Quote:
Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up
If they run for 65k mdn at saratoga, and they run a 60k mdn at del mar, how is it a purse issue?
If the track was built on 8k to 25k claimers then your right, its a purse issues.
Largely though the mdn, alw, high level claiming, and stake purses are competitive or better then 90% of the track, why would they struggle to fill more than say Turf Paradise?
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You are making an after the fact argument. First off any track isnt built on any particular type of horses. There are a lot more cheap races during the weekday cards at all tracks even Del Mar than not. I guess you missed the meets where the purses for maidens were far shy of 60k. Don't forget too that the current 60k purse comes with fewer racing days/opportunities and with the increased takeout. When you take into consideration that the expenses for owners and trainers are far greater on average in CA than everywhere else it just makes it that much harder.
The other factor is that they are on an island where it costs a lot of money just to get there. With the rise of higher purses at places like Woodbine Monmouth, Delaware and even Parx and Penn owners sent their horses east with most places offering similar or better money and cheaper expenses to go along with more opportunity.
And then there was polytrack...