Barry Irwin - TDN 1/31

[nicely nicely]

From the Thoroughbred Daily News - 1/31/09
Part 2 of 3.

Last week I challenged Kentucky Thoroughbred inter-ests not to pursue alternative gaming (VTLs). I promised to show how a positive change to the racing environment through the introduction of a new bet would serve to get racing\'s fan base pumped up on a regular basis.  

My concept is far from original, yet proven in popularity. With a twist here and there, it can, I believe, jump-start our sagging game.

Currently, the only proven magnet to get fans involved is a Pick 6 carryover. The chance to use one\'s skill to bet a small amount and cash in big-time brings out people and money to an otherwise stale enterprise.Racing\'s dilemma is that carryovers are unpredictable and difficult to imitate. Some tracks offer an occasional guaranteed pool, but the artificial carryovers do notwork nearly as well as the real deal.

So what can racing do on a regular basis to createpools large enough to excite patron participation?

I introduce you to The Quad. No, not that four-sided plot of land on campus where you set a date to meet your girl, but a new wager that borrows heavily from the Tierce, a bet that fueled the racing industry in France for decades.  

The Quad is a superfecta in which a player must select the first four horses across the line in the correct order.
That\'s it? That is what Irwin thinks will save the game?

Yes, that be it, baby!

And, with the enhancement of bells and whistles, I believe The Quad can generate enough enthusiasm tore-energize our base and, just as importantly, introduce many times more people to the sport than currently play our game.

The Quad, as I envision it, would be a bet that has a minimal betting unit. The Quad would be a game that is played once a week on a weekday. A good time might be Thursday in the last race of the day.

Bets on The Quad, most importantly, would be han-dled through the state lottery. Entries would drawn five or six days in advance, as part of the build-up would consist of a weekly publication promoting the race.Print and on-line magazines would include features on the horses and the human participants in that week\'s race. Daily Racing Form could do an insert well in advance of the race with features, analysis and past performances.

The Quad could be vigorously promoted on television,with one show early in the week to get people geared up for the race, and another program that would include the running of the race itself. Additionally, The Quad could be shown during the dinner-time news on local stations.

What promises to make the race a spectacle for the neophyte and a lure for the hard-core player lies in the details: a very large field of runners with a weight spread of 40 pounds competing for substantial prize money and generating a ton of cash for players to win because of the inclusion of betting dollars that normally would not be available. And all to be had for a minimal betting amount. Small bet, chance for big payout.Greed!  

Initially, in order for the race to gain as much expo-sure as possible, The Quad should be limited to a few venues that have a large population and racetracks big enough to accommodate as many runners as possible.Belmont could run more than 20 horses, as could Churchill Downs and Arlington Park. The more horses, the more betting combinations, and the bigger the pool because of the greater possibilities.

A race in which the weight spread is 40 pounds can bring a graded stakes winner and a $25,000 claimer together at the finish line.

Depending on how well the horse industry does with its political connections, betting on the race could cross state lines. Every state that conducts racing would not have to be involved in producing The Quad in its own locale, but certainly each state could benefit from its share of the handle.

I don\'t think it is necessary to explain why horseplayers would embrace this bet, but Kentucky Derby Day has a huge handle, in part because people that do not attend the races on a regular basis pump a lot of cash into the pools and skilled handicappers love to bet into them.

As far as a regular lottery player or an uninitiated racetrack bettor is concerned, it seems that people interested in gambling would be more prone to having aflutter if a) it was a socially acceptable activity (let\'s face it, buying a lottery ticket on a daily basis is an embarrassing activity to most adults) and b) bettors could rationalize their gamble based on it being a test of skill on an actual sporting event. Buying a ticket at the corner convenience store is not exactly like betting on the Super Bowl.

The addition of toreador-like jockeys, horses with clever names and a package of entertainment should make The Quad a tad more interesting than watching some washed-up announcer-type dressed in a rented tux anxiously waiting for a ping-pong ball with a number to be plucked from some carnival contraption by a Vanna White wannabe.

The Quad could offer a large purse to horse owners to encourage participation of their horses. In addition to the obvious prize money available for the race, there are myriad ways in which our sport could benefit from The Quad, including a bonanza for state-bred programs,which in turn would make it easier for the racing industry to sell it to state legislators.

State-bred horses especially could benefit greatly from The Quad, as they will be needed to fill the races.Imagine two races a month for New York-breds at Belmont Park with purses that rival their champion-ship-day pots. Imagine 20 state-breds lining up to run for that big payday in a race that receives a ton of publicity and is shown on television. Do you think the New York breeders would have something to promote to encourage new breeders to join their ranks? Do you think that breeders would get a better reception at public auction for New York-bred yearlings? Do you think that state legislators will pay more attention to benefits for state-breds that are generated by gambling? You betcha!

