The success of Monmouth Park

[jrgators]

My question is what does the success of this program mean for the rest of the racing jurisdictions?

Is this the beginning of the end for the racing circuits?

This idea of cutting race dates for larger purses has great up side, and great downside to it IMO.

Upside….MO MONEY!!

Downside…Less racing opportunities for state bred horses to race in state bred races.
What about the slower to develop horse? What about those horses that take 4 or 5 races to get to their peak? What about those who are paying day rate in these states year round to have races for 4 months?

I’m happy to see it succeed, but there is a part of my heart that’s disappointed that racing is forever changed I believe.

I guess my question what be, the increased handle, and purse came at what price?

Theo

[mikec]

Monmouth remains open for thoroughbred racing & not some other future business complex or townhouses or a shopping mall. That's the price paid.

[rudydee]

Theo

What I believe is to be learned for the horsemen who breed state breds is- you going to have to breed a better horse to stay in the game. One that can compete in open company and be ready to run when restricted races are offered at Monmouth. The racing landscape has changed dramatically and forever.
The breeding of the backyard mare to the stallion in the next town- the days are over.
My gut feeling says next year Monmouth will be back with racing beginning from Memorial Day weekend and ending with Labor Day weekend.
That's it.

[tinners way]

There is no guarantee that Monmouth has the same type of meet next year, and that is the real danger. One and done.

Yes, it potentially changes the game forever, and not just for state bred programs. If this is truly the direction it will impact number of breeding farms, trainers, and owners everywhere. Dynamic of running a $5,000 claimer for $28,000 purse is the new sales ground, if this sticks. Look for foal crops to halve. Sometimes you don't get the desired end result. Once this happens my prediction is the game is over.

[jrgators]

I absolutely feel that the back yard breeding is/should be over. But the thought of racing going to a small meet state to state is somewhat disheartening to me.

I have enjoyed watching the races on TVG, but I do question how small timers are going to fair in this kind of a circuit.

Here in Texas, our racing is struggling, and we will have to see something change in the next couple of years, or we're in big trouble too. We have had cuts in dates for the purpose of improving purses as well, I just think that it's going to continue to increase in cuts for the sake of purses, and the happenings of NJ will only support further cuts.

Theo

[Dave C]

It is entirely possible that the era of long meets in one city is coming to an end. This does not hurt the backyard breeder/owner. Who this hurts is the professional trainers, exercise riders, and jockeys. In our area even 50 or 60 years ago racing was conducted more on a fair circuit than on the long meet basis. The trainers hate the idea of going back to that model because they are on the road constantly. For a small breeder/owner it is not really about number of days of racing but earning power of the horse. It is far better for the owner to win one race for a 20k purse than 3 to earn 18k. For the trainer it is the difference between seasonal employment or full time transient employment.

[tinners way]

Dave C I think it hurts every level of the breeding industry, and potentially the commercial market the most. The one to three mare owner either goes to one maybe two, and the commercial breeder will have to cull a significant number of mares. The foal crop could be halved, and we are back to the sport of kings (well princes anyway). And you are dead on- fewer trainers, grooms, etc., and the effect to the economic impact from the agricultural angle is decimated. As mentioned in my earlier post- a 5k claimer running for a 28k purse- it is the new sales ground. The article in the Blood Horse about where have the owners gone should be required reading for tracks, commercial breeding farms, trainers etc. The industry is losing owners and the hard core handicappers. Hard to imagine wanting to breed horses commercially for a shallow pool of owners chasing smaller purses. I hope for horse racing that everything is a cycle and we are close to the bottom.