Leave the Binoculars at Home

[Silver Charm]

A New Age in Racing has been launched with the opening of newly renovated Gulfstream Park. A quixotic facility and pride and joy of that resident visionary Mr. Frank Stronach. Frank was there to view it all firsthand on Saturday, beaming proudly while standing in the South Clubhouse and adoring all the empty chairs around the space eating Horse Wizards.

These locations were about the only empty space on the grounds as the half complete facility was jammed packed on a brisk Florida Day. Meanwhile horseplayers wandered around lost trying to figure out where to bet and sit,  much less get a good view of a live race. Some of those things will eventually work themselves out as players become more comfortable on where to go when they walk in the front door, if one exists.

Nevertheless having a seat and a view to observe a live race is something the resident visionary has decided is unnecessary. Which actually seems only fitting in a year where the early Derby favorite is named after legendary singer Stevie Wonder.

Make no mistake about it, this is a ready-made casino facility with piped in horse racing. The structure from afar is spectacular, and contains exotic night lighting, colored paddock fountain showers, a soon-to-be complete Sports Theatre, Night Club and various types of food that are actually edible if not down right tasty. The help couldn\'t have been any nicer and there is no doubt things will be get better as the rest of the hurricane delayed buildout is completed. The entire Magna Team gets an A for effort and execution on this one.

There is still plenty of work to be done, more self-betting machines need to be put in, still haven\'t figured out where to buy a DRF or pick-up a Program. And the old binoculars stand, don\'t waste your time looking for it. Like I said leave the binoculars at home......

[richiebee]

SC:

  Go back about 20 years, look in the newspapers, you might see a description of a similarly proud Robert Brennan strolling around his newly opened pleasure dome, Garden State Park.

  I guess I might have to visit the Gulf later this winter to try to help myself overcome an obviously acute case of \"Magnaphobia\".

[Deadrockstar]

The Horse Wizard at Laurel has closed, btw, and I would expect the same for the Gulf

[miff]

SC wrote about GP and several of my friends that are there racing agree.The courses are excellent they say but the fans are grumbling and pissed about the amenities especially the $10.00 rip off just to be comfortable while(maybe) losing your money.The purses are ridiculously low compared to NY and owners are blowing conditions for far less money. When you\'re wealthy is doesn\'t matter, I guess.

There is no doubt in my mind that Stronach is a cancer on racing with the horse players representing little more than a necesary evil in his overall \"big picture\" of the gaming business.

Being a true idiot, I\'ll make my way down to GP early Feb.

[Silver Charm]

Perhaps as Stronach stood there glowing while observing the empty Horse Wizards he actually thought he was looking at a Craps Pit or a rather enlarged Roulette Wheel.

Not hard to imagine once you get a look at them.........

[RICH]

I just visited the equidaily website and checked out the pictures from the new GP, I must admit that grandstand is atrocious, take a good look at those pics, heads should roll for that grandstand mess.

[Delmar Deb]

A few years ago when Stronach was trying to do away with the downhill turf course at Santa Anita, he also wanted to put in a Sports Club with a stage and a large screen behind it to show the races.

The purpose of the stage was to have scantily-clad, well-endowed women wearing the number of one of the horses in a race line up in front of the screen in the order of the horses during the running of the race.  If I had not been at Gulfstream for the initial Sunshine Millions to see the cheerleaders blocking the view of the horses in the walking ring, I would have thought this idea was a big joke.

However, now I know why the seats in GP\'s Sports Theater are more expensive the closer you are to the stage!  

[gowand]

I can\'t wait for June 15, 2009.....opening day of the new three month Saratoga meet.  Seating will be limited due to the fact that the \"antiquated\" grand stand which was torn down has not been completely rebuilt.  We will however be able to ride the monorail across Union Avenue to the Joe Bruno pavillion for simulcasting, video slots and poker.  Some did scream when the Oklahoma Track was bulldozed but few could argue that the food court offered some of the best sushii and gourmet pizza available.  The \"picnic area\" crowd was a bit dismayed when they realized that there was no longer a picnic area but they were soon appeased by the fact that the Beach Boys would be putting on a free concert in the infield at the conclusion of racing.  While they were waiting they were free to browse the shops.

[richiebee]

Delmar Deb, Gowand:

  I\'m glad that I\'m not the only one who thinks Stronach, as a \"visionary\", ranks right up there with Mr. Magoo.

  Great posts!!

[HP]

Deb,

How much are the REALLY good seats?  HP

[Thehoarsehorseplayer]

You know if you\'re going to be spending your afternoon at such a ritzy place as the new Gulfstream do you really want to get ink all over your hands handicapping races?
As long as we\'re taking the emphasis off of the live racing products, why doesn\'t the \"Sport\" move to a betting model that de-emphasises the hard work of  handicapping.  Maybe something like horse roulette.  You can have odd and even bets with the winner determined by the the numbers of the first three finishers.  The house would pay even money but sweep the board for totals of zero or one.
Or the track could offer more exhorbitant odds if the bettor chooses the tally for the first five finishers.  And by bringing in the fifth place finisher into the race don\'t you make the game that much more exciting?
I\'m only kidding here. But...  But I do think that unless this game starts getting it\'s studdishness back, starts believing in itself again, starts celebrating it\'s own magic, instead of whining about it\'s disadvantages (which are real, but surmountable) this is the direction we\'re going guys. The noble game which once was about dash and daring will further devolve into some sort of horse bingo, a mere side attraction to lure people out to the mall.
Yeah, why not horse bingo? Works for simulcast racing.  Sell cards and the first person who gets six winning numbers in a row, is the winner.  I can hear the senior citizen in the back now jubiantly yelling \"HORSO!\" or maybe, in honor of the visionary Mr. Stronach, \"FRANKO!\"

[NoCarolinaTony]

Lets Face it, racing does need more comfortable facilities for the racing fan and serious handicapper alike  to want to go to the track versus watching  and betting from home on TV.  Saratoga is a unique place. People will go no matter what inconvenience they encounter as you can see by the board.Most tracks are very outdated when it comes to seating comfort and or viewing experience. Even Saratoga  has major issues with comfort ie who want s to sit in the Cluhouse or Grandstand in the crowded booths, Jackets in July/August heat (Clubhouse) or those narrow seats/rows in Grandstand seating. But it\'s Saratoga and people will put up with it. However, most other tracks better work on comfort in seating/viewing/ and betting otherwise why not just bet from home?

As to this place from what I have seen in these pictures, there is very little outdoor seating and it might as well be a simulcast facility.

NC Tony

[Delmar Deb]

Come see me after the show and we\'ll discuss!

[Themig]

The Good news is that a beer at nearby SIRO\'s will stiLL BE 15$

[Silver Charm]

You are assuming that if Stronach would to acquire control of the NYRA franchise the Simulcast facility, which is all Gulfstream really is now, would remain in Saratoga.

If he were given a sizable Tax Credit to build the Structure in say Schenectady, ( has a ring to it...Saratoga at Schenectady) or perhaps even New Jersey where several New York Sports franchises are located, Gulfstream is proof he would probably do it.

Having a seat and being a able to view Live Racing is certainly something he feels the average fan is not entitled too. And yet one has to wonder, when his horses are running at Gulfstream does he go into an enclosed room and face a wall and watch the race. Or does he go upstairs to a 4th Floor Directors room with a perfect view of the entire Track and watch with Binoculars in hand........