The Quad would generate job opportunities for turf writers, television analysts, jockeys (we\'ll need 20 or more per race!), publicists and several others. It could be a back-to-work program for a lot of racing\'s recently disenfranchised. Obama might even throw some stimulus money at the The Quad!

But seriously, ladies and gentlemen. . .

As with any new idea, there will be things to be worked out and detractors to pooh-pooh the concept.Twenty horses in a race--are you freaking crazy--thinkof the danger! And where are you going to find a rider that can do 100 pounds, on Mars? What will PETA say! No state legislature is going to touch this thing! The lottery does not like racing.

Yadda, yadda, yadda. It is 2009, the game is dying before our very eyes, and racetracks, state governments and short-sighted horsemen are trying to make us get in bed with a cold-steel body that has AIDS! Let\'s take advantage of the current climate and tap into the spirit for change. Racing can develop bets to win back our players. Sure, there will be hurdles, but certainly none greater than pro-casino types are facing on this very day in getting VTLs into Kentucky racetracks.

I am not ego driven to a point where I think The Quad is the only innovation that can get people involved. I know that if the right people put their heads together,other concepts can be developed to take advantage of what racing has to offer its patrons. But it is time to toss out the old model and think outside of the bun.

You remember how exciting it was to know you would be meeting your girl at The Quad? Well, let\'s try to engender this game of ours with a little of that anticipation and passion.

[Barry Irwin]

Following day feedback same publication from Rob Whiteley:

OP/ED FEEDBACK by Rob Whiteley

Barry Irwin's proposal to establish "The Quad," is a good idea. In addition to the revenue achieved, a lottery-like superfecta wager promoted to the general public associates a big pay-out with horse racing, andreaches people who would not ordinarily pay attention to horses or attend live racing. By increasing awareness in this way and encouraging indirect or passive participation in our sport, the wager also carries potential to convert "Quad" players into active fans and bettors.

Creating a targeted marketing program that reaches out to the general population is not a new concept, it's just that our insipid marketers lack the motivation, inspiration, and expertise to create and pursue such initiatives effectively. Many opportunities to connect with everyday people (such as systematically utilizing celebrities) are squandered and many ideas for attracting new participants go untapped because we obviously lack the imagination to formulate them.

Therefore, in the interest of bringing in new people, trying things that have worked elsewhere is a pretty good way to prime the pump when our imaginative juices are not flowing. Barry's superfecta is an example of something that has worked in another venue and could be re-cast to work for us.

Another example comes from my long-term memory. I vaguely remember a nightly half-hour TV show 50 years ago that captured a lot of interest among people who were not typical race-goers. Sponsored by a supermarket chain, the show consisted of re-runs of races in south Florida.

Food shoppers received "tickets" in the check-out line when buying groceries, and then watched the show to see if their horse(s) came in. Winning tickets could be exchanged for food items when the shoppers returned to the store. This synergy was wildly effective in boosting the patronage at the Supermarket, and also stimulated considerable interest in horse racing among people who were not racing fans previously.

(It's a sad commentary that I had to go back 35 years to pull up a significantly successful marketing idea that caused excitement in the general population).

Obviously, the implementation of Barry's idea, or some variation of the Supermarket project, requires
cooperation between racing and governmental entities in order to sort out legalities, responsibilities, and revenue sharing allocations. But, with states in fiscal chaos and with racing going down the tubes, I can't think of a better time for all parties to work together.

[Barry Irwin]

Coincidentally, I used to write the weekly scripts for that TV program that was sponsored by Krogers supermarkets in the 1970s. Used to show the races from Sunshine Park, which I believe today is Tampa Bay Downs. I worked for the famed equine cinematographer Joe Burnham. It kept me afloat in my days at a Turf Writer when my meager regular salary failed to fund my betting proclivities!

[TGJB]

Barry-- my comments are

a) Can\'t hurt, might help.

b) Man, would I like to play into that pool.

c) I can\'t believe Sue Finley let that \"cold body with AIDS\" line through. She gave me a hard time for using the term \"girl watching\" in something I wrote for them.

[Barry Irwin]

Jerry, the phrase you are looking for is as follows:

Listen, it couldn\'t hoit!

[richiebee]

nicely nicely Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> From the Thoroughbred Daily News - 1/31/09
> Part 2 of 3.
>
> Last week I challenged Kentucky Thoroughbred
> inter-ests not to pursue alternative gaming
> (VTLs). I promised to show how a positive change
> to the racing environment through the introduction
> of a new bet would serve to get racing\'s fan base
> pumped up on a regular basis.  
>
> My concept is far from original, yet proven in
> popularity. With a twist here and there, it can, I
> believe, jump-start our sagging game.
>
> Currently, the only proven magnet to get fans
> involved is a Pick 6 carryover. The chance to use
> one\'s skill to bet a small amount and cash in
> big-time brings out people and money to an
> otherwise stale enterprise.Racing\'s dilemma is
> that carryovers are unpredictable and difficult to
> imitate. Some tracks offer an occasional
> guaranteed pool, but the artificial carryovers do
> notwork nearly as well as the real deal.
> participation?

