Arlington - Saturday

[asfufh]

richiebee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Don Antonio:
>
> Good article. You do not need the Hubble Telescope
> to see that the quality of
> Racing is in the toilet.
>
> We the (wagering) people are really the only ones
> who have the power to change
> these trends, by changing our wagering habits,
> through \"boycotts\" or \"buycotts\"
> or whatever, but we probably will not.
>
> It is the dichotomy I have discussed here and
> elsewhere, and pretty extensively.
> While the quality of Racing has sunk to new lows,
> the opportunities to wager
> have expanded--intertrack wagering and internet
> wagering, etc. Wagering
> basically available 24 hours per day, seven days
> per week, 365 days per year.
> Wagering menus have expanded--pick 3, pick 4, pick
> 6, dollar wagers, ten cent
> wagers, etc. As bettors we are pacified, so to
> speak,by all the options we have
> available to us.
>
> While the quality of Racing is nowhere near what
> it was even 10 years ago, it
> is much easier to make a buck playing the races
> now than then due to expanded
> wagering menus.
>
> Add to this the amount of handicapping information
> available to us now as
> opposed to then, the existence of lines of
> communication provided by message
> boards such as this one. A lot of what was once
> \"inside information\" has
> been \"outed.\"
>
> Most racetracks and off track wagering sites are
> much more user friendly than
> they used to be, including Saratoga, though most
> of them have a long way to go
> in terms of customer service.
>
> So as a horseplayer, I am content. As a racing
> fan, I am disgusted. The
> important question is how long Racing can exist
> without further improvement of
> the breed, without the cultivation of a new
> generation of fans.
>
> A lot of the folks who are in a position to
> implement change can not do so
> without damaging themselves commercially. The two
> Steves -- Crist and Byk-- for
> example-- can not say what they really feel about
> the quality of Racing due to
> the fact that they need to appease their
> sponsors.
>
> What would it do for sales of DRF, TGs or the Rags
> if Crist, Brown or Friedman
> advocated horseplayers wagering less until the
> Racing powers that be were more
> responsive to us?
>
> The bottom line as always--- the lack of
> centralized leadership.

Suggest you check this site out.....a fledgling organization of horseplayers. New members welcomed:
  Horseplayers Association of North America
http://blog.horseplayersassociation.org/

[TGJB]

Richie-- I\'m keeping my powder dry for the drug issue. The latest is that the Jockey Club announcement will be coming on 8/17.

I\'m going to withhold comment on the TOBA announcement until I understand it fully.

Much more to follow over the next month or so.