nyra

[MaTH716]

I just don't think that anyone is giving consideration to the people that work at the track either. This is their biggest day of the year. Gates opened at (I believe 8:30) for a 11:35 first post. The last race went off at 7:50. It's not like they shut the lights off and go home at 8 o'clock after the last race goes official. I'm thinking that many people were there very late that night, cleaning up after such a big day. Most likely after working there for the entire day. All this coming in a span where they raced 10 times in 11 days.

But then again if they did put together a card for Sunday for the sake of just racing for a 11th time in 12 days and it came up below par, people would have chastised NYRA for not anticipating a carryover. Then they would have bitched and moaned about the crappy card that they would be looking at for such a big carryover.

It just seems like some people like to bitch and moan reguardless of what goes on there.

[Travis Stone]

Originally Posted by MaTH716

It just seems like some people like to bitch and moan reguardless of what goes on there.

It's the racing fan way.

[MaTH716]

Originally Posted by HomerS

Why is it "bitching and moaning"?

Understand players have been beaten down forever to shut their mouth and take it. Don't see wondering why a business, especially one hurting bad for cash, would run on Thursday instead of Sunday when their own numbers show they do better on Sunday.
What other business in the country would operate like that?

What other businesses customers would be called bitchers and moaners for wanting to send them their dollars?

Sensitive to the employee issue, but lets get real here. Look at all the recent job cuts there. Where has been the groundswell of concern here or anyplace else for those peoples jobs? But now its give the poor people a rest? Dont think could get people to work some OT or something? And again if they took of Thursday wouldnt be an issue.

Besides the employee situation, I just don't know if they could have the venue ready for racing a card on Sunday. Sunset for Saturday was 8:23, the last race went off at 7:50. I have no idea what time everyone got out of Belmont on Saturday, so the staff could start preparing if there was racing the next day. But I'm guessing they wouldn't be able to start to about 9pm at the minimum. I'm not just talking about the grandstand, but the backyard at Belmont which is huge (and I don't believe it's a lighted area either). It's a giant venue, that probably takes some time to clean, plain and simple.

As far as the bitching and moaning goes, I really believe that if they did race on Sunday and the card wasn't up to some people's speed then there would be posted threads about that around here. I just don't understand what the big deal is about one dark Sunday.

[gales0678]

Originally Posted by MaTH716

Besides the employee situation, I just don't know if they could have the venue ready for racing a card on Sunday. Sunset for Saturday was 8:23, the last race went off at 7:50. I have no idea what time everyone got out of Belmont on Saturday, so the staff could start preparing if there was racing the next day. But I'm guessing they wouldn't be able to start to about 9pm at the minimum. I'm not just talking about the grandstand, but the backyard at Belmont which is huge (and I don't believe it's a lighted area either). It's a giant venue, that probably takes some time to clean, plain and simple.

As far as the bitching and moaning goes, I really believe that if they did race on Sunday and the card wasn't up to some people's speed then there would be posted threads about that around here. I just don't understand what the big deal is about one dark Sunday.

matt the card is the card, 1 stakes /feature race would have been fine......... we live in ny you cannot simply tell me that the facility itself could not have been ready for sunday , to even suggest that is a farce when in the past they have run on that sunday

people want a day off i get it, take mon - wed of this week off , start racing on thursday no?

not everyone can play during the week, some of nyra customers are weekend only players , but that doesn't seem to matter to anyone here besides Homer S. the weekend only players lost out on a card and a potential pick 6 play ....not everyone has a phone account/ not everyone has the internet ....some people work during the week and cannot physically get to the track or an otb location to make a play or they simply don't have the time during the week.

[herkhorse]

Originally Posted by gales0678

matt the card is the card, 1 stakes /feature race would have been fine......... we live in ny you cannot simply tell me that the facility itself could not have been ready for sunday , to even suggest that is a farce when in the past they have run on that sunday

people want a day off i get it, take mon - wed of this week off , start racing on thursday no?

not everyone can play during the week, some of nyra customers are weekend only players , but that doesn't seem to matter to anyone here besides Homer S. the weekend only players lost out on a card and a potential pick 6 play ....not everyone has a phone account/ not everyone has the internet ....some people work during the week and cannot physically get to the track or an otb location to make a play or they simply don't have the time during the week.

This is insane, anyone who cares will find a way to play today, work or no work.

