MTH Hurting NY and SoCal

[km]

There is a lot of horse racing news right now. Most of it surrounds the optimistic events at MTH last weekend. Unfortunately, horse racing is a Darwinian enterprise these days --

= BEL fields for Sunday were decimated as top trainers moved considerable stock to MTH barns.

= NYRA is having another fit about money and threatening shut down to the State on June 9.

= NY Racing is in the throws of several other controversies you can read about on thoroughbredtimes or bloodhorse, much of it exacerbated by the NJ siphon effect.

= HOL has cancelled racing on Wed due to lack of horses. This was predictable anyway, but again, several top barns moved to NJ to take advantage of the big purses.

= Small fields were already a problem in California and the upcoming Fair season may slice it even further. A four day racing week is now necessary to get viable cards drawn.

But the urge to got to MTH for higher purses makes me wonder if it isn't more cost effective to stay home now. The larger fields will make it tougher to win those purses and the races are only conducted 3 days a week. NY and SoCal trainers that stay home will have far easier pickins on the weekdays and less compeitition on the weekend. The purses are lower, but their chances of getting a big piece have increased.

[Mayo]

Ken,

You are absolutely correct about Mth hurting NY. Even without the cash problems, NYRA would be in big trouble filling cards. I am not sure they finish the BEL meet and SAR looks to be doubtful. I have a friend in Dallas who is from NY and plays the NYRA tracks exclusively. He talks with his friends back home on a daily basis and they say things are even worse than what is being reported. The NY Govenor SAYS he is NOT going to let the SAR meet be cancelled. However, the legislature is going to have to approve a bridge loan to NYRA so they can continue to operate until the slots are setup at AQU. The NY OTB is another matter. They are broke, in bankruptcy and the Gov. may force them to fold up. That leaves a 50 million unpaid debt to NYRA.

Even if all of this gets worked out, we are still looking at shorter fields than normal for SAR because of the MTH money. A huge mess in NY.

Mayo

[DanG]

But the urge to got to MTH for higher purses makes me wonder if it isn't more cost effective to stay home now. The larger fields will make it tougher to win those purses and the races are only conducted 3 days a week. NY and SoCal trainers that stay home will have far easier pickins on the weekdays and less compeitition on the weekend. The purses are lower, but their chances of getting a big piece have increased.
Excellent point;

It’s a similar dynamic when people used to urge Russell Baze to move his tack south / or all the years Dominquez dominated those rich Delaware purses. Why move when you can race at home and you’re virtually being paid for every finishing position.

I respectfully disagree with some players who are suggesting this Monmouth ‘experiment’ only benefits the owners, trainers and jocks. As Ken said; it just got brutal to get your picture taken and it’s actually we the player (for a CHANGE!) who reap the benefits imo.

BTW: When you look up dysfunctional in the dictionary there is a picture of an NY OTB and those who created the concept. :eek: Just how incompetent can you get to be handed a license to print money while you take none of the risk in putting on the show. To compound the insanity; let’s put them in direct competition with the very business they depend upon to exist. :eek: :eek:

BTW-II: This can obviously reverse in a few years. I realize NY is notoriously slow (9 Years!!!) moving on legislation, but someday…they will get those dreaded VLT’s and then let the fun begin. The fight for that revenue will have horseracing about 647th on the blood-suckers agenda.

[tomcat]

Isn't this called business? It is a competitive business.
NYRC sounds insulted. Give NJ credit for getting the drop on NY.
Now ...
It is NY's (and Cal?) turn. Will they compete or cry unfair?

[OPM]

Crooked NY politician who want to give jobs to their cronies. Notice how the head of Otb is Rudy Guiliani brother-in-law or some relative. I don't think he ever knew anything about running a track or that horses had 4 legs for that matter.
The next step that will make a track/circuit the winner is lowering of takeout and penny breakage.

[delayjf]

One thing I read about the Monmouth experiment was that all runners would cash a check with the minimum of 1500 dollars. On one hand I love full fields, but if some of the horses are just in for the paid workout - will win prices suffer. Not sure what to think of this.

[OPM]

You are absolutely right, just checked the result charts and it is listed there. Another sign of mediocrity. One strike against MTh

[David-LV]

You are absolutely right, just checked the result charts and it is listed there. Another sign of mediocrity. One strike against MTh

A lot of Home Runs were hit with a one strike count.:)

I don't see any better racing on this Memorial Day Weekend then Monmouth.

There is a lot of money to be made at the Jersey shore.

_______
David-LV

[DanG]

One thing I read about the Monmouth experiment was that all runners would cash a check with the minimum of 1500 dollars. On one hand I love full fields, but if some of the horses are just in for the paid workout - will win prices suffer. Not sure what to think of this.

IMO Jeff: Good luck to the outfit that is habitually running last for the complimentary van fee. That word will spread like the plague and stall space will be harder to find then a reasonable NY apartment. :eek:

The reason for the $1,500 was to encourage / cover shipping expenses in a region where you can draw from almost 10 concurrent meets within a reasonable van trip.

That’s the rub of the mid-Atlantic triangle. A few years ago the Philly racing sec was quoted as saying he wrote a condition allowance race that had 12 runners committed. By the time Del, Mth, Bel, CT, Pen, Mnr, Pim and Cnl’s condition books came out he was down to 3 runners and the race didn’t fill.

You must go above and beyond the call of duty in this region where the competition for horse flesh is brutal.

[tomcat]

Having spent some time on the backside, like some of you.....the spreading of the purse to help
the little guys and keep them afloat will in the long run be beneficial to horse racing.:)

[delayjf]

IMO Jeff: Good luck to the outfit that is habitually running last for the complimentary van fee. That word will spread like the plague and stall space will be harder to find then a reasonable NY apartment.

Dan, good point, I would think that the racing secretary might take into account a horses current form when determining who makes the entries list. And like you point out, they might get away with it for a while but not forever.

[DanG]

You said it Jeff; you either win some purses in this sport or have a massive war chest that your Uncle Gupta left you in inheritance. :) The overhead is just too high for $1,500 clams to make ends meet, but it can influence the smaller outfit as Tomcat said.

[OPM]

It's always good to help the little guy as long as they have a plan to be independent in the not too distant future. Unfortunately, the plan here is to hold out the hand for another bailout from slots or casino not improving customer service.