Rarely does a day pass without racing’s rumor mill producing some sort of often accurate tale, conjecture or speculation but the current grist is extremely interesting and if true we will soom see the most important alteration of the sport in New York since the opening of the first OTB parlor more than three decades ago.
Two scenarios are fueled by the 2009 stakes schedule, overdue even as the traditional and prized NYRA calendar should be in the hands of a printer: A two-month winter hiatus in February and March. (What happens to the Gotham Stakes?) and an autumn grouping of major races that would be staged in direct competition with the Breeders’ Cup. The latter has been in circulation for some time and has its genesis in the Breeders’ Cup having snubbed NYRA (which believed it had a verbal agreement) and passed on a return to Belmont Park in 2010 in favor of Churchill Downs. NYRA, if it is indeed considering this renegade course, is likely emboldened by the results of the recent Breeders’ Cup races run over the synthetic track at Santa Anita, where it is scheduled to be run again in 2009.
While a January-February winter break would be more logical that the one rumored to be under consideration, a shortening of the racing season in New York has long been supported by some factions despite the economic dependency of many small stables on revenue earned from the inner-track meeting at Aqueduct. The initial hiatus would facilitate the radical renovation of the building that will eventually become a video lottery terminal casino and two months without having to pay purses would provide savings that could be put toward the allegedly planned late-autumn extravaganza on Breeders’ Cup weekend. Stay tuned. -- PM
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
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8 comments:
interesting. very intriguing. tough call. really tough call. tough on the horsemen who depend on the money to keep them afloat. great for everyone else. in a utopia, the big a racino would be an accomodating facility; fully of lively patrons and flush with enough cash to fuel a robust 10-month, 3 season racing calendar. closing the jan-feb or feb-march maybe the only way to get there.
The state is going to pass on the tax revenues NYRA brings in and allow them to close for 2 months?? In this economic climate?? Highly unlikely.
With horsemen already having made plans for where their horses might race, this is completely unworkable. If NYRA wants a return to seasonal racing, then they need to give horsemen more than a few months notice. How is this situation effectively different from the franchise-related uncertainty that NYRA thought was so calamitous for the horsemen last winter (and at least then, some made contingency plans because of the spectre of a possible shutdown)?
As the manager of one of those small stables that relies on the inner-track meet, I'd certainly not be happy about the shutdown, whether it starts in Jan. or Feb. On the other hand, I hear Tampa is lovely that time of year.
The change would also have an impact on the NY breeding industry, by taking away a substantial number of state-bred races. The breeders used to be influential in Albany, but now, with Joe Bruno gone and the Republican Senate about to be history, perhaps their view won't count for much. Hard to see the State giving up that income for two months, though.
A good start towards fewer breakdowns, especially without steroids to keep the current population in circulation. About 50 more tracks to go and the controversy will go away. It is not about surface, it is about fewer dates.
Now that would be a step in the right direction! Let's face it, winter racing at the Big A is an atrocity. Keeping that place open in the winter is akin to handing out welfare. For those who say that they depend on the winter months, sorry but this is a no-brainer. Besides, there are other venues where you can go, like Philly. They give away more money then NYRA anyway.
This is the type of contraction racing needs. Less racing, better product. Income? What income? Shutting that place down would do the State a favor. They wont have to write another check to keep it going for awhile… If they do realize a loss, the State will more than make up for it with the VLT money that will hit.
Paul:
Let us pray that this rumor has some validity. The inner track "meeting" is way too long and has completely outlived its usefulness. The last time that the inner track mattered was when a young 16 yo named Steve became the greatest jockey any of us had ever seen. I loved watching him come from the Conduit aboard Turn & Count.
Nevertheless, a two month hiatus is just what NY racing needs. I hope that they build the best VLT facility because this State is in dire financial trouble. The very few dollars that the State would get from the two month hiatus is a mere drop in the bucket compared to the "Grand Canyon"-like deficits that we will be facing in the next several years.
Good! Things are starting to turn back to how they were, so maybe we'll start to get the same quality horses back, too. Not as many winter dates and longer/more route races.
BTW ... we would've had three or more ten million dollar earners, if only they'd kept racing past three. Curlin isn't that big of a deal and now his camp is showing their true colors.
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