Shake it off

[DaveDuggan]

Late run of the month at holly? Well, I just added it to my thorotrack list, that\'s for sure. Have a look if you missed it, amazing turn of foot. I will back it at any price in any race next time out, lol.

In the night cap btw

[Rick B.]

Just a heads up: this filly runs in the last race tomorrow at Bay Meadows, which of course is also their last race ever before the wrecking ball swings.

The usual short-priced horses, one from Hollendorfer, and one from Southern California (Drysdale) are in, too.

Will BM go out with a big price from a huge closer...or will everybody lay down and bow to Hollendorfer, to make a cutesy closing story?

[P-Dub]

I don\'t think anybody will lay down for a 50k purse.

Heading out tomorrow for the last time. Its just a \"leaky roof\" track,  but has quite a history.  I will miss that place, had a lot of fun times there.

Anybody have a pick out there tomorrow?  I\'m heading back from a weekend out of town, little time for handicapping.  Even a knowitall like me can use a little help now and then.

Buck.....you goin out there tomorrow??

[Rick B.]

P-Dub Wrote:
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> I don\'t think anybody will lay down for a 50k purse.

Think again.

I scored it:

1 - wanted to look like trying, set snail pace for winner and rewarded with 2nd place

1 - last BM winner for Hollendorfer

4 - utter non-efforts / no-hopers

But it\'s not like they haven\'t pulled that stuff 10,000 times before up there, so no big deal...just one last one for the road.

Lights out, Bay Meadows. A few will miss you, but most will just yawn.

[P-Dub]

Rick B. Wrote:
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> Lights out, Bay Meadows. A few will miss you, but
> most will just yawn.

Most shouldn\'t yawn Rick. This is a historic track, many great horses ran there, many great jockeys have ridden there. It is a very sad day for many Bay Area fans. The Bay Area is a pretty big place, if it can happen here it can happen to your local track.

Yesterday was racing like it used to be.  Big crowd, lots of turf racing, decent sized fields. Another example of racing doing a poor job in marketing their product.  There was a market for racing here, it just wasn\'t cultivated.

A bad day for racing, no matter where you are from.

[Rick B.]

P-Dub Wrote:
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> Most shouldn\'t yawn Rick. This is a historic
> track, many great horses ran there, many great
> jockeys have ridden there. It is a very sad day
> for many Bay Area fans. The Bay Area is a pretty
> big place, if it can happen here it can happen to
> your local track.

If it was one of your faves, sorry P-Dub. Nothing personal.

I don\'t necessarily equate a \"big place\" -- whether the measurement is geographic size, population, relative socio-economic status -- with a good locale for racing, or \"a locale that should have good racing\". If any of these measurements were important, my local circuit (Chicago) would have much better horses than the current sorry lot. I used to think that with our population and the amount of money floating around here, why, certainly we Chicagoans are entitled to better horses and better racing.

I no longer think that. It\'s just not that simple.

> A bad day for racing, no matter where you are from.

I respectfully disagree. I\'m in favor of significant consolidation in horse racing in the U.S. Without going into too much detail, I am of the opinion that there are too many tracks running too many races, with most tracks racing too many days per year.
 
Northern California racing has pretty much been a corpse for the last 15 years, IMO -- at least in terms of national significance. That seems like a harsh statement if you are in or from the Bay Area, but ask average horseplayers from the Midwest or the East Coast to name a \"big\" horse from NoCal, and my guess is that maybe half come up with Lost In The Fog...and most of the rest couldn\'t come up with one at all.

I think in order for racing to survive in the long run, many more marginal tracks need to shut their doors. Bay Meadows closing may be a bit premature in the grand scheme of things...but I think it was only a matter of time. Other track closings -- maybe one of mine -- will follow. You can book it.

[richiebee]

Rick B. Wrote:
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> I respectfully disagree. I\'m in favor of
> significant consolidation in horse racing in the
> U.S. Without going into too much detail, I am of
> the opinion that there are too many tracks running
> too many races, with most tracks racing too many
> days per year.
>  
> only a matter of time. Other track closings --
> maybe one of mine -- will follow. You can book it.

