Serious question.. why is kentucky the centerpoint of racing

[bdw0617]

and not Louisiana?

Sounds silly but think about it. Racing has been going on in Louisiana longer than anywhere in the United States. It's not like Kentucky has a leg up on Louisiana in that regard.


No state runs more TB races + QH races in America than the state of Louisiana.

Even now, while not the biggest state by far, they support Fair Grounds, Louisiana Downs, Evangeline Downs and Delta Downs. 4 race tracks.

My point is, unlike in Kentucky, they actually care about racing in Louisiana and go out of their way to support it, yet all racing does is make Louisiana a step child. yes we will give you the fair grounds in the coldest time of the year and they still come out in droves to support the product. you can't get fans in Kentucky to go to Churchill on a saturday if it's not the derby.


I think we all need to give Louisiana a little bit more love

[Dave C]

Who said Ky was the center of racing? Nobody would argue that Ky is the center of the breeding industry, but actual racing? Your point about attendance at Churchill on a Sat. proves the point. I'm not sure there is a center of the racing. The statement implies that the racing at that 'center' would be clearly superior to racing at all other locations and I don't think there is any major circuit that can consistently make that claim.

[dublino]

For the USA Saratoga has to be the centre of racing.

Kentucky for the breeding just as Newmarket in England is the centre for European breeding.

[Mahubah]

Saratoga is very special, but if you expand that to New York primarily to include racing at Belmont, I think you're there. The results of racing at these two meets have historically carried more weight for year-end championships and the resumes of breeding stock than racing in any other single region of the country. Even in the Breeders' Cup era, New York racing still wields tremendous clout. Of course, if the NYRA and state government can't get their financial woes straightened out, the glory days of New York racing may soon be history.

[bdw0617]

My whole point being, I don't think any state supports racing, like Louisiana supports racing, and has always supported racing, they don't even have a grade 1 race. at all. that's not accecptable.

just a bunch of hard working people who will watch a 25k claimer and not complain like the ky snobs

[griff]

You might want to check out the programs in WV, PA & DE

I have a not For For Love yearling colt that is PABRED, Maryland Sired and will soon be Delaware certified and he's nominated for the Breeders Cup..

LA may have a very good program but I don't think it is competitive with the above combined programs for the about three states. And neither is KY.

griff

[Mahubah]

My whole point being, I don't think any state supports racing, like Louisiana supports racing, and has always supported racing, they don't even have a grade 1 race. at all. that's not accecptable.

just a bunch of hard working people who will watch a 25k claimer and not complain like the ky snobs

I don't doubt that LA folks really love and support their racing, so if you're defining the centerpiece of racing as the area with the most fan support, you may have a case. But LA racing doesn't wield much clout outside the state.

They HAD a G1 race, by the way -- the Super Derby -- and screwed it up IMO by cutting it back to 9F to try to draw bigger fields. When it was at 10F, horses with serious championship aspirations ran there; now it's just another race (albeit one with a nice purse attached) as it's no longer nearly so useful as a BC prep.

[Joltman]

I first got into this business in La and was impressed by what BDW talks about - that such a small state would be so committed to the sport. It's part of the fabric of their life. I recall early on going to a bush track for Sun afternoon races - after church for some - in their finery. (Are they still running at the bush tracks?) Kids riding were young, tough and competitive and the lack of para mutual windows didn't keep the 'handle' down. On a per capita basis they are into it down there. Texas was similar in character in some ways.

If the rest of the country loved racing the way the Cajuns do, there would be no crisis in the business. Fact is there is Nascar, but a lot of people get their first taste of auto racing at the equivalent of the bush tracks - small local race outings that pack em in on Sat nights. Maybe what we need are more bush tracks - figure out some other way to manage the 'handle'.

jm

[Shammy Davis]

VA would have been the center of horseracing because originally Fauquier County, VA reached all the way to Lexington, KY. Kentucky rebels stole our land and then felt sorry for people in far western VA so they gave some of it to those mountain folk, thus making WV. It's all a terrible tragedy that I think should be investigated by Congress and ultimately KY should be punished by making it a "land locked" U. S. territory. We, Virginians, want our land back so the center of horseracing can take its rightful place in the Old Dominion.

[Shammy Davis]

VA would have been the center of horseracing because originally Fauquier County, VA reached all the way to Lexington, KY. Kentucky rebels stole our land and then felt sorry for people in far western VA so they gave some of it to those mountain folk, thus making WV. It's all a terrible tragedy that I think should be investigated by Congress and ultimately KY should be punished by making it a "land locked" U. S. territory with no voting rights. We, Virginians, want our land back so the center of horseracing can take its rightful place in the Old Dominion.

[Mickey the Marcher]

For the USA Saratoga has to be the centre of racing.

Kentucky for the breeding just as Newmarket in England is the centre for European breeding.

Ah, maybe 80+ years ago. Definitely not nowadays. If there is a centre of European breeding nowadays it's Kildare/Meath in Ireland followed by Normandy in France.

[madelyn]

Not trying to hijack here, but isn't there some kind of very sweeping tax break for having a stud farm in Ireland? I seem to recall reading about it quite a number of years ago and that it has spurred so many wealthy folks to stay that way by moving their breeding operations there... or was I dreaming that?

[dublino]

There were tax breaks on all stallions standing in Ireland.
The current Government abolished them recently.

Here is an article about it

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/intern ... ption.aspx

As for Newmarket being the centre of European Breeding check this out
Not only does it have Newmarket racecourse and the gallops here are the studs in Newmarket

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie ... 21fca&z=12

And listed here also
http://www.directoryoftheturf.com/searc ... /Newmarket

[tbrace]

Even with all of its problems, California, all tracks combined, runs more good horses with more good jockeys riding them than does anywhere else.

The combined purses are always near or at the top, also.

Not to say that several organizations and several key people are doing everything they can to screw CA racing up.

[griff]

Shammy Davis

Virginia was the center for Thoroughbreeding before the War of Northern Aggression. When the north invaded Virginia they started eating our horses and responsible horseman sent their blood stock to Kentucky.


Virginia has one of the best racing faqcilities in the country but it only races 40 days a year.. If we could overcome the religious right and get table gambling for Colonial Downes voted in we might e able to regain our rightful place in the industry.

griff