OFFICIAL: '09 Cup Back to Santa Anita

[philcski]

Originally Posted by SCUDSBROTHER

People from the east coast are just too f'n ignorant to realize we had to put synthetic in because we couldn't fill cards out here.We had 4-7 horses in almost every race except cal bred m32cl....O.K.? We had to get the horses we had to the track more...Had to. Dirt was making it impossible to have good cards.I don't think just making the dirt more "eastern" (slower times etc. )would have been enough.We don't have as many horses here.You must not remember how horrible the cards were getting out here.So bad I was playing New York.I haven't played New York now for quite a while.

I don't disagree with your opinion that something had to be done to improve field size. It was unplayable when there was 4-5 horses in each race. I LOVE playing Hollywood with the new surface and I don't think I bet Hwd more than 3-4 times a year before that. My problem is with awarding the BC, the sport's 2nd most prestigious event, to the same facility two years in a row- denying fans in other parts of the country the opportunity to attend. I'll likely be there for both, but most people aren't as fortunate (or passionate) as me to be able to spend probably $1500 to fly to LA, buy tickets and a hotel. Seems like a twofold knee jerk reaction to the poor weather at Monmouth ( which truly was just bad luck- it hadn't rained much for months before that weekend, which was a deluge) and a moneygrab with CDSN's deserved higher demands.

Originally Posted by King Glorious

I don't understand why it can't be awarded to Belmont. The racing situation seems very stable there. Or why not Churchill or Arlington? They are begging for it. With so many options out there right now, why SA again?

If Magna was truly the only viable bidder then they could have put it at another one of their facilities. Gulfstream and Lone Star have been successful hosts in the past and I don't think anyone would complain if they went there again.

[outofthebox]

Since Magna oswns both SA and GP i dont think we will ever see the BC run at GP ever again. Stronach i think took GP out of the running when he rebuilt his grandstand to a non racing friendly facility.

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by philcski

I don't disagree with your opinion that something had to be done to improve field size. It was unplayable when there was 4-5 horses in each race. I LOVE playing Hollywood with the new surface and I don't think I bet Hwd more than 3-4 times a year before that. My problem is with awarding the BC, the sport's 2nd most prestigious event, to the same facility two years in a row- denying fans in other parts of the country the opportunity to attend. I'll likely be there for both, but most people aren't as fortunate (or passionate) as me to be able to spend probably $1500 to fly to LA, buy tickets and a hotel. Seems like a twofold knee jerk reaction to the poor weather at Monmouth ( which truly was just bad luck- it hadn't rained much for months before that weekend, which was a deluge) and a moneygrab with CDSN's deserved higher demands.



If Magna was truly the only viable bidder then they could have put it at another one of their facilities. Gulfstream and Lone Star have been successful hosts in the past and I don't think anyone would complain if they went there again.

Gulfstream is not an option at all because of how they've redone the place. Personally, I liked Lone Star and wouldn't mind it there again but plenty of people complained when it was there. I think that having gone through the experience, they would be better prepared the next time. The weather is usually pretty good there at that time, it's a major metropolitan area that is easily accessible from anywhere by any mode of transportation, they've got the hotel space and plenty of entertainment options, and it's pretty central so there are no "home track" advantages for either the east or west coast horses. Keeping in mind all of that, I wonder if Sam Houston would be an option to consider. I don't know anything about the track there but if it's got a big enough track and facility to host the BC, I think they should get a look.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

Gulfstream is not an option at all because of how they've redone the place. Personally, I liked Lone Star and wouldn't mind it there again but plenty of people complained when it was there. I think that having gone through the experience, they would be better prepared the next time. The weather is usually pretty good there at that time, it's a major metropolitan area that is easily accessible from anywhere by any mode of transportation, they've got the hotel space and plenty of entertainment options, and it's pretty central so there are no "home track" advantages for either the east or west coast horses. Keeping in mind all of that, I wonder if Sam Houston would be an option to consider. I don't know anything about the track there but if it's got a big enough track and facility to host the BC, I think they should get a look.

You been to GP since they redid it? I completely disagree that they couldn't host another BC. There's plenty of room for temporary seating. The place is gorgeous, I'm tired of people bashing it.

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by philcski

You been to GP since they redid it? I completely disagree that they couldn't host another BC. There's plenty of room for temporary seating. The place is gorgeous, I'm tired of people bashing it.

I wonder if more than ten people on here would agree with you that it's capable of hosting another one. Even five might be a stretch. I like the place too.....for everyday racing. I just don't see it as a viable BC host site anymore. I wish it was because I loved going to Florida for the BC.

[SniperSB23]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

I wonder if more than ten people on here would agree with you that it's capable of hosting another one. Even five might be a stretch. I like the place too.....for everyday racing. I just don't see it as a viable BC host site anymore. I wish it was because I loved going to Florida for the BC.

I finally got down to Gulfstream and was surprised how much room there is there. They could definitely host a BC. Would need to put in a lot of temporary seating but there is tons of room for it. The parking lot goes all the way down the stretch so they could back it up a few spaces and extend the general admission area all the way down. Charge an arm and a leg for the limited seats in the grandstand for the people that absolutely need to sit in their posh seating and make all the rest general admission including the temporary seating. The only stumbling block is parking but that can be worked out with shuttles. Gulfstream is far more capable of handling 50,000 than Pimlico is of handling 100,000.