Horse Racing 2025

[upperdeck]

I wonder what the holdup is to NYRA announcing the schedule next year at Saratoga, many rumors of adding days to the front end and it was supposed to be announced early fall.

 

[Newhouser]

I wonder what the holdup is to NYRA announcing the schedule next year at Saratoga, many rumors of adding days to the front end and it was supposed to be announced early fall.

I hope they don't add more days - think the extra days now has watered down the "event" aspect of going.

 

[upperdeck]

Its all on who goes,

Adding to the front end when vacation is in full swing brings 20-30k a day and does little to the peak season. I have gone for almost 60 yrs but never after the Travers week so adding to the end didnt do much to my schedule. Starting a week or 2 earlier I might go another time the first week or 2.

I would think Saratoga area would love it.

Another week or 10 days isn't going to change all that much.

To me it means I could go earlier in July and still do something in Aug someplace else.

 

[br801]

I hope they don't add more days - think the extra days now has watered down the "event" aspect of going.

That ship sailed long ago. Too many 11 and 12 races cards with lots of maiden claimers and low level claiming races already. The product on the race track is no longer special, save for the days where they jam in a bunch of graded stakes.

 

[upperdeck]

They are basically just moving races that were in NY that no one actually went to see in person to a better location.

95% of the people who bet don't care what kind of horse is running anyway.

Its a party and fun atmosphere and the racing is gravy

 

[br801]

They are basically just moving races that were in NY that no one actually went to see in person to a better location.

95% of the people who bet don't care what kind of horse is running anyway.

Its a party and fun atmosphere and the racing is gravy

They are also moving all the people who collectively put on the show away from where most of them permanently reside.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

That ship sailed long ago. Too many 11 and 12 races cards with lots of maiden claimers and low level claiming races already. The product on the race track is no longer special, save for the days where they jam in a bunch of graded stakes.

Racing opted for a few BIG days a year a while back, those days are great cards but I agree a lof oher cards at Saratoga can be kind of weak these days. In addition, what they are paying in purses at Colonial and in KY over the summer, many people are opting to stay home with their horses. I understand that they have added additional weeks over the years and with Belmont being closed, I am sure most can only take so much of the Big A. They also went from 6 days to 5 days a week at Saratoga 6-7 years ago so some additional weeks was to be expected. I am curious to see what Saratoga looks like once Belmont reopens.

There is only three tracks left that get a solid attendance on just an average card during the week or weekends for that matter. Saratoga, Keeneland, Oaklawn. Del Mar maybe but it looks kind of dead over there on many afternoons

 

[br801]

Racing opted for a few BIG days a year a while back, those days are great cards but I agree a lof oher cards at Saratoga can be kind of weak these days. In addition, what they are paying in purses at Colonial and in KY over the summer, many people are opting to stay home with their horses. I understand that they have added additional weeks over the years and with Belmont being closed, I am sure most can only take so much of the Big A. They also went from 6 days to 5 days a week at Saratoga 6-7 years ago so some additional weeks was to be expected. I am curious to see what Saratoga looks like once Belmont reopens.

There is only three tracks left that get a solid attendance on just an average card during the week or weekends for that matter. Saratoga, Keeneland, Oaklawn. Del Mar maybe but it looks kind of dead over there on many afternoons

I get that the 'big race day' concept is here to stay, but they would do well to have something better than a listed stakes as the feature race on many Sundays. There's something to be said for tradition, and they've been tossing a lot of that in the garbage over time in an effort to monetize the racing experience, in my opinion.

It wasn't that long ago that you saw a graded stakes carded almost any day of the week they were running. And if most people can't distinguish a 12 claimer from a graded race, what are they really gaining by watering down the racing product 80% of the time?

 

[IthacaBarrel]

I get that the 'big race day' concept is here to stay, but they would do well to have something better than a listed stakes as the feature race on many Sundays. There's something to be said for tradition, and they've been tossing a lot of that in the garbage over time in an effort to monetize the racing experience, in my opinion.

It wasn't that long ago that you saw a graded stakes carded almost any day of the week they were running. And if most people can't distinguish a 12 claimer from a graded race, what are they really gaining by watering down the racing product 80% of the time?

Don’t disagree and what sucks now too is with no racing on Monday people leave Saratoga on Sunday as well now too so by 4 pm on Sunday Saratoga is pretty much a ghost town as nobody sticks around. I use to like the Saturday - Monday swing. Been a few years since I’ve made a Friday through Sunday run there

 

[br801]

Don’t disagree and what sucks now too is with no racing on Monday people leave Saratoga on Sunday as well now too so by 4 pm on Sunday Saratoga is pretty much a ghost town as nobody sticks around. I use to like the Saturday - Monday swing. Been a few years since I’ve made a Friday through Sunday run there

Yes, I used to love the Monday cards with fewer people around. Sunday nights in town were great fun then, almost like another Saturday night. I realize they will never roll things back and will probably expand the calendar again, but I do think 40 racing days (8x5) is close to ideal, and I wouldn't mind seeing them go Thursday through Monday.

 

[Newhouser]

Yes, I used to love the Monday cards with fewer people around. Sunday nights in town were great fun then, almost like another Saturday night. I realize they will never roll things back and will probably expand the calendar again, but I do think 40 racing days (8x5) is close to ideal, and I wouldn't mind seeing them go Thursday through Monday.

Thursday-Monday is the obvious and perfect schedule - why it hasn't been implemented is crazy. The Sunday night Toga scene used to be perfect...now crickets.

