8 Steps to Help Racing

There was an article published today in Australia with 8 ways to fix racing. It should not surprise anyone that thousands of miles away the same issues are talked about, just like they are here. From the betting game, to owners, drugs, trainers and transparency.

One of them we don't hear enough of here is #6. Over 2,000 HANA members could've written this:

6. Punters are the industry's customers. Not owners. Certainly not breeders. Not the Spring Carnival party crowd. Punters.

Racing needs to understand that without punters there is no horseracing. They need to understand the threats of chronic inaction when punters are slapped in the face because they will still punt, but just not on horseracing. They will take their money to betting on ball sports that don't rely on wagering money, because they have TV rights, attendance fees and corporate sponsorship that racing doesn't. So when you serve up rubbish like Ballarat did yesterday, every punter who was locked into a quaddie was dudded and feels dudded. When Matthew Neilsen weighs in over-weight on a just-beaten mount, don't slap him with a token $800 fine, suspend him and anyone else who breaks that rule. If trainers and owners don't want vision of trials that are overseen by stewards released to the public, bad luck. If Tabcorp want to increase their exotic bet taxes, then tell them they can't. Get your track ratings and readings right and race over uniform distances. And if a stable blatantly changes tactics without notifying the public, then enforce the rule and punish those who break it.

To read the entire list, please click here.

Balmoral Park Results

We received a note from Chicago's Balmoral Park last evening on their 2012 results, bouyed by their work with their low takeout pick 4. Congratulations to BLMP!

BALMORAL PARK

2012 thru 9-20  Handle $120,286,598     1302 races     $ 92,386 per race

2011 thru 9-30  Handle $  96,848,694     1253 races     $ 77,293 per race

 ANATOMY OF A BET 

      BALMORAL PARK PICK 4 HISTORY    2009 TO THE PRESENT

	2009	2010	2011	2012
	25% Takeout	15% Takeout	15% Takeout	15% Takeout
JAN	$8,524	$7,698	$15,163	$28,675
FEB	8,587	10,277	17,490	27,046
MAR	9,739	10,923	15,629	40,316
APR	7,750	11,021	26,584	32,715
MAY	7,907	14,897	24,773	32,345
JUN	9,425	14,109	24,708	31,798
JUL	7,689	16,357	26,191	30,869
AUG	8,160	12,570	23,658	30,822
SEP	11,672	22,467	30,411	33,928
OCT	7,432	15,670	28,016
NOV	9,641	15,703	25,804
DEC	10,349	12,584	23,519

I'm Tired. Just Do It

I’m tired; and it’s not just because my one year old decided the best time to scream at the top of her lungs was between 1AM – 2:30AM last night. I’m tired of the hoards of issues facing the game today, the same issues from decades ago. I’m tired of the constant inaction of industry leaders. I’m even tired of the pages upon pages of thoughtful analysis, insights, suggestions, and solutions I read from blogs and countless other sources, as good as much of it is. In fact, I’ve read more high quality material on the state of the game and steps needed to fix it in the past 12 – 18 months than in all previous years of following this sport combined. I’m tired of it because we’ve come to a point where the words aren’t resonating and they should. No matter what we say and no matter how well it is said, few are listening. It’s exhausting.

Why should anyone listen to a player like me when Satish Sanan, a high profile owner, player, and outspoken proponent for meaningful change isn’t making any headway. Mr. Sanan has continuously articulated sensible solutions, on a both small and large scale, and yet nothing ever changes. Even with my typical horseplayer streak of inherent cynicism, I can honestly say I agree with about 95% of what Mr. Sanan has to say about making the sport better. I’ve listened to him in many forums and his ideas are essentially an amalgamation of what thousands of us have been saying in one context or another.

We’re at a juncture where talking and writing about all that ills are falling on deaf ears. All you can do at the grassroots level is donate your time and effort and hope for the best. HANA has done some great things with a budget of essentially nil and an all-volunteer membership and leadership, a group of people that care enough to attempt to better the game we love on our own time. For the most part, as horseplayers, our stake in the game is with discretionary income. Those stakeholders with skin in the game that rely on the sport as their living need to get creative and absolutely must evolve and open their ears and minds. Should the status quo continue, as much as it pains me to say it, there are other ways to spend our precious extra cash. Day after day, year after year, the same issues persist without action. At some point, even the most ardent gluttons for punishment will cry “uncle”.

I’m tired because “We The People” cannot enact widespread change without industry involvement - We can only do our best to promote and encourage it. Note to all of the actors in the system with a chip at the table: I’m tired of hearing all the reasons why you can’t do it and I’m sick of the passionate voices getting drowned out. Life is short and competition is wide. The time for talk is over. Just do it.

Jerod Dinkin

HANA Board Member