Makeover needed: Professional horse racing

Are you kidding? If you think horse racing can survive without gambling, you really don't know anything about the sport. Racetracks survive because people bet on the outcome of the races. The time of "The Sport of Kings" is over. Racetracks today are barely surviving because of all of the competition for the sports fans' dollar. It is very expensive to breed, own and race a thoroughbred. Racetracks make most of their money from in house wagering. Racetracks receive a much smaller part of outside wagering. As for Saratoga, yes it is an amazing place to watch the races (runs 6 1/2 weeks, not just August), but if you think it would survive without pari-mutual wagering, you are living in a dream world. I have been in the horse racing business for over thirty years and have seen it's steady decline.

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hey jim, I appreciate your comments, but what are your suggestions? As an insider in the industry who admits the great sport is in decline, what can be done about it?

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Ms. stone has been to maybe-2/3 horse tracks ? Wow! What a vast view of horse racing she has! I have been to a dozen ,so my experiance is also limited. Spectators can avoid the betting windows very easily. Some tracks (Monmouth & phila. parks) have a separate entrance for the picnic area. Many tracks have "Dawn Patrol" programs, where interested people/spectators can tour the back stretch, jocks room, and watch early morning work outs. However to remove Wagering on horse races-well that is impossible. The betting public along with sponsors is what keeps horse racing operating.How many times is anyone going to watch horses run for FUN ?? Dave

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I too think that betting is essential to the survival of horse racing. Unlike casino gambling, however, the horse player is already behind when he goes to the track because of high parking fees and admissions prices. These "cover charges" should be dropped, IMO, and the sport should look at the entertainment enhancements that other stadiums and arenas provide the fan.

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Well, so far I have not heard a word from actual lovers of horses. Horses are raced too young, bones are broken. We have watched the evening news showing the horse that has fallen. The horse does not go down without pain, tremendous pain. If a foot ball player wants to play injured, that is his own decision, but a horse, or any animal we use for our enjoyment does not get to make any decisions of his or her fate. They are bred to run, but at what price. All this is done not for the love of horses, but for the chance to win money, to own a horse, or a part of a horse, that will win big money. And where do the losers go? To smaller and smaller tracks, with less and less care. This may be the sport of kings, but the king of horses has no voice.

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what a genius. take the gambler out of horse racing.
youhave Got to be kidding.

one sensible suggestion is to shut down racing in the
winter for the Northeast tracks as was done years ago.

the horses go south or are rested and return
for a grand opening day in April - much like baseball.

any sport that's available year-long would soon lose interest.

Rich

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Actually, horse racing is just cruel and inhumane. If you think those horses enjoy running top speed and then being put back into a stall 10x10 and living a solitary life with no natural socialization from other "herd" members, you're wrong. It's a selfish humane sport. People breed them to be lighter than an average horse so they have more speed, which only makes them break down quicker. Then they start their training at age 1.5 years old and start racing them full speed at age of 2. Horses do not mature until they turn 4 years old. 65% of horses that enter a race break down from injury, and if they are not a mare (female) with good breeding or race record, they go to slaughter at an early age. And now slaughter is banned in the US, so they get loaded onto an overstocked trailer and get shipped to Mexico or Canada - most of the time being trampled by other scared horses for up to 36+hours with no water or feed. Some life for such a beautiful animal. And how do I know? I was a jockey in the Tri-State area for 10 years until I grew my conscious.
If you think "Bells" and the other recent injuries in which the horses had to be put down are just a fluke, you are wrong. Most injuries are found after the horse is brought back to the stable... horses try so hard, and will run through most injuries because of the adreniline.

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There are many forums that discuss the needed reforms in horse racing but all of the reforms center around the bettor.
The question I have for Mrs. Stone is who pays for the purses and how do the venues make money if the gambler is removed
from the game. It certainly wont be from TV which is barely showing any of the Breeders Cup except on espn and espn2.
The biggest problem for horse racing is that handicapping is hard and pulling a slot machine handle is easy.

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Get rid of the habitual gambler and you can get rid of horseracing. They are the backbone of this sport. Without them your small children can kiss their fun day at the races goodbye! You obviously don't know what your talking about. Excuse me I have to leave for work now and take the bets from those habitual gamblers.

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To most people, horse racing isn't a sport, it's a bet. Being from Maryland, I see it as a sport, although the success of it is entirely on gambling. If you take all gambling off site, you might as well off all the real studs and use video game horses. In Maryland at least, the solution to our traditional yet failing industry is multi-pronged.

