Arlington Park gets it

[Scav]

So today was my first appearance at the nicest facility in North America and they continue to amaze me.

1) All new tote machines that from the look of them, are really nice, I played around with them real quick and they are real easy to use and punch tickets, just need to get used to where things are

2) Brand new LED for tote board. Clear as day now as far as prices/odds/pool totals

3) Brand new screen in infield (next to pool totals) showing head on and rear view

It just amazes me that a place like AP where the races are not that good most of the time continues to make improvements to help the fans and make the place 'shine' when a place like Churchill can't even get a machine in the place, and they are owned by the same company.

[the_fat_man]

yeah

Maybe now they can actually get around to putting some working, realtime video on their site

[GPK]

Originally Posted by Scav

So today was my first appearance at the nicest facility in North America and they continue to amaze me.

1) All new tote machines that from the look of them, are really nice, I played around with them real quick and they are real easy to use and punch tickets, just need to get used to where things are

2) Brand new LED for tote board. Clear as day now as far as prices/odds/pool totals

3) Brand new screen in infield (next to pool totals) showing head on and rear view

It just amazes me that a place like AP where the races are not that good most of the time continues to make improvements to help the fans and make the place 'shine' when a place like Churchill can't even get a machine in the place, and they are owned by the same company.

and Scavs makes his "television debut" today after Bob's Bean wins the first.

Shaking hands with Rene D.

[2 Dollar Bill]

Originally Posted by GPK

and Scavs makes his "television debut" today after Bob's Bean wins the first.

Shaking hands with Rene D.

******* T I V O ********* Alert !

[GPK]

Originally Posted by 2 Dollar Bill

******* T I V O ********* Alert !

You can really only see his back...but as I sat at the OTB watching, I just KNEW it was his dumbass

[Scav]

Originally Posted by GPK

You can really only see his back...but as I sat at the OTB watching, I just KNEW it was his dumbass

I was dressed to impress today and rocking the shaved head.

What a great day today was, from all angles

[GPK]

Originally Posted by Scav

I was dressed to impress today and rocking the shaved head.

What a great day today was, from all angles

People thought I was nuts when I started busting out laughing after I saw you. They never seen someone get so hysterical over watching a winners circle photo on tv

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Scav

So today was my first appearance at the nicest facility in North America and they continue to amaze me.

1) All new tote machines that from the look of them, are really nice, I played around with them real quick and they are real easy to use and punch tickets, just need to get used to where things are

2) Brand new LED for tote board. Clear as day now as far as prices/odds/pool totals

3) Brand new screen in infield (next to pool totals) showing head on and rear view

It just amazes me that a place like AP where the races are not that good most of the time continues to make improvements to help the fans and make the place 'shine' when a place like Churchill can't even get a machine in the place, and they are owned by the same company.

Dont forget CD sold it soul (and most of its stock) to Mr. D when they made the deal. It is still his baby and he is the boss.

[GBBob]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Dont forget CD sold it soul (and most of its stock) to Mr. D when they made the deal. It is still his baby and he is the boss.

and I hope he can live for many, many more years..

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by GBBob

and I hope he can live for many, many more years..

Dont care for junior?

[GBBob]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Dont care for junior?

I'm not sure if he envisions a new toteboard in the infield or condos. You hear a lot of stuff about how RD tied things up pretty well with CD so AP can't be razed the week after he dies, but if they don't get slots or some financial help, somethings got to give if you run 6 $10K claiming races, two Allowance and an AOC every day.

I think last year this time, Pletcher had 40 horses here and Asmussen had shippers as well. AP will always get horses after CD shuts, but there are only so many suckers like me who just want to run here because they love the track

[stonegossard]

Originally Posted by Scav

So today was my first appearance at the nicest facility in North America and they continue to amaze me.

1) All new tote machines that from the look of them, are really nice, I played around with them real quick and they are real easy to use and punch tickets, just need to get used to where things are

2) Brand new LED for tote board. Clear as day now as far as prices/odds/pool totals

3) Brand new screen in infield (next to pool totals) showing head on and rear view

It just amazes me that a place like AP where the races are not that good most of the time continues to make improvements to help the fans and make the place 'shine' when a place like Churchill can't even get a machine in the place, and they are owned by the same company.

I agree it's a great track to go watch races/simulcasts. Too bad the racing there is horrendous. IT's not bad if you like betting Catalano 3-5 shots. Their live racing has gone to sh#t since poly. Outside of the turf racing, the cards are a joke. Check out the winner of todays 5th race.....results like that keep me from betting anything on poly races.

