The great novelist, F. Scott Fitzgerald was once ask how he went broke. He thought for a moment and said, “Slowly at first, then suddenly.” Horse racing needs to wise-up. You may not have noticed but we have now entered the phase of suddenly and the culprit is not who you think it is.
Horse racing is bleeding racetracks. They are dropping like flies. Listed below and organized by states, horse racing has effectively lost the following racetracks since 1980. A couple of these tracks still run a few Quarter Horse dates (Hialeah) or they have now largely switched to Standardbreds (the Meadowlands). This list is not absolute but it’s growing.
Alabama: The Birmingham Turf Club
California: Hollywood Park, Bay Meadows and more than HALF of the nations best county fair racing circuit have been closed and demolished. One of the most significant horse racing regions in the world has now been decimated. The balance the remaining racetracks are on the brink of collapse. (Santa Anita is in a state of chaos, Golden Gate Fields and Los Alamitos are on borrowed time. If these three tracks fall, there is no hope for the neighboring states of Washington and Oregon.
Hollywood Park 
Hollywood Park – 1990
Pentelicus
Trainer: Clint Goodrich
Hollywood Park
The End
Pentelicus – 1990
Ex Rider: Caren Goodrich
Hollywood Park – 1978
Groom: Caren Goodrich
1st Breeders’ Cup – 1984
Star Choice
Asst. Tr. Clint Goodrich
Hollywood Park Implosion – 2013
The most stunning loss of horse racing in North America
Colorado: Centennial Park, Pikes Peak Meadows, plus a scattered group of small venue tracks such as Gateway Downs in Holly, Memorial Park in Brush, Uranium Downs in Grand Junction and Ski Hi Park in Monte Vista and a month long meet that used to run in Trinidad. Not to mention the entire county fair circuit. All gone.
Centennial Park 
Pikes Peak Meadows
Florida: Hialeah Park (races a handful of live Quarter Horse dates), Calder Race Course, known today as Gulfstream West, which is also owned by The Stronach Group, is hanging by a thread.
Hialeah Park
Trainer: Clint Goodrich
Hialeah Park
Trainer: Clint Goodrich
Jockey: Ronnie Allen, Jr.
Hialeah Park
Idaho: Les Bois Park, Coeur d’Alene Turf Club. There is a May-September fair circuit made up of a half dozen small tracks that run mostly Quarter Horses. Without the “mother ship” of Les Bois Park, the days are numbered for these fair tracks.
Les Bois Park 
Les Bois Park 
Les Bois Park 
Illinois: Sportsman’s Park, Balmoral, Cahokia Downs. Being one of the most corrupt states in the nation, Illinois racing is also on the verge of collapse as Arlington Park and Hawthorne dates continue to dwindle.
Sportsman’s Park
Trainer: Clint Goodrich
Indiana: Hoosier Park
Kansas: Anthony Downs, Eureka Downs, Woodlands Racecourse. All R.I.P.
Anthony Downs 
Eureka Downs 
Final Race at Woodlands
Kentucky: Miles Park/Commonwealth Racecourse
Louisiana: Jefferson Downs. The entire Cajun “bush track” circuit has vanished. The Cajun bush tracks gave rise to multiple dozens of the very best jockeys in the history of horse racing such as: Eddie Delahoussaye, Randy Romero, Craig Perret, Kent Desormeaux and Calvin Borel. Not to mention Mark Guidry, Shane Sellers, Ray Sibille, Eric Guerin, Robby Albarado, Larry Melancon, Ron Ardoin. There are many more.
Maryland: Bowie and Marlboro Race Track are gone. Pimlico and Timonium are hanging by their fingernails. Maryland, once the home base or the spring board for many legendary trainers and jockeys over the decades, is on the brink. The Stronach Group, owners of Pimlico, Laurel and Bowie are whistling past the graveyard.
Timonium 
Bowie 
Marlboro 
Bowie
Massachusetts: Suffolk Downs closes for good in June 2019. In addition the entire Mass Fair circuit has been obliterated, Berkshire Downs, Brockton Fair, Foxboro, Great Barrington, Marshfield Fair, Northampton Fair, Weymouth. All steam rolled out of existence.
Great Barrington Fair 
Good Times at Suffolk Downs 1966
Michigan: Detroit Race Course, Great Lakes Downs, Hazel Park, Mount Pleasant Meadows, Pinnacle Race Course. Once a state of abundant Thoroughbred racing, now completely silent.
Montana: With racing at Helena and Billings shuttered in recent years, Great Falls is the remaining race meet of any size still operating in Montana. The fair meets at Kalispell, Shelby and Missoula are closed. Miles City is the only other remaining small track with live racing. Eight days of live racing is scheduled in 2019.
Great Falls
Jockey: Clint Goodrich
Great Falls
Jockey: Clint Goodrich
Great Falls
Jockey: Clint Goodrich
Last Chance Racing – Helena
Jockey: Clint Goodrich
Nebraska: AkSarBen, Atokad Park, Lincoln all toast. Nebraska was the home and the launching pad for Hall of Fame trainer, Jack Van Berg.
AkSarBen 
AkSarBen Today 
Ghost of AkSarBen 
Atokad Park 
Lincoln Race Course 
The Last at AkSarBen
New Hampshire: “The Rock” – Rockingham Park – final Thoroughbred race was on 9/22/02.
