Laurel takeout cut a flop

[Dunbar]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

also, and I am not picking on you but it would be hard for me to see saratoga handle increase because of takeout, as you say its saratoga and people play there as a destination meet. Isnt a better experiment to take a track that is not doing so well and see how a player reward such as lower take would improve handle?

Completely agree.

--Dunbar

[Thoroughbred Fan]

Laurel has many problems that a lower takeout can't solve.

For one, it is a depressing place to visit. There isn't much for people who aren't playing the horses, like kids. They need a museum of some, they need a nice playground, they need more comfortable seating, and they need to embrace the idea that today you must be able to entertain the whole family to get people back to the track.

For the players, they need more competitive fields. I go to Laurel about once a month, but rarley play Laurel unless I see someone I know who "knows". Almost all of the regulars there are the same way. To get the bigger, more competitive fields they do need the purse money. However, once they get slots, and they will this year, they need to bring back the lower takeout. People will play but not when its a five horse field with a less than even money favorite. They have a very nice turf course there and could attract some nice horses. I'd like to see them bring back the International.

Lastly, they need to get their head out of their asses when it comes to innovation. Yeah, the Horse Wizard, that was a spectacular idea Stronach. Keep it up.