1,719 ... That's All (The) Folks!
 

Beautiful Belmont Park ... which can comfrotably manage a throng of 60,000 ... but which gets kind of close when 80,000 show up ... and is absolutely cramped when 100,000 squeeze in ...

... played host yesterday to 1,719 breathing souls ... on a drizzly day ... and about 1,000 more than that on the prior glorious late-summer day.


Yes ... we all know ... most of the betting these days is done away from the track ... but ... how can this game survive when attendance at the huge Belmont plant ... America's biggest thoroughbred showcase ... is no higher than that of a dog track?

And what is the NYRA trying to do about it?

Slot machines.

It drives me nuts to see how many people will show up for a cheap sportsbag but won't show up for one of racings most historical races like the Whitney.

I hope somehow the NYRA finds a way to build interest in the JCGC this year...it's a perfect opportunity for them having the most anticipated match-up of classic horses, a talented sprinter and several top turf horses.

Cut take-out by 5% for those at the track.

Great Idea Scuds

That makes so much sense. Im sure they would never consider. The amazing thing is the average bettor dosent even understand this.

Can the tracks afford to do this though?

Do you understand the process NYRA has to go through to get the take-out changed?

I assume you realize when they tried to cut it a few years ago that OTB, which has no legal right to have any say whatsoever, blocked the move. Then, in order to be able to offer their rebate plan, which they had been trying to institute for a number of years, NYRA was forced to raise the take-out 1% ( on WPS ) to satisfy OTB.

So, while lowering take-out is a great idea, and hopefully will happen all around in the future, the off-hand suggestion in this case is unrealistic to say the least. Hell, it takes the NY State Racing and Wagering Board a year or more to approve even the minutest of changes. I don't think people understand how badly NYRA's hands are tied.

I was at Saratoga for Whitney Day and it was just under 30,000. No giveaway, I think that is a very very good attendance. Saratoga is not a good example to use on this type of post. They will get from 15,000 to 20,000 during the week and from 20,000 to 30,000 on the weekends. Though weather and giveaways can play havoc on occasions with those numbers.

It's a trend not just at Belmont but all over the country. Look what Hollywood and Santa Anita will bring in during the week. One reason is summer's over and most are back to work and school. But having said that Belmont on the weekends should be attracting huge crowds. It's in the shadow of the country's largest city, a betting and racing fan city at that.
That I don't understand.

I was there on Whitney day (and every other big stakes day) and found it pretty startling that the sunday of the giveaway bag was far and away more crowded than those days and the racing card was terrible. But you're right, no track draws attendance like Saratoga. (and Keeneland)

We attended Mineshaft's Woodward; the place was an echo chamber. We are going to attend Bernardini's Jockey Club Gold Cup. I think the attendance will be better, but still pathetic. In the 1970's we regularly attended and were part of large crowds. The Marlboro Cup with 40,000 in attendance in 1978 stands out. We were there to see Seattle Slew and Affirmed hook up; it was thrilling. Simulcasting, OTB's proliferating, and at-home betting spelled the doom.

Give this man a kewpie doll ...

... best idea of the year.

I mentioned this on another NYRA thread ...

... some things they're to blame for ... and things like this they're not.

When you're treading water in the cesspool of New York State politics ... it's all you can do to stay sane.

I share your concern with low attendance, but as long as handle remains high, racing will continue. When gambling was briefly banned in NY in... 1910? Was that when? tracks closed all over the state. It's always been about the money, and as long as people can bet at an OTB, why go to a track?

Unfortunately, as long as the horses are the stars, and race so infrequently and are retired so soon, it'll be hard to attract casual fans because they don't have anyone to root for with any regularity or length of time. I believe in Europe, jockeys are stars on par with the horses, and they at least have some sort of a career for a fan to follow.

And yeah, I'd cut the takeout, too (and thank you, btw, for explaining why it's such a huge deal to do so. I didn't know that).

BB, you brought up the topic-- what would you do?

they are stealing money with their handle.

Tracks didn't close all over New York ... they closed all over Brooklyn.