Rockingham Park 
Rockingham Park 
Over-grown Rockingham 
The Last at “The Rock”
New Jersey: Atlantic City and Garden State Park both erased. (Meadowlands – who knows what’s going on at this place?)
New Mexico: La Mesa Park, Santa Fe Downs (my first licensed racetrack job was at Santa Fe Downs in the middle 1970’s). Closed.
Santa Fe Downs 
La Mesa Park 
La Mesa Park 
Santa Fe Downs – 1975
Trainer, Carl Nafzger would go on win the Kentucky Derby in 1990 and 2007.
Clint Goodrich at far right
New York: Parr Meadows/Suffolk Meadows.
Ohio: Beulah Park and River Downs (RD re-built and re-opened under the named Belterra Park)
Oklahoma: Blue Ribbon Downs. Quarter Horse mainstay for decades, closed.
Oregon: Portland Meadows (killed off by The Stronach Group in 2019), Salem/Lone Oak Park, Klamath County Fair
Portland Meadows 
Salem/Lone Oak 
Salem/Lone Oak 
Salem/Lone Oak today 
Ghost of Salem 
Ghost of Klamath Fair
Pennsylvania: Commodore Downs, Liberty Bell, Pocono Downs.
Rhode Island: Lincoln Downs, Narragansett Park
South Dakota: Park Jefferson (D. Wayne Lukas saddled his first winner) the last race was in 1982. Ft. Pierre and Aberdeen did not race in 2019.
Park Jefferson 
Park Jefferson 
Park Jefferson 
Ft. Pierre 
Ft. Pierre
Jockey: Clint Goodrich
Ft. Pierre
Jockey: Clint Goodrich
Ft. Pierre 
Aberdeen
Jockey: Clint Goodrich
Texas: Bandera Downs, G. Rollie White Downs, Manor Downs, Trinity Meadows. With the reintroduction of pari-mutuel racing after a 50 years absence, Texas was thought to be the next great boom for horse racing. It was more of a bust. Half the state’s pari-mutuel tracks closed.
Bandera Downs 
Ghost of Bandera Downs 
G. Rollie White Downs 
Trinity Meadows 
Manor Downs
Vermont: Green Mountain Park
Washington: Harbor Park, Longacres, Playfair (where I won my first race as a jockey), Yakima Meadows, plus smaller tracks at Walla Walla, Dayton and Waitsburg. All closed and mostly demolished.
Playfair 
Yakima Meadows 
Longacres 
Playfair – 1977
My FIRST winner
Jockey: Clint Goodrich
West Virginia: Shenandoah Downs
You get the idea…and of course, no business is guaranteed success. Just ask Sears, J.C. Penny, Kmart, Kodak or Blockbuster Video. Some racetracks, like other businesses, deserved to go under. Things change. Market factors shift. Things evolve. I get it. You get it. But here’s my question for you: What did all these now shuttered racetracks have in common?
*Answer: None of them – NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THESE RACETRACKS – was closed down by PETA or any other animals rights activist group.
These racetracks closed because of two reasons: pathetic racetrack management/ownership and fan base apathy. The later, fan base apathy, is a direct result of pathetic management. This is customarily known as a circular firing squad.
Let me define the pathetic racetrack management for you. Excessive wagering take-out. Excessive fees to patrons, including for parking, admission, bad food, drink, programs/PP’s. Not to mention short fields, too much time between races, customer service indifference to patrons which leads to a bad experience. Should I mention the failure to innovate and adjust to the changing market dynamics associated with the cultivation of new fans. How about the finger pointing and excuses because of lottery, riverboats, Indian casinos and the Internet. This all leads to more fan apathy which as we continue to go around in a circle that leads us right back to racetrack management. The owner/operators of any business have to work at succeeding, not give the middle finger to their patrons. Shall I go on? No, I’m going to stop here because I’m getting dizzy and nauseous. You know what I’m talking about.
So right now, right this very second, STOP it! Stop blaming PETA and other outside factors. PETA HAS NO POWER – NONE WHATSOEVER. The only power PETA has is that which you give them. I’ve been calling PETA a terrorist organization for years. They are a political organization and a lobbying group, hiding behind the fake mantra of animal welfare. If you think PETA cares about animals, then you also believe The Sierra Club cares about trees. They don’t. They are preying on your emotions and enriching themselves. Do not acknowledge, negotiate with or invite them into your house. Ignore these people. Shun them.
The only reason PETA gets any attention at all is because in a silent room, a whisper is the loudest voice. PETA also pays lobbyists. When the revenues begin to run dry, politicians ignore you if you don’t pay lobbyists to get in their faces. The voices of the Horse Racing Industry are silent and the money is absent. Where are the lobbyists hired by the Horse Racing Industry to confront politicians at the state and federal levels? Or to counter PETA and other terrorist activists? Where are the lobbyists to pave the way for the interests of horse racing? They don’t exist. The racing industry doesn’t care. They don’t want to fund the effort. All of these idiotic 3, 4 and 5 letter horse racing organizations look at each other and say “it’s not up to me” and blame someone else. And, to some extent it’s true. There is no group or organization within the sport that has any actual power. Horse racing is being operated by dozens of different thiefdoms across the country all looking out for themselves. The NTRA is a joke. It’s all just white noise. Let the nausea continue.
