How does racing today compare to the 70s or 80s?

[Split Rock]

I grew up on racing in the mid 80s and early 90s. I look at the cards today and long for the type of racing I remember when I started.

Is the quality of racing the same today? Better? Worse? Not even really talking about the stakes races but more the other stuff.

Seems like a lot more layoff, droppers win today then they did years ago. I dunno...maybe its just me.

[Port Conway Lane]

That's a broad question depending on exactly what you mean.
When you say droppers win more you are referring to trainers. It would be exhaustive to research those stats. I recall there was talk of collusion among the big three trainers in Maryland in the late 70's in which they wouldn't claim each other's horses. I've always understood racing is healthy when there are abundant claims.

I look at the cards today and long for the type of racing I remember when I started.

I guess that depends on where you played. Today you can choose any track or competitive races with large fields that you wish. In the mid 80's I would play Maryland on the weekends and Charles Town Friday and Saturday night. I couldn't get enough with only 40 races to choose from in between the work week. I do kind of miss that...It doesn't make sense to me but I feel I was more selective back then.

I'd say the quality of racing is no better or worse. People have a way of remembering the good times and forgetting the bad. When you're in the present, the bad times aren't as easily forgotten.

[Arletta]

I don't think there is any comparison to racing then and now... Horses ran more often it seemed back then it was't so much about rushing them off to stud like it is now days. The breed was a bit sturdier too.
Now we are lucky to see horses race past their 3 yr old year. It will never be like it was IMO.

[keithting]

It's like comparing Babe Ruth to Mark McGuire. Good Luck !

I love it when I still see a horse get a "blow out" 1-2 days prior to race day. Don't see it often anymore......

[2Hot4TV]

Horses worked or raced every 5 to 7 days.

You had tons of claiming races of all different values,

10k, 12.5, 16,20,25,32,40,50,62.5k

It was hard to draw in to a race because they filled

You had trouble getting the stalls you wanted

yes the majority of horses could run faster than a fat man, as I remember.

No way could a bunch of horses named Warren get stalls

[herkhorse]

Originally Posted by 2Hot4TV

Horses worked or raced every 5 to 7 days.

You had tons of claiming races of all different values,

10k, 12.5, 16,20,25,32,40,50,62.5k

It was hard to draw in to a race because they filled

You had trouble getting the stalls you wanted

yes the majority of horses could run faster than a fat man, as I remember.

No way could a bunch of horses named Warren get stalls

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by HomerS

Whether intentional or not think you hit on most important part. McGwire- drugs.

Not saying sport was clean back in 70's but not out of control like today. That has large part to do with the differences between now and then.

ridiculous

Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

[randallscott35]

I think drugs were likely just as bad in the 70's. Sorry.

[Arletta]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

I think drugs were likely just as bad in the 70's. Sorry.

Most likely worse... the technology for testing was pretty pre-historic compared to today.

[hoovesupsideyourhead]

[quote=HomerS;655755]Cheaters will always stay ahead of the testers.


tell that to direct tv...

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by HomerS

What is ridiculous?

Was drug use more prevalent in 70's? Is that what you are saying in your own unique way?

Far worse yet people were oblivious to the situation.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by HomerS

They were always there for sure. But dont think they were as mainstream as today. It takes a toll on these horses. Hiding their infirmities. Which they pass down to their breeding line. Causing less sturdier breed.

But overall trainers trained differently then now. Now everyone is aware of and over cautious about the bounce. Maintaining high win percentages. Babying horses.

I really dont feel like going into the entire discussion again but the supposed infirmities that are hidden then passed down theory is not only not valid but simply stupid. There is just no basis to the truth of it. There is no magic lameness gene. What did happen was the selection process in which the best horses were bred and the weakest culled stop being a factor because of the bloodstock boom. You went from having foal crops of 25000 foals in the early 70's to having close to 70000 foals in the mid 80's. You suddenly have more mares in production that would have been deemed unworthy just a decade before than mares that would have been worthy. Naturally there were inferior stallion prospects being utilized and the expansion of book sizes also began. The quantity over quality eventually took its toll by reducing the overall quality of throughbreds as a whole. If the NFL expanded to 90 teams do you not think the overall quality of players and hence play would decrease?

