Quite frankly the way Magna has handled things the past few years it would've been a disaster not to have a solid improvement in handle this year. You couldn't have asked for a better storyline leading up to the race.

Drunks? How about nutcases...Does anyone remember that nutbar that jumped onto the track during a race on Preak day attempting to throw a punch at a passing horse? That has got to be the most peculiar thing I have ever witnessed in racing.

Reading previous posts on threads is totally overrated.

NT

wow, that sounds crazy. :D

I think Magna should be applauded for making the changes they did concerning the infield. That is not to say that I completely agree with everything they did, as perhaps they should have charged less for the infield, but it was a step in the right direction and I believe they made the day more pleasurable overall for racing fans.

I love going to the Preakness and had another great time yesterday.

30,000 drunks that dont give a crap about racing, dont bet, and wouldnt know the difference if there were gerbils running aound the track werent there? this is one of the greatest day in racing history! You cant have fun unless youre drunk and it has to be on only your own cans of beer?

Just returned from the Preakness---been going for 10 years or so.
Best experience this year----no underage drinkers vomiting on senior citizens on the shuttle bus---no foul-mouthed teenagers and 20 somethings dropping the F Bomb every third word--no one yelling "Stop the bus. I need to piss".
Those 35,000 people who did not attend this year could care less about horseracing--

Costas sorta caught that pol off guard.

ESPN radio, cowherd, has devoted almost 30 minutes to the infield story and agrees with maryland, to stop carrying beer in. sorry but i agree with it too.

If they were selling them for $3.50 I have no problem with it. They should have advertised that better though as I imagine a lot of people didn't go cause they assumed beers would be $8-$10 a pop.

Sorry I quickly scanned this thread last night and must have missed your astute addition to this thread.:o

i'd read that they raised the infield ticket price too. i'm sure that had something to do with it. add in the economy. alot of local people are struggling.
i think it's a good think for the Preakness. the infield had turned into a drunken party instead of being about horse racing.
with seeing this result maybe more people that care about horse racing will come back to the Preakness.

the kick in the nuts about this whole thing is, ok sure charge the infield 3.50 a beer awesome. But why charge people who paid more for the tickets in the grandstand more? $5 for a 16 oz. was the cheapest i found and $8 for a BES. i sure as hell didn't see the 3.50 beer man in my section

-bt-

I was Wrong
 

When I woke up and turned on HRTV and watched the first race and saw the sparse infield crowd my feelings were this is a disaster. Then I read that attendance was DOWN 35k, but wagering was UP! For years I always thought racetrack gouging and lack of customer service is a reason racing has suffered. But I was wrong. I thought the MJC was ridiculous changing the tradition of the infield, but the infield isn't needed. When I saw Gulfstream 2 years ago, I was appaled because I loved the "old" Gulfstream. As it turns out, I was wrong, Gulfstream is doing well with the smaller more sophisticated attendees. Perhaps that's the direction of racing: we don't need infields, concerts, etc. I was kind of taken aback that Churchill is charging $10 for their first night race ($1 for TwinSpiresClub Cardholders). My instincts were that this was a terrible decision. However, maybe it'll keep the riff raff away and draw the true fans. Oh, and Rachel Alexandra's win over Mine that Bird was AWESOME.