"A Roaring Start"----Handle?
 

Flat to slightly down....Maybe its just semantics but c'mon.

“The 2010 meet is off to a roaring start with great performances and strong support from our on-track and simulcast customers,” said NYRA president and CEO Charles Hayward in a release



http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...with-last-year

I believe they budgeted for a 5% decrease in handle so slightly down is actually up from the projections.

It is a press release, not a court document.

The Titanic got off to a roaring start as well.

I'm sure the press releases said it did. A press release is a companies chance to "make" the news. In this day and age the media basically makes up a lot of what we are told so why shouldn't NYRA try to frame the numbers in the best light? I'm sure the KC Royals dont issue press releases saying that "we suck, dont come". They extoll the virtues of "great seats available" and Larry Gura night.

You miss the point. Contained in an article that states handle is down about 4% and that includes not having the first Thursday (lowest handle day of the meet) this year. With that backdrop, in the bloodhorse article, it sounds disingenuous. I said in my initial post its semantics, I understand PR. I also understand that spin and bullshit are synonyms.

It sounds like he was doing his job in trying to cast the best possible light on the start of the meet considering the political football that racing has become in the state. With the idiocy that is reported as news in NY regarding racing, NYRA and OTB you have to play the game the way the others are playing. You can call it what you will but it is the reality is that the game is played that way. Being that the first 4 days were new I don't know how you can draw a whole lot of conclusions about the start of the meet, good or bad.

Where does it say that the first Thursday was not included? What the article says is "the first two full weeks."

NT

There was no 1st Thursday this year. They started on a Friday for a reason.

You're reading it wrong. They compared the same 12 days from 2009-2010.

"Attendance for the first two full weeks of the meet (12 days, Days 5 through 16) was 271,800, down 3.2 percent from 280,843 for the first two weeks (12 days) of the 2009 meet, with a daily average of 22,650 compared to 23,404. (*See note on attendance below.)"

http://www.nyra.com/saratoga/stories/Aug092010f.shtml

NT

Those are not the same first 12 days(see below)...To me, its not an apples to apples comparison but that's fine even if you look at it that way. It is down from last year, yes better than the -10% industry but a disappointment if you ask me....And just so people know 75% of my action since Toga opened is on Toga. Its still my favorite meet to be at and one of the best places in the world....It is not my favorite betting meet. That would be Belmont Fall. I say this simply b/c people think I am simply anti NYRA which is not true. But press releases like that are silly.

• Attendance for the first two full weeks of the meet was 271,800, down 3.2% from 280,843 for the first two weeks (12 days) of the 2009 meet, with a daily average of 22,650 compared to 23,404. (*See note on attendance below.)

And your point is what? Are you surprised? Are we now going to start a thread about what is "silly" in horse racing. Cue Clyde..........

Put the drinks down. My point was in my original post. Read slowly.

You're amazing. How many driinks have I had? If you're within 2, you get a prize on the top shelf.

6 :D;)

I don't think you're reading it right. The numbers in comparison are for the first two FULL weeks of the 2010 meet (July 28-August 2, August 4-August 9) vs. the first two full weeks of 2009. If anything, the 2009 numbers should be significantly higher given that the opening day/weekend cards were not counted for 2010.

NT

Actually the best comparison I think is the races run number and that is a percent or two behind last year.

I agree, the difference in races run from year to year is 116 (2010) vs. 120 (2009). When you take that into consideration the result is exactly what NYRA advertised on its website, "Handle nearly even with races run through two full weeks at the Spa."

NT

Roaring indeed.

Saratoga
 

I was there Saturday and Sunday, Big crowds both days but on Saturday I had to park on the Oklahoma track. First time in many visits i have ever seen that.
I really enjoyed driving my car on the track. I gained respect for the horses and jocks reaching speeds of 40 mph. It took an Hour after the races to get off the track because of traffic.

Gotta leave after the feature if you drive. Just bet the last and go.

Thanks for that sage advice but I love Saratoga and I am really not in a hurry to leave.

I hear you but I could walk when I went all the time.

That's your reply after mis-reading something and disregarding what's posted right on the NYRA website?

NT

I quoted the bloodhorse article. My first post says flat to slightly down. Nothing incorrect. Keep it up.

What's so horrible about this quote?

"The 2010 meet is off to a roaring start with great performances and strong support from our on-track and simulcast customers."

So far, no track in America has received the wagering support in 2010 that Saratoga has. Del Mar had the most "popular" horse in the country run last week and still had lower attendance than Saratoga. So far, the best sprinter in the country has run at Saratoga, the best 3YO filly, the best 2YOs, the best older horses, some of the best 3YOs and the best turf females. Does a "roaring start" only pertain to handle vs. past comparisons?

NT

Yes.:wf

Well, gosh, it's not like he went and promised to give out a certain amount of money each day in purses and then came up woefully short. Oops...

NT

Your hard-on for me is legendary if just a bit saddening....Monmouth's handle is in fact roaring on all levels....To see Maiden 15 statebreds at the SPA should be a punch in the gut to us all.

You're right, I've never missed an opportunity to correct you when you've mis-read, mis-interpreted, or completely missed the mark with regards to NYRA.

NT

Handle Shamdle.. I'm just pissed I didn't get the memo about Larry Gura night.

they have to write races according to the horses that are available. getting a good sized field is the target. less owners has got to be affecting saratoga, it's certainly affecting the sport everywhere else.

Let's go through the list...

1. Can't rail NYRA for having good, bettable cards, because they have, despite giving away "less" money than other tracks.

2. Can't rail NYRA for weak stakes, because the stakes have been awesome, including the race of the year in the Whitney.

3. Can't rail NYRA for bizarro world stuff, because the meet has gone pretty well.

SO...

Let's get on them for language in a press release.

Perhaps randallscott can be Art Vandalay's latex salesman?

Not unlike 50,000,000 in 50 days.

Or announces attendence of 23,000 when the track gives away T-Shirts and had 10,000"spinners"

best way to do it is just stay for an hour to so after the last race, have a few beers and bet simulcast, or go to Siro's & then off for some dinner and more beers.

They built a bar right beside the paddock (where the buffet tents were next to Clubhouse entrance) that stays open later than the rest of the track for simulcast. It's awesome!

thats awesome. I'm really going through some major Saratoga withdraw's right now.