First, there needs to be more gambling. Adding slots to the tracks would allow for more gambling and get more people to the track. Once they get there, they will actually take the time to watch the races and find out that horse racing is really exciting and fun to watch, and they will go back. Right now the only thing at the tracks are a few races every few weeks, and that will not get regulars.

Second, tidy up the stinkin tracks! Horse Racing tracks are not known as dirty and filthy for nothing. I understand that dirt at a horse track is necessary, but on the track, not the grandstand, and everywhere else for that matter. If the place looks nice and clean and the employees are well trained and courteous, the experience for non-seedy spectators will be that much better and will also come back for the races, and the occasional bet.

Third, AD SPACE!!! When have you ever seen tv ads or newspaper ads or radio ads for "This weekend at the track!"? The answer is never. In the world today, with all the communication technology available and inputs, people are less likely to seek out entertainment and simply entertain themselves with what is right in front of them, ie if they see a preview for a movie or a baseball game, they will more likely go to that movie or that game than go bowling. Many people probably don't even think of the tracks as an option of entertainment, simply because they don't know it exists, or if they do, when the races are.

Fourth, ESPN needs to start showing more races. Get rid of bowling on Sundays and replace it with a real sport. Personally, I hate ESPN and think that they are a monopolistic company that, since they have not real viewership competition, are able to and push their own sports agenda. For once, I wish that ESPN would use their power for providing people to an age old sport that very few know a lot about. They could do a show that has coverage from tracks around the country, showing people race after race, introducing people to horses and jockeys, getting their names in the memories of the audience, and encourage interest in the sport. Once again, people see it on ESPN, they will see it as a legitimate sport, and spend the time to see it for themselves.

And finally, we need to go through a bit of a reality check ourselves. What has happened to the middle class? When did we become afraid of bums? Just because there are poorer people and gambling addicts at the tracks doesn't mean that we can't go either. They aren't going to rob you, that's what track security and the police at every track are for. Your not going to catch "the gamblings" from them, it's only contagious if you do it yourself and lack self-control, which is another another personal problem, not one pressed upon you by another. If you are too pious to be entertained in the presence of people at a lower socio-economic level than you, then you have much bigger problems and you should start smelling yourself, because your a little stinkier than you think.

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This is an issue dear to my heart.

I would consider myself an ex-insider, and understand that there are distinct differences between Thoroughbred racing & Standardbred racing, but they do follow similar paths and have similar concerns. I was involved in harness (Standardbred) racing from 1975-1989, as a groom & "unofficial trainer" during which I worked for one of the TOP harness trainer-drivers for several years. My trainer, Glen Garnsey was inducted into the Standardbred Racing Hall of Fame in the 1980's. I worked in the spit-box (test barn) for 2 meets at Keenland & 2 meets at the Red Mile 1987-1989. And, I also worked on a large breeding farm in upstate NY for 3 years before leaving the horses.

I do agree horse racing, both the flats & harness, need a make-over. However, like it or not, to remove gambling from the sport will kill the sport. To say that moving gambling to OTB parlors is one answer is also a mistake.

I remember when OTB was first rolled out (in Saratoga), and heard the concerns of the horsemen on the harness track. Many of their arguments have proven to be true. One such argument involved purse money. How much gambling money is spent at a track affects how much is included in the purse money that the horses are racing for. The higher the purses, the better the horses. If a trainer has the ability to pick and choose where he can race his stable he will go where his horses can compete, and where the purses are the highest. However, many trainers do not have that option. They have to race where they can, for the purse money that is offered.

Another issue is attendance. The public follows where the good horses race. People don't come out to see the claiming races, but they come in droves to see Secretariat & Naitross. One record-breaking day won't make up for 30 or 40 days where the track can not cover operating expenses. I've seen tracks close their doors, Roosevelt being the first one to come to mind. This is the main reason why all over the country race tracks are wrestling with the idea of installing casinos, if they haven't already done so. Another idea is perhaps they should consider using the track grounds for things other than racing when the race horses are not in residence, not all tracks do. This could include other equine sports, as well as horse expos and county fairs. Show jumping is huge where I live. Dog shows. There's probably lots of things they could do. My guess is that The Meadowlands is in this for the long haul, as is Saratoga, Hollywood Park, Santa Anita, and a handful of other tracks. It's the smaller raceways that have the hardest choices to make. Perhaps there are too many tracks open, but I leave that discussion to smarter people than me.

Gambling itself has also changed in the past 30 years. If you talk to the "gamblers" referred to, many of them will tell you, since the arrival of casinos their game of choice has changed. Picking a winner in a horse race isn't as easy as many think, and it takes some knowledge. It's much easier these days to drop coins into a one-armed-bandit than to scour the racing program to try to pick a winner. I'm not defending gambling, I don't gamble. I never bet on my own horse when he was "a sure thing". I'm just saying, it's all changing.

