Daily Racing Form reported today that Santa Anita would not be changing it’s racing surface anytime soon.
According to the article, Frank Stronach who has long held the position of MI but has been currently dealing with bankruptcy proceedings and reorganization made this statement:
“Let us open up our store when we think we get the most customers,” Stronach said. “Let the market decide . . . whoever is going to put on a better show will get the greatest market.”
There are way too many tracks running at one time and an already stretched pari-mutuel dollar is being siphoned off to lesser quality horse racing products and other forms of gambling.
Maybe consideration for horse racing operations in 6 major hubs of the country would run ‘fairs’ like in the old days. It would be operated by companies like Churchill Downs, Inc. who have successfully carried the Kentucky Derby brand for over a century and a quarter. If nothing is done then the sport of kings becomes nothing more than a circus act relying on a handful of die hard players during the week who are on a roll until the money runs out, and a pitch and catch affair with competitors for consumer entertainment dollars.
By mandating certain racing days to so many different racetrack operators within a state of each other is too many. To have multiple operations running within city miles of each other is ridiculous.
Let the races begin and may the best shows win.
Tags: best show, Horse Racing, racing fairs, state fairs