Stagger the post times, please!

[MacTavish]

This is directed to anyone involved in track management.

Ladies and gentlemen, horse racing has a rare opportunity because of the coronavirus. Not too many silver linings but it's the only sport on television. It's just about the only wagering action available. Yet, the tracks are running races on top of each other. And that's the case when the tracks are owned by the same corporation! (Yes, I'm talking about you, Stronach.)

Would you folks get on the phone with one another and stagger the post times? That's not too much to ask, is it?

Mick

[Tom]

It's on the list of things to get done....

Middle East Peace
Cure for Cancer
Stagger post times

I bet the first two get done a lot faster!

There is no excuse for it-- it is just total disregard for their customers, not matter anyone tells you. They DO NOT care about you. They care about $$$ and nothing else.

[horses4courses]

Thing about it is, they would actually increase their betting handle
if they didn't run races at different tracks right on top of each other.

The best cure, imo, is following the example of other countries.
Allocate a specific post time for each race, and make a point of
sticking to it. Instead of hearing "who do you like in the first at
Aqueduct?", expect to hear "who do you like in the 1:30 there?".

Other major tracks (OP, GP, etc.) should stagger their post times
10-20 minutes after NY and running a race every half hour.
California has been doing something similar between north
and south for a long time. It boosts handle.

[jay68802]

My god man, think of the extra cost and work that would have to be done. I mean, someone would have to look at a printed time and then compare that to a working clock! What you are asking is like asking dogs and cats to live together in harmony.

[JohnGalt1]

Gulfstream already staggers their start times.

Sometimes they start 5 minutes after post time, sometimes 7 minutes, sometimes 10 minutes.

[Tom]

I seldom watch GP, but today I did, for the Fla. Derby.
I am guessing that "Post Time" at GP means the race will start in about an hour or so......

What a horrible track to to have to watch......nowhere near as exciting as watching paint dry, and I had to shave twice during the card.

[horses4courses]

Originally Posted by Tom

I seldom watch GP, but today I did, for the Fla. Derby.
I am guessing that "Post Time" at GP means the race will start in about an hour or so......

What a horrible track to to have to watch......nowhere near as exciting as watching paint dry, and I had to shave twice during the card.

Do you think they dawdle around because they believe it raises handle?
If so, that's infuriating.

People will bet just as much within a set time frame.
With delays, bettors fart around and cancel tickets, then maybe re-bet.

I understand it in a big carryover situation for a horizontal pool.
That's different. In that case, they should add 15 minutes between
post times for the first leg, and announce it prior to the first race.

[therussmeister]

Originally Posted by horses4courses

Do you think they dawdle around because they believe it raises handle?
If so, that's infuriating.

Yes, I think they believe it increases handle. It's not a random amount of time, it is five minutes almost to the second for every race, except I think, for the first race of the rainbow six.

[castaway01]

The Gulfstream thing is why we'll never see staggered post times, even if only two Stronach tracks are all that's left running. Everyone wants to bet as late as possible, and certain tracks think delayed post times make them more money. For some reason they still don't get that even if the last two minutes before post were five minutes earlier, 90% of the money is coming in then anyway.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by horses4courses

Do you think they dawdle around because they believe it raises handle?
If so, that's infuriating.

I am 100% sure that is why they do it.
The only other reason could be that no one at the track can tell time......

$$$ counts, you and I don't.

[senortout]

I will post something to make you ponder a bit on this subject. How is it, with all the admitted post time delays effected at tracks like Gulf Stream, that I have historically bet less at the tracks the ARE going to post at the advertised post time? Tracks like Aqueduct, Saratoga, and Belmont, and Santa Anita, etc who race at the promised time? It is those very races I am most often too late to bet on!...please check your own betting patterns to see if you are experiencing some of what I have found.
Some Saturdays, I only get 2 or 3 bets in at Aqueduct while betting most of the card at Gulf Stream. Note that I do not prefer one track over the other, most days.

Originally Posted by Tom

I am 100% sure that is why they do it.
The only other reason could be that no one at the track can tell time......

$$$ counts, you and I don't.

[FantasticDan]

Oaklawn and Gulfstream have post times on top of each other through their whole cards today.

Remarkable.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by FantasticDan

Oaklawn and Gulfstream have post times on top of each other through their whole cards today.

Remarkable.

Pretty amazing with only 3 tracks opening and no live spectators to get confused.

[Elkchester Road]

Originally Posted by FantasticDan

Oaklawn and Gulfstream have post times on top of each other through their whole cards today.

Remarkable.

All of us already had a pretty good idea how goofy Track Managements in America are. Situations like this, though, are like being punched in the face with that idiocy.

I "personally" don't care...the only way I can play two tracks in the same day is if I play one in the afternoon, then one in the evening.

But...I am also aware that MANY players look for "spots", i.e. Turf racing, to do their playing...and I am sure nonsense like this is infuriating to them.

[Clocker]

Assuming competent management , they have established their post times to maximize their benefit in their market. In any case, they believe that they have. I'm sure the management of every track would heartily agree with this idea, as long as it is other tracks that are doing it.


Not in my backyard.