  Mr Irwin, I respectfully disagree with your depiction of the allure of the big
  carryover Pick 6. My opinion is that on big carryovers the whales bet
  more, people who usually despise each other end up in partnerships,and        
  Steve Crist puts the \"Gone Fishing\" sign on the door of his office at DRF.

  Lets say it is July and there are four day carryovers with potential million
  dollar payouts at Arlington and Belmont. You seem to be saying that Racing
  will replace the baseball teams on the front page of the sports section?
  Not. Even PETA dropped Racing like the proverbial hot rock when they realized
  that 2 weeks after the Derby no one in America except Racing fans were pay-
  ing attention any more.
 
> I introduce you to The Quad. No, not that
> four-sided plot of land on campus where you set a
> date to meet your girl, but a new wager that
> borrows heavily from the Tierce, a bet that fueled
> the racing industry in France for decades.  

  Speaking of France and other countries where Racing is still viable, why
  don\'t we close some Finger Lakes and some Penn Nationals and some Fairmount
  Parks (hurts to write it, I have fond memories of the latter two spots) and
  import the signal from major Euro and Asian venues. The major tracks in
  England, France and Japan and Hong Kong already feature large fields          
  which you describe; these tracks feature, for the sake of argument, drug
  free Racing. They have Lanfranco Dettori, the type of charismatic reinsman
  you describe below, the type of jockey fans will turn out to watch, the
  type of jockey not seen on these shores since Cordero.

> Yes, that be it, baby!
>
> And, with the enhancement of bells and whistles, I
> believe The Quad can generate enough enthusiasm
> tore-energize our base and, just as importantly,
> introduce many times more people to the sport than
> currently play our game.
>
> The Quad, as I envision it, would be a bet that
> has a minimal betting unit. The Quad would be a
> game that is played once a week on a weekday. A
> good time might be Thursday in the last race of
> the day.
>
> Bets on The Quad, most importantly, would be
> han-dled through the state lottery. Entries would
> drawn five or six days in advance, as part of the
> build-up would consist of a weekly publication
> promoting the race.Print and on-line magazines
> would include features on the horses and the human
> participants in that week\'s race. Daily Racing
> Form could do an insert well in advance of the
> race with features, analysis and past
> performances.
>
> The Quad could be vigorously promoted on
> television,with one show early in the week to get
> people geared up for the race, and another program
> that would include the running of the race itself.
> Additionally, The Quad could be shown during the
> dinner-time news on local stations.

  I\'ll play along, but only a bit. I think a key component to this weekly
  event would be getting participation in states which are not historically
  states which are associated with horse racing or pari mutuel wagering.

  In the large cities, the dinner time news broadcast is a major revenue pro-
  ducer for local stations. You may get a minute of their time, meaning your
  \"Quad\" race would likely be a 5 furlong dash.


 
> What promises to make the race a spectacle for the
> neophyte and a lure for the hard-core player lies
> in the details: a very large field of runners with
> a weight spread of 40 pounds competing for
> substantial prize money and generating a ton of
> cash for players to win because of the inclusion
> of betting dollars that normally would not be
> available. And all to be had for a minimal betting
> amount. Small bet, chance for big payout.Greed!  
>
>
> Initially, in order for the race to gain as much
> expo-sure as possible, The Quad should be limited
> to a few venues that have a large population and
> racetracks big enough to accommodate as many
> runners as possible.Belmont could run more than 20
> horses, as could Churchill Downs and Arlington
> Park. The more horses, the more betting
> combinations, and the bigger the pool because of
> the greater possibilities.
>
> A race in which the weight spread is 40 pounds can
> bring a graded stakes winner and a $25,000 claimer
> together at the finish line.
>
> Depending on how well the horse industry does with
> its political connections, betting on the race
> could cross state lines. Every state that conducts
> racing would not have to be involved in producing
> The Quad in its own locale, but certainly each
> state could benefit from its share of the handle.
>
> I don\'t think it is necessary to explain why
> horseplayers would embrace this bet, but Kentucky
> Derby Day has a huge handle, in part because
> people that do not attend the races on a regular
> basis pump a lot of cash into the pools and
> skilled handicappers love to bet into them.

  The Derby draws the mainstream in quite effectively because it has a 130
  plus year history. The Derby is the centerpiece of a great American
  party. How can you compare the Derby to a race you propose to run on a
  weekly basis, on Thursday nights at dinnertime no less?

 
> The Quad could offer a large purse to horse owners
> to encourage participation of their horses.


