Pletcher going to California

Originally Posted by bogeydaman

[html]December is a great month there.[html]

Then things changed. The racing has been destroyed at Gulf, plain and simple. The incredible amount of claiming races, VERY cheap horses and non2 life claimers(which are even worse than the regular ones) have left most gamblers unhappy, and horsemen even unhappier.

IMO the quality of racing at Calder in December and racing during the Jan-March Gulfstream meets are comparable (and if they are comparable I would rather go to CRC for all the reasons you state). I am merely stating that this is not the picture you are painting in your prior statments and in your quotes above. IMO they take the same cheap horses running 2/3 of the races at CRC and run them at GP. The Saturday stakes "model / weekends" are similar as well (stick 4-6 stakes races onto one card every couple weeks). This is not new to the past 2 years. Midweek cards at GP were always filled with CRC, MON, CD rejects for cheap purses (I have been going to both for 15 years).

If you want to make the argument that we should expect more from GP for all the reasons you state I can't argue with that. I absolutely believe they have the ability to write better races and have an obligation to do so. In their defense and I don't have the data to back it up (I am sure others on this board do) but from my memory the purse structure at GP has been comparable the past 2 years to the pre Stronach area. This is despite horrible attendance and from what my memory has been a horrible handle the past 2 years.

I am giving them a partial pass for the past 2 years (quality of 3 year old racing only, not facility design) and am expecting a turnaround if not this year then by next (slots).

I am obviously not going to sway your opinion so we agree to disagree.

Peace out.

P.S. I went from an 1 / week attendee prior to 1 / month attendee the past 2 years (IE I hear ya)

Bogey but they DO offer more purse money in December. They write many more allowances and maiden special weights as opposed to claimers.
Calder can't penalize their own horseman who race there all year by only rasing purses when the out of towners are there.
They distribute purse money based on handle.

Now with Gulf its just tragic. You only go once a month as opposed to once a week? Ouch.
The best line I have heard in regards to Gulf's sorry cards the last few years is this one, told to me by a friend who retired three years ago and bought a Florida winter place. His line was a sad but true beauty, he said " You know what the ****ing crazy thing is? I used to go to Aqueduct in the winter to bet Gulfstream. Now I'm going to Gulfstream to bet Aqueduct!!"

[georgewashington]

Originally Posted by oracle80

Bogey but they DO offer more purse money in December. They write many more allowances and maiden special weights as opposed to claimers.
Calder can't penalize their own horseman who race there all year by only rasing purses when the out of towners are there.
They distribute purse money based on handle.

Now with Gulf its just tragic. You only go once a month as opposed to once a week? Ouch.
The best line I have heard in regards to Gulf's sorry cards the last few years is this one, told to me by a friend who retired three years ago and bought a Florida winter place. His line was a sad but true beauty, he said " You know what the ****ing crazy thing is? I used to go to Aqueduct in the winter to bet Gulfstream. Now I'm going to Gulfstream to bet Aqueduct!!"

You seem to know very little about the Gulfstream situation and what the business plan is. You might want to stick to talking about something that you know about. Gulfstream was built with slots in mind and they are coming. The meet will be a top meet in the country by 2008. Horseman love both facilities. Everyone knew they would have to live with growing pains.

Unlike the disgusting dorms NYRA provides at Saratoga and Belmont, Gulfstream has some of the nicest dorms in the world for the backstretch workers. I guess NYRA puts all the money in the purses. Who cares about the backstretch workers. Right?

Originally Posted by georgewashington

You seem to know very little about the Gulfstream situation and what the business plan is. You might want to stick to talking about something that you know about. Gulfstream was built with slots in mind and they are coming. The meet will be a top meet in the country by 2008. Horseman love both facilities. Everyone knew they would have to live with growing pains.

Unlike the disgusting dorms NYRA provides at Saratoga and Belmont, Gulfstream has some of the nicest dorms in the world for the backstretch workers. I guess NYRA puts all the money in the purses. Who cares about the backstretch workers. Right?

Oh I'm quite aware of the plan!! The plan is to run lower quality racing with rock bottom purses until slots come in and then they can pay all the freight.
Funny, but Ky and Cali and Ny don't have slots and they all pay purses much higher.
Horsemen may love the facilities but as many have wondered aloud, why go to the work of installing such great surfaces to race on and the great Palm Meadows training center if all you are gonna run is claiming races?
Two years in a row the horseman have gone in and complained about the races being written. Its been covered in the DRF, in case you don't read that publication.

[georgewashington]

Originally Posted by oracle80

Oh I'm quite aware of the plan!! The plan is to run lower quality racing with rock bottom purses until slots come in and then they can pay all the freight.
Funny, but Ky and Cali and Ny don't have slots and they all pay purses much higher.
Horsemen may love the facilities but as many have wondered aloud, why go to the work of installing such great surfaces to race on and the great Palm Meadows training center if all you are gonna run is claiming races?
Two years in a row the horseman have gone in and complained about the races being written. Its been covered in the DRF, in case you don't read that publication.

Yes, the horseman hate it and that is why Barbaro, Bernardini, Jazil, Sharp Humor, Showing Up, Keyed Entry, etc. all were based there.

Have you seen the condition books for this winter? I am going to guess you are making your statements based on absolutely nothing. Please learn to stick to things that you know about. Let me guess, you know everything and you know what the condition books are going to be. Last I checked, everyone is coming back this winter. How are you criticizing Gulfstreams racing for this winter without seeing the condition books?


Slots will do for Gulfstream what they did for Delaware Park. Purses will double.

I am going to assume you know nothing about slots and the revenue they will bring in. Probably because in New York they can't get their act together and get them.

Please let me know why NYRA can't provide liveable dorms for the workers but poor old Gulfstream can?

[Nostradamus]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

Seriously though, do you really think the slots are coming anytime soon? How long has Calder been trying to get slots? Jeb isn't too keen on the idea.

Gulfstream yes

http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=35279

GW

[georgewashington]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

Any chance that they get the runaround like Philly Park is now getting? I know the article says they plan on opening next month, but Jeb has been pretty adament about trying to keep them out.

Jeb is leaving in a few weeks. Crist and Davis have both said they will go with what the people wanted and they voted for slots.

There are some Republicans that are upset, but Paul Cellucci, the Republican former governor of Massachusetts, has a lot of influence with them, and he now works for MEC.

[Round Pen]

(Scratching Head) I could have sworn I heard someone else mention slots at Gulstream a couple of pages ago in this thread

[Nostradamus]

Originally Posted by Round Pen

(Scratching Head) I could have sworn I heard someone else mention slots at Gulstream a couple of pages ago in this thread

George Washington knows a hell of a lot more about Gulfstream and any MEC track than Oracle. Gulfstream is going to be awesome.