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#1
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![]() If you could make one change, in any part of the industry, what would it be?
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#2
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![]() Not necessarily legal ( collusive ), but I would like to see a comprehensive change in simulcasting fees charged which would coincide with a massive takeout reduction for the major league tracks. This would eliminate rebates, return big players to host tracks thus increasing their bottom line, even out the parimutual playing field for all players, increase handle, thus increasing purses, improve the health of the strong racing establishments, expose and eliminate the barnicle racetracks, and make it easier to win.
Good for pretty much everyone. |
#3
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![]() Stop allowing the theft that occurs when a trainer works a 1st timer in 1:15,or 1:16,and then unleashes a grenade at 40-1.In other words,no unraced horses in p4,or p6 races.No more Dutrow preparing a 2 year old first timer by using breezing pedestrian works(and then unleashing a can't lose bullet at 7-1.) That is simple thievery.Stop this sht,and then worry about the drugs.
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#4
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![]() Tracks somehow coming up with the $$$$ to have multi-million $$$ reward plans for keeping TC race winners in training thru the Breeder's Cup. Like saying to the connections of Bernardini- "congrats on your Preakness win- if you stay in training thru the Breeder's Cup and win, we'll give you a 10 million dollar bonus".
You can say "well Bernardini did stay in training that long". But Smarty didn't Alex didn't. We gotta find a way to keep these true stars running longer to build up more of a fan base... give the casual fans reason to watch more. come up with the cash, and that might put off the breeding decisions for a lil longer
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Facebook- Peter May Jr. Twitter- @pmayjr You wouldn't be ballin' if your name was Spauldin' If y'all fresh to death, then I'm deceased... |
#5
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Regulate breeding so that no stallion is allowed to breed until he is 5 years old. No exceptions. If a horse is truly injured before that, let him feed happily on oats for a year or two before breeding him. There is precedent for regulating breeding--the rules against artificial insemination, for example. Now, with a rule in place like that, don't you think we'd have seen both Alex and Smarty as 4-yr-olds? Probably Bernardini, too. --Dunbar
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Curlin and Hard Spun finish 1,2 in the 2007 BC Classic, demonstrating how competing in all three Triple Crown races ruins a horse for the rest of the year...see avatar photo from REUTERS/Lucas Jackson |
#6
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![]() i disagree with dunbar. when the breeding business is down, horses stay on track longer. but no way you can force someone to race a horse, especially when insurance costs can become prohibitive. it's a business first and foremost. i'd love to see horses stay around to run at four, but you can't force that imo. all you can do is try to offer incentives to get owners to feel they have a chance at a reward large enough to merit the risk. a t.c. for older would be one way to do that.
my one change would be to have one regulatory body overseeing racing nationwide.
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Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new at all. Abraham Lincoln |
#7
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--Dunbar
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Curlin and Hard Spun finish 1,2 in the 2007 BC Classic, demonstrating how competing in all three Triple Crown races ruins a horse for the rest of the year...see avatar photo from REUTERS/Lucas Jackson |
#8
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Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new at all. Abraham Lincoln |
#9
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![]() also, live cover, rather than artificial insemination, protects the breed, and protects the integrity of breeding. banning a four year old from covering mares does neither.
i would have no problem in regulating the breeding of unsound horses, or bleeders, etc. that does have an impact on the breed.
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Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new at all. Abraham Lincoln |
#10
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#11
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#12
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To give an answer to this question that is realistic and could actually be done, I'd find a way to get purses in graded stakes races raised to a level which would encourage and make it financially feasible to race horses on at older ages. In other words I think you guys are in the right church but the wrong pew. The reason people retire horses early these days is because the proportion of money you can race for and earn as compared to the money you can get in the shed is way out of whack. The insuranec alone on a great stallion prospect or broodmare is far more than they can earn racing another year after you pay expenses and the trainer and jockey 10% apiece. A horse that earns 3 million in one year really only nets his owner about 2.3 million after expenses. It simply makes no sense to race on these days. How many horses earn 3 million a year? 1-5? Maybe? none? maybe? If you made grade ones worth a minimum of 1 million, grade 2's a minimum of 500,000 and grade 3's a minimum of 250 grand, TRUST me people would be glad to race on!!!! You would still lose the 1-5 VERY best prospects and those who are injured, but the fringe very best horses would indeed race on with the lure of plenty of cash to go after. You'd also increase field sizes in thesegrade one events which have become like 4-6 horse harness races where they take single file order with uncontested paces. The "keepaway" from teh other good horses would end, for a million bucks a crack you could bet your ass that people would race in more spots. You'd also see owners abandoning a specific 4 race campaign aimed at the BC. They'd race all year and say if we make the BC great, but if we don't thats ok as well. It would also make more than 5 days a year "big days" at the racetrack. In addition people may start trying to breed a bit more towards the performance side instead of just the commercial side. The reason the breed has slipped so badly is that the robber barons of yesteryear used to breed to sell and RACE with equal interest. As a matter of fact many just bred to RACE. They chose matings and sires that weren't just an attempt to get a flashy worker in February at a 2YO in training sale, or to break their maiden in rocketship time in June going 5F. The bottom line is that all the bitching and moaning about the game really boils down to the fact the economically it makes absolutely no sense for anyone to race on or race often with a good horse. |
#13
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![]() Thank you Mike... when people start realizing that there are people who try to make a living in the sport, and like anyone else in any other industry make the best financial decisions they can for themselves, maybe people will let up a slight tad on the breeding industry.
