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Originally Posted by Cannon Shell
Where evryone misses the boat on the retirement issue is that in many places that those retired early horses race, SAR, KEE, DEL MAR, T Crown, BCUP, attendance is been at record levels recently. The big events and big meets are doing just fine. It is the day to day attendance and weekends when there is no big races that are suffering. This is an apples and oranges argument.
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You're right, but I think the hope might be if the superstar horses would stay around long enough to generate some casual fan interest, then maybe the casual fan might go to the track on some of those other days because a day at the track can be a lot of fun in and of itself. Because, as long as OTBs and gambling via the Internet exist, there isn't any reason for the gambler to go to the track.
I think the tracks should try to get the TV coverage on the big days to include segments on Handicapping 101's- make it funny and informative and comprehensible and I think a casual viewer might get a little intrigued and want to test his or her luck at the track. But as much as gambling is huge business, on some level I think America still regards it as a bit dirty and sinful- we do it, but we don't want to talk about it. Like lots of other fun things, come to think of it...
