OMG!! BC Next Week?? How Can This B!! :0

Holy Guacamole! The Breeders' Cup is next week! Whoo-hooo!! Dig the loose change out of the couch because there is some serious betting action to beholden! BTW, who's entered ?!?!?

(1) Game On Dude
(2) I'll Have Another (Sayonora)
(3) Frankel
(4) Hanson
(5) Wise Dan (just guessing he's on an entry in some event ...)

 Ummm .... uh-oh ... Trouble. Fortunately, for the horse racing fans/bettors that have had their attention diverted*, Lone Star Park will be hosting its annual Breeders' Cup Preview Party, featuring our good friend, Gary West; track announcer, John Lies; Expert Handicapper and Mr. Congeniality, Rick Lee; and local favorite sports-talk guru, Norm Hitzges. The first 200 in attendance will receive a free Breeders' Cup Advance Edition and the handicapping solution to next week's races! I will be in attendance, as it appears this year the Magic Beer Bottle could very well have the upper hand!

 _________________________

*Possess freshman in high school marching band; whole "Friday Night Lights" stuff that consumed an entire chapter in James Michener's novel, Texas, as well as a much ballyhooed TV series, is real. Scary. Forgot where racetrack is located.  Forgot how to place wager.  Not sure what a horse even looks like anymore.  BUT ... I'm proficient at serving nachos in a concession stand!

;-)

Olympic Equestrian Observations

Last week, I called my big sister in Wisconsin to wish her a happy birthday and to inform her that, due to my overwhelming schedule of summer activities with work and kids, I had not found the time to mail her birthday present, which of course, was a lie because, in fact, I had consumed her birthday present long ago and just hadn't had the opportunity to dash back to the liquor store and purchase an appropriate replacement.  Anyway, between my off-key rendition of "Happy Birthday" and my myriad of excuses, she pointedly observed, "Hey!  You haven't written jack-squat in ages, you lazy bum!"

Well, sadly enough, horse racing inspiration runs shallow this time of the year.  Saratoga and Del Mar are inconveniently located 1,671 and 1,356 miles away respectfully.  Simulcasting is nearby, but getting into my car on these mercilessly hot summer days is like stepping into an Easy Bake Oven.  And the "players" are constantly changing - injuries and retirements in the midst of a swirling whirlwind of new and upcoming 2-year-olds - that it just becomes easier to spend my free time lounging in the pool and/or scouring eBay for deals.

But the biggest distraction/excuse/preoccupation is the London 2012 Summer Olympics.

So, in honor of Horse Sports of the XXX Olympiad, I shall present a brief review of horse happenings in London, which is, in fact 4,777 miles away.

Zara Phillips, aboard Toytown, takes part in the Olympic torch relay:

First thought:  (snort) Guess how she got the job??
Actually, the Queen's granddaughter is a world equestrian champion.  Additionally, it was aboard Toytown when she won the the 2006 Eventing World Championships.  And to prove her world class equestrian prowess, she's part of Team GB that won the silver medal in the equestrian team event.  Okay, maybe they would've won the gold if not for the fact that Zara and her horse, High Kingdom, clipped a fence.  Ups-a-daisy ...

In the You-re Never Too Old to Live Your Olympic Dreams, Hiroshi Hoketsu, 71, is the oldest competitor at the 2012 Olympics.  He didn't exactly light up the leader board in the Grand Prix individual, but he earned a respectable 68.739 percent.  He hasn't ruled out Rio 2016 but his dressage partner, 1997 German-bred chestnut mare Whisper, is "too old" and will be retired.

And finally, even in the international spectacle of the Olympics, nobody is safe from American politicians.  As I'm sure you are keenly aware, Ann Romney, wife of Presidential Wannabe, Mitt Romney, is a co-owner of Rafalca.  Although Rafalca failed to advance in dressage, she is still under consideration as a potential vice presidential running mate.

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Happy Birthday, Sis!  Your gift is on the way ... soon!

Meet Concludes With Remix of the Same Song

Sunday evening, Lone Star Park concluded its 2012 Spring Thoroughbred Meet and Musical Extravaganza Spectacular. And judging from the final numbers - average daily handle down 7% with a 4% decrease in attendance - racing wasn't exactly rockin' anybody.  Fortunately, Lone Star Park President and General Manager, Drew Shubeck, was able to use one of his ol' reliable quotes,

"We're disappointed with the results."

In addition to the 7% live handle decline, the off-track, export handle took a solid hit: down 12%.

