Breeders' Cup Going for Grade 1's Again

[MaTH716]

I personally like it as a one day event. I also think that it is easier to promote to the casual fan. Who is going to pay huge amounts of money for tickets to 4 days of racing? How many people ate the tickets for the first day in the monsoon this year? In my opinion a 3 year old race at 1 1/4 is a bad idea, even with the conditions you applied. So if Curlin and Street Sense go to the classic you are left with Hard Spun, AGS and a bunch of mediocore 3 year olds running in a BC race. What would have the Classic been if those horses would have opted for the 3 year old race? I just do not think that it would be good for the BC.

[whodey17]

Originally Posted by MaTH716

I personally like it as a one day event. I also think that it is easier to promote to the casual fan. Who is going to pay huge amounts of money for tickets to 4 days of racing? How many people ate the tickets for the first day in the monsoon this year? In my opinion a 3 year old race at 1 1/4 is a bad idea, even with the conditions you applied. So if Curlin and Street Sense go to the classic you are left with Hard Spun, AGS and a bunch of mediocore 3 year olds running in a BC race. What would have the Classic been if those horses would have opted for the 3 year old race? I just do not think that it would be good for the BC.

Good points and you are probably right. I am trying to come up with someway to increase the number of half-way decent entrants.

[MaTH716]

You know it's the Breeders Cup. Usually full fields, with the exception of the turf classic. European shippers, how will the 3 year olds fare, who's stretchin out, who is on the turf. There are plenty of storylines. Handicapping is tough enough, now 2 year old races and even worse synthetic surfaces. It's the Super Bowl of racing, it will always be exciting. Just as long as they do not dilute the product.

[whodey17]

MaTH - you believe that the BC shouldn't be expanded to the possible dilution of fields? If the BC powers could come up with a way to expand the prodcut without diluting the fields, would you be in favor of that? I am in favor of expanding the BC format to 4 days. Europeans pay good money to come over here for the BC. Why not give them the opportunity to witness 3 or 4 great days of racing instead of just 2? I do not think that all BC races should be Grade I's. My feeling on racing in America is that the mid-level racing is more competitive that the high level of racing. I would not mind at all to see an evenly matched field of high level allowance horses and some Grade III horses compete

[MaTH716]

Originally Posted by whodey17

MaTH - you believe that the BC shouldn't be expanded to the possible dilution of fields? If the BC powers could come up with a way to expand the prodcut without diluting the fields, would you be in favor of that? I am in favor of expanding the BC format to 4 days. Europeans pay good money to come over here for the BC. Why not give them the opportunity to witness 3 or 4 great days of racing instead of just 2? I do not think that all BC races should be Grade I's. My feeling on racing in America is that the mid-level racing is more competitive that the high level of racing. I would not mind at all to see an evenly matched field of high level allowance horses and some Grade III horses compete

I think 4 days of the breeders cup is a horrible idea. If you want to try to lure Europeans here for American racing, then promote things like Saratoga and even Del Mar. Here is a novel idea, promote here in America too. That is 30 days of good racing. I just always worry about the state of horse racing in the U.S. and not too many people (outside of this board) will or even can take 2-4 days off to go to the track. After this year, who is going to lay all that money out for tickets for four days of racing.? I liked the BC when it they were using the one day format. I can live with the 2 day deal, but I can not see them expanding it any further without diluting the product. So for the 9-11 races they want to run, i think they should just have it one day. As far as the graded stautus of these races, I just think that it just doesn't matter to a large percentage of people outside the industry. When these people see and talk about a horse like Curlin, they do not say that he has won 3 G1 races. They remember he won the Preakness and the BC classic. I bet you half of them do not even know what a G1 race is. But inside the industry i can understand people not wanting to make some of the races G1's. Bottom Line is that personally I thought that there was nothing wrong with the format and now they are trying to fix it just so they can make more money.

[fpsoxfan]

Originally Posted by MaTH716

You know it's the Breeders Cup. Usually full fields, with the exception of the turf classic. European shippers, how will the 3 year olds fare, who's stretchin out, who is on the turf. There are plenty of storylines. Handicapping is tough enough, now 2 year old races and even worse synthetic surfaces. It's the Super Bowl of racing, it will always be exciting. Just as long as they do not dilute the product.

I agree, but unfortunately many people don't see it that way. One day of 8 or 9 Breeder's cup races is PLENTY! It's just nuts that people want to see this go to as many as 4 days.