In this sport, its so HARD to break even, let alone make a good profit that when you get the chance with one animal, you take it, because that animal has to carry all your other ones who arent getting it done. Yes, some connections have more money than God himself... but who can blame them for still treating the sport as a business? It is what it is. Its a vicious cycle that checks itsself every few years. Hell, thats the universal theme of economics. Do what your can while the market is hot so you can weather it when its not. Suggesting a horse cant breed until 5 is like suggesting every horse that cant win a graded race shouldnt be bred. In theory it sounds good for the sport, but its an extremist attitude geared toward the fan and gambler, not the breeders who make their income on luck and chance. Last edited by Balletto : 12-14-2006 at 09:21 AM. |
#14
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![]() create new races and designations for a turf sprint division, which would then include a race in the Breeders Cup
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#15
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There are already regulations about what kind of horse can race in a thoroughbred race. Restricting it further to horses that are the offspring of 5-yr-old or older stallions isn't a huge leap of imagination. As far as your last question, I already addressed that. An injured horse that has value as a breeding prospect can live happily for a year or 2 without being bred. Yes, the owners will have to wait a bit to collect the breeding dividend, and the dividend may be a little smaller with 1-2 years taken out of the breeding lifetime. I agree with you that it is extremely unlikely we'll ever see this change take place. But it won't be the courts that stop it. It will be shortsightedness and fragmentation in the industry. --Dunbar
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Curlin and Hard Spun finish 1,2 in the 2007 BC Classic, demonstrating how competing in all three Triple Crown races ruins a horse for the rest of the year...see avatar photo from REUTERS/Lucas Jackson |
#16
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I understand we all want to see talented horses continue racing until they're either past their prime, proven their mettle, or unfortunately get injured, but its not financially reasonable for MOST owners in the sport. Be a fan, be a vocal fan... but view the issue from every angle possible. You may change your tune slightly. Last edited by Balletto : 12-14-2006 at 09:33 AM. |
#17
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racing does not allow artificial insemination and the reason noone challenges it is because it single handedly wiped out all harness breeding farms and lowered the vlaue of all harness horses in miracle record time. Breeders will never challenge that, lest their farms be worth pennies on the dollar. YOu really have no idea whatyou are talking about. WHo would make the dteremination of how badly a horse is injured? Its all subjective and impossible to enforce. When trying to buy horses privately the lastest harsh stumbling block has become the new digital x rays which basically light up someting on each and evey horse you try and buy. Its a judgement call on what is and isn't unsound, and no way could yo just have a few vets(and who would they work for? Where would the power come from?) to go around and determine who is or isnt sound. Its a completely dumb idea anyway because owners would still just retire them, stand them overseas or in South America for two years or one year and then bring them back. It wouldn't change a damn thing, trust me it wouldnt. |
#18
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How much do YOU have invested into this industry? Start telling owners that spent 10 million that they can't get back that money spent and you can count on lots of em just leaving. The only way they can it back under the current structure is in the shed. If you raised purses in stakes races all year long you would atleast give them SOME incentive to race on. Why would someone choose to try and race on with a horse and try and win a million pre expense bucks next year, when they can stand him for 40 or 50 grand a whack and get back some of the money they have spent in this business? |
#19
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We've lost the cyclic balance that once existed. |
#20
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And how are they going to raise the purses if they are not throwing any incentitives to new or current fans? |