tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post6948389549727558446..comments2024-03-05T05:38:22.024-05:00Comments on Left at the Gate: By The Numbers - Following Up..Alan Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570505944559196118noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-35353289675344636242007-12-03T15:20:00.000-05:002007-12-03T15:20:00.000-05:00wholeheartedly agree about purse structure, it's n...wholeheartedly agree about purse structure, it's not the motivation of our sport. maybe if the monkeys in charge realized that we could get a better looking sport.<BR/><A HREF="http://handride.blogspot.com/2007/08/gr-i-travesty-risk-of-reputation.html" REL="nofollow">posted about this once before</A>Patrick J Pattenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10365169347148710377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-65091996045182034942007-12-03T15:16:00.000-05:002007-12-03T15:16:00.000-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Patrick J Pattenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10365169347148710377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-64824266723972024152007-12-02T12:15:00.000-05:002007-12-02T12:15:00.000-05:00steve in nc -Thanks for your support, if drafted I...steve in nc -<BR/><BR/>Thanks for your support, if drafted I will run for commissioner. <BR/><BR/>But since I was not raised in Lexington and will not bend over for the all powerful breeding lobby I have zero shot of ever serving as commish.<BR/><BR/>If the problem of NY racing resides in Albany, the national problem absolutely resides in Lexington.<BR/><BR/>On the face it seems ironic that the protectors of the breed are the most opposed to the welfare of the horse, but todays breeders are profit driven, concerned with today's bottom line over the long term health of the industry.<BR/><BR/>Ever notice that when battles are fought for change in the sport, the good guys like Jackson and Padua are non KY Breds?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-85808644760816914292007-12-02T12:05:00.000-05:002007-12-02T12:05:00.000-05:00gmp- under the current structure NY racing is clea...gmp- under the current structure NY racing is clearly NOT lucrative. Note that it IS profitable in KY, Del Mar, FG and Woodbine, which do not have the parasitic OTB problem. Unfortunately, most worming medications eliminate flat, blood, round and various other types of worms, but not political worms. Until Albany gets their hands out of the till, no one can be profitable in NY, without the subsidy that is VLTs. <BR/><BR/>The industry as a whole could use improvement in the financial structure, and many smarter than me have laid it out better and in more detail than I have in summarizing above. <BR/><BR/>But even with the status quo it IS possible to run a financially sound racetrack if the operator is not forced to compete with the goverment that regulates its existance.<BR/><BR/>Has NYRA mismanaged, certainly. But they are not the root of the problem in NY. The root problem resides in Albany and its many OTB incarnations.<BR/><BR/>If the OTB situation was solved, there would be many more bidders for the franchise, but right now there is only one that is truly concerned more with racing than the VLT's and that bidder is NYRA.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-61833858057815448862007-12-01T13:54:00.000-05:002007-12-01T13:54:00.000-05:00If the racing game is so lucrative, why is NYRA th...If the racing game is so lucrative, why is NYRA the only qualified franchise bidder? Oh, of course, NYRA has been hiding the skimmed cash somewhere- probably buried in the infield at Saratoga- unbeknownst to the other bidders and potential bidders. Hasn't NYRA been audited six ways to Sunday since the political attacks began in earnest a few years ago? And this alleged "irregularity" wasn't revealed when the Spitzer-Havesi attack dogs were leaping the length of their chains? /S/Green Mtn PunterAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-38528249379797742362007-12-01T13:45:00.000-05:002007-12-01T13:45:00.000-05:00Anon, can you serve as the first national Commissi...Anon, can you serve as the first national Commissioner of the new non-violent "NRA" (National Racing Association) and still stay anonymous? Not that I get one, but you sure have my vote.<BR/><BR/>Imagine a nationally organized sport with the same (stiff) medication rules. Imagine a stakes calendar dedicated to competition between horses, not racetracks! Imagine no possessions...<BR/><BR/>Excuse me, I'm a little giddy. The two kids have sleepovers away tonight so my wife and I will reintroduce ourselves over dinner, and we'll get to see Across the Universe instead of the usual kid stuff. <BR/><BR/>Good luck in the late races -- I gotta get back to painting the little one's room.steve in nchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04061356872686618093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-86157282602408290552007-12-01T11:45:00.000-05:002007-12-01T11:45:00.000-05:00Steve, nice take, love the pedigree angle on the b...Steve, nice take, love the pedigree angle on the back room deal soon to be hatched.<BR/><BR/>Excellent point on the graded stakes money, only reason for it is the competition for horses.<BR/><BR/>For the most part the winners of these races are not in this for purse money, and it pales in contrast to the breeding stock values, except of course if you own a gelding.<BR/><BR/>Unfortunately, the real answer is monopolizing the industry. This is about the only government regulated industry that is not handled in a monopolistic fashion, similar to a utility.<BR/><BR/>Since it is so highly taxed, on gross reciepts like utilities, it should operate as one, setting all graded stakes purses the same, say 250000 for a G1, 200 G2, 100 G3 etc. No other purses would be allowed above 75k.<BR/><BR/>The money saved would be divided between the operators and the overnight purse account, rewarding the parties that put on the day to day operations.