Del Mar opens Wed. Racing hurting all over the place

[MisterB]

Elite meet opens with a card of 3 maidan races, an ungraded stakes, with the first 3 races with 8 startes before the scratches come out. Boy, this has got to be the worst I have seen in many years.

[pba1817]

California has become a place where it is virtually impossible to be a small business owner with employees.


The eyes of our government think that if you can afford hiring an employee = you are rich.

[Alan07]

The feature race Friday got 5 entries.

[Siena 16]

It's a dead game! laddie--- take a look at today's 5th from Belmont and the last two cards of the Spring meet at Belmont. I know everyone is going to say horses were held over until Saratoga that's why! so save it

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Kasept

That's 10 years ago Doug.. or more. How is that different than anywhere else that is considered 'A' level racing? Saratoga and Keeneland aren't what they were 10-15 years ago either. What is so difficult about merely dealing with the present? Better to bemoan how awful things are. Baseball, Football, Hockey and every other sport is less 'elite' than 10 and 20 years ago too. Why is this a revelation?

Saratoga has slipped immensely but Keeneland isnt that different that it was and has a stronger stakes schedule than it did. Of course outside Tampa which is still pretty cheap overall what meet now isn't worse than it was 15 years ago?

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Of course outside Tampa which is still pretty cheap overall what meet now isn't worse than it was 15 years ago?

Delaware, Presque Isle, Charles Town, Prarie Meadows, Sunland, Penn, Parx, etc.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

Delaware, Presque Isle, Charles Town, Prarie Meadows, Sunland, Penn, Parx, etc.

Presque Isle obviously doesnt count. The racing is better at these places because of slots but it isnt good.

[TheSpyder]

The Big T has not dropped in the least. I'm just thay'in

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Presque Isle obviously doesnt count. The racing is better at these places because of slots but it isnt good.

Of the big 3, Del Mar is the one who would figure to have been least hurt by the Slots tracks, but has taken the biggest fall from grace IMO.

[MisterB]

So your saying where the surf meets the turf isn't So. Cal elite hang out. Frankel would be disappointed in your statement. I guess Saratoga is a trash bin for losers as well. Thanks for the history leason on how racing has declined. You think the card is OK, who am I to disagree.

[MisterB]

2008 -- The seaside oval charges out of the gate with an Opening Day record crowd – 43,459

Not 10 years ago!!!

2009-- 44,907--goes to 5 days.

Must be a bunch of bums attending

Del Mar Race Track was branded as the Saratoga of the West for summer racing. Since when has Saratoga become elite/ I don't know.

2010--45,309 opening day

[philcski]

Originally Posted by MisterB

Elite meet opens with a card of 3 maidan races, an ungraded stakes, with the first 3 races with 8 startes before the scratches come out. Boy, this has got to be the worst I have seen in many years.

How is this a sh!tty card? I just made a first pass on it and it's not bad at all. Other than the polytrack, of course.

[dino]

We will always have shitty cards as long as the trainers of good horses have no problem only running them 4 or 5 times a year. It's ruined horse racing just like pitch count has ruined baseball. The breed is now as week as the pitchers arms.

[geeker2]

If you are going to opening day at DMR you aren't going for the horse racing.

[MaTH716]

Originally Posted by philcski

How is this a sh!tty card? I just made a first pass on it and it's not bad at all. Other than the polytrack, of course.

I'm with you Phil, there's nothing wrong with the opening day card.

[Travis Stone]

Racing is suffering everywhere... it gets harder and harder to put together "quality" cards. Foal crops are down, quality is diminishing etc.

[joeydb]

This thread is depressing. So I'm wasting my time playing a "dead" game? how the hell am I supposed to get my buddies to go to the track if you guys are writing the epitaph on the game?

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by joeydb

This thread is depressing. So I'm wasting my time playing a "dead" game? how the hell am I supposed to get my buddies to go to the track if you guys are writing the epitaph on the game?

Show them videos of Zenyatta dancing and of her fans chanting like rabid cult members.

That's what I'd do.

She's gotten millions of new people into the sport.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

Racing is suffering everywhere... it gets harder and harder to put together "quality" cards. Foal crops are down, quality is diminishing etc.

Foal crop has nothing to do with it yet. Owner crop is down significantly. That is the single biggest problem in the sport right now yet no one wants to admit it or talk about it. People in the sport worry all the time about attracting new customers (which obviously is important) yet the people who are footing the bill for the show with a 95% loss rate are increasingly disappearing. The sad truth is that it is a lot harder to find a guy with enough money willing to buy into ownership than it is to find people who may be interested in the game in general or in becoming a player. The vast majority of the people who follow this board play the races to some degree. What % do you think have the wherewithal to claim a $15000 claimer and pay the bills on a B circuit? 10%? Less? Can you name 1 person in the media or from one of the organizations that have addressed this problem or even acknowledged that it exists? Is there any movement to make the game more attractive for owners?

[phystech]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Foal crop has nothing to do with it yet. Owner crop is down significantly. That is the single biggest problem in the sport right now yet no one wants to admit it or talk about it. People in the sport worry all the time about attracting new customers (which obviously is important) yet the people who are footing the bill for the show with a 95% loss rate are increasingly disappearing. The sad truth is that it is a lot harder to find a guy with enough money willing to buy into ownership than it is to find people who may be interested in the game in general or in becoming a player. The vast majority of the people who follow this board play the races to some degree. What % do you think have the wherewithal to claim a $15000 claimer and pay the bills on a B circuit? 10%? Less? Can you name 1 person in the media or from one of the organizations that have addressed this problem or even acknowledged that it exists? Is there any movement to make the game more attractive for owners?

Couldn't agree more, Chuck - couldn't agree more.

Racing needs to find a way to attract more owners, and then keep them in the game. And I'm not talking about the suit and ties that are only into ownership because they want to go to a party and win the KY Derby, I'm talking about the ones that will gut it out day to day. And when they get their throat stepped on a couple times, they'll still figure out a way to stay in the game. Not many of those kind left anymore...... and we certainly don't get much encouragement from the tracks or the bettors to stick around.

4 weeks ago, I had three horses running. Since then, one was claimed and the other two have had to be retired due to injury. The claim left me with enough to go buy two more, but the restrictive claiming policies at the track I want to claim at denies me the chance to claim. So, instead of being able to spend my money and get back to racing, I'll sit it out for quite a few months until MD opens again and things shake out a little. Does that help my business? No. Does that help the track's business? No. Does that help the bettors? No. Does the track or the bettors care about my business operations? No. But they'll both feel better if my horses don't run on lasix anymore.......