The Canadian Sportsman
May 20, 2010
File these four Small Victories under adapting to the marketplace. Led by the biggest news of all: betting is up at Western Fair Raceway in London, ON (which means purses are up, too).
• Betting and Purses are up at Western Fair
A simple tweak in the schedule (there’s that adapting concept, again) is the biggest reason wagering is up almost 10 per cent at the track in London, said racing and gaming manager Ian Fleming.
Western Fair not only was one of the few medium-sized Ontario tracks operating in the winter, they only had one night card a week, with 3:35 p.m. post times the rest of the time.
“Obviously, you don’t get a very big crowd on-track for that,” Fleming said of the mid-afternoon post time, “but simulcasting in the future is going to be based on people betting off-track.
“It’s getting your races out there, when there’s not much competition for the dollar.
“We just go one night a week. I think that helps our live crowd on-track, because if they want to come to the live races at night, it’s the only night they can come.
“The London Knights only play one night (at home) a week and they’re the most successful (junior hockey) franchise in Canada. When we go three or four nights a week at a place like London and people don’t come out, we wonder why. The Knights aren’t dumb enough to try and do it.”
SIRIUS XM Radio has announced that it will offer live coverage of some of harness racing’s biggest events on a new horse racing series set to debut on Sat., May 29 and air for 11 consecutive weeks.
“Saturday Night at the Races” will offer listeners wire-to-wire coverage of some of the biggest races of the summer including the Meadowlands Pace, the North America Cup, the Yonkers Trot, the Art Rooney, the Maple Leaf Trot, the Dan Patch and the James Lynch Memorial.
The series will kick off May 29 (10 p.m. eastern on SIRIUS channel 126 and XM channel 243) and will feature races from the Meadowlands, Hoosier Park and Pocono Downs. Visit www.sirius.com/horseracing for a schedule of races, including post times and venues.
• Dresden racing on local radio
Small tracks that don’t simulcast have long been hindered by not getting their signal out, especially for owners and fans that can’t make it to the track. No longer.
This summer, tiny Dresden Raceway will have its race calls carried live on Sunday afternoons on Wallaceburg, ON radio station CKXS (99.1 FM) and streamed live on the Internet at www.ckxsfm.com.
• Hanover races live-streamed
Hanover Raceway takes the Dresden concept one step further. The track shows video of all its races live on its website: www.hanoverraceway.com.
All of which proves racing can survive, perhaps even thrive, if it is willing to accommodate the changing needs of its customers.
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April 07, 2010
Any measure that demands an increased accountability from participants or shows an increased responsiveness to racing’s customers must be viewed, at the very least, as a small victory. Here are three recent undertakings that most definitely fit the bill:
· Anti-slaughter stance by Penn National
When North America’s largest pari-mutuel operator puts a new, tough policy in place regarding horse slaughter, it has to be a step in the right direction. In a recent press release, Penn National announced a new policy that would put the onus on participants to ensure the horses they sell do not end up in slaughterhouses.
The new rules state that “Any horsemen stabled at a Penn National Gaming, Inc. owned or operated horse racing facility who knowingly, or without conducting proper due diligence, sells a horse for slaughter, directly or indirectly, will have his or her stalls revoked and may, in addition, be barred from all of our racing properties.”
According to Penn National’s vice president of racing Chris McErlean, the policy is a testament to the company’s long-term commitment to the humane treatment of animals.
“We need horsemen to become educated and use best efforts and practices in how they manage their equine charges and to act in a responsible way when those athletes no longer are able to race. We plan to assist our respective horsemen’s organizations in promoting and advertising available options,” he said.
The policy will take immediate effect at Penn National’s five wholly owned and operated horse racing facilities — Black Gold Casino at Zia Park (Hobbs, NM), Charles Town Races and Slots (Charles Town, WV), Hollywood Casino, Hotel and Raceway (Bangor, ME), Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course (Grantville, PA) and Raceway Park (Toledo, OH).
· Tioga takes down takeout
In a move that was recently approved by the New York State Racing and Wagering Board, Tioga Downs has reduced its pari-mutuel takeout rates from 18 to 15 per cent (win, place, show bets), 20 to 17 per cent (exactors and daily doubles) and 25 to 21 per cent for all other exotic bets.
With the reduction, the track is hoping to increase handle by appealing to horseplayers who, long ago, became disenfranchised with high takeout rates.
The fact that this effort has been undertaken at Tioga should come as no surprise — track owner Jeff Gural frequently challenges harness racing to change its ways, often leading by example.
· HPI now in Quebec
In other good news for horseplayers, bettors in Quebec are now able to watch and wager on more than 150 racetracks through HorsePlayer Interactive (HPI), thanks to an agreement between Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) and Le Club Jockey du Quebec (CJQ).
Prior to the deal, Quebec harness and thoroughbred racing fans had been shut out of legal wagering since the collapse of province’s racing industry.
January 25, 2010
In our ongoing attempt to salute the small victories we hope one day, taken together, will produce larger victories for our industry, here are three more good ideas that have helped improve our game.
We believe the secret to improving our game will come not with huge events and expenditures, but by taking baby steps, so long as we keeping stepping and remain patient.
The hope is to pay these small, but important, ideas forward and have as many of them adopted universally, as possible.
But we need your help, too. To nominate something for a Small Victory, please click the red Comment button at the end of this list.
And now, 3 more Small Victories for harness racing (in no particular order):
Paul MacDonell did it with Somebeachsomewhere after their memorable win in the 2008 Pepsi North America Cup at Mohawk and The Beach bowed to the roaring crowd. Ron Pierce took Well Said past the grandstand after winning the 2009 Jug thanks to a suggestion from Hoof Beats’ Nicole Kraft. In the case of a great horse, a great performance or a great event such as the NA Cup of Jug, it’s a simple, but effective, gesture to acknowledge what fans we have and should not be confused with showboating. More drivers are encouraged to do it.
• The reunification of Lexington.
When Tattersalls and the Kentucky Standardbred Yearling Sale joined forces in 2005 to form the Lexington-Selected Yearling Sale, it not only made sense for everyone — most notably, horse buyers — but combined with the beloved Grand Circuit meet at The Red Mile, it returned Lexington to its past glory as a can’t miss destination on the industry calendar. It’s a good lesson for Ontario where there’s talk the Forest City Yearling Sale may join forces with Standardbred Canada.
• Desperate Horsewives Stable.
Trainer Tony Alagna hit on a tremendous idea when he formed the Desperate Horsewives Stable in November of 2009 with industry wives (such as Myron Bell’s wife, Stephanie, and John Fodera’s wife, Barbera) and their female friends. Each woman is in for a 10 per cent share allowing them to have fun and not get hurt too badly financially should the horse not make it. Creating fun stables where friends can take a limited ownership role is a perfect way to grow the game.
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