BDHC members speak up about Hambletonian move

by John Berry

Several members of the BDHC (Broken Down Horseplayer’s Club) have let their feelings be known about the Hambletonian move to Harrah’s Hoosier Park and their thoughts are quite revealing.

Smitty, M.P., Adolph A, and R. Phil were among the respondents and most everyone welcomes the move to the Midwest.

Smitty kicked off the festivities saying, “I think it’s a very smart move.

“As I have mentioned in the past when asked, harness racing is supposed to be a spectator sport and conducted with the racing fan in mind and, while The Meadowlands does this in a big way on Hambletonian Day, it’s still written with a bias towards horsemen [and women] in mind.

“A perfect example of that was in the [Hambletonian] Oaks when they had three eliminations of seven horses when the bettors would have much preferred two eliminations of 10 and 11 — really great betting races with more value for the players.

“I think that this [move] will draw many thousands of new comers to the race… and in a venue where the guy running the place [Gabe Prewitt] always has the wagering fan in his sights.

“Yes, I know that The Meadowlands had a great wagering menu on Hambletonian Day, but I guarantee you that Hoosier will come up with the stuff that us players dream of.”

M.P. thinks that it will not only be a “player’s paradise,” it will be a cheaper venue with their “selection of hotels, motels, and suites available at prices much less than what is available in North Jersey.”

In checking availability, there are places sponsored by Hilton, Comfort Inn, Holiday Inn, Quality Inn, Marriott, Embassy Suites, Days Inn, Country Inn, Best Western, Wyndham and several others.

Adolph A is a “Hambletonian veteran” in his own words and has been to harness racing’s “greatest event” in DuQuoin and The Meadowlands and related, “Actually, I saw my first one with my father in Goshen, NY in 1955 and have been to those there and in DuQuoin and, of course, The Meadowlands.

“I’ve probably been to 15 or so over the years and the excitement is the same at all of ’em.”

R. Phil chimed in with his thoughts saying, “Whether there is betting or no betting, the Hambletonian always draws crowds and Mr. Prewitt, I am sure, is already planning to put on a program that will knock the bettor’s socks off.

“How about a two-day Hambo Weekend with the Hambletonian Oaks featured on a Friday and the Hambletonian on the Saturday with an Oaks-Hambo Daily Double stretching through both days.

“That’s something that would be great and something right up that guy’s [Gabe Prewitt’s] alley.”

On the Dan Patch program on Aug. 14, Harrah’s  Hoosier Park featured many of the folk that had so much to do with Dan Patch more than a century past — Myron McHenry, Joe Patchen, Marion Savage, and the $300,000 Dan Patch Free-For-All Pace, along with other features honoring great horses and people in our sport.

Pinochle Stan, a longtime “punter” — as he says — remarked, “I will only play tracks with handle where a $20 or $50 bet won’t kill a win ticket price.

“Meadowlands, Northfield, and Hoosier… and I am not happy it’s [the Hambletonian is] leaving The Meadowlands but, if it has to go anywhere, Hoosier is the choice.

“They are fan friendly and really put the game in the proper perspective when it comes to squeezing the most out of the betting situation.

“Good purses don’t, necessarily, make a track a viable betting option.

“If the betting handle can’t sustain the purses on their own, it’s not in play with me.

“Hoosier has a casino and a strong handle on most nights and that’s a good combo for the player.”

Luke Pan chimed in hoping that the betting card will have “a sensible [betting] menu where the pools aren’t stretched too thin and with some nice guarantees [pools] where you can make a nice bet without betting against yourself.”

As far as drawing fans is concerned, Luke reminds us that, “no matter where the Hambo or [Little Brown] Jug is concerned, the fans will show up.”

The Hambletonian has been hosted by many venues successfully in the past as it is a premier event in the horse racing world.

From Syracuse and Goshen to Lexington, even Yonkers, NY in 1943 due to World War II gas rationing, and DuQuoin, IL — population around 7,000 — the Hambletonian is a draw and there’s no reason that Anderson, IN won’t provide the same drawing power, enthusiasm, and excitement as the previous 101 Hambletonian events.

There will always be nay-sayers no matter what decisions are made but the Midwest is becoming a strong hub in harness racing, Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana and this may be the poke-in-the-butt the sport needs to regain the magic it had during its hey-day, or is it hay-day.

There’s only one way to find out.

Personally, we can’t wait for Hambletonian Day 2027.

May The Horse Be With You!