8/2 (MNR): West Virginia Derby (Gr. III)

[3kings]

Originally Posted by Danzig

yes, i understand all that. i just think it's a shame a grade three has so many listed at such a light weight. these are supposed to be the better horses, shouldn't they be able to carry more than 111?

I think they assign such light weight so not to discourage owners & horseman from entering. This along with 750K helps them get a bigger field and better horses. This is especially true if they are looking at other similar races this summer, PA derby etc....

[Danzig]

by the same token, having lightweight horses (literally and figuratively) can jeopardize their graded status in future. i think you'd be better off drawing the top horses, even with a small field-rather than having a no name carrying feather weight manage a surprise-and have the graded stakes committee penalize your premiere race as a result.

[ALostTexan]

Originally Posted by Danzig

by the same token, having lightweight horses (literally and figuratively) can jeopardize their graded status in future. i think you'd be better off drawing the top horses, even with a small field-rather than having a no name carrying feather weight manage a surprise-and have the graded stakes committee penalize your premiere race as a result.

Which is the major problem with racing today. The only concern, which is legitimate for the track, is to maintain their graded stakes status to keep the breeders happy. It isn't about the horseplayers, who fund the sport, but instead it is just about keeping the breeders happy.

I hear people complain about "too much racing" all of the time, which I don't disagree with, but the other problem is that there are way too many graded stakes, which only dilute the fields...

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by ALostTexan

Which is the major problem with racing today. The only concern, which is legitimate for the track, is to maintain their graded stakes status to keep the breeders happy. It isn't about the horseplayers, who fund the sport, but instead it is just about keeping the breeders happy.

I hear people complain about "too much racing" all of the time, which I don't disagree with, but the other problem is that there are way too many graded stakes, which only dilute the fields...

i think the track wants to maintain gr status so they can try to draw fans in, which means more handle-and of course you ought to be able to draw better horses if they are running for a grade. but perhaps there are too many graded races because of too many tracks, too many horses. except in detroit.

interesting to note that a gr 3 has to have a 150k minimum purse. this race has 5 times that, but is still a gr 3-due no doubt to lack of good horses to fill the field each year.

[3kings]

Mountaneer is more concerned about slot income than the track. If they cared about the racing they would fix up the facilities. I believe the jock's room still has a partial dirt floor. The only reason they race is because they must, to keep the slots. The purses are descent because they have to give away the money, which is the same reason the WV Derby purse is 750K. The CEO (Ted Arneau) is a big sports fan and an egomaniac which is why he shines up this crap hole once a year to stroke his own ego. That being said I will probably be there tomorrow.

[ALostTexan]

Originally Posted by 3kings

Mountaneer is more concerned about slot income than the track. If they cared about the racing they would fix up the facilities. I believe the jock's room still has a partial dirt floor. The only reason they race is because they must, to keep the slots. The purses are descent because they have to give away the money, which is the same reason the WV Derby purse is 750K. The CEO (Ted Arneau) is a big sports fan and an egomaniac which is why he shines up this crap hole once a year to stroke his own ego. That being said I will probably be there tomorrow.

I was on a group project that did an in-depth study of MTR Gaming this past spring. When you look at their revenues from Mountaineer and Presque Isle Downs, they make tons of money from the casinos. Then way, way behind that is their revenues off racing. And BETWEEN those, just a little higher than racing, is Food and Beverage and Lodging.

So, they are making more money from F&B than racing...

[-BT-]

it looked like those horses were running in quiksand..... recapture NEVER settled in, Graham was working on that horse from the gate, never rated, and after backing up took 2 horses w/him who had to check behind him.
Game ride by Jules


-bt-