You are correct in saying that trainers train differently. Naturally some of that is due to the decreased quality of the horses but as you pointed out much of it is because of different pressures that they now face.

[LARHAGE]

I think the saddest difference today is the complete lack of interest in racing, I remember being a kid and every weekend you could count on the now defunct Herald Examiner here in L.A. with a racing article about the weekends stakes, I remember when Ack Ack and Cougar ll met the front page of the sports had them facing each other face to face, I had that hanging in my room for years ( wish I had kept it ). My Uncle was a HUGE racing fan and they lived in Arcadia, I would go to their house and he would take me to Santa Anita I would leave him and go spend time in the paddocks and walking rings before running up to see the race, I feel so fortunate that I was able to see Ack Ack, Cougar ll, Chinook Pass (rip) Affirmed, a lot of the Whittingham monster mares, Spectacular Bid, John Henry and so many of those great horses of the past, I remember even petting Quack! I wish people just cared about racing just a fraction as much as back then.

[westcoastinvader]

Originally Posted by LARHAGE

I think the saddest difference today is the complete lack of interest in racing, I remember being a kid and every weekend you could count on the now defunct Herald Examiner here in L.A. with a racing article about the weekends stakes, I remember when Ack Ack and Cougar ll met the front page of the sports had them facing each other face to face, I had that hanging in my room for years ( wish I had kept it ). My Uncle was a HUGE racing fan and they lived in Arcadia, I would go to their house and he would take me to Santa Anita I would leave him and go spend time in the paddocks and walking rings before running up to see the race, I feel so fortunate that I was able to see Ack Ack, Cougar ll, Chinook Pass (rip) Affirmed, a lot of the Whittingham monster mares, Spectacular Bid, John Henry and so many of those great horses of the past, I remember even petting Quack! I wish people just cared about racing just a fraction as much as back then.

There's lots of good news out there though. At least in my backyard. The local OTB has overflow parking on nearly any big national race day.

And hardly a seat to be had on any Saturday.

I mentioned elsewhere that I went to a "homecoming" celebration event for Martin Garcia on Monday evening at the little deli where he used to work. I bet at least a few hundred people dropped in while he was there.

Different racing, but I know when races like "The Carolina Cup" and "The Colonial Cup" are held in South Carolina it's still the place to be with fine attendance.

I took my wife to Golden Gate Fields on Memorial Day and The Turf Club was packed and the apron had a healthy crowd, too.

I know when the fair meets start out here, track attendance will be great on the weekends.

Just saying there's some good, too.

[MisterB]

Sorry, you already missed the best racing. You can't find a race track that can card a race over a mile on dirt now a days. I blame the greedy breeders that breed the bad one time wonders who race 3 times and retire. Then the owners are sucked in to pay enormous prices for their off spring, who by the way was retired do to injury. Then they start all over again, breeding one time wonders.

[johnny pinwheel]

Originally Posted by MisterB

Sorry, you already missed the best racing. You can't find a race track that can card a race over a mile on dirt now a days. I blame the greedy breeders that breed the bad one time wonders who race 3 times and retire. Then the owners are sucked in to pay enormous prices for their off spring, who by the way was retired do to injury. Then they start all over again, breeding one time wonders.

that along with the drugs has caused this. plus, they worry about losing too much. i started getting into racing in the 70's. the track was down the street when i was a kid. horses ran longer distances, a longer schedule and a longer career. the great ones lost and shook it off..they did not go into hiding or "cherry pick" the soft spots as much. there was less money and less choices of tracks. someone mentioned creating interest in the sport. thats hard to maintain when the best horses retire or spend most of the year avoiding each other until that horse racing killer called the breeders cup....this is not football. having some stupid "super bowl" of horse racing kills the rivalries that actually made the game great.