  Great. The average American runner will start 10 times instead of 9. And
  the first time a runner gets injured or a jockey says the size of the field
  creates safety issues...

 
> State-bred horses especially could benefit greatly
> from The Quad, as they will be needed to fill the
> races.Imagine two races a month for New York-breds
> at Belmont Park with purses that rival their
> champion-ship-day pots. Imagine 20 state-breds
> lining up to run for that big payday in a race
> that receives a ton of publicity and is shown on
> television. Do you think the New York breeders
> would have something to promote to encourage new
> breeders to join their ranks? Do you think that
> breeders would get a better reception at public
> auction for New York-bred yearlings? Do you think
> that state legislators will pay more attention to
> benefits for state-breds that are generated by
> gambling? You betcha!
 
  Alright Sarah, quit winking at me. Let me tell you something and excuse my
  tone. I mean no disrespect here, but every fan of New York racing, almost
  every journalist covering NY racing including Fountaine and Crist and
  Bossert and Moran and Pricci has reached the conclusion that the over-
  exposure of NY Bred racing at NYRA tracks (most notably at Belmont and the
  Spa) has had an almost irreversible corrosive effect on the quality of racing
  in this state. Surely you are savvy and experienced enough to realize the
  best way to enhance the value of NY bred runners is to eliminate non stakes
  races restricted to NY breds at Saratoga and Belmont.
 
> The Quad would generate job opportunities for turf
> writers, television analysts, jockeys (we\'ll need
> 20 or more per race!), publicists and several
> others. It could be a back-to-work program for a
> lot of racing\'s recently disenfranchised. Obama
> might even throw some stimulus money at the The
> Quad!
>
> But seriously, ladies and gentlemen. . .
>
> As with any new idea, there will be things to be
> worked out and detractors to pooh-pooh the
> concept.Twenty horses in a race--are you freaking
> crazy--thinkof the danger! And where are you going
> to find a rider that can do 100 pounds, on Mars?
> What will PETA say! No state legislature is going
> to touch this thing! The lottery does not like
> racing.
>
> Yadda, yadda, yadda. It is 2009, the game is dying
> before our very eyes, and racetracks, state
> governments and short-sighted horsemen are trying
> to make us get in bed with a cold-steel body that
> has AIDS! Let\'s take advantage of the current
> climate and tap into the spirit for change. Racing
> can develop bets to win back our players. Sure,
> there will be hurdles, but certainly none greater
> than pro-casino types are facing on this very day
> in getting VTLs into Kentucky racetracks.
>
> I am not ego driven to a point where I think The
> Quad is the only innovation that can get people
> involved. I know that if the right people put
> their heads together,other concepts can be
> developed to take advantage of what racing has to
> offer its patrons. But it is time to toss out the
> old model and think outside of the bun.
>
> You remember how exciting it was to know you would
> be meeting your girl at The Quad? Well, let\'s try
> to engender this game of ours with a little of
> that anticipation and passion.

  I am a little disappointed in you, Mr Irwin,even more so than when you tried
  to paint your relationship with Doc Harthill in a cutesy kind of odd couple
  way when you eulogized him in the BloodHorse. This article must have been
  fun to write-- pure escapism, memories of the Quad and sleeping under bridges
  in France, yada yada yada, an Obama reference, a stimulus reference, a Palin
  reference, we got PETA in there too.

  I am challenging you, Mr Irwin. You have the connections in Racing and
  Journalism. Get your most trusted minion to run Team Valor for a year or two
  and throw yourself into the restructuring of American Racing. I will give
  you 2 key words: CENTRALIZATION (Racing needs unified leadership) and
  CONTRACTION (fewer tracks, fewer foals, fewer races, better Racing).
  Hint: Forget the Federal govt, start by getting the governors of the
  Racing states together.

  TGJB-- I know you have put a lot into the medication issues, and I know
  you are close. I have said it before, will say it again, Brown Quixote,
  what good is a warehouse full of frozen blood if Racing doesn\'t survive?

  Message to Mr. Crist: There are likely 4 or 5 folks at DRF who could keep
  Racing\'s house organ on an even course. You need to take a more active
  role in the reclamation of Racing in the US. You can do more than complain
  in your blog that there are too many turf sprints in the Pick Six sequence.

  You guys have knowledge,connections and a vested interest in the Sport.
  Now get your gloves on and get in the game.

[jma11473]

Great post Richie.

From what I\'ve read on here, Jerry is doing a lot, but he\'s trying to save his ammunition for fights he thinks he can win. Nothing wrong with that. As far as the \"Quad\", while at times a humorous read, a bet like that would require 50 years of legislative hoops to jump through, at which point most of us (and racing) would be dead and it wouldn\'t matter anyway. The only way something like that would work is if one track did it alone and it somehow caught on huge nationwide---but selling tickets like a lottery? We only wish...