[gales0678]

Originally Posted by herkhorse

This is insane, anyone who cares will find a way to play today, work or no work.

everyone has a different situation , not everyone can make wagers during the week , yes there are phone accounts now and internet accounts , but , there is still a % of people out there that play only on weekends and do not have the ability to place a bet without being on site or at an otb

the die-hards will always get down , the casual fan may not....racing needs the casual fan to succeed as well

[herkhorse]

casual fans don't play the pick six

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by HomerS

Why is it "bitching and moaning"?

Understand players have been beaten down forever to shut their mouth and take it. Don't see wondering why a business, especially one hurting bad for cash, would run on Thursday instead of Sunday when their own numbers show they do better on Sunday.

What other business in the country would operate like that?

What other businesses customers would be called bitchers and moaners for wanting to send them their dollars?

Sensitive to the employee issue, but lets get real here. Look at all the recent job cuts there. Where has been the groundswell of concern here or anyplace else for those peoples jobs? But now its give the poor people a rest? Dont think could get people to work some OT or something? And again if they took of Thursday wouldn't be an issue.

Spare us the self pity. I am not particularly concerned for NYRA employees welfare but NYRA management is, which is why this was brought up as a potential reason why they were closed on Sunday. Not because we felt badly for them.

The idea that business on Sunday post-Belmont day is so much better than business on Thursday that all other considerations should be tabled is mistaken. And the irony of people like you always prefacing NYRA with terms like 'cash strapped' ignore the reality that the reason they are cash strapped is that they aren't getting a significant portion of their share of the handle, not that they are making poor management decisions.

I would think that you would be focusing on the final days of Monmouth since you are the Prophet of Doom there as well.

[blackthroatedwind]

Suggesting we should have closed on Thursday and run on Sunday suggests a complete disconnect. It is, quite frankly, nonsensical.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by HomerS

Let me try to be clear here. I would have liked to see them consider running on Sunday. And also running on Thursday.

However, if the reason not to run on Sunday was because of "too much" racing for that week, which is argument people are making- I would have elected to close on a Thursday or some other day and run Sunday- when you get more business.

I'm not trying to make it an either or argument. The people saying they were right not to consider racing on Sunday are.

However, if its going to be an either/or argument then I think the numbers show racing on Sunday is better option then running on Thursday.

It is pretty clear why Sunday was chosen. It became even more obvious because of the once-every-14-years situation of Memorial Day being five days before the Belmont this year...however that was obviously not why we chose to close after the Belmont.

Honestly, considering how many people seem to think there is too much racing, it is amazing that anyone would have any problem with this. But, I guess when the name NYRA is attached there have to be people knocking us. That's fine....at least they are paying attention.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by HomerS

We? Do you work for NYRA?

Will repeat what I told the other poster. Be careful about making assumptions about peoples motives or agenda. Especially when they send money to your business.

People can disagree about something and just have honest difference of opinion. Doesn't mean that they are bashing NYRA, or are bitching and moaning or just another complaining horse player.

If you do work for NYRA would think you would want to hear from all of your customers.

You think the CEO of any business doesnt want customer feedback?

Doesnt mean you have to like it all but if you have any business sense you will be respectful of it. Heck you may even find out they have some good ideas even.

Thanks for the lecture.

I have already responded to six different customer e-mails today...and this is one of my days off. If you don't think people at NYRA are interested in our customers' thoughts you are badly mistaken.

That, however, does not preclude me from finding it puzzling that people have a major issue with Sunday being dark. Certainly everyone won't be 100% happy, and that is understandable, but every decision will never work for everybody. But, this one sure feels like a greatest good.

[Roc525]

Originally Posted by HomerS

Your first sentence tells me you dont get it.

Cannot imagine a spokesperson for a company responding like that to a customer in any business. Not like you are being cursed at, called an idiot, whatever.

Where did I say the people at NYRA are not interested in customer thoughts?

Getting so ridiculous now. Where you have to swear an oath of eternal loyalty to NYRA before posting anything which could be considered unfair by thin skinned employees.

Yeah we get it people have piled on and said unfair things over the years. Get over it. Grow up. Not everyone is out to get you.Your customers are going to ask for things you might not like or be able to provide.

i cant even believe having this discussion. Been Pro NYRA for years, put a lot of money through the windows and have had privledge of talking in person with management like Bill Nader.