Here, I'll just go ahead and insert a fitting Drew Shubeck quote from last year,

“We continue to be disappointed in the simulcast out number. This decline is a signal that the national simulcast customer is telling us they are not interested in our product offering.”

Notably, the 2012 simulcast-in handle increased 2.2%.  Apparently, even the local bettor wasn't too interested in Lone Star's product offering!

Of course, there's the usual reason for lack-luster fields and handle declines:  Slots.  And, coincidentally, there's a Drew Shubeck quote for that!

"A lot of tracks like us that don't have the benefits of slot machines struggle to be competitive."

Slots. VLTs. Racinos. Expanded gaming.  Whatever verbiage you want to use, slots have been proclaimed the cure-all for horse racing's woes.  Bolster the purses from monies generated by one-arm bandits and all the good horses will want to come and everybody will bet.  Well, this is Texas.  I assure you, if Texas politicians don't give a crap about education or providing health care for the poor, they certainly won't give a crap about the horse racing industry.

Moving right along ...

There were a couple of so-called "bright" spots to the season.  The Lone Star Music Series was popular entertainment event, representing 33% of total attendance.  Of course, as I previously observed, there is not a direct proportion between concert attendance and increased live handle.  But hey, if the gate brings in the funds to pay the light bills, then maybe it's not such a bad thing.  Toss in the fact that people purchased and consumed copious amounts of beer at $5.75 each, the racetrack probably made a ton of money at the concerts.

Other "bright" spots:  Nates Mineshaft ships in, easily wins the Lone Star Park Handicap (gr. 3), and is crowned Horse of the Meeting without so much as breaking a sweat; a Texas' favorite, Clarence Scharbauer Jr's Coyote Legend runs in the Assault Stakes for third year and posts a second victory; jockey Cliff Berry becomes Lone Star's all-time leading rider and adds his fifth riding title, all before he receives his AARP membership next month; Danny Pish notches his first training title at Lone Star Park; the popular Bar & Book and its wide selection of draft beers.

Without a doubt, Lone Star Park and its owner Global Gaming Solutions certainly have their work cut out for them.  Naturally, there's a Drew Shubeck quote for that, too.

"We are very optimistic about our upcoming off-season simulcasting in our Bar & Book"

The Most Pitiful Belmont Recap Ever

Last Saturday, of course, was the Belmont Stakes. The final jewel in the coveted Triple Crown. And we all know the drama that unfolded: I'll Have Another scratched and retired; Union Rags squeaking along the rail, edging out Paytner in a thrilling win; a teeming horde of 85,811 in attendance, wagering over $13 million; all-sources handle in the neighborhood of a gazillion dollars, or something like that.

All this Belmont excitement! And Lone Star Park sends out its press release that very evening:

ELI YOUNG BAND CONCERT SMASHES ATTENDANCE RECORD 

26,519 On Hand Friday Night Is Largest Post-Race Concert Ever

What?!?

Nothing about the Belmont Stakes??  Union Rags??? Even some kind of little, impromptu Triple Crown fiesta on the patio???

Well, if I wasn't discouraged enough with the state of horse racing at Lone Star Park, I only had to crack open my Sunday morning edition of the Star-Telegram (motto:  "Leading the industry in printing corrections!"). Directly above the Belmont Stakes recap was a short article of how I'll Have Another's scratch took a toll on the local racetrack's attendance; they were anticipating a crowd approaching 20,000.  Instead, attendance was a 10,586.  And then, in a quote that can cause serious heartburn for the avid horse racing fan, Vice President and Assistant General Manager of Lone Star Park, G.W. Hail says,

"Who needs I'll Have Another when you have Eli Young?"

That's enough to discard my morning coffee and reach for the vodka!

Well, I could very easily go off on a rant and tirade about a some dumb obtuse remark - menopausal women are very good at doing that.  However, I shall just stick to a few numbers.

Racetracks are usually in the business of racing horses.  Horses race for money.  Money is funded by handle.  26,519 people showed up for the Eli Young Band concert and the on-track handle was $332,835.  Belmont Stakes Saturday's attendance was 10,586 with a on-track handle of $477,635.  Without the use of pie charts, calculators, or any other kind of visual aid, I can reach a simple conclusion:  Concert goers do not bet.  They do not contribute to handle.  However, they contribute to excessive alcohol consumption and a trashed parking lot.  Horses are not impressed.

Look, I understand that Global Gaming is in the "entertainment business" and they are very successful using the facility as a concert venue.  That's not a bad thing.  What's bad is being negligent and indifferent to the very reason the racetrack is even in business.

Scratched

I'll Have Another
Dreams of the Triple Crown dashed
by tendonitis