Monmouth Crowd Larger than Belmont Crowd

[herkhorse]

Originally Posted by sumitas

All the stops should have been pulled out. Within reason. I can't tell you how many times I had seats for Syracuse football and they changed the kickoff time to accomodate tv.

Syracuse has a football team!?

[GBBob]

In the long run it's irrelevant, but Arlington would have pulled at least 25K if Curlin had run. I really was surprised to see that low a Belmont #..I mean...what would it have been if Curlin didn't run??

[rgustafson]

It should be obvious by now that the only time New York racing fans show up at a track other than Saratoga is if a possible Triple Crown winner is on the line. Breeders Cup, Horse of the year running, ideal weather, who gives a sh**? They couldn't be bothered to get out to the track.

[2MinsToPost]

On another note during the simulcast I thought the music they played when Curlin was coming out for the post parade was cool.

I noticed alot of empty seats behind Curlin man I know I would have been up on the rail trying to get a close look.

[herkhorse]

Originally Posted by 2MinsToPost

On another note during the simulcast I thought the music they played when Curlin was coming out for the post parade was cool.

I noticed alot of empty seats behind Curlin man I know I would have been up on the rail trying to get a close look.

What did they play, Jesus Christ Superstar, or You Know I Can't Dance?

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by ArlJim78

I have no idea who Lauren Ochoa is.

She is doable

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by herkhorse

What did they play, Jesus Christ Superstar, or You Know I Can't Dance?

"The Champ is Here" by Jadakiss, sampling Will Smith as Muhammad Ali. I thought it was a great touch.

[sumitas]

I'd like to see one more turf effort. Curlin was in position to win at the top of the stretch, no doubt. But the customary kick was not as sharp.

[GPK]

Originally Posted by pgardn

Go down the street to a neighbor and ask who Curlin is...

Then ask about Lauren Ochoa.

My bet is they get Ochoa first.
Or heck some damn poker player.

We have been thru this a million times but
the reinforcement still hurts.

You live in Texas...near Mexico. Everyone and their brother down there knows who Lorena Ochoa is.

and there is nothing wrong with women's golf on TV

[Linny]

This past weekend Belmont had 4 former BC winners on the track and fewer asses in the seats than a high school football game.

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by Linny

The attendance was dreadful.

Why not use a mass e-mailing to all "rewards" patrons or offer discounted seats or something? Why not have a marketing plan in place ready to crank up if such an opportunity presents itself? I know that the legalities prevented them from knowing for sure if Curlin would race but they had a pretty good idea that IF he was approved, he'd show up.

The box section was like a ghost town yesterday. The only area that was full was the Garden Terrace on the 4th floor but it was almost all "group sales" types, not small collections of friends out for a day at the track. They would have been there Curlin or not.

If you were on their newsletter email list you would have received an email.

Originally Posted by GPK

You live in Texas...near Mexico. Everyone and their brother down there knows who Lorena Ochoa is.

and there is nothing wrong with women's golf on TV

Kev if Women's Golf replaces horse racing with 3 BC champs and possibly the best horse in the world, in my bizarre mind, something is very wrong with horse racing. Its not like racing needs 3 straight hours.

Originally Posted by GPK

You live in Texas...near Mexico. Everyone and their brother down there knows who Lorena Ochoa is.

and there is nothing wrong with women's golf on TV

San Antonio watches sports in this order as illustrated by the paper here:

1. Dallas Cowboys (#1 by a mile)
2. San Antonio Spurs
3. Texas Longhorns
4. Texas ATM
5. Any other football.

Its football, football, football, and the Spurs.
Football rules in Texas.

Although San Antonio has about a catrillion golf courses.
Not as many as Phoenix area and other resorts, but too many.

And Nobody really cares that much about Retama Park except truckers
stopping by between San Antonio on the way to Mexico from Dallas and other
places up IH-35. Retama has a great similcast facility so it is a huge luxury for me. But I see it closing the way things are going for racing in general.

[MaTH716]

Originally Posted by rgustafson

It should be obvious by now that the only time New York racing fans show up at a track other than Saratoga is if a possible Triple Crown winner is on the line. Breeders Cup, Horse of the year running, ideal weather, who gives a sh**? They couldn't be bothered to get out to the track.

I disagree. OTB has just made it easier to bet away from the track. It doesn't mean that NY fans don't care because they didn't go out to see Curlin.
Belmont is located at the tip of Long Island and is a journey for anyone not from the area. The road that goes out there (Belt Parkway) is a borderline suicide mission. I know that there is a train, but I am assuming most people have to switch several times. I have been to Belmont many times and love it, it is an absolute georgeous venue. But from where I used to live (Staten Island-35 miles away), it was about the same distance to Belmont and Monmouth. Most of the time I went to Monmouth. It just seemed like it was an easier ride. I knew the racing was better at Belmont, but I chose to play it from another track. Now that I live in Jersey, I head down to Monmouth for a couple of races all the time. For most people in NY, it is unrealistic to think that you can just head out to Belmont for a couple of races, you really have to make a day out of it. It is just easier to go to an OTB to bet/watch the one or two races you really want to see. Maybe if it was closer to the city and more accessable, people would go more.
It does bring up the issue what NYRA and Racing can do to get people down to the track for the day.