Finally guess what. The economy is rough. I work in private sector. I work on my day off too. Not ideal situation but you do what you have to do, especially if in a crisis mode.

Yes, you are.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by HomerS

You have made a few personal attacks here. Not sure where they are coming from. I have not engaged in such. And am not engaging in "self pity". Which is it by the way self pity or feeling smarter then everyone else? Make up your mind already.

Seriously can discuss this without the other stuff. Dont see a need for it.

As far as "cash strapped" I am well aware of the reasons for it. That doesnt change my thought on Sunday being a better day then Thursday.

I have been a big NYRA supporter over the years.

They have been held hostage by the politicians and broken promises for years I get it. They were subject to politically motivated witchhunt by Bruno and "Friends of NY Racing". I get that too.

So be careful about what you are assuming my thoughts about NYRA are. The "people like you" comment couldnt be further off base. Why not ask next time instead of assuming? How many times have I prefaced comments about NYRA with cash strapped? Most of my comments on this board have been about NYRA generating a significant amount of handle, and doing so with smaller purses then Monmouth.

Now you are a victim...

[Travis Stone]

Originally Posted by HomerS

Not a very productive comment or way to make a point.

Ummm sarcasm. But I apologize. I hate being unproductive.

[parsixfarms]

2008 was the first year that NYRA did not run the Sunday after the Belmont. For two years prior, divisions of the NY Stallion Series were the "feature" races that day, so MaTH716 is probably correct that, if NYRA were running on Sunday with a big carryover and those races as the "featured" attractions, many on here likely would have been complaining about the quality of the card.

For many of the reasons stated elsewhere in here (the 13-race cards on Belmont Day are only a recent phenomenom), I totally understand why they did not run on Sunday. If I had to criticize the recent racing schedule, in the face of what NYRA officials have acknowledged as a dwindling horse population, it was a mistake to run the Wednesday between Memorial Day and Belmont Stakes Day.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by parsixfarms

2008 was the first year that NYRA did not run the Sunday after the Belmont. For two years prior, divisions of the NY Stallion Series were the "feature" races that day, so MaTH716 is probably correct that, if NYRA were running on Sunday with a big carryover and those races as the "featured" attractions, many on here likely would have been complaining about the quality of the card.

For many of the reasons stated elsewhere in here (the 13-race cards on Belmont Day are only a recent phenomenom), I totally understand why they did not run on Sunday. If I had to criticize the recent racing schedule, in the face of what NYRA officials have acknowledged as a dwindling horse population, it was a mistake to run the Wednesday between Memorial Day and Belmont Stakes Day.

As I think I mentioned, we had originally planned on being closed Wednesday ( see the Calendar ), but due to the Belmont Draw and general activities it was decided we needed to run that day. It was basically a somewhat problematic situation that we made the best of.

Obviously the original point of this thread is misguided....but you know that.

[parsixfarms]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

As I think I mentioned, we had originally planned on being closed Wednesday ( see the Calendar ), but due to the Belmont Draw and general activities it was decided we needed to run that day. It was basically a somewhat problematic situation that we made the best of.

Obviously the original point of this thread is misguided....but you know that.

In the context of your explanation about Belmont Stakes festivities, I can understand why NYRA chose to run on that Wednesday.

That being said, this was the third time this year that NYRA strayed from the past "policy," if one can call it that, of having two dark days after a six-day holiday week (see January 20 [after MLK holiday] and February 20 [after Presidents' Day]) and ran on a Wednesday, creating the situation of having eleven racing days in a 12-day period. It's also scheduled to run on July 7, under the same circumstances. This puts an awful lot of pressure on the horse population if you are going to run 10-race cards on weekends and holidays.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by parsixfarms

In the context of your explanation about Belmont Stakes festivities, I can understand why NYRA chose to run on that Wednesday.

That being said, this was the third time this year that NYRA strayed from the past "policy," if one can call it that, of having two dark days after a six-day holiday week (see January 20 [after MLK holiday] and February 20 [after Presidents' Day]) and ran on a Wednesday, creating the situation of having eleven racing days in a 12-day period. It's also scheduled to run on July 7, under the same circumstances. This puts an awful lot of pressure on the horse population if you are going to run 10-race cards on weekends and holidays.

We did that in order to have a four day break at the end of January ( since we are legislated to run a certain number of days during the winter period ).