[Indian Charlie]

I lay blame fully on the entire Rocky Mountain range.

[Gate Dancer]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

What did happen was the selection process in which the best horses were bred and the weakest culled stop being a factor because of the bloodstock boom. You went from having foal crops of 25000 foals in the early 70's to having close to 70000 foals in the mid 80's. You suddenly have more mares in production that would have been deemed unworthy just a decade before than mares that would have been worthy. Naturally there were inferior stallion prospects being utilized and the expansion of book sizes also began. The quantity over quality eventually took its toll by reducing the overall quality of throughbreds as a whole. If the NFL expanded to 90 teams do you not think the overall quality of players and hence play would decrease?

Amen.............I've lamented the passing of Ak-Sar-Ben before on this forum but it typifies some of the issues that have come and gone. I grew up in Omaha and started going to Aks when I was 18. Every Saturday there would be 20-25 buses in the parking lot coming from Des Moines, Kansas City, Sioux City, etc. Then, of course, every state wanted to have their own racing facilities and keep the money in their own pockets. Hence, the formation of Prairie Meadows, Canterbury Downs (original name), and The Woodlands. Of course, racing stock is needed for all of these venues so the breeding boom contributes to that. In those days the horse racing industry was the main gambling venue for the public at large. The proliferation of 'alternative' gambling opportunities then happened as the states were looking for tax revenues anywhere they could.

Aks ran basically from late April to early August and in Omaha it was the main focus for every racing day. In the newspaper there were articles every day about the card for the day or about a jockey or trainer. The town just had a buzz going on during the racing season. Average attendance on the weekends was 20-30,000 people. It was as close to a 'major' league sport that the town had. Some pretty nice horses showed up each year for the Omaha Gold Cup and the Cornhusker Handicap. (it still tortures me every year when I see Prairie Meadows hosting the Cornhusker) As far as the horses go, there were many horses that ran 4-5-6 times in a 75 day meet schedule. We never thought anything of it, and I believe the trainers didn't either. One claimer by the name of Dump Truck started the first week at the $5000 level and won 5 races in a row and ended the meet by running in a $50,000 overnight stake. (if my memory is correct)

The basis for my interest of horse-racing in general was formulated here, and I have never lost it. But, had I grown up in the last 20 years things would probably be much different. There are many benefits of being interested in horse-racing now with the ability to bet on multiple tracks and obtain information now that certainly would have been almost impossible to get in the 70's and 80's. I love the opportunities available through OTB's and ADW's but I do miss the excitement and anticipation of a big weekend at the track that only happens at a few venues on selected dates. Things change but my passion for the 'Sport of Kings' is as strong as ever.............

[jpops757]

Originally Posted by Gate Dancer

Amen.............I've lamented the passing of Ak-Sar-Ben before on this forum but it typifies some of the issues that have come and gone. I grew up in Omaha and started going to Aks when I was 18. Every Saturday there would be 20-25 buses in the parking lot coming from Des Moines, Kansas City, Sioux City, etc. Then, of course, every state wanted to have their own racing facilities and keep the money in their own pockets. Hence, the formation of Prairie Meadows, Canterbury Downs (original name), and The Woodlands. Of course, racing stock is needed for all of these venues so the breeding boom contributes to that. In those days the horse racing industry was the main gambling venue for the public at large. The proliferation of 'alternative' gambling opportunities then happened as the states were looking for tax revenues anywhere they could.

