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[Andy Asaro]

Originally Posted by Jeff P

^^^ -- This !

100% spot on.

Think back to SB1072 and 22.68% exacta takeout and changing the historical takeout split from 50/50 to 48% track/52% purses.

The CHRB and TOC promised that would lead to increased purses, field size, and handle.


A few months in, it was obvious the opposite was taking place.

Handle cratered. As did track revenue.

The first thing they did was cut dates and workforce hours. Then purses.

In that year's CHRB Annual Report the Chairman of the CHRB blamed "the economy" while that same year the California Lottery engineered a complete turnaround (1.4X increase in revenue) after AB142 gave the Lottery Commission discretion to increase prize payout percentage (aka lower takeout.)

Instead of reversing course they (Tracks, Horsemen, and the CHRB) dug their heels into the ground and told us it was a "5 Year Plan" and "It's bound to work if we just give it more time."

Fast forward 13 years --

And here we are.

If Santa Anita closes or is sold off there will be no shortage of people saddened by this event as much as myself.

But you can't say the wounds weren't self inflicted.


-jp
.

Exactly