Women Tell It Like It Is

The horse racing industry determined that its "core" fans - those individuals who routinely show up at the racetrack and contribute to handle and litter of losing tickets, empties, and butts - are mildly upset with the industry. Apparently, the NTRA learned this after conducting a study.

Absolutely amazing. Amazing because they required a study to actually figure this out.

What they need are a few good women. Oprah would be a good start. I mean, she did do that little Breeders' Cup episode about Oprah Winney last year on her show. The NTRA should have seized the opportunity to ride the Oprah-wave. Renaming the Distaff to The Oprah Winfrey Fillies & Mares Classic would have been a marketing bonanza.

Anyway, a number of brilliant women have expressed their opinions and thoughtful insights about the climate of the NTRA and the horse racing industry:

“We have a lot of strength and things going for us if we can get our crap together.”

-Susie Sourwine at the International Simulcast Conference in St. Petersburg, FL

"What I find most encouraging is that the NTRA realized there was a gap as far as reaching out to fans old and new and is making a real effort to try and find ways in which to fill it."

-superfecta, blogger

"We can stand here like the French, or we can do something about it."

-Marge Simpson

"I really hate these [Breeders' Cup] changes. What better way to alienate current and future fans than to take a giant leap backward by segregating females? Will the next knuckle-headed marketing idea be something as cute as races for all gray horses? Or how about races for geldings only? Those races could be on Thursdays, and called the nutless wonder division."

-grrr grrrl, Self-Appointed Fan Committee

"What is it exactly that the VP does every day?"

-Sarah Palin, maverick

Listen up!