[Scav]

Originally Posted by stonegossard

I agree it's a great track to go watch races/simulcasts. Too bad the racing there is horrendous. IT's not bad if you like betting Catalano 3-5 shots. Their live racing has gone to sh#t since poly. Outside of the turf racing, the cards are a joke. Check out the winner of todays 5th race.....results like that keep me from betting anything on poly races.

I understand people's frustration with poly, but quite honestly, I love it.

[stonegossard]

Originally Posted by Scav

I understand people's frustration with poly, but quite honestly, I love it.

Wow....there is a horse player on this planet who loves it. This is a first.


Hopefully in time when handles continue to decrease/purses go down, the tracks realize that they need to re-install dirt tracks. A majority of the horseplayers I know wont go near a lot of these poly tracks. Keeneland's spring meet was all you need to look at.

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by stonegossard

Wow....there is a horse player on this planet who loves it. This is a first.


Hopefully in time when handles continue to decrease/purses go down, the tracks realize that they need to re-install dirt tracks. A majority of the horseplayers I know wont go near a lot of these poly tracks. Keeneland's spring meet was all you need to look at.

I've been asking this for some time now but I'll ask it again one more time:
We know that not all of these synthetic surfaces are the same, so why do many people feel the need to be 100% pro-synthetic, or 100% anti-synthetic, across the board?

Del Mar's surface was an absolute joke. Santa Anita's was worse. Keeneland was pretty bad too.
But that doesn't change the fact that it has pretty much been a good thing at Arlington. The surface plays pretty fairly, field size was up last year, etc. Overall I am not a big fan of synthetic surfaces, but to lump all of these surfaces together never made much sense to me. Did we judge ALL dirt surfaces based on the way the old Keeneland track played? Of course not.
Do I think most tracks would be better served investing money installing the best and safest dirt tracks? Yes. But that doesn't prevent me from seeing that the change at Arlington seems to have worked out pretty well.

[stonegossard]

Originally Posted by miraja2

I've been asking this for some time now but I'll ask it again one more time:
We know that not all of these synthetic surfaces are the same, so why do many people feel the need to be 100% pro-synthetic, or 100% anti-synthetic, across the board?

Del Mar's surface was an absolute joke. Santa Anita's was worse. Keeneland was pretty bad too.
But that doesn't change the fact that it has pretty much been a good thing at Arlington. The surface plays pretty fairly, field size was up last year, etc. Overall I am not a big fan of synthetic surfaces, but to lump all of these surfaces together never made much sense to me. Did we judge ALL dirt surfaces based on the way the old Keeneland track played? Of course not.
Do I think most tracks would be better served investing money installing the best and safest dirt tracks? Yes. But that doesn't prevent me from seeing that the change at Arlington seems to have worked out pretty well.

You make great points and I agree with most of what you are saying. That being said last year's first few weeks at AP was ridiculous. The speed bias on the poly was unbelievable. Now I am not paying nearly as much attention this year because I refuse to wager on the crap AP is putting out. So maybe this year is different...but while at the track yesterday I thought what I was seeing at AP was still rather pathetic.

[GBBob]

Originally Posted by stonegossard

I agree it's a great track to go watch races/simulcasts. Too bad the racing there is horrendous. IT's not bad if you like betting Catalano 3-5 shots. Their live racing has gone to sh#t since poly. Outside of the turf racing, the cards are a joke. Check out the winner of todays 5th race.....results like that keep me from betting anything on poly races.

No dude...it was sh*t before poly too...It's all dependant on the purses which is all dependant on the money the state lets them get from casinos, which is...ahh..I get a headache from IL politics.

[stonegossard]

Originally Posted by GBBob

No dude...it was sh*t before poly too...It's all dependant on the purses which is all dependant on the money the state lets them get from casinos, which is...ahh..I get a headache from IL politics.

I disagree....while it wasn't great racing like Belmont/Saratoga, it was pretty good. These races they are putting together now are much worse in my opinion then before. You would figure with 4-day racing they would be able to put together decent cards......apparently not. As far as the bs politics out there, agree with ya.

[GBBob]

Originally Posted by stonegossard

I disagree....while it wasn't great racing like Belmont/Saratoga, it was pretty good. These races they are putting together now are much worse in my opinion then before. You would figure with 4-day racing they would be able to put together decent cards......apparently not. As far as the bs politics out there, agree with ya.

I'm curious..I know you know AP, but I think purses/cards were bad pre-poly and rebounded LY because of the Poly. But need to find the numbers..will bump either way as I know posters are waiting with baited breath

[ArlJim78]

saying the cards are much worse now is a joke. it has definitely improved since poly. no doubt about it. the early season cards are always relatively weak compared to later in the meet when Churchill closes.
the handle went up last year also.

the track is always fast and plays fairly. frankly i've never heard anyone say anything negative about the surface. there is no groundswell of support to go back to dirt around here.