Magna Entertainment Corp (MEC) - Some Perspective

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Actually, for the last few years NYRA has been overseen by NY State government. Sounds like at least " checks and balances " to me.

Are you kidding me. Like the gov't is going to have checks and balances--lol. Plus if it was run correctly, then the gov't would of had to step in.

[sumitas]

At least if you award the bid to the NYRA NY won't have to hassle over who owns the properties.

Originally Posted by sumitas

At least if you award the bid to the NYRA NY won't have to hassle over who owns the properties.

No, but you will be able to buy them at the bankruptcy auction.

NYRA is corrupt trash. They ruined a great franchise with their corrupt organization. Enough with the non-profit fraud they have been pulling too. Non-profit horse racing. Non-profit business=corrupt business. Lets get some new blood in there.

Blacktwind -

1) Meeker's leaving CD has nothing to do with the relevance of my post.

2) Regarding NYRA - it's absolutely my favorite racing venue, bar none. Won three Grade 1 races there last year (Suburban, Hopeful and Champaigne). I love NYRA. You obviously know alot more than I do as to why the franchise is being auctioned off. I wish it wasn't.

3) No Magna infomercial. Just trying to provide some insight from my experiences in the game.

Best of luck to you. You might be interested in viewing the ESPN horse board. Lots more irrelevant bashing going on there.

LR

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by Lbigdog77

Blacktwind -

1) Meeker's leaving CD has nothing to do with the relevance of my post.

2) Regarding NYRA - it's absolutely my favorite racing venue, bar none. Won three Grade 1 races there last year (Suburban, Hopeful and Champaigne). I love NYRA. You obviously know alot more than I do as to why the franchise is being auctioned off. I wish it wasn't.

3) No Magna infomercial. Just trying to provide some insight from my experiences in the game.

Best of luck to you. You might be interested in viewing the ESPN horse board. Lots more irrelevant bashing going on there.

LR

On 1, I realize what your saying but thought it should be mentioned. Believe me, I have heard the criticisms of meeker, but don't know very much about Churchill, to say the least, and really have no opinion on them one way or the other. The Hollywood move didn't seem to be in the best interests of racing though I don't know a lot about it.

2 - The franchise is only being " auctioned off " because for the first time in it's existence there are other entities interested in it and that is for absolutely no other reason than the incoming slots. Don't forget that NYRA was given the extension in 1997 very much because there were simply no other interested parties.

I'll pass on the ESPN board. But thanks for the tip. I, too wish you all the best of luck and continued success, and while we don't know each other ( you do realize we sat in adjacent boxes at Saratoga occasionally last summer? ) I am friendly with Bruce.

Btw -

I'm sure I would recognize you in person.

Currently on this forum, though, you know my name but I don't know yours.

Regarding NYRA, my understanding was that they almost had to file bankruptcy last year prior to the BC. Why, I have no idea.

Again, I love NYRA, and I was as astonished as anyone to hear this. I'm not from NY but firmly believe NYRA is the best TB franchise in the country.

I hope everything works out for the best re: NYRA. LR

[blackthroatedwind]

The real truth is that considering how complicated the entire franchise situation is, and being that we are 18 months from the end of the current franchise agreement, there is next to no chance that this issue will be settled by the end of 2007 and NYRA will, at the very least, be still in charge on an interum basis in January of 2008.

[goingtothewhip]

Originally Posted by Lbigdog77

Blacktwind -


Best of luck to you. You might be interested in viewing the ESPN horse board. Lots more irrelevant bashing going on there.

LR

All that he (blacktwind) did is disagree with you and give his reasons for doing so. I don't see how that is considered "irrelevant bashing"? You remind me of that other oversensitive guy and kind of sound like him. All the Best...

gointothewhip -

"tell the whole story to achieve any credibility"
"thanks for the magna infomercial"

what post are you reading?

Me and BTW are cool after conversing, by the way.

who are you and what's your agenda?

LR

[blackthroatedwind]

Yes, I would agree with the above post. I gave it out...I can take it in return.

No hard feelings from the first response and none now.

S Shipper -

You are absolutely correct re: Meeker and his charter to increase CDI stock value (very serious).

My opinion comes from a TB breeder, owner, etc. though, versus a CDI shareholder.

Meeker has leveraged the CDI enterprise to optimize CDI share price; he's done nothing to promote Thoroughbreds or the sport of racing. My investment / interest in the game is for the horses, not for stock appreciation in any of the enterprises that own the tracks.