*Here’s the bottom line; I’m seeing all of these people and the outrage on social media about medications and jockey whips and breakdowns (99.5% of these yelping coyotes have no idea what they’re even talking about), rallying cries and the forming more groups, organizing protests, calling the local media, taking out ads, going to their state capitals, calling local politicians, attending city and town hall meetings, trying to get signatures for ballot initiatives in California, to counter PETA, blah, blah, blah…This is all group think. YOU ARE WASTING YOUR TIME and YOUR ENERGY.
While PETA and their ilk are despicable people in every way and on every level, they are not the real problem. Remember, THEY HAVE NO POWER. The true enemy is in the mirror. It’s not up to the fans, the betting public or the small time owners and breeders to save the sport. It’s up to the big money players. The big owners with clout, the conglomerate commercial breeders, racetrack ownership and/or the publicly traded companies that own these racetracks and the racetrack management they hire. It’s up to the phony talking heads within the industry, who surf off everyone else’s back to step up. Way up. They need to quit being silent while turning a blind eye as they snicker off into the sunset while lining their corporate pockets.
So, it’s time to get real. Barring a miracle, horse racing in California is all but dead. Time to turn your attention to the patient who has a chance to survive. The Stronach Group; or Frank Stronach is not and never was your friend in California, Florida, Oregon or in Maryland. They just closed down Portland Meadows, the wrecking crews have arrived. They are pushing Pimlico toward the same fate. Don’t listen to or believe anything they say. Their “track record” speaks for itself and it’s bad.
Just so I’m clear, I do not believe the chaos at Santa Anita this past few months was by intent. The issue is based primarily on incompetence, coupled with the lack of understanding of what keeps Thoroughbreds of today sound. (Hint: its deeper, slower racing surfaces) Conveniently though, for The Stronach Group, it’s a great excuse to begin the end of racing at Santa Anita. I’m predicting the Breeders’ Cup will move the event from Santa Anita slated for this fall because of the public outcry and the bad public relations optic it could create. The Stronach Group doesn’t care. They will use this as the final nail in the Santa Anita coffin to their complete and total advantage. The same thing will likely happen to Golden Gate Fields in the Bay Area. The real estate where these tracks sit are worth far more money than horse racing can ever produce. This will spell the end of racing in California, because Del Mar can’t operate in a vacuum.
But wait! What about Los Alamitos you ask? This is an easy one. Los Alamitos is owned solely by one man. His name is Ed Allred. Mr. Allred is well into his 80’s. He made his fortune owning and operating the largest privately held chain of abortion clinics in the country. He has no children. Apparently he practiced what he preached. He’s leaving half of his estate to the Seventh Day Adventist Church and the rest to the city of Cypress. The address for Los Alamitos is: 4961 Katella Ave, CYPRESS, California 90630.
*As people who care about horse racing, you are fighting the wrong battle. If you want to do something that would be a worthwhile use of your time to help the sport of horse racing and the industry overall. Then do this: PROTEST AND DEMAND BETTER RACETRACK OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT. DEMAND THEY DO THEIR JOB AND PARTICIPATE IN THE SOLUTION. DEMAND THEY QUIT BEING THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. These are the silent, cowering people in the room. But THESE are the people with the money to hire big gun lobbyists. The people with the power to actually do something to stem the tide of loss and reverse the trend of the sport. RACETRACK OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND THE BIG NAME COMMERCIAL BREEDERS WHO RUN THE SPORT ARE THE ENEMY – – NOT PETA.
Do the math.
PS – I very recently set up a YouTube channel where you will be able to ask me ANYTHING you’d like to know about horse racing. As soon as I get 200 subscribers, it’ll go live. I’ll answer as many questions as possible every week on my channel. Please – subscribe now – so we can get started! Email me questions, comments or concerns about horse racing at the following email address: clint@dontgetmestarted.wtf (and yes, this is the correct email address)
Click here to subscribe: DontGetMeStarted
Comments 46
I ve been in this sport for over 55 yrs I ve rode at most of these tracks as a jockey and trainer. What I’ve seen that hurting the business is trying go to big to fast,what I mean is when we ran at the smaller tracks there were fun for all.couldnt get rich but had lots of fun.Then people say we can’t afford to run for small pots,so they started building bigger tracks.That made small tracks close,then the fun became not fun.The states wanted to get rich so then these tracks pay high taxes.Now everybody have go up on prices.this what took from horse racing.It has gotten to a point that everybody wants to get rich,no more fun.Its not the race track,its rich,no respect, and not caring
Hello Herman,
Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment. You make great points. I agree, a lot of the fun has definitely been lost. I got in to the sport my self for the love of the game. I never had as much in my life as when I rode at the smaller tracks and fair meets. I rode with you in South Dakota at Ft. Pierre and Aberdeen in the early 2000’s. However, racetrack management, corporate ownership and commercial breeders are the culprits of the greed and addiction you rightly point out. This has to change or the game is going to continue to slip down the drain.
Hope you’re well, my friend – Clint
Hey Clint. With all the said… How do feel since it seems it’s still going relatively strong.. Horse racing in New York and Kentucky or even Gulfstream in terms how it’s being managed etc. So are those tracks having the seemingly success because of all that you said racetracks need more of?? Are they the positive force and other tracks need to jump quickly on that band wagon??