Three of the most important tracks in the country ... Gravesend, Sheepshead Bay, and Brighton (a/k/a Coney Island) ... all located within a 2-square mile patch in the neighborhood which would later become famous for my living there ... closed because of draconian anti-betting laws.

There's a very simple solution to New York thoroughbred racing's woes ... which will never, ever be implemented ...

Get the politicians' hands off it and out of it ... and let it be treated as shabbily as all other businesses are in New York ... not more shabbilier as it currently is.

But as I said ... never gonna happen.

The attendance problem is all over the country. The sport has it days in the sun, KY Derby and the rest of the TC races, Saratoga and to a certain degree Del Mar. These are the days and places where the NNBP (normally non betting public) will come out and enjoy a day at the races.
The decline is hard to pinpoint when it started. I am guessing somewhere around the early to mid 80's. The '70's was the last true golden decade of the sport where people came out in droves to the tracks. I am sure it's not a coinicidence that was also the last decade to see a triple crown winner. Horse racing up through the 70's was part of the Big 4 Football, Baseball,Boxing and Horse racing.
I have my own theory on that : Like all the sports, with the exception of the NFL, they all go through a popularity slump. What other sports have done is find a star or stars, hitch their wagon to it and market to the most obvious target market. Kids!!! The NBA did it with Dr.J, Larry Bird and Majic Johnson to get it out of its attendance and interest slump. Baseball did with McGuire and Sosa.
Now horse racing can produce stars but it's hands are tied with marketing. How can you market your sport towards kids when a major aspect of horse racing is gamblling? You can't. They have been hoping for a Triple Crown winner to help them out. they have gotten close with the great stories behind Funny Cide and Smarty Jones. And even Cigar helped bring people out to the tracks.
So I think it needs a bona fide superstar, not a budding one but a true star ,one that will race across the country much like Cigar did. Until then the sport will have to be content with the KY Derby The Preakness, The Belmont and Saratoga to draw the NNBP.

This is obviously a post from an old man. Who cares about live racing? It is for dinosaurs. Even the big races like the derby are better on tv. The sport is so much better on high-def tv than it is live. Watching it live is boring, whether you are at Saratoga or Fairplex.

The mornings around the horses are great but why would you go to live racing? You sit around for 30 minutes bored out of your mind waiting for the next race.

The only reason to go to a place like Saratoga or any track is for entertainment and to hang around with people, unless you own the horse. The funny thing is many of the top owners don't even show up for their races. Belmont is great in the mornings and to go over for the big race, but other than that watching it while watching football or something else is much better. The tv's on the 3rd floor in the clubhouse at belmont are good on football weekends, but sometimes I go to belmont and just watch on tv anyway.

I would show up if I could. I don't live anywhere near a track (with the exception of Tampa Bay Downs one hour away.) I enjoy the smell of the horses... yes, even the horse shiat. :p It's exciting to me to see them in the paddock and the post parade live and up close.

Are you kidding me?
I would give up TV, OTB and radio in a heartbeat if it meant I could spend everyday of my life watching live racing. I've never noticed the time between races but perhaps I'm too busy taking in the wind blowing through mare hair, the shiny coats in the paddock and studying the form...all things they can never re-create via Hi-Def.

That is what the mornings are for. The afternoons at any track, including Saratoga, are like going to a picnic. Most people watch the races on television even if they are at the track. I live right next to Belmont and the track is awesome but watching it live is pointless. They even put large screen televisions on the infield so people can watch.

The only people that show up at Belmont or Aqueduct during the week are workers and old people. The weekends can be ok, but why go there when you can watch on television and flip around the football games between races.

NYRA could care less about attendance. It is all about handle.

First off, I am 36 not too old, yet. Second off there is no way watching it on tv even comes close to being up on the rail and watching them come flying down the stretch and hearing the roar of the crownd and the horse pounding the dirt. Or watching them in the paddock and appreciating how beutiful and amazing these creatures. Walking down the path and bumping into Bobby Frankel or Jerry bailey.
yeah go enjoy your x-box.

Funny you bring up Bobby Frankel, because he watches the races on television.

