Slots are in at Gulfstream

[Revolution]

I don't expect a great meet this year, but the slots in a place like south florida will definitely help, especially going forward. NY would have slots by now if it wasn't for the politicians and the mobsters at NYRA who don't want slots cutting into their bookmaking operation.

I guess you could always bed the great racing at the Big A, when they do race there. LOL. If you like bad maiden races the Big A is great. If you like sloppy tracks and cancelled cards, and racing in 10 degree weather, stick with the Big A.


Racing is changing. Live with it. 3 great things.

NYRA will soon be gone.
Polytrack is taking over and horses are safer.
Gulfstream is on it's way to becoming a great track.

[Buffymommy]

Give Gulfstream some credit for at least trying to better themselves. Here's to hoping!

I know I will at least be there for the FL Derby.

Originally Posted by Buffymommy

Give Gulfstream some credit for at least trying to better themselves. Here's to hoping!

I know I will at least be there for the FL Derby.

But what are they "trying" to make better? Are they trying to make horse racing better or are they trying to make their profits better? I honestly dont think they really care about improving their racing. They used racing as a vehicle to slots to line their pockets. Soon they will be pushing for card tables, etc etc. Racing is going to become secondary to Gulf.

[Revolution]

Originally Posted by eurobounce

But what are they "trying" to make better? Are they trying to make horse racing better or are they trying to make their profits better? I honestly dont think they really care about improving their racing. They used racing as a vehicle to slots to line their pockets. Soon they will be pushing for card tables, etc etc. Racing is going to become secondary to Gulf.

They are doing what all racetracks will need to do in order to survive. Only two meets in the country can survive the way things are now and they are short and in good weather.

The guys who now own Gulfstream saw the writing on the wall and did something. Go to Aqueduct in the winter and tell me how they expect that place to survive. No slots, no survival.

[Buffymommy]

Originally Posted by eurobounce

But what are they "trying" to make better? Are they trying to make horse racing better or are they trying to make their profits better? I honestly dont think they really care about improving their racing. They used racing as a vehicle to slots to line their pockets. Soon they will be pushing for card tables, etc etc. Racing is going to become secondary to Gulf.

If the attendance at the Hard Rock Casino in Miami is any indication how slots will do at Gulfstream, I do look for attendance to be up a great deal. Not sure what they are going to do with the money, they do have to pay for the "upgrade". I am hoping they will do the right thing and make Gulfstream a track that everyone wants to visit. I think it may take more than a year or two (maybe 5 to 10 years), but I think it will eventually be good for the racing and the horses. Meaning the $$$ will trickle down to the good of the racing eventually.

[Pointg5]

The track configuration and spacing of the races for the Triple Crown is a nightmare, yes Barbaro won, but he won despite that set up. Look for horses to make an early start there and then ship out to FG and Oaklawn for their serious preps. That configuration is a joke...

[Revolution]

Originally Posted by Pointg5

The track configuration and spacing of the races for the Triple Crown is a nightmare, yes Barbaro won, but he won despite that set up. Look for horses to make an early start there and then ship out to FG and Oaklawn for their serious preps. That configuration is a joke...

I think quite the opposite. The 5 weeks out is going to be the norm. It keeps horses fresh. I think it stinks that horses don't race frequently but the top horses are going to use that Florida Derby. Trainers who think they have a triple crown horse are going to go that 5 week out route. Look at Invasor off a few months, look at Ghostzapper. Longer time off is becoming the norm for great horses.

[Pointg5]

Originally Posted by Revolution

I think quite the opposite. The 5 weeks out is going to be the norm. It keeps horses fresh. I think it stinks that horses don't race frequently but the top horses are going to use that Florida Derby. Trainers who think they have a triple crown horse are going to go that 5 week out route. Look at Invasor off a few months, look at Ghostzapper. Longer time off is becoming the norm for great horses.

You have to go a 1 turn mile or right to a 1 1/8th, that's too much for 3yo's that early, it's rediculous...

I don't think it will be the norm with a 5 week layoff, it happened once in a long time and it took a special horse to do it...

You can't compare Invasior and GZ to prepping for the Derby, they were older horses...

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by Revolution

I think quite the opposite. The 5 weeks out is going to be the norm. It keeps horses fresh. I think it stinks that horses don't race frequently but the top horses are going to use that Florida Derby. Trainers who think they have a triple crown horse are going to go that 5 week out route. Look at Invasor off a few months, look at Ghostzapper. Longer time off is becoming the norm for great horses.

You can't be serious...

Barbaro was a huge bet against for many people because of that 5 week layoff. He was the exception more than the norm...

Originally Posted by Revolution

I think quite the opposite. The 5 weeks out is going to be the norm. It keeps horses fresh. I think it stinks that horses don't race frequently but the top horses are going to use that Florida Derby. Trainers who think they have a triple crown horse are going to go that 5 week out route. Look at Invasor off a few months, look at Ghostzapper. Longer time off is becoming the norm for great horses.

Ahh, but you didn't address the incredibly stupid track configuration.
Don't you think that some was asleep at the whell when they ok'd a track config that eliminated mile and a sixteenth races(at of all places a track that prides itself on being a place where three year olds go to prepare for the crown)? And even worse made the mile and an eigth races exteremely hard to win from outside post 5?
Trainers only have one two turn option, a mile and an eigth, and many three year olds don't wanna go that far in Jan and Feb and even in March.
It wasn't exactly well thought out, to say the least.