Author
Hello Alvaro..
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
If you think horse racing is still going relatively strong, I’m afraid you’re mistaken or possibly you lack perspective of years. I do not mean that as a slight or criticism. I don’t know your background or how long you have been a racing fan or if maybe you are even involved in the business. The sport used to be known a the “Worlds Largest Spectator Sport”. It was a banner worn well for many decades. It is now one of the least attended sports and has completely fallen off every sports page or sports website. The general public now cares little and my point is racetrack management is doing NOTHING about it! No marketing, no public relations, no message. Nothing.
New York is in the process of upheaval. The NYRA was and likely still is corrupt. The future of Belmont Park is shaky at the very best no matter what anybody writes or says. Aqueduct has been a pit for many years and soon to be nothing but a casino with a dirt oval around it so as to maintain their casino license. The current incarnation of the NYRA is in the slow process of milking Saratoga dry by extending the dates and diminishing the experience of attending. If you want to devalue something, make more of it. They are succeeding. Short fields and poor customer experience is rampant. Instead of figuring out a way to serve a large crowd on a possible Belmont Stakes/Triple Crown moment, with American Pharoah and Justify, what did they do? Instead of brining in portable toilets, food trucks and printing more programs, etc., to accommodate the excitement and exceptional interest, they cap the crowd. Brilliant. What business that you can think of works to limit its customers?
Whatever you do, don’t ever look at a racetrack owned and operated by The Stronach Group and think it is going well. TSG are real estate developers. They are ONLY interested in the value of the property for the long term. The horse racing component is only a means to an end for them. TSG is in the process of ruining Santa Anita and Pimlico. They demolished Portland Meadows this year. Golden Gate Fields is only holding up because it sits in a wetlands in the Bay Area and “currently” cannot be developed. Gulfstream was rebuilt with an eye towards a business/entertainment complex and high rise condos once horse racing has run its course. Gulfstream Park used to be a special place, it is now been turned into a mundane and sterile grind of near year round racing. TSG will develop the land everyone of these tracks sit on unless, like maybe Laurel or Golden Gate manages to pencil out a simulcast wagering facility. All Stronach Group tracks have the shortest fields in the country, which is not a horse players friend. TSG is horse racing WORST nightmare.
Kentucky has the one rock of horse racing; Keeneland. If horse racing ends in the USA, Keeneland will be the last racetrack to close. Churchill Downs, while appearing fantastic on the surface is only concerned about one thing; the Kentucky Derby. This is where they make 90-95% of their money. They, the CDI Corporation, could not care less about actual horse racing. Since they are a publicly traded company, their number one priority is their shareholders interests, not the interests of the sport of horse racing. Their product is only a means to an end that makes money for the company. They are more worried about a 20 horse starting gate for the Derby, than the best interests and safety of the participants of the Derby. They should limit the Derby field to one starting gate which is 14 horses. Reference my comment about above about creating value. Limit something and the value goes UP. Make more of it, the value goes down. They are at their core, greedy bastards.
To round out a long answer for you, I’ll leave you with this; every racetrack in North America is now susceptible to real estate development because the land they sit on has more value than what horse racing can produce. Currently, the very best managed, owned and operated racetrack in the USA, is Oaklawn Park. It is private family owned for many decades. For my money and hands on horse racing experience, Oaklawn Park is for the last decade, the gold standard that everyone should follow.
I hope my explanation to your question gives you insight as to why I say:
DEMAND BETTER RACETRACK MANAGEMENT!
Thank you for the praise of Oaklawn Park. Hot Springs was home for me & many years of making a living from OP. Charles Cella loved his horses & the family owned track (1904). Today his son carries on the tradition. The ‘casino’ has drastically changed the landscape…but they did what they promised & put the money back into the horseman with huge purses, new barns, & added days.
The crowds still come, getting stalls there coveted, so I believe it will live on. If the Stronach Group loved the horses & the biz like the Cella family the results could be amazing . Great article!
Hello Melissa… Thank you for reading my blog post. Oaklawn is definitely the shining light on the hill. They have figured out – and implemented – what would seem to be the obvious. The only problem is, none of the industry seems to get it.. Unless the sport starts to take some responsibility for itself, there are dark days ahead. It’s not that hard. It called HORSE RACING – not casino gambling. Make it an event, re-create the atmosphere and fun. Get back to the roots of the sport. But will anybody heed the warning signals..??
Clint
C’mon, that’s crazy… A jockey who scored at Playfair 43 years ago can’t even recognize a fellow rider of some 3 decades?
In case you haven’t noticed, horse owners WANT the small fields that you critique… because it gives all of them a much better shot at the purses that drive their interest.
You attempt to blame racing’s demise on poor management? The so-called management has never before added anything to the product at all. It isn’t something that can be done “poorly”. The people on the frontside just stand around with their hands out while horsemen put on the show.
You are further lost when you suggest that CDI’s number one concern is anything other than CASINOS. You write as if merely to have “shareholders” is an automatic path to vast fortunes.
Beyond that, where did you conceive the line: “Ron Crockett is emblematic and a perfect example of SO MANY racetrack owners/operators across the county who have sold out the sport, enriched themselves…”. Everyone knows that Ron Crockett dropped $30 million on his pipe dream. Now just where do you find “self-enrichment” in that?
