Slots are in at Gulfstream

[Revolution]

The slots are working. Gulfstream is going to have some great racing in years to come.


http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=36402

Originally Posted by Revolution

The slots are working. Gulfstream is going to have some great racing in years to come.


http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=36402

So are you predicting a greatly improved condition book this meet(which sure wouldn't be too ****ing hard to accomplish)?
Are you predicting weekday cards that contain more than 7 claiming races and one allowance?
Are you predicting an increase in MSW's and allowance races?
And do you predict the Gulf purses for allowance races and MSW's will actually get close to or on a par with "the lowly inner dirt track" at Aqueduct?
Because last year the corresponding allowance races(non 1, non 2, non 3) and MSW's weren't even close and Aqueduct gave out higher daily purses.
I'm sure not rooting against these things. South Florida racing for years was the backbone of winter racing on the East Coast and eagerly awaitewd by both players and horsemen. Recently its been a disgrace.

[hoovesupsideyourhead]

Originally Posted by oracle80

So are you predicting a greatly improved condition book this meet(which sure wouldn't be too ****ing hard to accomplish)?
Are you predicting weekday cards that contain more than 7 claiming races and one allowance?
Are you predicting an increase in MSW's and allowance races?
And do you predict the Gulf purses for allowance races and MSW's will actually get close to or on a par with "the lowly inner dirt track" at Aqueduct?
Because last year the corresponding allowance races(non 1, non 2, non 3) and MSW's weren't even close and Aqueduct gave out higher daily purses.
I'm sure not rooting against these things. South Florida racing for years was the backbone of winter racing on the East Coast and eagerly awaitewd by both players and horsemen. Recently its been a disgrace.

I CREDIT THEM FOR TRYING ....and in a year or so they should be around that mark..

Originally Posted by hoovesupsideyourhead

I CREDIT THEM FOR TRYING ....and in a year or so they should be around that mark..

I certainly hope so but there isn't any excuse for not having them there now.
Gulf's handle in the winter is just as high or in many cases higher than Ny's and NY doesn't have slots running at the the thoroughbred tracks and never has. So why the awful cards the last three years and why the small purses? If the handle is the same or higher that doesn't make much sense to me.
In reality the players and horsemen had to pay the freight for the remodeling. And I don't see how they are "trying". Gulf didn't get those slots in there, the state government and voters did.
Since the projected revenue is clear to see, why not just raise the purses and quality of the cards to a higher level this year? Why ca't they just estimate the revenue that is forthcoming and adjust the quality accordingly?

I rememeber when Gulf was THE PLACE in the winter and when the cards were great. Everybody has gotta make a living, I certainly realize that, and you gotta have claimers for the trainers who make a living with those races and for the owners who have cash tied up in those horses and who are paying he same 85 a day and shoe and vet bills as the guys with expensive stock(they all cost the same to feed and take care of regardless of what they are worth).
But last year the weekday cards were so awful as to be laughable. I'm willing to bet they set a national record for most maiden claiming races in a meet.
I WANNA see Gulf restored to its glory, and would like to pick up the DRF on a Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday and not hold my nose from the stench like I have done the last few years.
I don't see any earthly reason why they have to wait a year to upgrade the quality of the purses and races written there. Can't they put up anything form all that handle? Or do they have to wait until the free slot money comes in to do that and not go into their pockets for a quarter?
We'll see I guess, and I'm hoping they do the right thing and ante up.

Well Oracle I would like to see an increase in purses as well. But, Gulf has to make money to off-set the losses they have taken and also the remodeling on the new facility. Unlike NY Racing, Gulf has shareholders to answer to and that is the bottom line when it comes to purse structure. Horsemen comes after the shareholders and investors. I do think that racing is going to become secondary to the slots and other entertainment offered at Gulf. The purses will increase a tad but I dont see Gulf being like they were 10-15 years ago.

