Looked the same to me on Derby Day.

The Woodward just recently moved there. The point is that Saratoga is the place where the next stars of our game are on display and by running the Hopeful on Monday it deprives "fans" from seeing them. My post was about how to encourage more "fans". The people who go on the last day would go on the last day if you ran 10 state bred races. They are going because it was the last day. I, who was there for 2 weeks on vacation did not stay because I needed to drive 4 hours to get back to NY. IMO most of the attendance were probably locals on Monday.

Actually my seats went from $20.00 a ticket in the Clubhouse to $65.00 a ticket in the Clubhouse. That's not exactly "a little extra". They don't let you bring your own beer in on Travers Day anymore either?

The Hopeful moved to closing day at the same point the Woodward moved to Saratoga. Get your facts straight before you start bashing their scheduling.

Try sitting out on a broken chair in the hot sun followed by ice cold rain prior to the actual race for $90 at the Freakness.

That's what you pay for general admission on Derby Day. You can get in for general admission on Travers Day for $3-$5. I'm not sure cause my Grandstand Admission season pass was a bankroll crippling $35 so I didn't have to pay admission.

Dude seriously, all I said was "it recently moved there", like last year. Wouldn't you say the Hopeful just recently moved to Monday, like last year?

Hopeful had been on Travers Day for a few years before they moved the Woodward to Saratoga and beefed up closing weekend.

OKay, but that is us. We are sitting at our computers debating this. Listening to Steve's show on a daily basis. Waiting for the Green Monkey to finally run. But on a day like Belmont Day, where most of the people there have never heard of the Green Monkey, are they looking at those prices and feeling the same as us?

Only if Peter Frampton is playing over the loud speakers.

Yes, you are correct. I forgot about the 3 years when they decided that they shouldn't run one of the other 2YO stakes races and moved them around.

Well since we're giving our recommendations for improving NY racing...

Turf sprints should be limited to one per day. Otherwise the racing secretary has to muck stalls for a day.

Now here is a recommendation I support. Can neither of the turf courses support a 7 furlongs sprint? I wouldn't have a problem if they at least mixed some of those in there instead of the 5.5 all the time.

Oh and one more thing. Jan Rushton can't wear hats anymore. For the love of god stop it.

Compared to how poorly she performs her job the hats are the least of my worry. Let's either get someone hot or competent and I don't give a crap what they want to wear on their head.

Admission pricing, concessions and pricing, and all of these things are issues that certainly need to be addressed. However, first, I think it is something that will be done over time. Second, I think any changes will be limited. To some extent, it's like the $20 Tylenol you get at the hospital.

I also think that if you lowered concession stand prices, you would see a neglible impact on attendence and handle. There are much bigger issues and more global issues that have more priority in the industry and sport.

As much as the die-hard, hard-core, etc. gamblers will be up in arms -- today's racetrack and the product they put forth, or lack thereof, is in competition with many other things.

Eric