[Holland Hacker]

Alright I'm one of the Guilty ones who was at Monmouth on Saturday instead of Belmont. Would I have preferred to be at Belmont, Hell yes. But a friend of mine had his annual picnic at Monmouth Park on that day so I was obliged to be at Monmouth. I think my friend would have prefered to be at Belmont as well but since he scheduled his picnic in January I don't think it was really an option especially since he was expecting about 140 people.

I too was shocked that the attendance at Monmouth was > than Belmont.

I live in Western NJ (almost is Pa) and go to NYRA tracks more than I go to Monmouth. Monmouth is just such a pain to get to if you have to take the Garden State Parkway South and fight all of the Shore / Beach traffic. It took about two hours to get to Monmouth and about the same to get home. So for me going to Monmouth is the same kind of committment as it is going to Belmont. Without summer traffic is should only take about an hour. Actually it would probably be quicker to go to Belmont as long as the Yankees aren't play an early afternoon game at the Stadium.

I think you also have to figure into the equation that a lot of people are away on vacation, some of which are down on the Jersey Shore. This plays against Belmont and in favor of Monmouth.

[blackthroatedwind]

Believe it or not, the crowd seemed bigger at Belmont, but maybe that's because I am used to the usual attendance. I disagree with Linny that the box area was a " ghost town " as actually it was probably as busy as it's been any day this meet save the Belmont Stakes. However, I am not suggesting it was packed.

[reese]

Get real here.

As a few knowledgeable posters stated, Belmont is in Long Island, NY and
is SURROUNDED by OTB's in Nassau, Suffolk, NYC, Westchester(Yonkers) and upstate.(Catskill OTB's and Albany OTB's).

The HANDLE at Belmont was 14M+ million Sat. Churchill doesn't even post handle anymore (yes, I know it closed )

Sure, NYRA would like attendance at the track for the direct handle, but realistically it is easier and cheaper to go to the local OTB or bet from home. Hollywood had attendance of 7800 on Saturday. And there are NO OTB's in CA. MON doesn't even post total handle.

A trip to Belmont from No. NJ or Westchester is 100-120 miles, RT and $10 in tolls to start. Anyone who has been trapped in LI traffic would NEVER question why a fan would avoid a trip to Belmont. ..a 60 minute drive turns into a 2.5 hr marathon especially on a SATURDAY....even for ppl who live in LI.

Monmouth is at the Jersey Shore...a big summer vacation destination. MON gets the vacation traffic. Not many people are vacationing in Elmont, NY And Curlin isn't the big fan draw some here seem to believe he should be...

[Stall Mucker]

Granted, Curlin was not declared until Tuesday or so. But, there were earlier rumblings that he would race in NY barring any further legal problems.
NYRA could have been ready with a better plan. But, I can only place a little blame here.

I made the last minute trip from Saratoga with a car load of peeps who wanted to see a horse we may not get to see in-person again and they didn't like the idea of me, alone at the racetrack un-supervised.

Traffic was not all that bad considering. For us, it was a great time.

Even though Curlin did not win did not ruin the day. This was an experiment. I don't think he ran a bad race.

Attendance was 8000+. Where were more of the fans??

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by reese

Get real here.

As a few knowledgeable posters stated, Belmont is in Long Island, NY and
is SURROUNDED by OTB's in Nassau, Suffolk, NYC, Westchester(Yonkers) and upstate.(Catskill OTB's and Albany OTB's).

The HANDLE at Belmont was 14M+ million Sat. Churchill doesn't even post handle anymore (yes, I know it closed )

Sure, NYRA would like attendance at the track for the direct handle, but realistically it is easier and cheaper to go to the local OTB or bet from home. Hollywood had attendance of 7800 on Saturday. And there are NO OTB's in CA. MON doesn't even post total handle.

A trip to Belmont from No. NJ or Westchester is 100-120 miles, RT and $10 in tolls to start. Anyone who has been trapped in LI traffic would NEVER question why a fan would avoid a trip to Belmont. ..a 60 minute drive turns into a 2.5 hr marathon especially on a SATURDAY....even for ppl who live in LI.

Monmouth is at the Jersey Shore...a big summer vacation destination. MON gets the vacation traffic. Not many people are vacationing in Elmont, NY And Curlin isn't the big fan draw some here seem to believe he should be...

They should level Belmont build a comfortable grandstand and boxes that hold 10k. One nice small dining room. one super tv room like the new one at Monmouth just bigger and nicer and be done with the 100k white elephant. Yes the BC CUP and Belmont stakes would need temp seating that would not necessarily be under cover but whatever.. There really is no need to keep a building in place that holds 100k when only 2 times a year it reaches 25k or more

[Bobby Fischer]

Originally Posted by reese

A trip to Belmont from No. NJ ... is 100-120 (60) miles, RT and $10 in tolls to start.

I would need a career day just to Break Even on tolls and gas!