Congrats! YOU are now the...

[DaTruth]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

... czar of racing, the gravity king or queen (or Sheikh for those of you who miss the fights).

You control what gets upgraded and which races are downgraded.

What's your first order of business? What needs to be changed immediately?

The major tracks would only be permitted to hold live racing on Friday through Monday, with no more than 10 races per day. Each of those tracks would be equipped with lights so they can race at night on occasion. The remaining tracks would only be permitted to race on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, with no limit on the number of races they can card on those days.

No stakes race worth more than $200,000 would be scheduled to take place within one week of a stakes race with the same conditions held at another track located within 2,000 miles. Same conditions defined as for the same age and sex, and over the same surface at a distance within 2 furlongs.

The graded stakes system would be revamped, with stakes graded no earlier than 12 months after they are run. The graded stakes committee would be co-chaired by Jerry Brown and DrugS.

[Clip-Clop]

Even though I live here and would miss ski season, tear down the Rockies to make it a nice level playing field for all.

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by Clip-Clop

Even though I live here and would miss ski season, tear down the Rockies to make it a nice level playing field for all.

this is gold!

[philcski]

Originally Posted by Clip-Clop

Even though I live here and would miss ski season, tear down the Rockies to make it a nice level playing field for all.

(just realized ski season is less than 90 days away)

[Clip-Clop]

Originally Posted by philcski

(just realized ski season is less than 90 days away)

60 if you are thinking Loveland and A-Basin like me.

I'd do two chicks at the same time

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by Coach Pants

I'd do two chicks at the same time

just rented that movie last week.. never gets old for me.

[Travis Stone]

Originally Posted by DaTruth

The major tracks would only be permitted to hold live racing on Friday through Monday, with no more than 10 races per day. Each of those tracks would be equipped with lights so they can race at night on occasion. The remaining tracks would only be permitted to race on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, with no limit on the number of races they can card on those days.

This is interesting, and I know what you're saying. I don't think it's quite that simple, as you need a good product more than 3 days a week to keep interest. That said, I've always wondered what would happen if racetracks were forced to bid for their dates...

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

This is interesting, and I know what you're saying. I don't think it's quite that simple, as you need a good product more than 3 days a week to keep interest. That said, I've always wondered what would happen if racetracks were forced to bid for their dates...

I respectfully disagree.

Hong Kong... Wednesday at Happy Valley, Sunday at Sha Tin.

Great horses, jockeys, big fields, huge payouts... maybe it wouldn't work here but it sure does there.

[Travis Stone]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

I respectfully disagree.

Hong Kong... Wednesday at Happy Valley, Sunday at Sha Tin.

Great horses, jockeys, big fields, huge payouts... maybe it wouldn't work here but it sure does there.

Our version of the industry would crumble with racing two days per week at just two tracks.

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

Our version of the industry would crumble with racing two days per week at just two tracks.

In order to crumble there would need to be a foundation.

[Travis Stone]

Originally Posted by Coach Pants

In order to crumble there would need to be a foundation.

Very true.

I get the need for the contraction. One or two days a week would probably be powerful, but for a game that still generates $30 million in gross handle on a Wednesday and Thurs, $40 mil on a Fri, $50-60 mil on an average Saturday... I think the week-long model can work... but right now, we're over-doing it. 15 tracks on a Saturday is insane.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Nothing will ever improve - and the decline will only continue - until the sport can shed its label as a bigtime suckers game.

Meaningful takeout reductions and big rebates just haven't been attempted by any tracks - and betting exchanges are the last great hope for turning the tide... but you know this industry will screw that up. How can anyone have even a morsel of faith?

ESPN and all the Fox Sports stations gets absolutely spammed with poker shows .. because more people care about watching a replay of the 2006 Golden Palace.Com tournament of Tards - or the 2008 Celebrity Showdown - than they do about the Haskell or Whitney.