Quote:
Originally Posted by Calzone Lord
I don't even know him.
However, I'd like to know if he factored in, to his conclusion, evidence from the 1940's. In that period, the DRF editorials hit hard against takeout increases.
Also, I'm not sure you can factor in the period from say, the 1880's through 1930's.
Really, until the "O'Dwyer Bite" takeout increase, where the takeout spiked from 10% to 15% at NYRA tracks -- horse racing received better press coverage than any sport, except for maybe Major League Baseball.
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Almost whenever anyone does a study relative to racing, there is a near instant reaction that some other variables that should be considered, weren't. In other words, most studies about racing-related items are discounted immediately by many opinionated viewers, whether warranted or otherwise.
I'd suggest the reason that it all happens is the very nature of the sport - 8 horses in a race, someone makes a case for two and suddenly, the other six look like potentially attractive options. It's in our nature, as horseplayers, to take a viewpoint contrary to the one being offered.
All that said, even if the "O'Dwyer Bite" was taken into account by Wolff, it is near impossible to accurately account for the changes in market conditions from the 1940s to 2010s.