LR

[ForestofWonders]

Originally Posted by Lbigdog77

S Shipper -

You are absolutely correct re: Meeker and his charter to increase CDI stock value (very serious).

My opinion comes from a TB breeder, owner, etc. though, versus a CDI shareholder.

Meeker has leveraged the CDI enterprise to optimize CDI share price; he's done nothing to promote Thoroughbreds or the sport of racing. My investment / interest in the game is for the horses, not for stock appreciation in any of the enterprises that own the tracks.

LR

good points in this post

[Suffolk Shippers]

Originally Posted by Lbigdog77

S Shipper -

You are absolutely correct re: Meeker and his charter to increase CDI stock value (very serious).

My opinion comes from a TB breeder, owner, etc. though, versus a CDI shareholder.

Meeker has leveraged the CDI enterprise to optimize CDI share price; he's done nothing to promote Thoroughbreds or the sport of racing. My investment / interest in the game is for the horses, not for stock appreciation in any of the enterprises that own the tracks.

LR

Point well taken, my friend. It is rather unfortunate that there doesnt seem to be a platform where both could co exist peacefully. Someone who can bring the passion for the game and the desire to see it succeed like Stronach while still having the ability to run a company that turns profits for investors.
I dont own any stock in CDI or MEC so I much prefer to see money invested to promote the good of the game.

Just an example, many people get angry or frustrated (myself included sometimes) when an owner takes no chances and pulls a horse from the track and sends him to the breeding shed. The owner has no incentive to keep the horse on the track and risk losing him to some unfortunate injury, etc. You would think track owners could come together and offer some kind of incentive to keep horses on the track, jack up purses, etc.

That might be a crappy example, but I think you get my point. I know I get yours as well. I was speaking from the stand point of a business school grad and it's better that someone like you who has an unabashed passion for the game is running the horses and not someone like myself, who is cold hard business. I still love the game, though.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by eurobounce

Are you kidding me. Like the gov't is going to have checks and balances--lol. Plus if it was run correctly, then the gov't would of had to step in.

Not sure what you mean. However, if you are suggesting that the government hasn't been overseeing just about everything NYRA has done over the last few years then I can absolutely guarantee you that you are wrong.

Furthermore, if you are suggesting the government moved in simply because NYRA wasn't running racing " correctly " then you are not looking at the situation with an unbiased eye.

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Not sure what you mean. However, if you are suggesting that the government hasn't been overseeing just about everything NYRA has done over the last few years then I can absolutely guarantee you that you are wrong.

Furthermore, if you are suggesting the government moved in simply because NYRA wasn't running racing " correctly " then you are not looking at the situation with an unbiased eye.

I know the Gov't has been overseeing the NYRA for the past couple of years. What I am suggesting is that the Gov't is a buddy buddy systems with worse checks and balances than the NYRA. Pataki is fine but what does the State Gov't know about running a race track.

[blackthroatedwind]

They are NOT running the racetrack. But they are checking ( and perhaps balancing ) NYRA's every move.

I will withhold judgement on your Pataki comment.

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

They are NOT running the racetrack. But they are checking ( and perhaps balancing ) NYRA's every move.

I will withhold judgement on your Pataki comment.

I'll chime in on Pataki. He is an idiot. Guy thinks he can be President in 2008. What a clueless idiot. Keep government out of horse racing. Funny but the seats at Saratoga are like gold chips to politicians. They use horse racing in NY like a chip but could care less about the betting public.

Originally Posted by Hoisttheflag

I'll chime in on Pataki. He is an idiot. Guy thinks he can be President in 2008. What a clueless idiot. Keep government out of horse racing. Funny but the seats at Saratoga are like gold chips to politicians. They use horse racing in NY like a chip but could care less about the betting public.

Amen, the gov't needs to stay out of horse racing period. Pataki is a idiot but he is better than Spitzer. Some group of politicians New York has
1) bloomberg--idiot
2) Clinton -- idiot
3) Pataki -- idiot
4) Spitzer--idiot

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by eurobounce

Amen, the gov't needs to stay out of horse racing period. Pataki is a idiot but he is better than Spitzer. Some group of politicians New York has
1) bloomberg--idiot
2) Clinton -- idiot
3) Pataki -- idiot
4) Spitzer--idiot

Well, 1 out of 4 isn't bad.

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

They are NOT running the racetrack. But they are checking ( and perhaps balancing ) NYRA's every move.

I will withhold judgement on your Pataki comment.

You have got to be kidding me if you believe this. They are just acting like they are over seeing things. The gov't on any level cannot run things correctly. Too many people who want a slice of the pie and people who do not know what they are doing.