That five of the current Preakness early runners only have 1 win to there name and four others have only 2 wins to there name this is over half the field. This looks like a OC Alw race on paper. I really cannot believe we have a weak field of 3 yo that is this bad this year. I might be willing to take Caracortado at 15-1 or higher on Preakness day. Then we have Super Saver that two of his three wins have come over a sloppy track? Does anyone see a longshot winning this race and then ICE BOX being odds on in the Belmont?


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Also have 4 colts coming off there best speed figures ever and they were achieved over a sloppy track? This race is looking more and more like a huge payday as I wouldn't be suprised if Super Saver ran our.


Super Saver

Paddy O Prado

Hurricane Ike

Aikenite

Early on I'm leaning towards using Caracortado, Paddy O Prado (while I know he has only one win, seems to be a late bloomer getting better with every race), and Schoolyard Dreams (Something wasnt right in Wood).

Interesting point about the race records. Pretty sad.

This is something you all don't want to hear, but I was around top executives in the Horse Racing Industry at the derby and they were all doom and gloom on the sport. It was pretty depressing to hear this from the higher ups and I spoke on take outs and other factors as a player I thought was important. But they looked at me as that isn't the way the stock holders look at it. They have really geared race tracks towards the slot boom and the final bottom line at the end of the year. Horse Racing is a dying sport and if you all don't believe that you are listening on deaf ears!!!!


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Originally Posted by fbwinners

This is something you all don't want to hear, but I was around top executives in the Horse Racing Industry at the derby and they were all doom and gloom on the sport. It was pretty depressing to hear this from the higher ups and I spoke on take outs and other factors as a player I thought was important. But they looked at me as that isn't the way the stock holders look at it. They have really geared race tracks towards the slot boom and the final bottom line at the end of the year. Horse Racing is a dying sport and if you all don't believe that you are listening on deaf ears!!!!


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Agreed, it's pretty sad. But on the other hand, horseracing is not going away during my lifetime. So what difference does it really make?

Btw, perhaps they need to make racing a social event, and run strictly at night during the week. Did you guys happen to spot those hotties on the Hollywood rail on Friday night? Granted, not every racing city is LA, but if they can cater to a younger crowd, and get those folks out to the track (after work during the week, perhaps even weekend evenings if the tracks chose to go that route), then that would benefit everybody.

Originally Posted by DiscreetCat

Agreed, it's pretty sad. But on the other hand, horseracing is not going away during my lifetime. So what difference does it really make?

Btw, perhaps they need to make racing a social event, and run strictly at night during the week. Did you guys happen to spot those hotties on the Hollywood rail on Friday night? Granted, not every racing city is LA, but if they can cater to a younger crowd, and get those folks out to the track (after work during the week, perhaps even weekend evenings if the tracks chose to go that route), then that would benefit everybody.

Well said. Out here in Illinois there is a WORLD of difference between Arlington and every other track in the state. Arlington has managed to appeal to both younger crowds and families. Weekends are absolutely packed and filled with younger crowds including attractive girls all dressed up. Hawthorne, outside of IL Derby day, is predominately senior citizens and minorities.
Its all in the marketing. Arlington moved fridays to 3pm first post now....Im praying they follow CD and Hawthorne and install lights and move for some 2011 night racing!

Originally Posted by fbwinners

This is something you all don't want to hear, but I was around top executives in the Horse Racing Industry at the derby and they were all doom and gloom on the sport. It was pretty depressing to hear this from the higher ups and I spoke on take outs and other factors as a player I thought was important. But they looked at me as that isn't the way the stock holders look at it. They have really geared race tracks towards the slot boom and the final bottom line at the end of the year. Horse Racing is a dying sport and if you all don't believe that you are listening on deaf ears!!!!


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I think the future of the tracks is in slots. Right now, tracks have their best chance to get slots because they are "gambling venues". Ten or twenty years after they get slots most tracks will dump the horses. If hosses produce losses, then the business plan will be to keep the slots (moneymakers) and drop the ponies (money drainers). There are way too many tracks open, and the horse players can't support them. Keep ten (or so) circuits open, and maybe they'll stand a chance. What percent of our bets go into the mutuel pool? For me it's easily less than 5%. So for me, the tracks have all the expenses, but very little of the profits.