Probably the most current issue is the state of the economy. Those who have the money to do so will always find $30., $40., or $50. to spend the day at the races. These days the general public is more concerned with putting gas in the car, food on the table, keeping their homes for themselves and their kids in college. That little pocket change adds up.

I could go on, but I will leave you with this; as has been mentioned, horse racing is a labor intensive, expensive operation. It takes money to keep tracks open and horse farms in the black. The sport needs people with vision and ideas to keep the public coming to see the racing, and like it or not, the gamblers who are willing to drop money on something that isn't a sure thing.

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Not quite possible!!!!!
As the owner of a thoroughbred training farm, and
owner of several race horses, absolutely now way
could we make it in the business with short race
meets and without the gambling.
The sport is now trying to clean up a severe problem
with illegal drugging of the animals, I think that's
where we need to start, also making the racetracks
a more family friendly place is a good idea.

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What a lovely and altruistic white bread answer- while we're at it, why don't we also do away with the electoral college and remove lobbyists from government, and make our taxes disappear! I hate to break it to ya Amey Stone, but horseracing IS gambling! Its role as a spectator sport is so far down the financial line, it's really just a secondary romantic notion allowing horse lovers in the gates to appreciate the beauty of an ancient sport. At the end of the day, it is a business - all of it... the more money involved, the more well considered the horses will be... and ticket sales aren't gonna come close, sister. Your suggestion is supremely dangerous to the horses, whether you see it or not.
If you want to comment about making over a sport in a venue this large, you really need to know more about it.
A makeover idea that would actually be useful to
international spectator clubs who could sponsor purses for older horses (so encouraging breeding of stronger lines that can take the pounding, rather than just survive mostly sound until the end of their 2nd or 3rd year of racing then jump to breeding so to protect the investment), sponsor kids days at the tracks, and informational websites that might let everyman be involved in a heart stopping beautiful traditional sport, or sponsor high profile watchdog groups that demand drug testing on each horse as they leave the track.

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All of the cajun kids hang out around the paddock and the rail.
Those poorly dressed folks hanging out at the windows are probably millionaires. The best race track food in the world is served at the Fairgrounds race track in New Orleans. For the past 10 years they have tried everything to encourage patrons to dress up a bit for the dinning room.

Actually the new rules concerning Steroids will make handicapping fair. Good breeding will win instead of bad medicine.

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Thoroughbred, Standardbred, and Quarter Horse racing is ALL about the money--the horses are considered completely disposable. There will always be another crop of youngsters next year, so most people in the industry don't care if the horses break down or die while racing.

I train horses for dressage and show jumping. I have also seen a lot of races here in southern California, and I can tell you that even just watching the horses walk from the barns to the paddock area is not a pleasant experience. They use a lot of drugs before the horses leave the barn, and a lot of cruel equipment just to get the horses to stand quietly while waiting to race. Since there are an average of three race horses dying every day on the track in the US, and combined with how I see the horses being treated at the track, I don't really consider this type of "sport" to be family fun time.

The horse racing industry is also the main cause of the horse over-population problem in this country. Since all the breeders are trying to get the next Secretariat, they breed and breed and breed. Most horses don't make it too far in racing, between lack of ability and health breakdowns, so as a trainer, I see a LOT of horses that used to be on the track and now need another career. My daughter's show jumper is tattooed and was on the track, but an injury cut his racing days short. At least he was lucky enough to have some jumping talent, but many just don't and end up at slaughter, or, as is happening in some areas, being turned loose to fend for themselves.

I don't have an answer on how to "make over" the racing industry, as I think there are just too many things wrong here. If it was up to me, I would abolish it altogether, but that will never happen as long as people can make money off animals who have no choice in the matter, and are treated so poorly even when run their hearts out.

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The problem isn't reliance on habitual gamblers, and it is in fact gambling that pays the bills (which is why it costs you $2 to get into a racetrack rather than the exorbitant price of a ballpark), but rather reliance on keeping insiders happy at the expense of attracting spectators. Add to that the industry's unwillingness to explore ways to do that and you have an industry that will die, and soon. (Note that less than a week before the Breeders' Cup and Yahoo! and AOL don't even list horse racing on their sports news pages.)

A gentleman in New York wrote his doctoral dissertation on this subject, and NYRA management refused to even look at a summary of his findings. That's right, a doctorate in horse racing marketing, and they still don't want to know.

Bottom line? The industry needs to attract new fans, and they need to do it fast.

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