\"...and the archer split the tree\".

Consolidation is the key to the future of racing. There is no central
sanctioning board to implement such consolidation, so the breeders will
continue to rule and ruin the sport.

No time to expand here, but Rick B (no relation to Richiebee, except perhaps
in ideology) you have identified Racing\'s biggest problem.

There is no drawback to contracting and downsizing an industry which has been
artificially expanded and inflated.

[Lost Cause]

More consolidation?

http://news.bloodhorse.com/article/46650.htm

[richiebee]

I\'ve never understood why Ohio had 3 leaky roof tracks instead of having one
decent facility.

These 3 tracks plus nearby Turfway in Kentucky.

Survival of the fittest.

Even if all 3 tracks in the Buckeye state close, there will still be wagreing
available on Racing in six continents nearly 24 hours a day nearly 365 days a
year, so the period of mourning for the shuttered \"leaky roofs\" will be a short
one.

[congaree1]

I give the sport, maybe another 15 years. I only go to live racing a few times a year and at 38, I feel like I am in high school. I just don\'t think there is another wave of youth to support the future. 16 billion was bet last year and only 2 billion on track. IMO, that spells trouble.

[fkach]

congaree1 Wrote:
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> I give the sport, maybe another 15 years. I only
> go to live racing a few times a year and at 38, I
> feel like I am in high school. I just don\'t think
> there is another wave of youth to support the
> future. 16 billion was bet last year and only 2
> billion on track. IMO, that spells trouble.

I wonder how much was bet at off shore shops?

[Lost Cause]

congaree1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I give the sport, maybe another 15 years. I only
> go to live racing a few times a year and at 38, I
> feel like I am in high school. I just don\'t think
> there is another wave of youth to support the
> future. 16 billion was bet last year and only 2
> billion on track. IMO, that spells trouble.


I agree with you...at 34 I am contantly one of the youngest guys at the track and I don\'t think there are too many to replace me when i\'m gone.
  There is nothing being done to create excitement anymore.  When I went to the track with my Dad in the early 80\'s there was always something good going on.  Some good matchup that created excitement.  Nowadays all the horses are sprinkled all over the country and you get a big matchup usually once a year (Breeders\'Cup).  We have the Travers this year shaping up to be a good one but because there is no Big Brown it has no excitemnt to it.  Last week was one of those few times where you get two of the best fighting it out, that\'s how yoy bring in new people.  Racing needs more of that and I have to say Consolidation would help that.

[Wrongly]

Come on now Richeebee.  It\'s a 6 hours between the dump Thisledowns and River/Beulah.  

With Magna losing money hand over fist, they certainly aren\'t investing a dime in Thistle, things have only gotten worse under that ownership.  Now PA is pumping casino money into Mountaineer and Presque Isle, both only two hours from Cleveland.  Thistle can\'t survive, the only question is when will Magna shutter the doors.

[RICH]

the sooner the better, instead of investing in horses, maybe we should all get together and invest in a track

[asfufh]

Lost Cause Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> congaree1 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I give the sport, maybe another 15 years. I
> only
> > go to live racing a few times a year and at 38,
> I
> > feel like I am in high school. I just don\'t
> think
> > there is another wave of youth to support the
> > future. 16 billion was bet last year and only 2
> > billion on track. IMO, that spells trouble.
>
>
> I agree with you...at 34 I am contantly one of the
> youngest guys at the track and I don\'t think there
> are too many to replace me when i\'m gone.
>   There is nothing being done to create excitement
> anymore.  When I went to the track with my Dad in
> the early 80\'s there was always something good
> going on.  Some good matchup that created
> excitement.  Nowadays all the horses are sprinkled
> all over the country and you get a big matchup
> usually once a year (Breeders\'Cup).  We have the
> Travers this year shaping up to be a good one but
> because there is no Big Brown it has no excitemnt
> to it.  Last week was one of those few times where
> you get two of the best fighting it out, that\'s
> how yoy bring in new people.  Racing needs more of
> that and I have to say Consolidation would help
> that.
For horse racing to survive, consolidation has to also bring with it lower takeout in order to compete with the vastly expanded gambling options nowadays.