LOL – one minute you’re grumbling about “short fields” and then next minute you write of “creating value” by reducing the field size of the Kentucky Derby.
In the end, you sign-off with a reference to the value of land under racetracks, and you cite Oaklawn Park as the best managed and operated track in the country. The only reason that “gold standard” is getting anywhere at all, relative to all others, is because land and everything else is DIRT CHEAP in Arkansas. Nobody wants to find a way to acquire the land beneath Oaklawn Park, because they wouldn’t have much.
Here’s a website to illustrate some simple related math:
https://files.taxfoundation.org/legacy/docs/%24100%20Map-state-01.png
and ROFL at the part where you think Oaklawn Park has “figured it out”… the place is on life support afforded by casino gaming, much like so many others, in case you hadn’t become familiar with that little snippet of the real racing world.
Now in closing, what say you familiarize yourself with actual horse racing and stop being so direspectful to your fellow riders. It’s a pretty safe bet that far more racing people alive today have heard of jockey Al Jawny than have heard of jockey Clint Goodrich.
Author
Hey “Track Cash” – Love the monicker..Allow me to address a couple of your misguided points.
1) Have you talked to an owner recently? Unlikely by your comment about owners wanting short fields. How many times do you think an owner misses a racing opportunity because a race doesn’t fill and his or her horse stands in the barn? In todays game, an owner’s horse gets entered 4 or 5 times (more!) before being able to race. Short fields actually cost an owner opportunity and money. Being in a 5 or 6 horse field one time while standing in the barn for 6 weeks doesn’t get it. Please, go ask a real owner. I can give you references if you need them.
2) The Kentucky Derby BECAUSE of the extreme nature of the race is NOT an example of a good, much less a quality, big field. It’s a circus. Racetrack management at Churchill Downs has cheapen the race to their complete embarrassment. Literally HALF the field has zero chance and should not even be in the race. The Derby is nothing more than a shareholder value joke. It should be one gate. Fourteen horses. Period.
Look around my friend, race tracks are dropping like flies. The sport is in a death spiral internally. It’s a shadow of its former glorious self. I do agree with you on one point; the only thing racetrack management does is stand around with their hands in their pockets. They have stripped the sport of its history, charm and status. Racetrack managements are in the finally stages of killing the sport. Don’t talk to me about land values in Arkansas. That’s got zero to do with the big picture in any of my points.
Since the rest of your comments are a little bit on the incoherent side, the only other thing I can respond to is this; No one is being disrespected. Grow up. In my 30 years of actual, hands on, racetrack experience, to the best of my knowledge and recall, I never ran in to, or heard of (jockey) Al Jawny. He may have been a race ridin fool but not every jockey that’s ever ridden a race has known or knows every other jockey that has ridden a race. Maybe I just don’t remember him..
You can however bet your balls I am pretty familiar with the game from the inside. Your familiarity is likely from the grandstand side and/or leaning on the rail (or maybe your keyboard?). That’s ok, the game needs you and HAS disrespected you for decades (hello racetrack management..) Lastly, My career in the sport from the mid-70’s into the middle 2000’s in many different positions as a jockey, a trainer an owner and breeder is not that of Daily Racing Form covers or a leader in the standings. I have never held myself out as a “leading anything..” Never my objectives then or now. But I do know wtf I’m talking about. There used to be many horsemen like me. Now you have riders that can’t ride the 50-cent merry-go-round who are an embarrassment to themselves – if they had any self awareness – and trainers who are nothing more than the equivalent of factory outlet malls. Even though I scored my first winner at Playfair some 43 years ago, I’m trying to find some record of when you scored a winner – ever. Maybe if you had the courage to sign your actual name instead of using a cover, I could piece together your success. Keep on keeping on my friend. Your comments are welcome anytime!
Dear Clint, Im Bryon Murta from Nebraska. I want to thank you and your followers for your insights. We have suffered for years in Nebraska. The loss of AKSARBEN, Nebraska spelled backwards because thats what kind of people ran the place. And as you say the county owned the AKSARBEN land and our city fathers thought they should buy the land for 25 million and now its billion dollar piece of property. And to add insult to injury one of those city fathers put a monument and park to horse racing on the property and named it after himself. Cow piles.
Right now we are existing from simlecasting. The problem is they are not here for the horseman and have not raised purses and quality has dropped off as well breeding operations.
We have poor management that has no idea how to treat the customers, similar to how the treat the peon horsemen that do all the work. Oh they support the leading guys that have broke every rule in the book. But they have no clue what they have done to the industry. Futher more the money is all going to subsidize loosing operations and recently we found its been illegal to subsidize any track from funds from another. They flat out steal money and people go scot free no questions asked.
The circlular firing has been in action for a long time they are all using squirt guns, they get it while the gettins good.
I don`t see slots or gambling saving them they will just have more to steal. Frustrating, but the same story the same people and the same abuse. Thanks for listening.
Author
Hello Byron..
Thanks so much for reading my blog and for taking the time to comment and VENT! I hear you and I feel your pain. What you are describing is a classic example of pathetic racetrack management and how they have for decades taken advantage of and how they have ruined the sport. It really is disgusting.
