Most people interviewed for this article said the outlook for adding Historical Horse Racing machines in California is grim.
“The race tracks’ influence is declining, but they have 70 years of history with the state legislature,” said Rose, the gambling expert. “[The state] doesn’t really care about the industries, but they do care about the taxes.”
Keeping Pace: Hope And Change – Time To Confront Horse Racing’s Problems
DECLINE AND REBIRTH OF AMERICAN HORSE RACING: CAN TRADITION SURVIVE THE MODERN ERA
Hard to believe that over a decade has passed since the call to the post at Hollywood Park was replaced by the Last Post.
Phil never realized until he watched that replay that the winner of the 2009 Canadian Derby, Tommy Danzigger, raced in the last race that took place at Hollywood Park. Not only did he race in the last race at Hollywood Park he has the unique distinction of being the last horse to cross the Hollywood Park finish line in an official race as he finished 12th of 12. Of the 4 thoroughbred tracks that Tommy Danzigger raced at 2 are now shuttered.
The gain to the winner is always less than the loss to the loser.
Ian Fleming
However, to behold the scope of the new Hollywood Park development is to understand why Thoroughbred racing is armed only with a dull knife in a high calibre gunfight for even a small share of the sports economy. SoFi Stadium, ugly as it is, will be crammed to the gills on Feb. 13 for the Super Bowl, monopolizing both social and traditional media, while the name of Hollywood Park, when summoned, will mean something altogether different from its origin story.
Bloodhorse – Jay Hovdey – Hollywood Park History Buried Under Super Site
TDN – T.D. Thornton – Week In Review: Ferndale Sacrificed for the Hope of Saving California
The normal person felt an attachment to racing then that now doesn’t exist anymore. I feel other sports like darts, boxing and golf have taken that space in the media because the engine behind them has made them relatable to people.
Phil has a question:
How does horse racing get back what is has let go and lost.
When non thoroughbred racing fans look at Ascot, the Breeders’ Cup, the Kentucky Derby etc. are they looking at the horses participating or the event.
TDN – T.D. Thornton – CHRB Again Votes Down NorCal Dates, Dashing Hopes For ’25 Racing At Fairs
Bloodhorse – Byron King – CHRB Again Denies Dates for Northern California Racing
Mostly, he wanted to know whether its future was bright. He was getting the sense it wasn’t, but he’d had too many different explanations thrown at him to understand exactly why not.
That right there was the problem, I told him. It wasn’t just the public concerns about racehorse safety. It wasn’t just integrity concerns about doping or the growing expense of drug testing, or the fact that testing, by its nature, is perpetually a step behind rule-breakers. It wasn’t just that racing is competing with new legal and illegal forms of wagering, or its long-standing inability/disinterest in attracting a new generation to that wagering, a struggle which has gone on so long now the most hopeful among us have given up on my generation and are focusing instead on Gen Z. It wasn’t only that the foal crop is shrinking and live racing is becoming less and less profitable as field sizes slowly contract, or that more and more wagering comes from computers instead of humans. It was all these things.
Paulick Report – Voss: A Farewell, And A Thank You To Readers
Paulick Report – Keeping Pace – Andrew Cohen – Keeping Pace: California Screaming
Harness Racing Update- Nicole Kraft – Harness racing summarily ended in California
TDN – Dan Ross – Pleasanton Looks Set to Close for Training and Stabling After Tuesday
TDN Dan Ross – Vote Opens Door to Summer Meet at Pleasanton, Big Hurdles to Clear First
TDN – Dan Ross – NorCal Political Figures Push to Extend Pleasanton Stabling Beyond March Deadline
Horse Racing Nation – Report: Stronach hires racing exec to explore sale of 1/ST tracks
TDN – Pleasanton To End Stabling Mar. 25 As New Cal Circuit Takes Shape With Enhanced Purses
Bloodhorse – Pete Denk and Byron King – CARF Announces March 25 End of Pleasanton Stabling
Paulick Report – CARF: No Northern California Racing Planned For 2025
Phil has a question:
Without slots revenues can horse racing survive anywhere in North America.
Phil M Stockmen
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