Comments on: INAUGURAL DOWNS AFTER DARK ATTRACTS 28,011

By: Carl Vl.

Carl Vl. — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:37:37 +0000

Of course the industry is contracting by necessity, not choice. If they had a choice they’ll lead all their fans like lambs to the slaughterhouse and squeeze out every dollar in them! Their problem is that hey have never been in touch with reality and have been out of ideas.

By: D. Masters

D. Masters — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 19:41:18 +0000

To “smithy”:

You have hit the nail on the head! Tooooo much product, ALLLLlll the time with little quality to meet the needs of the ????? (fan, bettor, horse athlete, jocks, trainers….) It is already contracting and should. But the industry wants the bettors and drool over internet betting (of which, they can’t agree and continually have cat fights). Ergo, no attention paid to fields, race quality, or too much product, no fan, horses to slaughter, jocks (disabled) , trainers, yadayada… Sadly or maybe that would be fortunately, the industry is contracting by necessity, not choice. They have never been big on reality.

By: smithy

smithy — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 16:36:57 +0000

don,t forget Hollywood Park had a hell of an opening Friday Night Racing.Its Closing down.Turfway Park Races nights.It should Close,its worse than a Pig Sty.Meadowlands was fantastic at night.Look now.Need I go on.At least churchill promoted it,and got results.Racing should be Friday evening/night and weekends daytime.Period.Thus you have an event that can be promoted and sticks in peoples minds.Instead of this endless racing day in day out,which is just getting more diluted as time goes by.

By: Faith

Faith — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:50:45 +0000

Could we try for “Positive Monday” to go along with Good News Friday.

By: D. Masters

D. Masters — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 21:17:53 +0000

I’ve read the posts and see that some at the event were not pleased. One said the staff was inadequate and another said, I won’t come back if it was like Friday night under the lights. Could you get a bit more specific? What were the problems, specifically?

As to the handle and attendance issues, just what, exactly were some of you people expecting?…other than “full disclosure” from CD. I just don’t understand the grumbling from some. I don’t have an opinion either way, but I need more specifics about the failures on Friday….couldn’t find the loo?…took too long to place a bet?…no place to sit?…drunk college students? What?

By: The_Knight_Sky racing blog

The_Knight_Sky racing blog — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 21:04:24 +0000

Mark allen wrote:

I do not think the official on-track handle figures were released. But….
I got some hints from Jessicachapel.com Make of it what you will:

For instance, on Friday, June 12, $1,966,831 was wagered WPS
on 11 regularly scheduled races compared to the $2,309,563
that was wagered WPS yesterday on 11 nighttime races.

Thatâ€™s an increase of approximately 17% in the WPS pools week to week.

At first glance 17% increase is a good sign,
but clearly there was more than a 17% increase in on track attendance from the previous Friday.

By: Mark allen

Mark allen — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:52:49 +0000

What was the handle? They were down. It just gave a bunch of kids more reason to drink.

By: The_Knight_Sky racing blog

The_Knight_Sky racing blog — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:17:31 +0000

Well if Churchill management finally released an attendance number for that track,
did they also release the corresponding on-track handle figure?

Per capita wagering would be an interesting read on whether the paying customers
were there for the horse racing or for “the entertainment”.

By: David Swetnam

David Swetnam — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 17:04:26 +0000

Last night was my first time at Churchill, and if I were to make a decision based solely on last nights experience, it would also be my last time at Churchill. For an event that was so heavily promoted and with such an inflated admission price, if the intent was to attract new patrons, the management at Churchill REALLY dropped the ball in planning and organizing to ensure that people would return after the experience. I know a few people that have been to OAKS and DERBY and say that they have had excellent experiences, so based on that, I might give Churchill a second chance, but if my next experience comes close to being as bad a second time, I will have to write off going to Churchill as a fun thing to do.

By: Billy Crockett

Billy Crockett — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 16:23:09 +0000

It is ironic that at the very time that wealthy track owners in Kentucky are begging for a bailout form the poor and elderly because they say their sport is dying, a simple move like this shows the potential if the tracks are managed well.