To Dahoss: I didn't reply to every else's comments or I'd be writing a book. I think there were some good points in there and others I disagree with but I read them all. I could have argued back and forth about an extra grade 1 winner being in a field or 2 but I just don't see the point. I would probably just tell you that just because a horse wins a grade 1, it doesn't make them a top horse these days. At the end of the day it looks like many would swear that was good racing while I wouldn't and I don't think anyone's going to budge on that. But regarding your question of what's NYRA to do? That is a loaded question as you indicated. My experience in racing is strictly as a weekend player (every weekend) over the past 18 years and not from working in a racing office. As such, without common exposure to the horsemen or the inner day to day operations it's tough to feel very confident about responding to that question. But you asked so for starters, I think all circuits need to find ways to employ a 'less is more' initiative. There's just too much racing across the country and horsemen have too many options these days and the demand to fill races (especially stakes) outweighs the supply of horses to fill them. Less racing days and less races appears mandatory to keep quality up. Perhaps there should also be a penalty placed on connections who enter and scratch horses due to something other than physical issues (pending review by track vet) or surface switch. Whether it be a penalty fee or hold placed on being able to run back at the meet or both, I'm not sure. This may tick off horsemen initially but they're the ones not running their horses and other times cross-entering them to take advantage of easiest spot. The Beldame/Cotillion issue is typical in racing in that these jurisdications don't cooperate with eachother. Everyone wants their own piece of the pie without looking forward to the greater good of the sport. Perhaps NYRA should extend the olive branch (not saying they haven't or that other circuits shouldn't but you asked what's NYRA supposed to do) and try to come together for the good of the overall sport (which will have trickle down effects down the road) and work with other tracks when developing the stakes schedule. Without any oversight, that's a toughie though to get implemented. Or here's something that I don't think anybody could argue with. How about trying to coordinate post times better. No reason stakes races at major tracks should go off within 10 minutes of one another. Decent software could solve that problem assuming the parties played ball. Seems like a no-brainer. That won't impact field size or quality but perhaps using something like that to start cross-circuit comradery could lead to the more difficult challenge of stakes coordination agreement in the future.
Maybe all these things are being worked on. If they are, great and I'll look forward to hopefully seeing results.
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10-08-2011, 10:46 AM
Hybrid Mode