Everything I write about on my blog or the videos I’m putting up on my YouTube channel, is going to be my best effort to expose these many people from different facets of the industry and how they have been enriching themselves and surfing off the back of the sport.
What you have seen through the demise of AkSarBen is real, it’s heartbreaking and it did not have to happen. It’s currently going on in one form or another all over the country. THE most glaring example of extinguishing horse racing is currently under way in California. It is one of the most egregious examples of deceit and under the table antics ever. The result will soon be no horses remaining in California to fill races – which of course spells the end.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel – Don’t Get Me Started – the link is above, towards the bottom of my post I have ideas and solutions! THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR WHAT I’M TRYING TO DO! – Clint
Hey Clint. With all the said… How do feel since it seems it’s still going relatively strong.. Horse racing in New York and Kentucky or even Gulfstream in terms how it’s being managed etc. So are those tracks having the seemingly success because of all that you said racetracks need more of?? Are they the positive force and other tracks need to jump quickly on that band wagon??
We need to clone Michael Blowen. A lot.
Author
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FYI KIM, EMERALD DOWNS, will NEVER be the kind of racetrack LONGACRES was, not in class, amount of horses or size. have you noticed the size of the fields at ermerald? it wont be long before they close up just like all the rest. when PLAYFAIR started to struggle the MUCKELSHOOT INDIAN TRIBE wanted to step in and help, but ron crockett with his visions of emerald used his influence to stop that from happening. NOW WHO RUNS EMERALD DOWNS?? THE MUCKELSHOOTS. WTF, THANK YOU MR. CROCKETT for destroying racing on the eastern side of the state, along with all the jobs and the livelyhood of many. sorry this is just my opinion. this is my first post but it wont publish it because it says it is a duplicate post?????????????
Author
Hi Cindy..
You are definitely published! I’m sure you read what I posted in response to Kim’s comment about Emerald Downs..
Your comments are exactly – and I mean EXACTLY, what I’m describing when I talk about the problems in the horse racing industry being caused by racetrack ownership and management. Ron Crockett is emblematic and a perfect example of SO MANY racetrack owners/operators across the county who have sold out the sport, enriched themselves and have been driving nails in the coffin of horse racing. I rode my very first winner at Playfair so I have personal experience with the Washington racing scene. It was once so vibrant and what has been done to it is truly disgusting. People like Ron Crockett are destroying the sport.
Thank you so much for reading my post. Sign up for my YouTube channel if you haven’t, we can definitely talk about this one as a perfect example.
Would like to follow your post.
Author
Hello KELLY gregg…
Thanks so much for reading. Consider yourself(ves) to be following. Subscribe to my YouTube channel or my blog or BOTH. Send me any questions you’d like: clint@dontgetmestarted.wtf
Look forward to hearing from you. – Clint
I have been in Racing for over 60 yrs and have seen incompetent managment staff destroy racing and approve or appoint unknowledgeab;e persons to be Officials and staff over knowledgeable competent persons , Those with years of Racetrack backgrounds are disregarded for positions and viewed as unknowing of the progress of the racing industry, , Sadly to many in prestigous positions think a “Spider” is an insect and a Salt rage is some strange dinner product
Paul C. Brooker
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Hi Paul..
I completely understand what you are saying. I have seen first hand what you are referring to with my own eyes. The levels of incompetence in racetrack management is unparalleled. This is one of the main reasons I wrote this post. It is this incompetence that is killing the game.
Thanks for reading!
Well written and thought provoking piece, Clint. Many of my opinions are voiced here. Reading this was like a trip down memory lane. My mother actually told her sister she was pregnant with me at Washington Park (Chicago). My first job was walking hots for Bernie Flint at Balmoral. Tom Durkin was the race caller. I rubbed horses on the Chicago/Kentucky/Florida circuit for a few years before I went to college. Loved seeing your memorabilia. I have a win picture at Hialeah-Orange Blossom Stakes at 70-1 with apprentice Alex Solis. I rubbed horses for 2 years for Lou Goldfine and Lord Gallant (in your Michigan Mile program) was in our barn at that time. Wouldn’t trade those memories for the world. Such a shame to see all this come down.
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Great to connect with you Sandra!
Wow…I’m glad we share opinions AND we have a lot of friends and acquaintances in common. I used to know Lou and Mickey Goldfine. I also remember Lord Gallant very well, he was a really nice horse. I raced and competed against the Goldfines as well as Bernie Flint. Great story about the Orange Blossom Stakes with that “bug-boy” Alex Solis. These are the stories and experiences most people don’t understand and is about what made horse racing the great sport it was. I wouldn’t trade my experiences either. The public needs to be made more aware of what it’s really like and racetrack management and ownership need to pull their heads out of the sand and start stepping up/speaking up before it’s too late.
I really appreciate your kind words. Don’t give up, it ain’t over yet. Keep in touch:)
FYI, Longacres in WA was replaced by Emerald Downs, two towns to the South. It took a few years for it to get approved due to wetland mitigation, but it has been going strong since 1996.
