A great day for the sport.

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

I don't think I would call it a "magical" day of racing.

What kind of world do we live in where professional boxing judges can't competently judge a fight... and Kasept -- who I like -- thinks this racing today was "magical" -- it wasn't.

You totally missed the point Doug which I guess I understand since you weren't there. Those that were anxious for the day to be spoiled had it shoved up their ass by an enthusiastic crowd that couldn't have been happier to be there. They ate, drank, bet their money and made the atmosphere as special as possible in lieu of the Triple Crown storyline.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Kasept

You totally missed the point Doug which I guess I understand since you weren't there. Those that were anxious for the day to be spoiled had it shoved up their ass by an enthusiastic crowd that couldn't have been happier to be there. They ate, drank, bet their money and made the atmosphere as special as possible in lieu of the Triple Crown storyline.

Not according to Mr Sunshine #2

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/i-ll-ha...nt-stakes.html

[hoovesupsideyourhead]

forde is a doushe.

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by hoovesupsideyourhead

forde is a doushe.

I've never read a Forde horse racing column before -- and I'm pretty sure he's a general sports columnist.

80, 90, 100 years ago -- horse racing had a lot of truly great writers covering it in both the DRF and in the mainstream press.

The DRF writers started to shift in about the 1950's from hard-hitting, opinionated, rumor-laden, bettor oriented writers -- to good writers who preferred human interest stories and sappy, syrupy, cutesy stuff.

They're a lot better now than in like the 70's -- but much less interesting than the guys from the 20's.

The big difference is that the mainstream press and general sports writers handled horse racing very competently a long time ago. Now, they don't. Most of them are clueless and know absolutely nothing about racing.

[hoovesupsideyourhead]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

I've never read a Forde horse racing column before -- and I'm pretty sure he's a general sports columnist.

80, 90, 100 years ago -- horse racing had a lot of truly great writers covering it in both the DRF and in the mainstream press.

The DRF writers started to shift in about the 1950's from hard-hitting, opinionated, rumor-laden, bettor oriented writers -- to good writers who preferred human interest stories and sappy, syrupy, cutesy stuff.

They're a lot better now than in like the 70's -- but much less interesting than the guys from the 20's.

The big difference is that the mainstream press and general sports writers handled horse racing very competently a long time ago. Now, they don't. Most of them are clueless and know absolutely nothing about racing.

thats true..horseracing then is the nfl of now..

[Dahoss]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Not according to Mr Sunshine #2

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/i-ll-ha...nt-stakes.html

Dumb question I know....but how (and why) is Pat Forde writing about horse racing?

[tiggerv]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

Dumb question I know....but how (and why) is Pat Forde writing about horse racing?

Because Forde has 6 months a year where he can't write atrocious college football/basketball articles. I think he wrote for the Louisville paper back in the day so somehow that qualifies him for horse racing.

Here is Sally Jenkins hack piece in the Wash Post from Friday. She writes the same crap article every year. Beyer almost has to write positive pieces this time of year to counter the nonsense in his own paper.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports...mOV_story.html

[dagolfer33]

All complaining by everyone else aside, I was at work all day. In Louisiana no less. Then I had to go to a wedding while the Belmont was going off. I would have been very appreciative to have had any chance to enjoy Belmont day in any way. It sounds like Steve as well as many others took lemons and made lemonade. As for my situation, well, the way I see it I could have been worse. I could have been in Mississippi.

[Many Others]

sitting at home watching on NBC even a cynic like myself was affected momentarily - when the horses left the paddock, they started panning shots of the crowd, threw in a great shot of the Statue of Liberty, the Belmont grandstand was draped in red, white and blue buntings, it was packed and the fans looked like they were having a blast - then best of all, when the good looking horses step foot onto the track, here comes the tape of Frank singing NEW YORK NEW YORK, perfect and CLASSIC, wish every day was Belmont Stakes day lol... okay back to reality, but truly it was nice, again just for the moment, if nothing else...

[Riot]

It was a thoroughly enjoyable day for horse racing, cheering on friends and favorites, and enjoying an exciting Belmont. Congrats to the connections

Spring, chance and precociousness is over, now we get to see which three-year-olds mature into something even more exciting over the next year.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

Dumb question I know....but how (and why) is Pat Forde writing about horse racing?

Because he lives in Louisville?

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by Kasept

You totally missed the point Doug which I guess I understand since you weren't there. Those that were anxious for the day to be spoiled had it shoved up their ass by an enthusiastic crowd that couldn't have been happier to be there. They ate, drank, bet their money and made the atmosphere as special as possible in lieu of the Triple Crown storyline.

Who wanted the day spoiled?

The big NYC paper and PETA? The former just wants to impose their will to change the sport so they can pat themselves on the back. The latter is weird.

I've learned that Republicans and Democrats are not even political parties anymore. They are like the two sports teams with the two most myopic fanbases.

Just because one or two entities want to see failure to benefit their agenda -- doesn't mean those that don't like them should make it a Yankees VS Red Sox or Dem's VS Repub's.

To a fair judge -- reading stuff like "magical day of racing" and "intrepid human connections whom we revere and celebrate" and "had it shoved up their ass by an enthusiastic crowd" to describe yesterday is overblown hyperbole.

By the way...watch that fight from last night when you get a chance. Everyone is saying "boxing is now dead" and "RIP Boxing" on ESPN and in the press. That kid who won last night may have lost all 12 of those rounds -- but he fought a very brave and determined fight against a clear-cut superior fighter. He made the fight entertaining and worth the money. It's a shame he was getting so heavily boo'd by the crowd -- because he wasn't one of the guys scoring the fight.

