Parx Fall Festival

[alhattab]

Anyone check out the condition book yet? Open $10k claimers going long, purse $50k. MSW $84k. NW4L $7.5k claimers, $38k and NW2L same tag $30k. For the love of God!

This is not good for the game in my view. It will further dilute quality racing at the major venues like Belmont and Keeneland (the festival runs to the end of October). No matter what Parx tries the absence of live bodies at the track and the lack of pleasing aesthetics will make it minor league regardless of the purse money they offer. We need the best racing to be at the venues where people are there to watch- that is the catalyst to attract new fans that will then go to offseason simulcasts or open online accounts.

[Tom]

High purse like that destroy the claiming game and invite larceny.
Believe it or not, not everyone in the game is honest.

[Donttellmeshowme]

Should be full fields whats not to like as a handicapper?

[Donttellmeshowme]

Originally Posted by alhattab

Anyone check out the condition book yet? Open $10k claimers going long, purse $50k. MSW $84k. NW4L $7.5k claimers, $38k and NW2L same tag $30k. For the love of God!

This is not good for the game in my view. It will further dilute quality racing at the major venues like Belmont and Keeneland (the festival runs to the end of October). No matter what Parx tries the absence of live bodies at the track and the lack of pleasing aesthetics will make it minor league regardless of the purse money they offer. We need the best racing to be at the venues where people are there to watch- that is the catalyst to attract new fans that will then go to offseason simulcasts or open online accounts.

Tell the owners of these horses that running for 50K is not good for the game.

[FrankieFigs]

Originally Posted by alhattab

Anyone check out the condition book yet? Open $10k claimers going long, purse $50k. MSW $84k. NW4L $7.5k claimers, $38k and NW2L same tag $30k. For the love of God!

This is not good for the game in my view. It will further dilute quality racing at the major venues like Belmont and Keeneland (the festival runs to the end of October). No matter what Parx tries the absence of live bodies at the track and the lack of pleasing aesthetics will make it minor league regardless of the purse money they offer. We need the best racing to be at the venues where people are there to watch- that is the catalyst to attract new fans that will then go to offseason simulcasts or open online accounts.

If you think this is high, then you will really freak when you see the action at Kentucky Downs in September. Check out the condition book...

http://www.kentuckydowns.com/live-racing/horseman-info/

[FantasticDan]

In light of PARX's $$ announcement, NYRA issues a warning to trainers (courtesy of @DRFGrening):

[PaceAdvantage]

I'm fairly certain in-house rules like the above, or close derivations thereof, have been the norm for quite some time, at NYRA as well as other tracks.

[cj]

Originally Posted by PaceAdvantage

I'm fairly certain in-house rules like the above, or close derivations thereof, have been the norm for quite some time, at NYRA as well as other tracks.

Yes, this is true everywhere as far as I know. Tracks don't like giving free accomodations to horses that don't run on the circuit. Exceptions are made for stakes horses of course.

[alhattab]

Originally Posted by FrankieFigs

If you think this is high, then you will really freak when you see the action at Kentucky Downs in September. Check out the condition book...

http://www.kentuckydowns.com/live-racing/horseman-info/

Unbelievable! At least the claiming purses are somewhat in line with the claiming tags. Also KD is a 7 day meet which is a little different than the Parx meet which I guess is in the range of 32-36 days (4 days/week over 8 or 9 weeks).

[andtheyreoff]

Originally Posted by alhattab

This is not good for the game in my view. It will further dilute quality racing at the major venues like Belmont and Keeneland (the festival runs to the end of October). No matter what Parx tries the absence of live bodies at the track and the lack of pleasing aesthetics will make it minor league regardless of the purse money they offer. We need the best racing to be at the venues where people are there to watch- that is the catalyst to attract new fans that will then go to offseason simulcasts or open online accounts.

I don't get this line of thinking.

Keeneland & Belmont aren't entitled to the best fields and best horses. If they want to draw horses away from Parx, they gotta fight for it.

That being said, I do hope that they try to make it more of a racing experience, besides the high purses. On-track promotions and a larger betting menu would be good places to start.

[pandy]

Originally Posted by alhattab

Anyone check out the condition book yet? Open $10k claimers going long, purse $50k. MSW $84k. NW4L $7.5k claimers, $38k and NW2L same tag $30k. For the love of God!

This is not good for the game in my view. It will further dilute quality racing at the major venues like Belmont and Keeneland (the festival runs to the end of October). No matter what Parx tries the absence of live bodies at the track and the lack of pleasing aesthetics will make it minor league regardless of the purse money they offer. We need the best racing to be at the venues where people are there to watch- that is the catalyst to attract new fans that will then go to offseason simulcasts or open online accounts.

Well, they are spending a lot of money on a new paddock, so they do intend on making the on track experience better.

[no breathalyzer]

I like parx racing. i can't wait for this. My stable mail is loaded up and ready to go

[Charli125]

Originally Posted by Donttellmeshowme

Should be full fields whats not to like as a handicapper?

What's not to like? Well, here's a short list.

Ridiculously high takeout despite highly subsidized purses. Trainers with off the charts win percentages. A long history of drug positives with minor punishments.

[alhattab]

Originally Posted by andtheyreoff

I don't get this line of thinking.

Keeneland & Belmont aren't entitled to the best fields and best horses. If they want to draw horses away from Parx, they gotta fight for it.

That being said, I do hope that they try to make it more of a racing experience, besides the high purses. On-track promotions and a larger betting menu would be good places to start.

My thinking is along the lines of your last paragraph. Agree Kee and Bel aren't entitled, but my thinking is that for the overall, long term good of the game it is better to have the best racing in well-attended, aesthetically pleasing venues that will attract people and TV coverage, and not "factories" like Parx. I have nothing against Parx and I believe it has its place in the game. But having major league racing at Parx over a two month period is akin to having the Yankees play in Scranton for two months. Even worse, it takes the Yankees and splits the squad up, with some in Scranton and the other in NY.

My own point of view is that U.S. racing, especially in the East, needs to migrate more toward the U.K. model. In the U.K. they may have a half-decent card at Lingfield or Chester or wherever every now and again. But the big races are at the big venues that people are willing to pay good money to attend. Right now, Parx isn't one of those places, and I think in the long run that is not good for the game.

[alhattab]

Originally Posted by pandy

Well, they are spending a lot of money on a new paddock, so they do intend on making the on track experience better.

Pandy do you know what the renovations are? I saw the press release, but checked the Parx website and didn't see any plans.