Terrific article and to be perfectly honest some pretty pointed criticism was offered about Belmont as a host site by Satish on ATR last week. Those handle figures, including that Belmont's per race handle in 2005 was higher than SA's in 2003, are evidence to the contrary.

It seems as if weather and Clocker's Corner have become more important criteria than handle for BC host sites.

I would like to see CD be the home of the BC. I also would like the BC to be dissolved regardless of how much I love the day/s. Took me a while to understand its distructive pattens but I finally figured it out. If it has to be keep it at CD and make it someting really special and ditch these ridiculous races that they added.

Belmont was great. Shame they won' have it for '12 the weather issue is BS

that sucks! they should move it to different tracks every year. same goes for churchill.

share the wealth with all the tracks.

Satish is wrong plenty but I genuinely believe he cares.. Maybe I am the fool

Much like the major golf tournaments, part of the appeal of say the US Open is that it changes venues every year. It presents new challenges and gives fans from the various regions a chance to experience it. And they re-visit those sites which do a better than average job.

Interestingly, when they did the prime time US Open last year at Pebble Beach, ratings were through the roof... but they did not marry themselves to it despite the success. This year they announced it's headed back to Shinnecock.

My point is part of the appeal of the Breeders' Cup - for someone like myself, who grew-up with the Breeders' Cup already established - was its changing of venues. Bad weather, cool weather... it's all part of the game. I enjoyed watching the Breeders' Cup at Lone Star and Woodbine. I had a blast at Monmouth, even though it rained. And in 1995, that was one of my favorite days ever in horse racing.

This is one of obviously many bullet points/lines of thought, but certainly seems to be one fairly popular with the general fan base.

I'd like to see Santana Strings win an Eclipse. :p

Respectfully Mr. Mo(Mo), I agree with Richard and Travis...

A different site every year. Lets spread the love.

Your handle comparisons between SA in 2003 and Bel in 2005 certainly are valid, but Crist using 2008 and 2009 handle figures at SA for comparison makes no mention of the main reason the handle was lower was due to the backlash of many bettors against wagering on races run over synthetic racing surfaces. The interesting comparison will be SA in 2012 vs. Bel in 2013.

strictly by handle, no one comes close to churchill.

however, i agree with others that the bc should rotate to as many tracks as possible. it's supposed to be a program for breeders-and those folks don't reside just in ky and cali.
it should be brought back to lone star, belmont, etc. but i think the bc is hitting calif quite often right now because the industry out there is taking a pummeling.

Travis The Master's is the better comparision. When they play Amen Corner the planet is watching and is fimilar, we all know 13/15 are reachable etc.. The reason why is because the course has been consistent. CD has the right dimensions to run the proper races. The juggling from place to place doesn't work IMO.

As a East coast resdent I would love it to be Belmont but that is just me being selfish

Disagree. The juggling has worked fine, as Crist expertly noted. As for other sports, changing venue has not hurt the Super Bowl at all.

I like the 4-year rotation idea using Cal, NY, KY, with every 4th year open to a wild card like NJ or FL.

--Dunbar

Agree with Dunbar. Move it around and let fans in all parts of the country experience the sports championship day as long as the venue is big enough to deal with the crowd. At least Santa Anita is back on dirt now so we don't have to crown a dirt champion running on synthetic.

If they can have the freaking Superbowl open air in NJ in February, they can have Breeders Cup anywhere. Though I think weather has become a major factor in the decision process after MTH. Although the horses all ran to form that day really.

The more things change the more they stay the same. In essence, it has become apparent the New York fan/gambling base is not on the top of the list at the BC lets get this done list of things to do. Support it, or don"t, with your wallet and your remote.

Breeders Cup
 

Breeders Cup officials have a sincere dislike for NYRA President Charlie Hayward. He is not a very popular person among the powers to be.

I know I'll be ripped for this, but I don't think the BC should ever be held at Belmont. None of the races start in front of the grandstand, all of the dirt races are run around 1 turn (except the Classice which is 1 1/2 turns), and the weather seems to suck every time they host it. Other than the history of track, what does Belmont offer?. I have never been to Aqueduct, but is there some reason it can't return there? I know the weather is the same as Belmont, but at least fans could see the start and finish of most races, and the Distaff and juvys wouldn't be one-turn races.

Churchill may not even want it every year or every two years, but I'd let them host as often as they want it.

Belmont has the ability to hold a very large crowd. I would think that attendence revenue could have something to do with it. I'm not sure how Aqueduct will be setup as far as holding big crowds now, with the racino being put in.

Honestly Justin, you mention all the one turn races and races beginning away from the grandstand. Do you really think the BC cares about that? Hell, we have had races on synthetics, sprints on that stupid downhill turf course, the mile championship raced at a mile and seventy yards and so on. As far as the Juvys go, those races are going to be unbettable anyway with the whole race day medication deal. For all I care they could start them on the Belt Parkway, they are simply unbettable.

Can't argue about the weather, obviously I'm biased being from the east. It doesn't bother me and I don't think it's that big of a deal. We are talking end of October, not the middle of Feburary. I think that's the easy cop out excuse.

Not sure. I know Del Mar always cards a two-turn race to open the meet specifically for that reason.

This is complete nonsense. Belmont Park is a world class facility, whether races start in front of the grandstand or not is irrelevant. The fact that the Breeder's Cup refuses to hold races on the circuit of the best year round racing in America is indefensible.

What does Belmont have to offer? Besides being a world class facility, Belmont easily holds well over 100,000 people, will have a very strong handle for the Breeder's Cup, can card all the BC distances and is within miles of the greatest city of the world with world class hotels, entertainment, shopping, etc. It is closer for the Europeans to ship and the weather more or less tends to be on the milder side at the start of November.

I hope that NYRA sticks it to the Breeder's Cup and forms a Fall Championship series that puts the Breeder's Cup out of business once and for all. It will be real interesting to see NYRA do that if NY does not ban Lasix on raceday when the Breeder's Cup bans it. Wonder where the majority of American (and even European) horses will end up.

For those that missed it on ATR this morning:

Sanan: Why Breeders' Cup chose Santa Anita

Love to hear Crist vs Sanaan on ATR's with Byk doing the play by play.. Maybe Simon could be the guest referee and hit Satish over the head with a chair