Quote:
Originally Posted by Cardus
Absent unusual circumstances -- a phenomenal horse which is also outrageously popular with racing fans, e.g. -- I oppose purse increases to attract horses to races. I don't see the benefit.
Here, there are two really nice horses who just ran a wonderful race, but do Blind Luck and Havre de Grace really warrant a purse increase should they face each other again?
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While I agree with you generally that tracks shouldn't go about raising purses (or worse creating new races) to attract specific horses, doesn't this essentially become a business question? Without these two horses, NYRA would probably get 15-20K at the track the day after Travers. A matchup between these two horses probably gets an additional 10,000 people to the track and more attention to the card (with greater wagering activity) at simulcast venues. I don't know if the increased revenue generated by that added interest covers the additional purse outlay, but it probably comes pretty close. And having a Blind Luck/Havre de Grace matchup helps the Saratoga brand, by reinforcing the notion that the "best" horses race here.