With this being the second to last column for "At the Post" in 2011, I just want to give my "two cents" about the racing year to this point and direction it may be heading into 2011. I've been following the sport as you all well know, for 25 years. I missed the "heyday" of the mid 70's and started getting involved in a era of change. One of the major "changes" was the focus from "on track" attendance to the simulcast era. As I told you before, I can remember when there was just a "blue & white" screen at home from OTB and delayed race calls. Now, there are upwards of 30 tracks a day to choose from starting at noontime until the wee hours of the morning from Australia . At the branches, it's changed too. Many have closed or become "self-service" and the focus is on more online accounts through the computer. I got no problem with this wave. Everything you need is online, information is available from many places and it's much more easier with a click of a box to put in your wager and have the amount in your account. This direction is just fine with me.
The "on track" racing in general, must focus on less for the future. We have way too many racing dates, which makes small betting pools with the horse population down. The main focus should be in New York , March until the end of November. The racing dates after Thanksgiving weekend, should decrease. Personally, I think racing at NYRA during the winter months should only race three days a week (Friday, Saturday & Sunday) with ten race cards. In this day in age, the are plenty of opportunities for the low level, claiming trainers at places like PARX and other east coast tracks to race their runners. I don't usually play "day to day" from here until spring arrives. I know with the VLT's in place at Aqueduct, this will never happen. But, playing the same horses at the same level two or three times in a few weeks, it's my type of wagering excitement.
My biggest pet peeve this year is the way trainers bring their horses along the Triple Crown trail. It's gotten to the point that the Kentucky Derby is no different than an entry level non-winners of one race. In the past, solid two year old form meant something leading into next year. These days, it means nothing. A perfect example was this year's Triple Crown races and the horses that won them. Three different runners and the ONLY one three year old horse this year to win two grade I races; Caleb's Posse (King's Bishop & BC mile). No other horse could string two winning races in stakes all year long. Stay Twisty came the closet to that, but some say he's "just" a New York loving horse. At one time, the Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown races meant something. Today, that is another story.
Another thing that bothers me is the negative light on the sport from it's "high profile" players and not the horses. Whether it's Rick Dutrow or the stewards at Churchill Downs , these important individuals have to give a good light to our sport. If someone didn't known anything about thoroughbred racing and saw what goes on with said individuals, those people may steer clear of it. I know horse racing is not immune to controversy. But, people may think twice about investing their hard earned money into something they may think is shady.
But, all is not bad. We have the best race meet in the world for 40 days each year here in our own backyard; Saratoga. We get new people involved in the sport through partnership and owning horses. We have the BEST organization in wagering with Capital OTB. And most of all, we get to see the most exciting animals performance on track in giving us thrills each time they are in the spotlight. Other than those few things, I STILL love this sport!
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