For photos from the Meadowlands contact Lisaphoto@playmeadowlands.com

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Looking Past Lexington

As the Red Mile meet draws to a close (the final card is this coming Sunday, October 6), eyes are looking past this meet on to other things.  For one, Breeders Crown nominations are coming up fast with supplemental nominations due one day after the Kentucky Futurity for potential eliminations to be raced next weekend with the finals coming up October 19.

Out west Cal Expo resumes racing with the month of October featuring Saturday night racing.  Granted Cal Expo doesn't exactly have the quality of racing we do in the Midwest and East Coast, but their pools are decent (especially the later races).  Cal Expo, following the models established by Canadian tracks is instituting $.20 Pick-4s and Trifectas in an effort to cater to smaller gamblers and increase churn.  Unlike their thoroughbred brethren, Cal Expo will offer 16% takeout rates on the Pick-4, Pick-5, and Super High-Five wagers.  Come November, Cal Expo returns to its Friday and Saturday night schedule. All this going on in the shadow of Exchange Wagering coming in January, the first track in North America to offer it (California residents only).

If you want to look a little further out, the Meadowlands rolls out Meadowlands 2.5 on November 23, a mere 51 days away from today.  A new grandstand, new attitude can be expected with the fall meet featuring true year end championships.

Yes, there are some suspenseful things coming up with racing schedules for 2014 coming up for awarding.  Will the legislature come through in Illinois to save racing or will racing in the Prairie state look more like fair racing?  What happens to Rosecroft Raceway once the Prince George Casino

The season is waning but there is plenty of exciteement remainint,                                                                  ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,


1 comment:

JLB said...

John Manzi is a real professional. Hamstrung by a perennial low budget for decades at Monticello, he has still come up with plenty of memorable promotions, and he retains his enthusiasm for his work. His only shortcoming, as he will be the first to admit, was his driving skills, which led him to abandon the racebike for the mike, many years ago. A first-class guy.