BDHC players speak up after “Damola” column

by John Berry

After the last HRU Mane Attraction, other BDHC (Broken Down Horse Club) members began to chime in with their comments to be given the same opportunity as the well-educated “Smitty” to express their views on our sport.

To bring you all up to snuff, Red Lobster’s leader, Damola Adamolekun, read and absorbed the complaints from customers to revive that restaurant chain and rally it from the clutches of bankruptcy.

Gary A. is a frequent visitor to the simulcasting venue at The Pomp in Florida and vehemently is opposed to the “agonizing” drag, prevalent in the world of pari-mutuel racing today.

You wanted to complain about the “drag,” which is kind of standard procedure in today’s world of racing.

Gary A.: “Yes, I consider it unnecessary and so does just about every other player, as well. There is no need for it. I could see it in the ‘live’ days of racing before simulcasting, but now that anyone can bet anytime, anyplace, anywhere, it’s not necessary. Players like action and it’s very frustrating to drag and drag and drag. We want our action and the delays frustrate a lot of us. I know they tried to eliminate it at The Meadowlands, but that didn’t last long and they went back to the drag. We don’t like it. And when some races last until 11:30 or 12 at night in some places, our breed, meaning the older generation, doesn’t like to stay up that late.”

So, do you think it’s a wash between squeezing an extra buck or two from the “punter” and losing that wager to those leaving early?

Gary A.: “No, I think they lose handle and the bettors here have a particular track or two that they are married to and don’t like waiting an extra seven or 10 minutes every single race. It gets really old. You know that this is going nowhere with them and things will remain the same and that’s too bad. We’re a dying breed.”

There are a couple of meanings to that statement.

Gary A.: “I never thought of it that way, but yes, we are. Look at the guys here; what’s left of us from a few years ago.”

And the fields seem to be shorter and, when that happens, the bettor loses value.

Gary A.: “There you go! You proved my point. We only have so much to bet and, when it’s gone, it’s gone. We all just pray for a hit or two so we can keep at it. I’ll tell ya’ what I’ve been doing — playing the thoroughbreds at Saratoga. I don’t know much about that aspect of things, but the pools are great.”

There are some great tracks featuring harness racing: The Meadowlands, Hoosier, Northfield.

Adolph A. butts in: “The Meadowlands is the KING! Good pools all the way around. A $50 win bet or, even, exacta bet won’t budge the odds all that much. Some of these tracks have win pools so weak that it doesn’t pay to put $20 or $25 to win because you bet against yourself. Some of these tracks have pools so weak that the purses are much bigger than the pools. When I started in this game, the win pools were 70-80 per cent of the race pool. The game started going downhill when all these exotic bets came in. They steal the money from the other pools and now the win pools are only 15-20 per cent of the handle. Sure, the payoffs are bigger in these newer pools but you’ve got to remember that, in those pools, let’s say that there’s a super[fecta] pool of $10 grand and there’s two winners, with a 30 per cent rake [takeout], each gets, say $3,500. All that churn is lost. I know I’d be out of business in a hurry if I played that stuff. Go up and down the list of tracks, Tioga, Vernon, you name ’em, pools don’t support racing.”

We know that, Adolph, and we know racing is supported by casinos and legislation and that’s the reality of it all.

Adolph A.: “That’s the problem! Everybody is using them as a crutch. They can’t stand alone on their own two feet. You don’t think the casinos are going to try and get out of a losing proposition? You don’t think the politicians are going to try and take from Peter to pay Paul with one of their own pet projects? Can’t be naive about this s – – – !”

Everyone seemed so optimistic when the casinos broke through.

Adolph A.: “Let me tell you, this problem started long before casinos. The leaders [of our sport] missed the boat starting 40-50 years ago, harness racing was huge in the three biggest cities — New York, Chicago and L.A. — Roosevelt, Sportsman’s and Hollywood Park. When you have the ‘big three’ closing the doors, there’s a problem for the rest of us. The big boys didn’t see it, didn’t do anything about it, didn’t care about it.”

Do you think land value had anything to do with that? They don’t manufacture land anymore.

Adolph A.: “Without question. When one thing becomes more valuable than the other, it’s bound to happen. Every other sport has brought their sport to the modern era. We have, too, to some extent, but we’ve taken away much of the incentive. When us old guys can bet any track from here or from home, you lose live attendance and harness racing’s geniuses have accomplished that. Nobody goes to a track anymore!”

Anybody else care to chime in?

Eslie Joe: “Yes, but it’ll do no good. Nobody listens.”

The guy from Red Lobster did and they are thriving. We’d like to hear your thoughts.

Eslie Joe: “Too many races, too many separate pools, too much time between races, too much of a drug problem, guys leaning back looking like they are holding back, guys getting claimers to the half in :55 — “5” or “8” claimers — it’s a rodeo out there.”

The sport has changed. It’s become a speed sport now; the breed has changed.

Eslie Joe: “Yes. And the gamblers don’t seem to like it that way and they have left the scene. Actually, now that I think of it, that’s the problem with harness racing; they cater to their own and not the bettors that have kept the sport alive. They could care less about us because their purses are set in stone.”

Anyone else? I am getting ready to close up shop.

Milt G: “Sure, I’ll chime in. I am a long-time fan and have been to some of our bigger races, The Hambletonian, among them. I loved the old format of the Hambo when the horses were known for their durability. I loved the heat racing and marveled at the breed. I’ve read stories, by you in fact, where horses raced into their 20s and there were records for long distances [Conquerer breaking the record for 100 miles in 1853 and Abax racing at age 26 in the early 1950s]. To tell you the truth, in these elimination races, you don’t know who is ‘going’ and who is just looking to get into the top three or four. Tough to bet in situations like that. Maybe they should put a sign on the side [saddle] pad letting us know if they’re going or not. [said with a laugh].”

Yes, things have changed in our world during our lifetime, from medicine, technology, sports, and climate.

Milt: “Yes, and I have benefitted from that, but ours used to be a spectator sport and, when our dough is on the line, that’s all we care about and I — make that all of us players — want to know that we’ll get a bang for our buck. I’ve been a punter for 50 years and I cannot tell one thing that this sport has done to keep us happy and gain new players.”

We have new exotic wagering.

Milt: “You just proved my point. It’s been a little good and a lot bad. The pools have been spread so thin that it has taken away value from the ones we grew up with like the daily double and win. Take the ‘1-2-3-4’ track, Yonkers, maybe add a five sometimes but rarely 6, 7, or 8. Look at those pools and you’ll see what I mean.”

HRU then looked for the highest single race combined wagering pool recently at YR one night — $35,000 and change — featuring betting on win, place, show, exacta, trifecta and superfecta. There was nary one single pool of $10,000 with exacta and trifecta splitting hairs with about $8,500 each with the win pool next at $7,042. The place pool was $2,615 and the show pool $1,659.

Milt: “Any substantial bet — even $20 or $50 — and you’re hurting yourself.”

What’s the solution?

Milt: “First, scrap place and show betting, not worth the trouble. Exacta and Trifecta are good bets, but anything longer than that and you lose too much churn back though the windows. Oh, maybe a super[fecta] at the last race but these Pick-4s and ‘5s’ and ‘6s’ drain the wallets pretty fast, especially when you have only a couple of winners out of many hundreds. Of course, all this is going nowhere because nobody is strong enough to take a stand.”

Guaranteed pools help.

Milt: “Yes they do. That’s one good thing.”

Other BDHC members now want to join the conversation with one “punter,” known as Za-za, saying he has a “dynamite idea” and we will tackle that in an upcoming Mane Attraction. Until then…

May The Horse Be With You.