[Revolution]

I don't expect a great meet this year, but the slots in a place like south florida will definitely help, especially going forward. NY would have slots by now if it wasn't for the politicians and the mobsters at NYRA who don't want slots cutting into their bookmaking operation.

I guess you could always bed the great racing at the Big A, when they do race there. LOL. If you like bad maiden races the Big A is great. If you like sloppy tracks and cancelled cards, and racing in 10 degree weather, stick with the Big A.


Racing is changing. Live with it. 3 great things.

NYRA will soon be gone.
Polytrack is taking over and horses are safer.
Gulfstream is on it's way to becoming a great track.

[Buffymommy]

Give Gulfstream some credit for at least trying to better themselves. Here's to hoping!

I know I will at least be there for the FL Derby.

Originally Posted by Buffymommy

Give Gulfstream some credit for at least trying to better themselves. Here's to hoping!

I know I will at least be there for the FL Derby.

But what are they "trying" to make better? Are they trying to make horse racing better or are they trying to make their profits better? I honestly dont think they really care about improving their racing. They used racing as a vehicle to slots to line their pockets. Soon they will be pushing for card tables, etc etc. Racing is going to become secondary to Gulf.

[Revolution]

Originally Posted by eurobounce

Well Oracle I would like to see an increase in purses as well. But, Gulf has to make money to off-set the losses they have taken and also the remodeling on the new facility. Unlike NY Racing, Gulf has shareholders to answer to and that is the bottom line when it comes to purse structure. Horsemen comes after the shareholders and investors. I do think that racing is going to become secondary to the slots and other entertainment offered at Gulf. The purses will increase a tad but I dont see Gulf being like they were 10-15 years ago.

They are trying to make it into a mini Vegas. I was told they are going to build hotels right near it, and eventually the racing will be better, but you are right, the entire facility is going upscale.

Horse racing can't survive the way it is now. People need more action than every 30 minutes. Saratoga and Del Mar can survive but that is only because their meets are so short. If you had racing at those tracks for as long as the Gulfstream meet or even Aqueduct those tracks would not be the same.

Short meets with good weather are the only ones that can really attract fans day in and day out. I love Belmont's fall meet, but nobody goes. Even on JCGC day with Bernardini there it was a ghosttown.

[Revolution]

Originally Posted by eurobounce

But what are they "trying" to make better? Are they trying to make horse racing better or are they trying to make their profits better? I honestly dont think they really care about improving their racing. They used racing as a vehicle to slots to line their pockets. Soon they will be pushing for card tables, etc etc. Racing is going to become secondary to Gulf.

They are doing what all racetracks will need to do in order to survive. Only two meets in the country can survive the way things are now and they are short and in good weather.

The guys who now own Gulfstream saw the writing on the wall and did something. Go to Aqueduct in the winter and tell me how they expect that place to survive. No slots, no survival.

[Buffymommy]

Originally Posted by eurobounce

But what are they "trying" to make better? Are they trying to make horse racing better or are they trying to make their profits better? I honestly dont think they really care about improving their racing. They used racing as a vehicle to slots to line their pockets. Soon they will be pushing for card tables, etc etc. Racing is going to become secondary to Gulf.

If the attendance at the Hard Rock Casino in Miami is any indication how slots will do at Gulfstream, I do look for attendance to be up a great deal. Not sure what they are going to do with the money, they do have to pay for the "upgrade". I am hoping they will do the right thing and make Gulfstream a track that everyone wants to visit. I think it may take more than a year or two (maybe 5 to 10 years), but I think it will eventually be good for the racing and the horses. Meaning the $$$ will trickle down to the good of the racing eventually.

[Pointg5]

The track configuration and spacing of the races for the Triple Crown is a nightmare, yes Barbaro won, but he won despite that set up. Look for horses to make an early start there and then ship out to FG and Oaklawn for their serious preps. That configuration is a joke...

[Revolution]

Originally Posted by Pointg5

The track configuration and spacing of the races for the Triple Crown is a nightmare, yes Barbaro won, but he won despite that set up. Look for horses to make an early start there and then ship out to FG and Oaklawn for their serious preps. That configuration is a joke...

