Breeders' Cup Permanent Site
 

What do people think about this? I like the idea of keeping at CD every year. The event seems to draw a big crowd every year they hold it there. The lights for night racing add a cool twist. You don't have the heat of SoCal or the abundance of one-turn races like at Belmont. Center of the country.

Was there a big crowd Friday?

Compared to what?

They should get rid of the two day format anyway, but that is beside the point.

Everyone i talked to that was there said the place was empty except the bathrooms where they went to get warm

41,614

were some posing as empty seats?

that's all I saw on ESPN, empty seats

To be fair, it seemed like there were more people there than last year's Friday at SA. 41K, no way- like I said Friday to you I guessed 25K.

I would vote for CD as a permanent site in a heartbeat.

Yep.

I should have wrote... reported attendance. Didn't look like that many to me either.

Would love it if Churchill worked out a permanent arrangement. I guess that's selfish of me because I have a much more difficult time making it to NY or Cali....as for Friday and the 2 day event- count me in the minority, but I loved it. It was a bit chilly, but nothing you couldn't stand. I love the racing under the lights and the extra day to play.

I hope they don't make it a permanent site.

It's a terrible idea to make a permanent site so that is just what they will do.

hialeah..its warm..

as i've said before, a permanent site is a bad idea.
however, if they choose to pick one, it absolutely should be CD. they have better handle and attendance then any other track that's hosted it.

Friday was definitely the "less crowded" day, but it was still fun.

I'm a fan of the two day event. More play, better for the local economy etc.

Garbage. NY handles big days better and doesn't play with the track like the clowns in KY do.

not sure what you're calling garbage. i've read an article that shows handle for each bc, and cd's always the biggest.

That's an awful idea!

Believe it or not not everyone wants to go running to Churchill.

I live in LA, best one I've been to was Belmont.

They need to be fair to us, the east coast, people closer to Gulfstream, Woodbine, Lone Star...

No way should it be at 1 place no matter which place their talking about, period.

The 2 day event is ok but why have it on friday? Sat and Sun sounds better.

I hate the idea of a permanent site for a BC, and think it's terribly unfair for CD to get to host racing's 2 biggest days...I like a traveling BC site. And think that no one should have it 2 years in a row....Dirt and Poly should both be part of the equation.

Who exactly is it unfair to?

you're fired

I would like to see it at Fair Grounds. A good bit of temporary seating would have to be brought in, but the weather would be perfect and New Orleans excels at hosting major sporting events.

Good luck getting anyone to watch with the NFL going on at the same time.

That's actually a pretty good idea. Can they run 10 furlongs at The Fairgrounds? I don't follow it closely and can't ever remember seeing a 10 furlong dirt race.

They can- mile track and the quarter pole is after the turn. I'd love to see the BC at the FG.

Sure they can. The New Orleans Handicap was run at 10 furlongs from the 1970s until 1986.

Not necessarily so.

Ravioli could come up with a marketing plan to start the races at 6 AM EST, and maybe have the BCC at halftime of some big game.

Yeah I just went to their site and saw they don't use the disatance anymore. Any idea why?

It's unfair to the other capapble racetrack operators and fans in other parts of the country who may not be able to afford to travel. I actually was a bit bored with the Euro performances on dirt (as usual)!!! Poly make it a more level playing field for them, but less for the east coasters.

They thought shortening the NO Hcp to 9 furlongs would make it more appealing. At the time it seemed like a bad idea considering the 1986 field was pretty good as it featured Herat (who was coming off a second in the Big Cap), Roo Art, and Hopeful Word.

If they're going to have a permanent site, I think Santa Anita would be the best place, now that they are going back to regular dirt. I think the risk of rain is too great when they run back east. It's a shame when important races are run in the slop. We were very fortunate this year that there was no rain in Louisville.

The NFL would stand for Not For Long for all of us if we tried going up against that 1000lb Gorilla:eek:

I wouldn't mind having it at a synthetic racetrack again.

You can eliminate practically half the field in each race in a synthetic BC. From a handicapping standpoint, it's wonderful.

I hate the permanent site idea
besides California will soon be insolvent

I was kind of surprised, but the crowd thinned noticeably for the last couple races.

on a sunday during football season? yeah, ratings would be thru the roof.


edit-i see others beat me to that punch.



absolutely, i think the bc should travel. it's been billed as being for all breeders, not just those in ky.

Having been there live each of the last two runnings, there is no question in my mind that Santa Anita should be the permanent site. Not only is the weather much better but the venue had had more of a big event feel.

The racing is the draw regardless of location but Santa Anita takes most of the weather variables out of the mix and is much easier to get to (even for those of us on the east coast) logistically.

Paul

Cup at Saratoga?
 

With the construction to begin next fall after the Saratoga meet for a new state of the art clubhouse wrapping around the 1st turn I give 10 years before the Cup comes to Saratoga. You have to believe....

Scat