Aks ran basically from late April to early August and in Omaha it was the main focus for every racing day. In the newspaper there were articles every day about the card for the day or about a jockey or trainer. The town just had a buzz going on during the racing season. Average attendance on the weekends was 20-30,000 people. It was as close to a 'major' league sport that the town had. Some pretty nice horses showed up each year for the Omaha Gold Cup and the Cornhusker Handicap. (it still tortures me every year when I see Prairie Meadows hosting the Cornhusker) As far as the horses go, there were many horses that ran 4-5-6 times in a 75 day meet schedule. We never thought anything of it, and I believe the trainers didn't either. One claimer by the name of Dump Truck started the first week at the $5000 level and won 5 races in a row and ended the meet by running in a $50,000 overnight stake. (if my memory is correct)

The basis for my interest of horse-racing in general was formulated here, and I have never lost it. But, had I grown up in the last 20 years things would probably be much different. There are many benefits of being interested in horse-racing now with the ability to bet on multiple tracks and obtain information now that certainly would have been almost impossible to get in the 70's and 80's. I love the opportunities available through OTB's and ADW's but I do miss the excitement and anticipation of a big weekend at the track that only happens at a few venues on selected dates. Things change but my passion for the 'Sport of Kings' is as strong as ever.............

Along with your outlook Ill add exotic bets. Ex and DDs were it. Some tracks would offer tris on some races and DDs on the last 2 races also. The biggest change is the simocast. Back then on the weekend Lad would bring in a high dollar race from out of town but no complete cards. Ifollowed Cigars streak via Lad offering these races along with the live card.

[Split Rock]

Originally Posted by Gate Dancer

Amen.............I've lamented the passing of Ak-Sar-Ben before on this forum but it typifies some of the issues that have come and gone. I grew up in Omaha and started going to Aks when I was 18. Every Saturday there would be 20-25 buses in the parking lot coming from Des Moines, Kansas City, Sioux City, etc. Then, of course, every state wanted to have their own racing facilities and keep the money in their own pockets. Hence, the formation of Prairie Meadows, Canterbury Downs (original name), and The Woodlands. Of course, racing stock is needed for all of these venues so the breeding boom contributes to that. In those days the horse racing industry was the main gambling venue for the public at large. The proliferation of 'alternative' gambling opportunities then happened as the states were looking for tax revenues anywhere they could.

Aks ran basically from late April to early August and in Omaha it was the main focus for every racing day. In the newspaper there were articles every day about the card for the day or about a jockey or trainer. The town just had a buzz going on during the racing season. Average attendance on the weekends was 20-30,000 people. It was as close to a 'major' league sport that the town had. Some pretty nice horses showed up each year for the Omaha Gold Cup and the Cornhusker Handicap. (it still tortures me every year when I see Prairie Meadows hosting the Cornhusker) As far as the horses go, there were many horses that ran 4-5-6 times in a 75 day meet schedule. We never thought anything of it, and I believe the trainers didn't either. One claimer by the name of Dump Truck started the first week at the $5000 level and won 5 races in a row and ended the meet by running in a $50,000 overnight stake. (if my memory is correct)

The basis for my interest of horse-racing in general was formulated here, and I have never lost it. But, had I grown up in the last 20 years things would probably be much different. There are many benefits of being interested in horse-racing now with the ability to bet on multiple tracks and obtain information now that certainly would have been almost impossible to get in the 70's and 80's. I love the opportunities available through OTB's and ADW's but I do miss the excitement and anticipation of a big weekend at the track that only happens at a few venues on selected dates. Things change but my passion for the 'Sport of Kings' is as strong as ever.............

Great post. I grew up in the mid to late '80's following Canterbury Downs. I remember so many horses shipping in from AKS. There were some great runners like Who Doctor Who, Orphan Kist, Savings, Explosive Girl, etc.

Who Doctor Who might have been the best sprinter I've ever seen in person. I was near the finish line of the Chaucer Cup in 1988 when Who Doctor Who was nosed out by Don's Irish Melody. They went 6 furlongs in 1:14 flat, which at the time was 1/5 off the world record.

I agree with most of what was posted out here. I do think racing was much more fun and interesting when I started following in the '80's. I also think the #1 culprit in its decline has been the influx of drugs. I can garauntee you that major league baseball would fall apart if the public felt that drugs were dominating the sport. I think the public feels that MLB got control of that situation and believe baseball to be legit.

Imagine if the public perception was that Stephen Strasburg was as good as he is because of performance enhancing drugs. No one would care.