I think quite the opposite. The 5 weeks out is going to be the norm. It keeps horses fresh. I think it stinks that horses don't race frequently but the top horses are going to use that Florida Derby. Trainers who think they have a triple crown horse are going to go that 5 week out route. Look at Invasor off a few months, look at Ghostzapper. Longer time off is becoming the norm for great horses.

[Pointg5]

Originally Posted by Revolution

I think quite the opposite. The 5 weeks out is going to be the norm. It keeps horses fresh. I think it stinks that horses don't race frequently but the top horses are going to use that Florida Derby. Trainers who think they have a triple crown horse are going to go that 5 week out route. Look at Invasor off a few months, look at Ghostzapper. Longer time off is becoming the norm for great horses.

You have to go a 1 turn mile or right to a 1 1/8th, that's too much for 3yo's that early, it's rediculous...

I don't think it will be the norm with a 5 week layoff, it happened once in a long time and it took a special horse to do it...

You can't compare Invasior and GZ to prepping for the Derby, they were older horses...

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by Revolution

I think quite the opposite. The 5 weeks out is going to be the norm. It keeps horses fresh. I think it stinks that horses don't race frequently but the top horses are going to use that Florida Derby. Trainers who think they have a triple crown horse are going to go that 5 week out route. Look at Invasor off a few months, look at Ghostzapper. Longer time off is becoming the norm for great horses.

You can't be serious...

Barbaro was a huge bet against for many people because of that 5 week layoff. He was the exception more than the norm...

Originally Posted by Revolution

I think quite the opposite. The 5 weeks out is going to be the norm. It keeps horses fresh. I think it stinks that horses don't race frequently but the top horses are going to use that Florida Derby. Trainers who think they have a triple crown horse are going to go that 5 week out route. Look at Invasor off a few months, look at Ghostzapper. Longer time off is becoming the norm for great horses.

Ahh, but you didn't address the incredibly stupid track configuration.
Don't you think that some was asleep at the whell when they ok'd a track config that eliminated mile and a sixteenth races(at of all places a track that prides itself on being a place where three year olds go to prepare for the crown)? And even worse made the mile and an eigth races exteremely hard to win from outside post 5?
Trainers only have one two turn option, a mile and an eigth, and many three year olds don't wanna go that far in Jan and Feb and even in March.
It wasn't exactly well thought out, to say the least.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by Cajungator26

You can't be serious...

Barbaro was a huge bet against for many people because of that 5 week layoff. He was the exception more than the norm...

Not sure you're correct on this one, he was the favorite until literally the last click as they loaded the gate off a ML of 10-1.

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by philcski

Not sure you're correct on this one, he was the favorite until literally the last click as they loaded the gate off a ML of 10-1.

Sorry, I should have been more clear...

Many smart handicappers didn't like his 5 week layoff. I think he went off at 6-1.

[Revolution]

Originally Posted by oracle80

Ahh, but you didn't address the incredibly stupid track configuration.
Don't you think that some was asleep at the whell when they ok'd a track config that eliminated mile and a sixteenth races(at of all places a track that prides itself on being a place where three year olds go to prepare for the crown)? And even worse made the mile and an eigth races exteremely hard to win from outside post 5?
Trainers only have one two turn option, a mile and an eigth, and many three year olds don't wanna go that far in Jan and Feb and even in March.
It wasn't exactly well thought out, to say the least.

I don't know enough about it to address it. I have only spoken to people about layoffs and how longer layoff and 7-8 race campaigns are going to become the norm for good horses. I try not to talk about things I don't know about, unlike some people that need to comment on everything (see post count).

[Buffymommy]

I think that now that Barbaro proved the 5 week layoff CAN work, you will have a lot of horses trying it. Is it going to work? WHO KNOWS, but you know there will be some that will try it this year. I bet atleast two derby horses come out of the FL Derby.