[Kasept]

Doug.. make no mistake, there are people out there working to destroy the sport and cheer its' ruination. The way people were walking around Friday after the SCR, there was a legitimate pall over the joint. Here's Hegarty's doom and gloom piece from Friday for example (http://www.drf.com/news/belmont-stak...-take-huge-hit).

I wrote what I wrote last night because I had as fun an afternoon at the track as I can recall. I wasn't referring to the action on the racetrack. The people who came made the day magical by belying what might have been a deflating experience. No one was grousing about paying top dollar for tickets and being denied the TC try. They made the most of it and it was infectious. And the atmosphere just flew in the face of the oafs (especially from the media side) that refuse to see anything but the negative. And after, the same buzz was carried over with a party of 40 for dinner that had the same great day.

Tina and I couldn't have had more fun yesterday and I wanted to convey to those that couldn't be there how worthwhile emotional investment in the game is for anyone that doubts. I guess that's what I do 7 days a week.

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by Kasept

Doug.. make no mistake, there are people out there working to destroy the sport and cheer its' ruination. The way people were walking around Friday after the SCR, there was a legitimate pall over the joint. Here's Hegarty's doom and gloom piece from Friday for example (http://www.drf.com/news/belmont-stak...-take-huge-hit).

I wrote what I wrote last night because I had as fun an afternoon at the track as I can recall. I wasn't referring to the action on the racetrack. The people who came made the day magical by belying what might have been a deflating experience. No one was grousing about paying top dollar for tickets and being denied the TC try. They made the most of it and it was infectious. And the atmosphere just flew in the face of the oafs (especially from the media side) that refuse to see anything but the negative. And after, the same buzz was carried over with a party of 40 for dinner that had the same great day.

Tina and I couldn't have had more fun yesterday and I wanted to convey to those that couldn't be there how worthwhile emotional investment in the game is for anyone that doubts. I guess that's what I do 7 days a week.

I hear what you're saying.

I had a great time yesterday as well watching the races from the track here and having my computer with me.

I'll Have Another VS Bodemeister round #3 with a triple crown on the line would have probably made the day less enjoyable for me. I wouldn't have been able to think about anything else without forcing it off my mind.

[pucknut]

Originally Posted by Kasept

Doug.. make no mistake, there are people out there working to destroy the sport and cheer its' ruination. The way people were walking around Friday after the SCR, there was a legitimate pall over the joint. Here's Hegarty's doom and gloom piece from Friday for example (http://www.drf.com/news/belmont-stak...-take-huge-hit).

I wrote what I wrote last night because I had as fun an afternoon at the track as I can recall. I wasn't referring to the action on the racetrack. The people who came made the day magical by belying what might have been a deflating experience. No one was grousing about paying top dollar for tickets and being denied the TC try. They made the most of it and it was infectious. And the atmosphere just flew in the face of the oafs (especially from the media side) that refuse to see anything but the negative. And after, the same buzz was carried over with a party of 40 for dinner that had the same great day.

Tina and I couldn't have had more fun yesterday and I wanted to convey to those that couldn't be there how worthwhile emotional investment in the game is for anyone that doubts. I guess that's what I do 7 days a week.

and the crescendo of negativity was well sprung by bob costa's hate piece interview with doug oneil who i must say handled the spanish inquisition like interrogation with skill and dignity
three cheers for all those that celebrate this great sport that offers something daily for die hard fans families and freshman alike
and now we can bask in anticipation of the spa and derby hopefuls

[Thunder Gulch]

It was a good day of racing, but let's be honest about the big picture. Yes 88,000 showed up, but it would have been 120,000 so off 30%+. I suspect the off track wagering, and television numbers suffered similar fates. Good day- not so good weekend if you look at it from what was expected Thursday.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Thunder Gulch

It was a good day of racing, but let's be honest about the big picture. Yes 88,000 showed up, but it would have been 120,000 so off 30%+. I suspect the off track wagering, and television numbers suffered similar fates. Good day- not so good weekend if you look at it from what was expected Thursday.

still a good showing when everyone knew no tc was on the line. and the finish was very exciting.

[pmacdaddy]

I'm with you Steve. From a day at the races standpoint, yesterday was totally awesome. I spent most of my time in the picnic area and paddock and the crowd was great.

I arrived expecting to find ample parking and folks with stacks of unused tickets outside the gate. Not so.

Not sure how much it means for racing or anything, but personally it was one of the more enjoyable Belmonts I have attended.

[GenuineRisk]

Originally Posted by Thunder Gulch

It was a good day of racing, but let's be honest about the big picture. Yes 88,000 showed up, but it would have been 120,000 so off 30%+. I suspect the off track wagering, and television numbers suffered similar fates. Good day- not so good weekend if you look at it from what was expected Thursday.

I think 95,000 to 100,000 would be a more likely guess. Smarty Jones' Belmont was a perfect blend of an undefeated horse, a small time owner/trainer/jockey and a geographically proximate fan base that could get to NYC via mass transit.

The great thing about yesterday was that so many people didn't change their plans after IHA scratched- they still went to the track. The joy and sense of fun was palpable.

[booner]

Originally Posted by Thunder Gulch

It was a good day of racing, but let's be honest about the big picture. Yes 88,000 showed up, but it would have been 120,000 so off 30%+. I suspect the off track wagering, and television numbers suffered similar fates. Good day- not so good weekend if you look at it from what was expected Thursday.

Still didn't turn out to bad on-track.....

http://www.drf.com/news/2012-belmont...over-last-year