. . . sounds like a shopping mall for NY tourism. Other states might want to pay attention to this.
Well, goody for all the party-ers.
In the meantime, was just talking to my sister about The Alabama. Was trying to find the date. Went on the NYRA calendar.
Are the stakes listed on their calendar?!? No! Just all the frilly free beer and food and giveaways and carnival-like attractions. And “live racing” in small, uncolored font at the bottom.
Had to go separately to find their stakes list. Even though their calendar is listed under “racing”.
So, that confirms their priorities…
:mad:
August 20 for The Alabama, by the way, if anyone is thinking about it - where they are pointing Songbird…
[QUOTE=CVPeg;8730299]
Well, goody for all the party-ers.
In the meantime, was just talking to my sister about The Alabama. Was trying to find the date. Went on the NYRA calendar.
Are the stakes listed on their calendar?!? No! Just all the frilly free beer and food and giveaways and carnival-like attractions. And “live racing” in small, uncolored font at the bottom.
Had to go separately to find their stakes list. Even though their calendar is listed under “racing”.
So, that confirms their priorities…
:mad:
August 20 for The Alabama, by the way, if anyone is thinking about it - where they are pointing Songbird…[/QUOTE]
No fans, no betting, no racing. It’s that simple. People don’t like to go to the races and bet anymore. They can bet from anywhere with their phones. Why would they bother coming to the race track to bet? So you need alternative attractions, to bring in the casual bettor, the occasional bettor, and the never-bet-before bettor to increase the fan base and the handle. I like racing, and I’m bored to tears in between races. And if I’m going to stay for hours on end, I need something good to eat and a nice drink. And who doesn’t love to shop?
I might have to take a little trip up there this summer. Sounds like fun.
Oh, no mistaking that there’s great things to do both at and off the track in Saratoga.
Just bugs me that the stakes races are hard to find, actually omitted from the calendar, but the partying is first.
It does tend to wear on you when increasing numbers each year in the front rows, find it more important to stand up and turn around, flaunt your do, and wave to your friends behind you…
…just as they’re coming down the stretch…
:eek:
That is a bit over the top IMO 
Mmmmm, ice cream eating competition.
The best example of what a festival or event oriented meet can do for racing is Cheltenham in the UK. Like PB points out, some just go for the excitement and fun. Bettors don’t need the windows any more.
Horse racing is about the fans and the shame is that states operate the game like it is only about the horsemen and the horses.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/mar/12/the-weird-world-of-cheltenham-festival-horse-racing
[QUOTE=CVPeg;8730836]
Oh, no mistaking that there’s great things to do both at and off the track in Saratoga.
Just bugs me that the stakes races are hard to find, actually omitted from the calendar, but the partying is first.
It does tend to wear on you when increasing numbers each year in the front rows, find it more important to stand up and turn around, flaunt your do, and wave to your friends behind you…
…just as they’re coming down the stretch…[/QUOTE]
You need better seats!!!
