Hoping he still stays involved with the SoCal racing circuit, but glad he is helping you all out.


There will be someone retiring later this year and moving to that part of Arizona who management should consider at least reaching out to, to gauge his interest.

I am in regular contact with that person. He is very supportive of my future at Arizona Downs.

I am very happy to be here, loving the opportunities I have and am working towards a better future for myself, Arizona Downs and racing in Arizona. I invite everyone here to come and visit and see the ongoing transformation for yourself.

We had our busiest ever day on Saturday. Our handicapping competition was down to the wire, won by just $2.50 and on Sunday, I taught a simple handicapping method to 6 brand new players...they hit the first 3 exactas as Del Mar, got the early P3 on an $8 ticket and the winner in the 4th race with the info I taught them. One of them said: "Craig we were so in the dark and now you've opened a brand new world to us."

As you may have seen on FB, I am also featuring in several videos about Arizona Downs and what we have to offer. I am also doing weekly podcast. Each video seems to be getting a good amount of views - I also post other things on there on a daily basis and try to respond to everyone who leaves a message.


Exciting times ahead!

[Track Collector]

I believe the track used to run in the early part of the week so as to have a chance to not compete against the big boys in the simulcast market. Would not be surprised if they run Mon-Tue or Tue-Wed.

I also think it is a good idea to have the KD folks involved. I don't think they would be there if they did not believe there was a long-term future for the new AD.

As with a lot of places, I hope they are enough horses to make field sizes decent. I recall that racing was almost exclusively TB. Think they might run a QH race or two?

Best wishes Craig and to the new Arizona Downs!

[Kevroc]

This is great Craig!

Following the fb page.

Would be nice if they ran under the lights!

[craigbraddick]

Originally Posted by Track Collector

I believe the track used to run in the early part of the week so as to have a chance to not compete against the big boys in the simulcast market. Would not be surprised if they run Mon-Tue or Tue-Wed.

I also think it is a good idea to have the KD folks involved. I don't think they would be there if they did not believe there was a long-term future for the new AD.

As with a lot of places, I hope they are enough horses to make field sizes decent. I recall that racing was almost exclusively TB. Think they might run a QH race or two?

Best wishes Craig and to the new Arizona Downs!

Track Collector:

Thank you very much. All the new owners are great people I had the chance on our opening weekend to meet Mr. Johnsen from Kentucky Downs. He is a very nice man and his expertise is invaluable. Just a small example, I am organizing our weekly handicapping contests and the folks at KD designed a spreadsheet for me to use based on the one they use, did a conference call with me to make sure I could navigate it in "real time" and how best to market it with our horseplayers. I am very glad to be learning from such people.

If you check our FB page, you will see I regularly do videos from the track on what is going on or make up videos. I think I can honestly say our FB page is busier than many tracks who are actually running live racing right now!

It will be a mixed meet. Obviously depends on the horse population but based on my Rillito experiences this spring where I am also the Announcer I would say on an 8 race card, 2-3 races would be QH races. You know before I called my first QH race at Arapahoe back in 2009 I had never seen a QH race in person! With some education from a lot of horsemen and people like Ed Burgart, I have grown to love QH racing a great deal. And its history here in Arizona means it is always a very popular attraction.

Days of the week we will have live racing on have not been set yet but when they do I will be sure to update you.

If I recall, you are based on the East Coast, right? If you want to come out for live racing next year, please do let me know as it would be wonderful to meet you.

Regards,

[craigbraddick]

Originally Posted by Kevroc

This is great Craig!

Following the fb page.

Would be nice if they ran under the lights!

Hi Kevroc!

Thanks for following our FB page. Please let me know if you have any comments or constructive criticism on the page as I am constantly trying to make it as fan friendly as possible!

Not sure in the short term if running under lights is part of the plan. We are very lucky to be far cooler in summer time than Phoenix and with Dennis Moore in charge of renovating the track surface - I think we will have one of the premier track surfaces in the country!

It may interest you to know at the moment we have a one turn six furlong chute, we are talking to the county who own the land around the track about extending it out so we can have one turn seven furlong races. I know many people are looking forward to that.

Regards,