Quote:
Originally Posted by Travis Stone
Everyone cries for a reduction in dates, less racing, bigger fields etc., which on many levels is right. However, a city without a track is a city with a significantly decreased interest in racing. And suddenly, virtually zero chance of cultivating a fan base, whether small or large.
If there was no horse racing at Louisiana Downs, then there would be very little interest in horse racing in Northwest Louisiana. Our business as an OTB would drastically reduce as a result, and the trickle down effect becomes significant.
There are so many different wheels at play when it comes to horse racing, putting a little grease on one but ignoring the others makes it very difficult.
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Very true.
A big problem with reducing racing dates and venues is that it in no way guarantees better racing in its wake. Until racing secretaries change the way conditions books are written a reduction in racing days simply means that cheaper races will become an even greater percentage of races carded. It isn't like tracks are going to reduce days and then use 6 horse allowance fields and as long as a few trainers at each track control the vast majority of good horses then the other horsemen will continue to concentrate on the cheaper races. Especially if the reduction in days leads to even higher purses of which the cheap horses are disproportionally rewarded. And this doesnt even take into consideration the owners of the better quality but not quite stakes horses who will often be stuck on the sidelines because the track used a 10 horse 4k claimer instead of a 7 horse maiden special weight. Yeah field size is important but in a game that is having a really hard time finding new investors (and keeping those already involved) there has to be a balance that allows better quality horses to actually get a chance to race without having a parade of short priced, small field shitfests.