Absolutely right! They would be smarter to cater to the fans they already have -- word of mouth is still the best advertising. Horse racing will never (again) be a mainstream sport no matter how much marketing dollars you throw at it. I wonder if ESPN has something to do with all these stupid ideas to "improve" the Breeders Cup?

That is ridiclous. I dont have any idea what Bill Farish knows but I do know that the hardcore fans of racing have been alarmingly up in arms about the changes. I do know that "win and your in" is strictly a marketing device (and a weak one at that) Imagine if an NCAA team was guaranteed a spot in the tourney by winning the Maui Classic? I do know that running a Breeders Cup race on Breeders Cup day and not having it televised (the marathon) seems like a bad idea. I do know that renaming the Distaff wont attract one more viewer or gambling dollar. I have run horses in both the Breeders Cup and Hong Kong Invitational and there is no question about where we were treated better both on the backside and frontside. I do know that alienating your most passionate fans in puzzling attempts to create new fans not a good idea.

As opposed to stating why you believe I am incorrect, you post "Bill Farish is smarter than you". I can tell you a few things that I know that Bill Farish cant . I can post the views of a fan with no family connections to the game, I can post the view of a broke college student that needs to cash a bet to have money to eat, I can post a view of a college educated guy living in a tack room while learning the ropes grooming from the ground up, I can post the view of a racing official, I can post the view of a private trainer, I can post the view of a public trainer, I can post the view of a small breeder, I can post the view of an owner. I can post the view of a pinhooker.I have been all of the above. Maybe I am not as smart as the illustrious board members but I know alot more about what people both in and out of the business reallyfeel about what is going on.

But other than that Chuck.....have you ever hosted a Tea for the Queen?

I stay away from all kinds of queens

I can really think of something funny to say......but it would make Beth too happy.

They're not televising the Marathon ? That is just plain wrong.

They probably only have 4 hours of air time. They don't want to devote 25% to the running of one race.

They need to renogotiate so that the Marathon is televised, imo.

Here's an idea. How about a relay race with 4 4F sprints and the jockeys handing off the baton (whip) ?

They need to fire Jerry Bailey and hire sumitas to take his place.

Sorry if I should know this but have they said what the 6 races for the Pick 6 will now be?

Classic, Turf, Mile, Sprint, Juvenile and ???

Or will they just make it a Pick 9?

Camels or horses?

Have you spoken with people like Farish and others about these issues. I have. Not on this topic specifically, but I have had the chance to speak with some of the members of racing's "elite" about issues and am always dumbfounded by their answers. People like the Farishes and the Phipps' may be steeped in the traditions of the game and may know all about granddads breeding farm but that's about it. Ask them how the trainers feel about certain management decisions. Ask them how horseplayers feel about things. They may walk around at Saratoga and Keeneland and Belmont etc and might even walk between groups of horseplayers, but they are in a bubble. They don't interact with the crowd. They may be "in it" but they are not "of it."
People who run BC exist in the same bubble. They hire marketing firms with no ties to racing and it's traditions or it's participants. I'll take Cannon Shell's statements. He's out there everyday, participating in the game. He certainly knoews more about it than some "Jr. Marketing Analyst" on Madison Ave.

Random thought regarding 2007
 

I just thought of something in regards to the BC Turf Sprint. With them running it down the hill this year, can they run it 6f or 6.5f around the turf course if needed. If it spits they take the hill races off the turf and I am not sure if the turf course can accomodate a 6f race....anyone know?

I think the SA turf course is only 7/8 of a mile around. So I don't think they can run 6 or 6.5 unless they go down the hill.

Monmuth was a swamp last BC and they ran. I don't know but I guess they will run down the hill and if they tell the NASCAR fans about the possibility for disaster the rating will go up?

I imagine racing down hill on a really wet turf could be dangerous. Guess we'll find out who comes first.