The Breeders Cup today: A disaster

Georgerz · Postby **Georgerz** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 11:04 pm

What arguments support your assertion that "this BC was a failure and it damaged the sport more than it did any good."? Define the failures and number the facts.

BenB · Postby **BenB** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 11:21 pm

Only because new faces came around the block the b.c. was a disaster.
Should it been held in the fireplaces with beautiful (deathly) nice weather??

Need to held it indoor under protected circumstances. Just like MC D,s hamburger taste everway the same.

Rok you need to come to your senses, the sports, the public entc differs by the way there was not a champ around that attached the audience on the fore

Rokeby Forever · Postby **Rokeby Forever** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 11:22 pm

Attendance was down. Handle was down. Until the ESPN ratings are announced. What more facts do you need?

The Classic today had (except for Lava Man) every major dirt star in the game. Yet, attendance was the lowest since 1995. The rain pretty much ended early - where was everyone? Monmouth Park spent MILLIONS for track renovations just for these two days - was it worth it? Friday had a booming handle despite worse weather...what happened?

The NTRA needs to reevaluate the move to ESPN. Did the telecast do anything to draw new interest to the sport? As FOS wrote, there were visual problems all day (something you'll NEVER have during a football playoff game). As others wrote, more was discussed about betting than on the races themselves. That's not Monmouth's fault as much as it's the fault of people that try (or not try) to promote this sport.

Now, you tell me - how did today help to draw new fans to the sport? The BC is showcase day - the one BIG day when racing can promote itself. If it did nothing to accomplish that end, it was a failure.

Rokeby Forever · Postby **Rokeby Forever** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 11:28 pm

BenB wrote:there was not a champ around that attached the audience on the fore

Street Sense, with the Calvin Borel/Nafzger story, isn't a public favorite? He's one of the most popular horses in years!

To be complacent about today's (oh well, what can you do?) results is why this sport is headed down the drain.

winds · Postby **winds** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 11:57 pm

Not with me, I was glad to see them get beat. I've been a fan of Curlin, but I also love Hard Spun, what a tough and gutsy horse. I like Tiago, he did ok today, much out of his element in finishing 5th. So, Street Sense, Nafzgar and Borel weren't favorites of mine.

But I guess with the Unbridled factor (Carl ) from years ago, they were favorites of alot of casual fans which is a good thing.

I just think that the Breeders Cup would have had the same kind of day no matter where it was held. The East Coast has been water logged all week, and the west coast is in need of an oxygen mask. I guess the only place it could have been held this weekend would have been Arlington.

I think that ESPN having the broadcast rights to the Breeders Cup was a mistake. It needs to be on a FREE national network, where it will get some commercial exposure. We're just the poor cousin of sports to the poor cousin of networks. So on that Roke, we agree.

But having it at Monmouth, no, that was okay.

winds

BenB · Postby **BenB** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 12:42 am

Street Sense was made a favourite by the MEDIA and by the HYPE they tried to make that,s something different, than een real champ on a statue
because of his earlier on, achievements

Rokeby Forever · Postby **Rokeby Forever** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 1:50 am

Street Sense is a nice horse, Ben. I wouldn't call him a "great" horse, but I think winning the BC Juvie/KY Derby (and breaking the jinx)/Travers is pretty impressive. I think there's more to this horse than "hype," especially compared to less accomplished horses that received just as much or more hype before their retirements.

I think he may have been hyped even more if he were a more attractive horse. He's never going to win any beauty contests.

BenB · Postby **BenB** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 2:09 am

Off course he is a nice horse, no arguement about that.
But he was not beforehand THE CHAMP, without (argueiing ?) (do not know how to write)

Barbaro06 · Postby **Barbaro06** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 4:11 am

I talked with the editorial guy from the Baltimore Sun when I sent in my letter on Maryland racing. He told me people are just not interested in horse racing. Why? A lot of papers are not carrying articles on racing on a full time basis anymore...it's hard to find entries and results now in papers let alone a few paragraphs on racing. Sure, they carry a few stories about the big races...I'll see how the Washington Post handled BC Day, but you don't see articles on racing on a daily basis anymore.

And yes, having the BC on a cable network further defeats the purpose. Not everyone in America has cable or satellite TV. The potential audience is limited once again.

There are many variables that go into this equation of attracting new fans to the sport. My sister got hooked when I took her to the Preakness. She's not as a rabid fan as I am, but she would like to go to other races.

There needs an injection of imagination when it comes to this dilema, I believe.

Sysonby · Postby **Sysonby** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 7:21 am

BenB wrote:Only because new faces came around the block the b.c. was a disaster.
Should it been held in the fireplaces with beautiful (deathly) nice weather??

Well to be fair, there were no fires near Arcadia or Inglewood this past week. I'd say that in both cases, the closest they came was 40-50 miles away.

If they had decided to have it at Del Mar, well that's another issue...

Tucumcari · Postby **Tucumcari** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 8:23 am

I am IN horseracing, and I prefer(till yesterdays coverage) to watch it at home, if at all possible. One would expect that On track betting would not be as high with the dismal weather. The weather did improve, but as for going out to, lets say watch one race or gamble on one race... what for? All gambling can be done elsewhere, and by the last race why brave traffic, more bad weather, crowds, etc. Part of why I think 2 days is a bad idea.

Rokeby Forever · Postby **Rokeby Forever** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 10:50 am

If I were in NJ yesterday and had tickets to the BC, it would have taken a nuclear explosion to keep me away from the races.

The weather was NOT a factor...it's just an excuse. Tickets were $225/day this year....to believe that the weather was a factor, you have to believe that people sat in their hotel rooms watching the BC races with $225 tickets in their pockets. Gimme a break!

Tucumcari · Postby **Tucumcari** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 12:23 pm

The average Joe can't afford the $225 ticket, Roke. The rest are left standing in the weather or in the stinky grandstand rubbing arms with people who have questionable hygene.

winds · Postby **winds** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 12:28 pm

Still all in all it's probably cheaper than going to the Super Bowl and how much are World Series tickets etc?

I'm glad to know that it didn't cost that much for everyone to get in, which is better than the other sports.

It needs to be promoted more, how much did ESPN promote it? I don't generally watch ESPN or ABC so I don't know if ABC promoted it either.

Ok people we need to start writing letters to our hometown newspapers, to the sports editors and get them interested in horse racing again.

winds

Rokeby Forever · Postby **Rokeby Forever** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 1:39 pm

Tuc...you sit with the power brokers. Put a lid on it!