tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post5036880130443441347..comments2024-03-05T05:38:22.024-05:00Comments on Left at the Gate: Bizarre Week for NYRA (About to get Worse?)Alan Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570505944559196118noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-37665493188042735522012-09-28T18:24:27.881-04:002012-09-28T18:24:27.881-04:00I haven't heard that Governor Cuomo signed the...I haven't heard that Governor Cuomo signed the new horse racing Bill into law yet? Perhaps he is not under any pressure to call for and sign the Bill by October 1st as many have reported? Maybe this weekend...<br /><br />So it is the failure of not having adequate regulatory systems in place that caused the death of those horses. I get it, just playing within the loopholes created by weak structure. The report compiled by a panel that sat(2)vets and a horsemen's representative, (talk about conflicts of interest Mr. Glaser) laid very little culpability on those that sell or order the drugs be administred to many lame athletes in competition. Better process will be good, but trainers, owners and vets must change their modus operandi when it comes to winning at all costs, especially the cost of the lives of our cheerished horse friends.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-44590848171212984302012-09-28T12:43:51.499-04:002012-09-28T12:43:51.499-04:00The crackdown on drugs is a good thing. Too bad th...The crackdown on drugs is a good thing. Too bad they sat on the report until after Saratoga. Make the blue bloods sweat a little.<br />I wonder if the super trainers will be as super going forward. <br /><br />The rest of it; re-bidding the franchise, casinos, convention centers etc is nothing more than a money grab by State.<br /><br />Slap a new coat of paint on Aqueduct and Belmont and I might start to believe they care about the customers.<br /><br />jknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-29058000069729315752012-09-28T12:29:17.571-04:002012-09-28T12:29:17.571-04:00Since when, did New York's politicians stop fu...Since when, did New York's politicians stop functioning in their flawed and corrupt ways? Boss Tweed, Rangel, Spitzer, Paterson, Silver, Meeks, Liu, Bruno, Smith, Espada, Seabrook, Kruger, Stein, Monserrate, Velella, Lopez, & McLaughlin want to know. There's a tradition to uphold. Cuomo is on the threshold.<br /><br />Today's Belmont cancellation could also have been prompted by the fact they had five grass races scheduled. The card would have been decimated anyway.August Songnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-44625089261448660172012-09-28T11:52:00.888-04:002012-09-28T11:52:00.888-04:00Hey Joe - Thanks for the comment.
First of all, w...Hey Joe - Thanks for the comment.<br /><br />First of all, we are in 100% agreement on Charlie Hayward on all points.<br /><br />Regarding NYRA's profitability (or lack thereof) I think this all goes back to the structure of OTB, and the fact that NYRA receives a far, far lower share of the wagering revenue on money bet through OTB as compared to on track or NYRA Rewards. They've done a really good job compensating for the loss of NYCOTB by attracting the more lucrative on-track handle, something you don't see them credit for by the press or politicos. But the remaining OTB's still cannibalize their business. Having said that, it's not unfair to suggest that the business should be able to stand on it's own. They claim now to have an operating profit without slots....but that's not counting the "non-operating" expenses such as pensions. Hard to see how they would overcome that without slots revenue if the OTB's are never consolidated under a NYRA umbrella as is the case in other states. And I don't know who could without drastic cutbacks.<br /><br />As far as CDI goes, my point was more that I don't think that <i>would</i> ever happen more than it shouldn't....but I don't think it should either! Maybe that's just provincial - the notion that New York racing should be subsumed into an out-of-state corporation for whom, as a public company, the bottom line is king, is offensive to me as a longtime racing fan here. As far as upgrading its properties, it's not a surprise that they would do so for their signature property that bears its name. And maybe they would indeed have the same respect for the NY tracks. But have they devoted any capital to the infrastructure at their other tracks? (I don't know, have they?)alanhttp://leftatthegate.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-74029702829183701362012-09-28T10:59:39.879-04:002012-09-28T10:59:39.879-04:00Joe D, I don't know Charles Hayward or anyone ...Joe D, I don't know Charles Hayward or anyone at the NYRA. My guess about Charles Hayward was that he spent his time at the NYRA trying to keep it running on a daily basis without any interruptions. This was despite the efforts of the Gov and legislature to not fund the organization properly in the interim before the the VLT license was approved. He did what was right for his people and racing. To me, he had to know that this would ultimately cost him his job. He might have underestimated how dirty it would end up. Sal Carciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07558226820328137180noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-61726582555472760962012-09-28T10:50:00.931-04:002012-09-28T10:50:00.931-04:00Hey Angelo - Don't know if I would agree that ...Hey Angelo - Don't know if I would agree that Fort Larned had a perfect trip. He was wide both turns and attended a pretty solid pace. He ran sub-24 second quarters all the way to the 1/8th pole, which I don't think we see too often...and then wasn't ridden hard in the final 1/16th. Think this race figures to set up for him pretty well without much pace, and agree that he may be a fair price.alanhttp://leftatthegate.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-21371291665776444182012-09-28T10:48:22.354-04:002012-09-28T10:48:22.354-04:00Hey Alan,