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Kim.. No FYI needed for me on the Longacres/Emerald switch. I’ve been to both. However, the horsemen and people I know who’ve spent time at both tracks, say Emerald was a poor trade for the iconic Longacres. Just consider this; if racing in California dies (and it is on life support whether you believe it or not) racing in Washington will likely be dealt a fatal blow, because there will no longer be a support system or a flow of horses up and down the West coast. Washington racing can’t survive in a vacuum. No Playfair, no Yakima, no Harbor Park and none of the other small tracks either.
And FYI right back at ya, The Stronach Group just killed racing at Portland Meadows. This will have a negative impact on Emerald sooner than you think. So be ready.
Thanks for reading my post and taking time to comment.
FYI KIM, EMERALD DOWNS, will NEVER be the kind of racetrack LONGACRES was, not in class, amount of horses or size. have you noticed the size of the fields at ermerald? it wont be long before they close up just like all the rest. when PLAYFAIR started to struggle the MUCKELSHOOT INDIAN TRIBE wanted to step in and help, but ron crockett with his visions of emerald used his influence to stop that from happening. NOW WHO RUNS EMERALD DOWNS?? THE MUCKELSHOOTS. WTF, THANK YOU MR. CROCKETT for destroying racing on the eastern side of the state, along with all the jobs and the livelyhood of many. sorry this is just my opinion.cindy
The problem of the few mega rich groups owning and managing, or Mismanaging this countries tracks. Private owners are very old and without anyone to leave them to. Why not leave them to the owners and breeders associations of the state the track is in? It’s not perfect but they are horsemen. I am against Stronach who said when he purchased the Maryland tracks that the triple crown should have a west coast race. He has always intended to shut down Pimlico. It’s just rewards he has fouled up Santa Anita his crown jewel is too f’d up to race at all. Get this clown out of racing. Send him packing back to Canada. I am with you, PETA is not the problem these blood sucking owners are the problem.
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Cris… You are seeing things exactly right in my opinion. Bravo to you for your complete understanding of the Stronach Group and others just like him/them. Snake oil salesman are always difficult. They play the bait ad switch game like no other. TSG’s goal all along was/is real estate development. Racing is a means to that end for them. People naively believed his babble to be otherwise.
Thanks for reading my post and for taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it:)
Omg. Finally a voice of reason amidst all the chaos. I’m an owner (small time) & California native. I watched Hollywood Park get flattened so the upteenth football team in LA could have its stadium. I’m now watching Santa Anita flailing around being led by the Stronach stooges into oblivion. I have questions for you Clint. I will be in touch.
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Carmela… You are SO, SO right in your observations. I completely feel your pain on HP and SA. Thank for the kind words and for reading my blog. I can’t wait to hear from you. Contact me absolutely anytime. I look forward to to it.
Once again, excellent analysis on what has been going on.
Garden State’s problem was Bob Brennan listening too much to New York Sportswriters back in 1985 when it reopened after the 1977 fire. They were at the time going on about how Thoroughbred Racing was going to be a moderate success but it would be Harness Racing that would be the big success just like The Meadowlands as it was believed people would make the two hour trip from NYC to Garden State every night, especially Meadowlands regulars. Garden State was severely overbuilt to be Meadowlands South and that’s what hurt it. Atlantic City was kept afloat way longer than it should have been only because the six-day all-turf meet it ran to meet simulcasting requirements (ironically, I felt BC Ltd. could have bought AC and made it the permanent home of the BC).
New York also lost Roosevelt Raceway (for years, THE top Harness track in the country) in 1988, largely in the eyes of many because of corruption.
You are very right on the sport not doing enough lobbying. Too many people in this sport come from a time when the “Big Three” pro sports were Baseball, Boxing and Horse Racing, long before the NFL became the 800-pound gorilla of sports it is now and Basketball reached new heights, like football surpassing baseball in popularity with Hockey now the fourth of the “Big Four.” Another problem is people in this sport have repeatedly failed to recognize the fact many Millennials (those born after 1980) have grown up with the championship events in ALL of the “Big Four” pro sports being at night, dating back to Game 1 of the 1991 NBA Finals, the last such game played in the afternoon (east coast time) in ANY of the “Big Four.” For many such, if a championship event in a sport is NOT at night and run to at least 10:00 PM Eastern Time, it’s not deemed important. That is a mentality too many under 40 (especially those who think NOTHING of blowing $500-1,000 a night at the clubs as I see where I am every Friday and Saturday night and are often out past 2:00-3:00 AM) have and those in sport fail to realize will not change. That is to me the starting point, having the Breeders’ Cup run to 11:00 PM on the east coast now matter how many old timers complain about having to stay up well into the night.
Those are just the starting points IMO.
Spot on Walt…the industry did NOT evolve properly and was quickly destroyed in one generation…now “Gen Z” is into other avenues of excitement…Casinos helped with their 5% and inflated the the purses that gives us quantity lacking quality.
In a casino in 30 minutes one has unlimited slot play, 10 spins of roulette, and 18+ hands of Black Jack…SPEED…not 30 minutes between races..to win or lose. The pluses far outnumber the minuses … sad but the industry matured in the late 80’s…even Saratoga has lost its lustre …
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Dan.. You are not wrong. But take heart, it can be turned around. We just need to find the people with the courage to act. Not so easy but it can happen.
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Walt – We need more people like you in the racing game, my friend. You’ve always thought these kinds of things out far more so than the “Industry Leaders” can even fathom. These comments are more of the same applied thought. I’ll say it again, if I ever get my hands on a track, you’re on The Board.