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

That ship sailed long ago. Too many 11 and 12 races cards with lots of maiden claimers and low level claiming races already. The product on the race track is no longer special, save for the days where they jam in a bunch of graded stakes.

I agree and disagree. It's still the best meet on Earth with this highest caliber jockeys, trainers, and horses. But I'm a weirdo in that I always enjoyed a night at Saratoga Raceway over a day at the flat track.

 

[br801]

I agree and disagree. It's still the best meet on Earth with this highest caliber jockeys, trainers, and horses. But I'm a weirdo in that I always enjoyed a night at Saratoga Raceway over a day at the flat track.

It's still certainly the best meet, but they've watered it down with too much poor quality racing. I realize those crappy races are the the ones that fill, but I still think they run too many of them, and card at least one or two races more per day than necessary. I don't think they would loose much handle in the end if they ran fewer races.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

It's still certainly the best meet, but they've watered it down with too much poor quality racing. I realize those crappy races are the the ones that fill, but I still think they run too many of them, and card at least one or two races more per day than necessary. I don't think they would loose much handle in the end if they ran fewer races.

a 25K claimer isn’t the worst race in the world either, some decent horses, the problem is there just isn’t enough and the 16-25k claimers are all the same horses. There simply isn’t enough owners or horses racing anymore so this is what happens. It will continued to get watered down until there are about 10 racetracks left. Two in NY, one in Maryland, two in Florida, one in Arkansas, 3 in KY, that will be it

 

[cliftonparksufan]

a 25K claimer isn’t the worst race in the world either, some decent horses, the problem is there just isn’t enough and the 16-25k claimers are all the same horses. There simply isn’t enough owners or horses racing anymore so this is what happens. It will continued to get watered down until there are about 10 racetracks left. Two in NY, one in Maryland, two in Florida, one in Arkansas, 3 in KY, that will be it

Del Mar and Santa Anita? What about Parx and Monmouth? Do you think those will be closing? I'm actually surprised that Finger Lakes is still around. I think part of that has to do with all the NY breeders.

I think long term that we see even more ownership groups to get more people involved in racing, whether by microshare or full shares.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Del Mar and Santa Anita? What about Parx and Monmouth? Do you think those will be closing? I'm actually surprised that Finger Lakes is still around. I think part of that has to do with all the NY breeders.

I think long term that we see even more ownership groups to get more people involved in racing, whether by microshare or full shares.

I think California racing is a dead man walking, give it 6-8 more years, PA racing as well as it was pretty dire a few years ago because there was a movement to eliminate the goverment subsidies to purses. Monmouth? Yeah you are right will probably be OK with the sports betting there now.

Lets face it, if the Racino $ dries up so many of these smaller tracks are toast and the Stronach
group that owns, Gulfstream, Santa Anita, Pimlico will sell off in a heartbeat.

And you are correct, Finger Lakes is still alive because of the Slots and the NY breeders

 

[upperdeck]

Belmont GA tickets went on sale. The price for actual seating is insane. the GA tickets at $75 for the big day not too bad.

I also noticed no alcohol for 3 of the 5 days of the meets. Interesting with what is usually hauled into the picnic are on any given day.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Belmont GA tickets went on sale. The price for actual seating is insane. the GA tickets at $75 for the big day not too bad.

I also noticed no alcohol for 3 of the 5 days of the meets. Interesting with what is usually hauled into the picnic are on any given day.

Belmont Saturday went from $50 to $75. The no alcohol was in effect last year also, but that didn't stop people from bringing in their own premixes in juice or ice tea containers.

They did have a ton of bars set up and plenty of people were dropping $14 for a beer and they might have been 18 or 24 oz. Don't know for sure but lots of money was being spent. Mixed drinks were like $20, maybe.

The one big miss last year were the bathroom lines. Hopefully the park a bunch of portajohns back by the Big Red Spring and outside the grandstand behind the NY Taste pavillion.

 

[upperdeck]

Magnitude with a stakes record in the Risen star was impressive. 43-1 over 43-1.. the 2nd place horse never ran on dirt before so good luck getting that exacta.

 

[upperdeck]

Derby Prep yesterday

Journalism was impressive coming off a layoff to roll by Barnes

Floodzone continued to get better

Sovereignty took down the River Thames in the goofy Fountain of Youth, Time for that race will be interesting., the moved the start time back so they would have a longer run up and then the short stretch made it hard for the closer to catch up but he did it.

 

[phillydad]

Looking at 1/4/9 in the Fla. Derby today. At this point in the prep season I favor horses that need the points and 8 & 10 do not.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Looking at 1/4/9 in the Fla. Derby today. At this point in the prep season I favor horses that need the points and 8 & 10 do not.

Had a rough day Saturday at Oaklawn and Gulf. Had the winner of the FL derby but too little too late. Hit the late pick 4 on Louisiana Derby day at fairgrounds which included a 86-1 bomb. Masterful ride by Rosario on the winner of the LA Derby. Was in attendance and was a great day of racing, perfect day weather wise as well

The Baffert favorite in the Ark derby will be a monster sprinting later in the year

 

[cliftonparksufan]

New horse racing series on Netflix

https://x.com/netflix/status/1907485713429332406?t=v9_FG2Oips2g-UcoCSIFbw&s=19

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

New horse racing series on Netflix

https://x.com/netflix/status/1907485713429332406?t=v9_FG2Oips2g-UcoCSIFbw&s=19

If they don't feature the vets, they arent really telling the story.

 

[OrangeXtreme]