tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684463172854959042.post8214969610022478381..comments2024-02-27T17:43:37.207-05:00Comments on View From the Racetrack Grandstand: Racing When the Demand is the Greatest; Welcome Back That Blog Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15487597769210721585noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684463172854959042.post-24080877155307502522016-01-05T12:05:04.751-05:002016-01-05T12:05:04.751-05:00The Meadowlands' success in winter when other ...The Meadowlands' success in winter when other tracks are dark actually begs a larger question: what is the goal of the Meadowlands (and other tracks for that matter)? Is it to maximize profits for the track owners? For the horsemen? For the industry?<br /><br />For instance, if M1 raced primarily from November to March, when the eastern PA tracks are mostly dark, what happens to all the stakes that breeders need to sell yearlings? There is not too much demand for January stakes. Obviously, they could race some stakes in a summer schedule, but why would Mr. Gural want to from an economic perspective, with handles the last month in the $3.5M range whereas last summer it was usually around $2.5M? Plus stakes draw off more from the purse pool than overnights.<br /><br />This conversation certainly points to the need for coordination in the industry, where a rising tide lifts all ships. Unfortunately, that will never happen. It rarely if ever has.Marvhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07492130857796273001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684463172854959042.post-80449998520455527042016-01-03T12:09:22.238-05:002016-01-03T12:09:22.238-05:00When and if The Meadowlands significantly increase...When and if The Meadowlands significantly increases purses, it will be able to attract more horses at any time of year. Until then, I agree management should consider racing when the higher purse tracks it competes against aren't.<br /><br />Of course, if PA ever gets its act together and treats the eastern Harrah's Philadelphia and Mohegan Sun at Pocono as a circuit, The Meadowlands problems would worsen. Bettors and horsemen/horsewomen would be better served if those two tracks didn't overlap their racing programs and then be dark for 3-4 months. <br /><br />There are times when Harrah's and Pocono have both raced Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays (days for Harrah's and nights for Pocono). Harrah's, because it's more south, could race January, February and early March. Pocono could race into December. That would mean nearly year round racing in the east and west, where The Meadows already races in all months.<br /><br />Harrah's and Pocono haven't announced this year's schedule, but it appears Pocono will begin racing Mondays. That will mean fewer overlaps. A good start.<br /><br /> Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com