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#21
09-23-2009, 10:20 AM
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#22
09-23-2009, 10:29 AM
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#23
09-23-2009, 10:36 AM
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__________________
All ambitions are lawful except those which climb upward on the miseries or credulities of mankind. ~ Joseph Conrad A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right. ~ Thomas Paine Don't let anyone tell you that your dreams can't come true. They are only afraid that theirs won't and yours will. ~ Robert Evans The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. ~ George Orwell, 1984.
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#24
09-23-2009, 08:26 PM
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Really? They can't bet in Dubai? You're kidding... Who knew? What is the reason for them coming to the track if they dont bet? Beats me. One thing is for sure: They are not coming to watch 5k claimers plod thier way to the finish line. ---> Really exciting? And "thousands and thousands come"... Unheard of in the United States! Guess you haven't been to a Kentucky Oaks/Derby... A Breeders' Cup... A Santa Anita Derby or Handicap Day... Or Smarty Jones' Belmont... Or Oaklawn... Or Saratoga... Great example of a quality product. We need more quality and less crap! Agreed? The Middle East isn't rich in horse racing tradition... That's a revelation! Out of curiousity, those things that are called Arabians... Where did they come from exactly? Every country has thier native horse. Europeans created horse racing not the Arabs. I undestand Arabians were the founding blood of the modern thoroubred but can you tell me where Sheikh Mo buys his multi-million dollar horses that he races in Nad Al Sheba? Racetracks are in every corner of the United States because it's America's original and oldest sport, and the far flung venues grew out of the original race gatherings that began in the 1800's. A lot of historic sites in America were part of tradition and culture but most of them were torn down and a Shopping Center was put in place. I wonder why?? Last edited by Kasept : 09-24-2009 at 10:18 AM.
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#25
09-23-2009, 08:31 PM
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#26
09-23-2009, 09:27 PM
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Wouldn't more people interested in racing equal more money wagered, more handle, and more attendance, thus resulting in bigger purses, bigger commissions, and more Carolina BBQ being eaten? And then wouldn't this interest bring in new money to the auctions, upping the value of horses, which would help the breeders, etc., etc. I can't think of one segment of racing that would do worse financially if more people suddenly became interested. Even from a handicappers standpoint, wouldn't new fans' money equal bigger fields and pools? Good handicappers like yourself could start to get paid like it was the 1950s all over again. I personally root for the popularity of the sport for these reasons -- although I must admit, a little validation from my vapid and ignorant non-horse racing fan friends would also be sweet...
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#27
09-24-2009, 09:32 AM
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#28
09-24-2009, 09:57 AM
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This article in the Houston Chronicle spells out how Global Gaming's purchase of Lone Star puts them on the opposite side of the gambling debate from where they were just six months ago.
"Indian gaming may be about to gain a major legal toehold in Texas. The state over the past decade has been successful in closing casinos run by the Tiguas of El Paso and the Alabama-Coushatta of Livingston, and gambling at a tiny casino run by the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe in Eagle Pass has been limited. Now, the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma is poised to take possession of an existing horse racing track in Grand Prairie. The tribe runs one of the biggest Indian casinos in the United States, just across the Texas border. Gambling proponents believe the tribe may tip the balance to legalizing casinos across Texas. “The Chickasaw Nation has very successful casinos,” said Jack Pratt, chairman of the Texas Gaming Association. “They certainly didn't buy this track just to run the ponies.” A Chickasaw-owned company, Global Gaming Solutions LSP, is expected to buy Lone Star Park next month as part of a bankruptcy settlement involving the track's majority owner, Magna Entertainment Corp. of Canada. The most dramatic change Chickasaw ownership of Lone Star is likely to bring to the casino debate in Texas is to alter the dynamics of the fight in the Legislature to amend the state Constitution to allow casino gambling. The Chickasaw Nation has put more than $362,070 into state political races since 2006. But because of its Winstar Casino on the Texas border, the Chickasaws opposed expanded Texas gambling. With the purchase of Lone Star, the tribe likely will support casino-style gambling — at least at race tracks. A Global Gaming spokeswoman said the company will support whatever horse owners at the track believe will make Lone Star successful. A foot in both camps One of the biggest stumbling blocks to passing casino legislation in recent years has been infighting between track owners and casino owners. Horse and dog track owners have wanted a law that allows slot machines at tracks but no destination resort casinos. The casino industry has wanted both. Now, there will be a major horse track owner with a foot in both camps. “Track owners have been cross-wired with the commercial casino owners,” said Pratt. “The track owners have been trying to get a monopoly.” Mike Lavigne, a spokesman for Texans for Economic Development, an association of track owners that want slot machines at tracks, said his group sees the Chickasaw move as a positive because the tribe in the past has not supported expanded gambling, but now likely will. Chickasaw ownership of the track also could be significant under the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The tribe could enter into a compact with the governor to cover other forms of gambling allowed under state law. The Seminole Tribe of Florida is negotiating such a compact with state officials. The tribe there used state-sanctioned slot machines in one county to justify operating their own casinos. Gov. Rick Perry rebuffed a similar effort by the Kickapoo because he did not want to expand the “footprint” of gambling in Texas. But Perry in 2004 favored an effort to allow slot machines at race tracks and to give the Texas tribes a limited ability to operate casinos. The campaign of Perry's main Republican opponent, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, said she is opposed to casino gambling. Democrat Tom Schieffer is against expanded gambling, while Kinky Friedman supports casinos, and Hank Gilbert wants voters to decide on a constitutional amendment to legalize casinos. An unlikely approach The third, and least likely path, would be for the Chickasaw to use the federal land-to-trust process. The process lets tribes purchase land and then have it put into a federal trust by the Department of Interior, allowing the tribe to have sovereign powers over the property. Senators in California, Arizona and Nevada are fighting to block tribes in those states from using the process to build casinos. Chickasaw spokeswoman Koch said the land-to-trust process will not work at Lone Star Park because the business subsidiary, Global Gaming, will own the track, not the tribe. Rob Kohler, an anti-gambling advocate with the Christian Life Commission of the Baptist General Convention, said anything the Chickasaw Nation may do to bring Lone Star Park under the Indian gaming act has the potential to open up all of Texas to Indian gaming. “The doors fall off the barn,” he said. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...n/6634020.html NT
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#29
09-24-2009, 11:30 AM
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#30
09-24-2009, 10:26 PM
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Then why do people go to NASCAR events and watch cars lap around an oval track 300 times? Where is the fun in that if no betting is involved? Yet NASCAR is more wildly popular than Horse Racing.
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