I mentioned on twitter yesterday that I...Hey Alan,<br /><br />I mentioned on twitter yesterday that I had a couple of bones to pick with your post, and I didn't get a chance to elaborate, so I thought I'd do so now.<br /><br />First, you took umbrage with Glaser (who I would concede seems to be a know-nothing re:racing) stating that NYRA wasn't performing to expectations. Well, this is the first year in eons that NYRA's going to post a profit - thanks, almost exclusively, to VLT revenue. I know that the state places a pretty heavy burden on the franchise. But I don't think expecting NYRA to turn a profit a is crazy notion. Unless it's being run by Donald Trump, I expect a gambling enterprise to make money.<br /><br />Second, the more you made your case against CDI, the more I started to think they'd be a pretty damn good option. Yeah, they've definitely got work to do on the technology side, but I'd argue they're no further behind the times than the current NYRA. And I don't think you'd have to worry about the facilities being neglected. If "The Mansion" is any indication, the CDI folks are willing to pay a pretty penny to upgrade their properties. <br /><br />Third, I believe the following to be true about Charlie Hayward:<br /><br />1) He's a fundamentally decent man whose heart was in the right place.<br /><br />2) He's a competent executive who knows the sport inside and out. <br /><br />3) He does not have disregard or contempt for the horseplayer.<br /><br />4) He had to go.<br /><br />I don't believe there was larceny in his heart re: takeout-gate. I think he genuinely believed what he was doing was in the best interests of his customers. The problem is, it wasn't his call to make. The public had the right to know as soon as he knew. The fact that he didn't suggests, to me, that he believed his power over the organization was absolute. <br /><br />That's the real issue of this thing, to me. I believe that Charlie Hayward thought he was deserving of complete autonomy. NYRA wasn't setup that way. Whether or not it's a flawed corporate structure is a legitimate debate. But Charlie Hayward shouldn't have been the one to make that call. Had he been allowed to continue, NYRA customers would've had the right to question what other things he and Kehoe, and Duncker et. al were doing, supposedly in their best interests, without public disclosure - like, say, the commission of a $250K mural. <br /><br />You're as astute an observer of NY racing as there is, so I always respect your take on these matters. I just think you're of the "better the devil you know than the devil you don't" school of thought on this one, and I'm not. I believe there's a better way for this business to be run. And I hope we get to see it. joe_depaolonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-88488811571116928712012-09-28T09:56:46.298-04:002012-09-28T09:56:46.298-04:00When the world starts taking Peb's word as gos...When the world starts taking Peb's word as gospel it may be time to seriously consider space travel. Only O'Doto could continually quote him as a reliable source.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-24319781369289512552012-09-28T09:28:42.845-04:002012-09-28T09:28:42.845-04:00Personally, as a non-NYer, I find the whole mural ...Personally, as a non-NYer, I find the whole mural story to be much to do about nothing. I just don't find political crimes to be real crimes. I certainly don't see the victims of political assinations as criminals. As far as common sense goes, I have got to believe these guys knew they were doomed anyway. <br /> <br />Once again my blood pressure gets raised when the NY Times keeps talking about the history of mismanagement and fraud at the NYRA. It is more than a coicidence that most of the NYRA's problems started with the VLT licensing process and continues with the VLT subsidies. The politics were and are aimed at taking away the license and subsidies respectively from the NYRA and letting them be open to those companies that are willing to make sizeable political contributions.Sal Carciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07558226820328137180noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-67197795018531783082012-09-28T09:07:40.662-04:002012-09-28T09:07:40.662-04:00Well it's not just the extra furlong, it's...Well it's not just the extra furlong, it's that Fort Larned had a perfect trip in the Whitney while Ron the Greek was fanned about 12 wide in the stretch, by his barnmate, no less. I actually think Fort Larned will be a decent price, as I could see Ron the Greek, Flat Out and Hymn Book all taking more action.El Angelohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14145024095815950963noreply@blogger.com