http://www.drf.com/news/preciado-fined-suspended-clenbuterol-positives
Very little comment on board lately despite topics in the news all discussed on here in the past. Did everyone make a New Year\'s resolution to not post to avoid accusations of being Chuckles the Clown under a new pseudonym?
1. Preciado suspended. From DRF, 1/3/2015, Preciado quoted by Jim Dunleavy as saying prior to the suspension article that \"To people who don\'t know, when you\'re winning, they say you\'re doing this, or they ask how come you didn\'t win a certain race,\" Preciado said. \"What we\'re really doing is working hard trying to keep our horses happy and sound.\"
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2. Wagering up across the U.S. in 2015 by a tiny bit percentage wise compared to 2014. 10.68 billion dollars over 38,942 races. In 2003, there was 15.18 billion dollars bet over 53,503 races. Simple (likely flawed?) math says the industry has shrunk in races and accompanying betting by about 27% to 29%. Feel free to correct my math if I am calculating these incorrectly or make any comments on any correlations that can be made. Mathcapper assistance?
38,942/53,503= 72.78%
10.68/15.18= 70.35%
3. Hawthorne sharp declines a sign Illinois is closer and closer to a do or die situation in connecting racing with slots. There are many reasons for the decline of wagering but Hawthorne\'s attempts to pick up the scraps out there on Tuesday\'s and Wednesday\'s hurt their ability to have the usual fans of Illinois follow it regularly by playing on a Fri, Sat, and Sunday as they used to be able to. Field sizes down, purses down, wagering down and Illinois\' racing is probably as bad as any state in the country now. Sad to say I\'d rather play Remington Park or Canterbury than Arlington, Hawthorne, or even live races at Fairmount.
4. Not in the news that I have seen but of possible note to people in the industry, trainer Dawn Martin at Fairmount Park likely returning home from the hospital today or tomorrow after suffering injuries just before Christmas during a training hours spill (reportedly her pony flipped over on her). She was in ICU for a while. Solid horsewoman and hoping she recovers quickly. Very well liked and respected trainer among her peers and most importantly, her owners.
Bloodhorse has some different numbers (a bit more hopeful).
U.S. Handle (http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/96925/handle-inches-up-purses-drop-slightly)
1) Preciado is shady, no secret there.
2) While we all know of the myriad problems in racing, if we want the sport to exist, it\'s a positive sign that handle decline has stabilized for now. The decline in the number of races shows the industry continues to contract though.
3) Weren\'t the Hawthorne declines part of people outside the state not being able to bet the track for some of the year? I haven\'t followed racing there for a while but I thought there was a simulcast dispute there at some point. Still, the fact handle has declined $80 million from a comparable meet in 2009 is pretty stunning.
$1,500 for two overages and a vacation when little to nothing goes on in the NE is simply a joke. How is that a pentalty? And we wonder why the game is in free fall and can\'t attract new fans.
Wrongly Wrote:
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> $1,500 for two overages and a vacation when little
> to nothing goes on in the NE is simply a joke.
> How is that a pentalty? And we wonder why the
> game is in free fall and can\'t attract new fans.
A wrist slap? More like a wrist tap. Embarrassing.
Rumor is another much heavier shoe is dangling from a toe. We\'ll see.
TGJB Wrote:
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> Rumor is another much heavier shoe is dangling
> from a toe. We\'ll see.
I\'ve been warned privately about tugging on Superman\'s
cape, but...we\'ve heard this one before from you, TGJB.
Several times, in fact, with no further information.
The only thing left dangling is the TG Forum reader,
who so badly wants to believe any tease, in the hopes
that \"...this might be the one\".
Fair criticism, or unfair?
No idea what the past thing was, so no idea if it\'s fair. But in this case I said it\'s a rumor. And even if true it\'s not going to solve the larger problem.
Those who would speak don\'t know, and those who know won\'t speak....
If they\'re too big there\'s a pr incentive to cover it up. Like, stop it, and we won\'t blow your cover.
So they stop it. Find another way.
Just my speculation, which, on pp\'s , has been known to possess some accuracy.
I don\'t see how racing can continue in Illinois Fairmount1. There are legislators saying that racing should be able to stand on its own. Meanwhile every bar, bowling center, and diner in Lake County has poker machines. This state is dysfunctional. Arlington Park is a palace and Hawthorn is a nice facility, it\'s a shame that they\'re destined to be lots for condos and town houses or a mall.
On the bright side we can still battle against the bots and play other tracks!
Or not......
Good Luck!
Can Chicago use another professional football team?
joemama Wrote:
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> Can Chicago use another professional football
> team?
\"I didn\'t know they already had one.\"
- Disgruntled Bears\' Fan