Given the economy and the supposedly large anti-synthetic crowd, aren't these numbers really strong? The folks at NYRA were doing cartwheels over a miniscule handle decline at Saratoga this summer, and largely attributed it to the economy. If they are allowed to peddle that line, why can't the Breeders' Cup heirarchy? (And I agree with you about the watered-down product, but isn't that also similar to the overnight program at Saratoga 2009.)
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