Hi Clint,
This is the most well thought out article on the subject I’ve read to date. I love it. And I agree with it.
Fan apathy can be corrected and here’s how and why. It’s simple, really. People — most people, anyway — love horses, whether they own them or ride them or not. The proof of that is how popular horse stories and movies are. So why in the world doesn’t the racing industry use that to our advantage? Why not PR the heck out of the feel-good horse stories, the barn stories, the cute horse personality stories… I could go on and on. We love these stories but why keep them to ourselves? Look how effective American Pharoah’s publicity campaign was. His personality brought in all kinds of new fans, but it was only because he had the press junkets.
People Love Horses. Why don’t we show the people what we know — the good stuff, instead of nothing but what’s wrong.
And while we’re at it, keep working to fix what’s wrong.
I have always thought that PR was one of the big things horse racing is missing. If they would make some gentle horses available on race days for the public (including kids) to meet, pet, and have photos taken, it would create more fans. The trainers/grooms could tell stories about their horses including how they got their names, etc. Most fans are older these days (including me) and we need to make new fans. Young girls absolutely adore horses, and having access would make a difference.
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Right on with these ideas, Nancy. Funding a longer term PR campaign is one of the critical keys to a fixing the issues.. I totally agree.
That’s exactly how I feel Nancy. Just imagine if the sport attracted more true horse lovers, horse lovers who could see how much love is poured on (most) of the animals. With the added strength in those numbers we could be better safeguards for the horses who aren’t as lucky.
I think a lot of non-race lovers believe that the fans are all about the gambling. But the truth is a lot of us aren’t — I probably place 3 bets a year. I’m in it for the horses. Better PR would bring in more horse loving fans. On this I’m sure we agree.
We need to clone Michael Blowen. A lot.
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Kim… Thanks so much for taking the time to read my blog post. It is people like you with real ideas that’s missing from the hierarchy that runs the game. That’s exactly why we need to DEMAND better racetrack ownership and management. These are the people responsible for ruining the game. It’s got to stop. Fast!
Thank you. I wonder why the breeders and auction companies don’t step up. Surely they have sold enough bloodstock to Europe and Asia that those countries can (and will) produce their own horses with American pedigrees, so Kentucky et al will have to assure themselves of a domestic market. No racing, no sales.
Stronach/Churchill are primarily land speculators, although I believe Frank was sincere about racing. In retrospect, how significant it would have been for Oak Tree Racing Association to have bought a track?
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Hi Nancy… All good points. The major commercial breeders and auction/sales companies, which are primarily Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton could do SO much more to strengthen the racing world. To me they are AWOL and silent. The Stronach Group AND Frank Stronach are definitely in the real estate development business. This is not a great fit for the long term health of any racetrack these days. Just think about where the TSG racetracks are located..as I said in my post, the property is worth than horse racing can ever produce for them.
Churchill Downs being a publicly traded company is a slightly different issue, they have to primarily satisfy their shareholders. You’d think CD would be looking out for the actual sport of horse racing but they are only looking out for themselves by virtue of the Kentucky Derby. What they don’t understand is, the Derby can’t exist in a vacuum.
Oklahoma has also lost Midway Downs in Stroud (Lincoln County Fair Track; 87-90) it’s now an industrial park, Ross Meadows (ended in mid 1980’s once one of the largest Parimuetual tracks in the nation) it’s now a training facility, Blue Ribbons (ended 2010) is now Sallisaw Equine Training Center.
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Sara,
You are absolutely right about Oklahoma losing the tracks you mentioned. I posted Blue Ribbon Downs on my list. Even though I do remember Midway and Ross Meadows, I missed listing them. I probably missed or forgot a couple other tracks around the country as well. While my list may not have been quite absolute, I wanted to remind everyone about as many tracks as possible. The total number of lost racetracks is astounding.. Thank you so much for reading my post, I really appreciate it.
Deep vast understanding of the issues at hand, love your view, As a racing offical for over 30 yrs. Ane I’ve seen you in action as a trainer, ownerb jock! You have a great understanding of a complicated Issue that plagues our sport!! Thanks Clint
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Hey John..
Thanks so much for reading my blog along with the kind words and your support. Very proud to have worked with you over the years. If people like you and I, who truly know and understand the issues, don’t speak up, then shame on us. No one can say we didn’t give every effort. Stay in touch with me on Facebook!
My name is barry thomas , i have been involved in thoroughbred racing all my life ! Im 54 and my father w c thomas was training horses before i was born ! And my brother trained horses for many years ! Im no expert on racetrack manangement but what i do know is horses and what i have seen as a major problem is the failure of state stewards who let unsound horses run because of lack of knowlede or sheer incompetence in their duty to watch horses warm up before a race ! And many times with the breakdown and death of the horse and injury to the rider ! If you will contact me on facebook i will give you the races and horses involved ! Future hall of fame trainers and jockeys are involved and my intentions are not to tarnish their names or great careers in any way , only to make the sport safer !
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Hey Barry,
Thanks for commenting but I can’t contact you on Facebook as there are dozens and dozens of people named Barry Thomas, so I have no idea which Barry Thomas you’d be. Your best bet is to send me an email to clint@dontgetmestarted.wtf
We can go from there..