tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684463172854959042.post8396375560430605424..comments2024-02-27T17:43:37.207-05:00Comments on View From the Racetrack Grandstand: Would We Have Been Better off Without the Meadowlands?That Blog Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15487597769210721585noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684463172854959042.post-77133270616049163172011-03-31T05:34:55.897-04:002011-03-31T05:34:55.897-04:00Scott,
Let's not kid yourself, the loss of me...Scott,<br /><br />Let's not kid yourself, the loss of media interest in NY may have happened anyway. Atlantic City and the lotteries would have still showed up. The whole point is the industry may not have been as complacent while the fat cats thrived at the Meadowlands and the peasants elsewhere were left to eat cake.That Blog Guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15487597769210721585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684463172854959042.post-73546499261392088722011-03-31T05:32:26.135-04:002011-03-31T05:32:26.135-04:00Phil,
I do understand your concern about 'gut...Phil,<br /><br />I do understand your concern about 'gutting'. I think most people, except sadists would have a problem with gutting. Again, there is a difference between trying hard and ripping the lungs out of a horse in some type of suicide move even if it pays off but the horse is no good for months if not forever.<br /><br />Yes, I understand the concern about the trainer/driver possibly saving a horse too much. Good strong judging and perhaps re-arranging the financial incentives a trainer/driver gets can address that.That Blog Guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15487597769210721585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684463172854959042.post-5688507548254998302011-03-30T23:39:30.465-04:002011-03-30T23:39:30.465-04:00Dear Pacingguy : Your piece on the "What if t...Dear Pacingguy : Your piece on the "What if the Meadowlands never happened?" was a brilliant and fresh look at harness racing's current state.<br /><br />When the Meadowlands relegated the Roosevelt/Yonkers circuit to second-class status, New York media coverage (Newsday and others) was lost on a day-in, day-out basis. Once the visibility was no longer in black-and-white on a daily basis, the harness racing game continued to lose its fan base.<br /><br />If the 5/8ths oval was the "big track", Tioga would be a big time player and we likely would have had someone looking to run Parr/Suffolk Meadows on their 5/8ths oval.<br /><br />What if ... indeed.<br /><br />Sincerely, ScottScott Jeffreysnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684463172854959042.post-33904722391283385732011-03-30T23:25:33.240-04:002011-03-30T23:25:33.240-04:00I agree with most of what you write. It is well st...I agree with most of what you write. It is well stated and mostly valid.<br /><br />#3 concerns me a bit though. At what point do you slide down the slippery slope of "not trying" as oppose to "gutting". This perception runs rampant even given the status quo. Whether true or not, folks pin poor handicapping or unfortunate luck on "not trying" pretty often as it is. This situation/perception may be made worse with the trainer/driver. Those of us who follow the sport even remotely close, know that it happens. Drivers have admitted in in post race interviews ( Gingras on Darlins Delight a few years ago ). That isn't to say I think every horse should be gutted or even asked to leave from the 10 hole off a 4 month lay off all the time. But I do think more trainer/drivers would lend itself to a lot more questions regarding intent.Phil J.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684463172854959042.post-47768909223655908672011-03-30T15:14:47.234-04:002011-03-30T15:14:47.234-04:00I miss those Free-For-Alls.
Guts, Stonebridge Ski...I miss those Free-For-Alls.<br /><br />Guts, Stonebridge Skipper, Falcon Seelster and horses of that ilk were clearly a cut above the open competitors.<br /><br />They were always the stars of the stars of the racing card. And you couldn't help but get attached to them seeing them race week after week. <br /><br />That's clearly not the case today as the big guns are scattered all over the map.The_Knight_Skyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13497100877439699363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684463172854959042.post-35268281752865874562011-03-30T13:48:17.706-04:002011-03-30T13:48:17.706-04:00Anon, no doubt the current economic downturn may ...Anon, no doubt the current economic downturn may have hurt racing in Illinois and elsewhere, but the fact is without the 'mecca' of harness racing making everyone feel good despite the fundamental problems underneath, the sport may have been better able to respond to the issues it buried its head in the sand about.That Blog Guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15487597769210721585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684463172854959042.post-7012890021351568432011-03-30T13:46:09.760-04:002011-03-30T13:46:09.760-04:00Your latest post is very well put…..Your latest post is very well put…..Bobnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684463172854959042.post-62586843173935552712011-03-30T12:06:01.449-04:002011-03-30T12:06:01.449-04:00If the Meadowlands never existed, the Hambletonian...If the Meadowlands never existed, the Hambletonian may have never left DuQuoin, the Midwest Grand Circuit swing might still be alive and well, and heat racing may not have fallen out of favor. On the other hand considering the recession/depression we are now in and the greediness and short sightedness of the Illinois horsemen maybe Illinois racing would still be dead.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com