<BR/><BR/>Against everything I believe in, but the major league tracks simply can not survive while competing against each other. The profit margin is too small.<BR/><BR/>The operators of the MAJOR race meets need to organize, decide on a much higher signal price, and stick to it. Stop under cutting each other when negotiating deals with the parasitic off track signal takers.<BR/><BR/>Yes, some small track operators will go under, off track entities will go out of business, and overall handle will drop (but not as badly as feared, true players would sign up with the individual tracks emerging on line accounts and TVG or HRTV), and the breeding industry would suffer to some extent due to less demand (although emerging overseas demand will offset as Korea, Hong Kong, Eastern Europe, Turkey etc expand the product).<BR/><BR/>But the major league tracks will be healthy, and the "sport" is conducted at the major tracks. <BR/><BR/>The minor league tracks will need to do what minor league teams do in other sports, find a way to promote or fail.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-34587994853087436722007-12-01T00:32:00.000-05:002007-12-01T00:32:00.000-05:00The only way I can think of to make the game more ...The only way I can think of to make the game more profitable is to get more people playing, but as much as I love it, most people think I'm nuts (except when I win).<BR/><BR/>To save a little money, I would cut purses in all Graded races a little. Or better yet, cut back the number of top races so the top horses had to face each other if they wanted graded status. When big purses ballooned years ago, it didn't produce any greater public attention for the sport or motivation for horsemen to run their nags more often -- it is just a hugely inflated jackpot for the most successful. Since most of the value to be gained in racing is to boost sire value, a cut in top stakes purses could save tracks $$ without hurting the sport.<BR/><BR/>The franchise issue looks from here like a lot of races on a typical NYRA card: Many question marks and not much value on any of the logical contenders. It is the kind of race I only bet, well, because I'm a horseplayer.<BR/><BR/>From the horseplayer perspective, NYRA has gone from being an outright outrage to providing acceptable customer service in most cases. This has taken a long time. I think the process began around when Crist took the job there, but has accellerated in recent years, probably from scrutiny over scandals and fear of losing the franchise.<BR/><BR/>A 30 year renewal would bring stability, but jeez, but judging from the arrogance and incompetence rampant in the NYRA I grew up with, I don't know if stability is what horseplayers should want for NYRA.<BR/><BR/>On the other hand, the non-racing groups clearly can't be trusted with our game. And the inside industry groups aren't much better -- look what Stronach has done with GP. <BR/><BR/>Horseplayers are going to be priority 27b when Spritzer & Bruno finally consummate their deal. I fear the fruit of that union will be a Frankenstein monster, with ill-fitting body parts sewed together to suit the needs of the both men's financial and political backers.<BR/><BR/>This Christmas baby -- sired by Bruno out of Spritzer (Sheldon Silver) -- will no doubt be heralded with all the fanfare of The Green Monkey, and may not be any better at the horseracing game. There is only one reliable odds on play in all this: taxpayers will lose more than Michael Tabor when all is said and done.<BR/><BR/>Why will all this be allowed to happen? Because they know that most of us will continue to play the horses regardless. The folks with the willingness and the wherewithall to have a political impact are not horseplayers.<BR/><BR/>I had a good day playing AQ today (no, not the P6, damn it) so my view of the franchise stuff may actually be a bit too rosy. All but $10 of my NYRA account money will be withdrawn by Dec. 15th just to be safe. I sure hope I'm wrong about all this. Could be. I thought the war in Iraq was a bad idea and look how that has turned out!steve in nchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04061356872686618093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-71379797083692326012007-11-30T20:27:00.000-05:002007-11-30T20:27:00.000-05:00This might be fitting for this post.Gary Contessa ...This might be fitting for this post.<BR/><BR/>Gary Contessa claimed "Elixir" today on behalf of Winning Move Stable.<BR/><BR/>Contessa, Elixir, my, oh my, what a perfect tandem.<BR/><BR/>The pig is a thief.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-71781891012331992332007-11-30T18:51:00.000-05:002007-11-30T18:51:00.000-05:00Agree Anon, but in general does it not seem they a...Agree Anon, but in general does it not seem they are a lot tougher with the jocks than with the trainers?<BR/><BR/>A jock makes an unintentional mistake in a stretch drive and gets 15 days, a trainer gets the same time for his/her third positive, and his barn continues to operate.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-46545747182552123922007-11-30T16:48:00.000-05:002007-11-30T16:48:00.000-05:00Bracetty vs Biancone:According the the NY Daily Ne...Bracetty vs Biancone:<BR/><BR/>According the the NY Daily News: "The 29-year-old jockey applied for an apprentice jockey's license on Sept. 26 and was allowed to ride after being issued a 'Valid Receipt,' which allows an applicant to continue to participate in racing while his or her application is pending."<BR/><BR/>In other words, it sounds like he hadn't yet been issued a license -- which might have made the process of banning him much different -- and easier -- than banning a licensed person.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-48676161816705637792007-11-30T15:59:00.000-05:002007-11-30T15:59:00.000-05:00Thanks for the link and the credit, which I duly p...Thanks for the link and the credit, which I duly pass on to <A HREF="http://www.equidaily.com" REL="nofollow">Equidaily</A>, whose site I perused earlier and where I saw the headline.Teresahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03118955760148482020noreply@blogger.com