Your x-box comments are funny. I am going to just guess I have been around more good horses in the last week than you have been around in your life. If you want to appreciate horses you go in the mornings or you go to the farm. The paddock and racing give zero indication of the beauty of the animal.

Watching races live is pointless, especially at Belmont. There could be 20,000 there and it still feels like a ghost town. Even at Saratoga it is better to watch on television than live. What do you get a 2 second glimpse of the horses sitting on the rail. You miss all the strategy sitting on the rail.

And opening day in baseball is useless. Nobody cares.

take out will not keep your average joe blow fan from coming from the track, they most likely don't even know it exists.

make the day at the track fan friendly and they will come - a little advertising goes a long way - plain and simple.

People work during the week and are busy on weekends. They don't have the time. Saratoga is so popular because it is held during the summer when people are on vacation. Belmont is awesome but nobody is ever going to go unless there is a big event. People have other things to do and can bet at home or in an OTB. There is nothing to do at the track during the races.

Great idea.

They should hire a young actress ... someone not overly beautiful ... someone like ... oh, say ... Laurie Petty ... and show her going to the track ... and running around and jumping up and down ... and having a good time ...

... and come up with a catchy slogan ... like ... ummm ... like ... how about "Go, Baby ... Go!" ... yeah, something like that ... and keep playing it all over the TV.

Yeah ... that'll work ... I know it will.

Move Belmont about 20 miles closer to civilization and that attendance doubles.

I really have no idea who, in their right mind, is skipping work, or even getting out of bed and driving (or even worse, taking the train) all the way out to Elmont on a rainy weekday afternoon. I'm surprised they had as much attendance as they did.

Elmont isn't "way out" if you're already there.

Literally millions of people live within a 15-mile radius.

We think Timbuktu is far away ... but lots of folks just call it "home."

Then it is pretty clear that horse racing is nothing more than a gambling outlet to you not any different than poker, slots or scratch off tickets. That's cool, your type is a main cash cow in the industry but I like more as a sport. And if I make a few bucks, great.
And since I don't know you and don't know if are personally around horse all day or not. Don't really care actually.

Actually I am a regular in the mornings and love the farm, but the racetrack in the afternoon is really nothing more than a stage where they film for television. Gambling drives the sport. That is the reality of it. You can love the sport without having to go to the track. The racetrack is actually a pretty depressing place except on the weekends or during the summer.

Some can be. A few of us out here will go out and spend an afternoon at suffolk downs. And even though we are having a good time you take a look around and your right it is very depressing.
It just gives you that much more appreciation for Saratoga, Del Mar and Keeneland.

For an uplifting ... almost religious, spiritual experience ...

... try the winter racing at Aqueduct ... where the elite meet.

If you go to the Big A make sure it is pouring down sleet and really, really cold on a Wood Memorial Saturday....that is experiencing it at it's finest! :D

LOL If you listen real hard you can still hear the banging of trash cans as the horses come down the stretch. LOL

There are many pleasures to going to the track but it comes down to handle. And VLTs for the time being.

I have been there and it is painful. Sometimes I go to Belmont during the week to study for an exam. The silence is great. I can study for 25 minutes, get a race, study some more. I tried it once at Aqueduct and it is too depressing. You almost feel bad for the grooms and jockeys.

So that was YOU next to me at the rail this past Wood! :)

Seriously, I love live racing. I love watching the horses in the ring, I love walking back and forth to the track; I love standing in line to bet and listening the people around me; I love being in the sunshine all day (or the pouring rain- I remember shivering in the rain for two hours before Funny Cide's Belmont so I wouldn't lose my spot at the rail) I love it all. And I love Belmont and love the train ride out. Maybe I'm just a junkie for mass transit. Or just a junkie for horses. :)

Thanks for the clarification on the tracks closing, BB. I don't know why I thought it was more than a few tracks... go figure.

I often try to imagine what it would have been like ... to have three race tracks within a short trolley ride from my house.

Just think of it ... all the great G1 races ... right here in our own home town.



Ooops ... again ... I gotta stop watching "Meet Me In St. Louis."