Laurel takeout cut a flop
 

DRF article says that the lower takeout at Laurel did not boost pools at all.

http://drf.com/news/article/88012.html

Depressing news for anyone hoping for a better deal in the future.

There's still time to bet/support the Ellis Park 4% Pick-4, though!

--Dunbar

Cutting Youbet out of the action hurt them a lot also.

NT

not a good sign, and as much as we argue about takeout maybe to the majority of the players they really do not care, or understand the situation.

The sample size and demand for the product aren't nearly high enough for this to be an accurate measure of the impact takeout has on handle.

All this does is make every big track in the country say, "See, lowering takeout doesn't help...Laurel lost money."

Worst thing that could have happened.

The majority of the players just don't care about Laurel.

If they lowered takeout at Saratoga, it would be a different situation.

Lowering takeout is very important to me, but I couldn't play Laurel.

If I dove in, it would be a losing proposition from the start, no matter what the takeout is/was. I have never played Laurel in my life, don't know the trainers, jocks, horses or how the track plays....so I would be up against it from the start and the meeting is too short to get any education from it.

I have learned the hard way, what tracks I do well at and in my old age, I have developed enough patience to stick to those tracks/circuits.

A noble plan and I applaud them, but it is the wrong track for me.

we can always use saratoga which is a very healthy track and say it would help there but they are only a small percentage of races run every day this summer.

also, and I am not picking on you but it would be hard for me to see saratoga handle increase because of takeout, as you say its saratoga and people play there as a destination meet. Isnt a better experiment to take a track that is not doing so well and see how a player reward such as lower take would improve handle?

Bingo!!!

With the already significant handle that saratoga generates, the reduced takeout would generate more "churn" and I think gross handle would increase significantly.

Trying it at shitty tracks is just grasping for straws. Reduced takeout is for the major circuits.

don't wanna rub it in, but i could see this come'n. MEC put a sh!t load of money into this place a couple years ago and nothing has really changed. IMO it was a last ditch effort, i think one of MD tracks is bound to close in the next 5-10 years with out the help of slots (and i don't think the Preakness will be moved, so do the math).

It was a good idea, and more tracks in the same situation as Laurel and Ellis need to follow suit and see if they can find a niche. Hate to say it, but sooner or later someone is going to suggest to Frank and the boys to cut the strings on this investment....... lose lose situation for all involved

-bt-

MD can't survive without slots. They can do anything they want but when there are going to be 40K maiden races in PA and Delaware has what it has, along with races like the PA Derby worth $1M, Laurel is as good as done.

what do you suggest the smaller circuits should do then, close?

Yes.

Completely agree.

--Dunbar

Laurel has many problems that a lower takeout can't solve.

For one, it is a depressing place to visit. There isn't much for people who aren't playing the horses, like kids. They need a museum of some, they need a nice playground, they need more comfortable seating, and they need to embrace the idea that today you must be able to entertain the whole family to get people back to the track.

For the players, they need more competitive fields. I go to Laurel about once a month, but rarley play Laurel unless I see someone I know who "knows". Almost all of the regulars there are the same way. To get the bigger, more competitive fields they do need the purse money. However, once they get slots, and they will this year, they need to bring back the lower takeout. People will play but not when its a five horse field with a less than even money favorite. They have a very nice turf course there and could attract some nice horses. I'd like to see them bring back the International.

Lastly, they need to get their head out of their asses when it comes to innovation. Yeah, the Horse Wizard, that was a spectacular idea Stronach. Keep it up.