By minimal amount I mean radio advertising and having non-racing activities to keep the children entertained while the adults play grown-up games. Since Calder no longer gives out attendance figures, you just have to take my word for it that attendance Saturday was much higher than the typical crowd.
Sometimes I think the management operates as if it were 1978 rather than 2008 when the only competition they had were the Dog Tracks, Jai Alai, and the Dolphins. Jai Alai is hanging on by a very thin thread, and I suspect the same for the dog tracks. The Dania Beach Jai Alai Fronton offers poker and simulcast racing in addition to jai alai. I've never been there, but I've heard that it is a rather sad shadow of its former self. A local sports radio station now holds monthly events there, and I think they're trying to resurrect the place. They've got poker, ponies, and jai alai according to their radio jingle sang enthusiastically in a very dated manner that is certainly not designed to appeal to a younger crowd. Maybe they've given up.
Now the competition is fiercer for the gambling dollar. The state has a lottery. For one dollar you can make a life changing fortune, maybe. I don't play the lottery. The Seminole Indian Tribe has the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. For awhile it was limited to slot machines and poker, but now they have blackjack as well. Still as far as casinos go, I think it is something of joke, but it is the only place in mainland Florida where you can play blackjack. And blackjack is such a simple game to play, I'm sure it attracts many gambling dollars. The former Hollywood Dog Track, just up US 1 from Gulfstream, is now offering slots and poker. The Pompano Beach Harness track has poker and slots. Gulfstream has poker and slots. Sheesh, I didn't know there were so many poker and slot players in South Florida. Heck, there are even Casino boats available which just set sail for international waters and game away.
The point of this rant is simply to point out that Calder could compete better for these dollars with just a little effort and it wouldn't cost that much. Upgrade the facilities and put in a full fledged simulcast center with HD television sets rather than the vintage tube televisions they still have scatter all over the plant. They do have the option now of installing slot machines. Personally, that doesn't interest me, but if it would help them increase the purse structure then I'm all for it. Why not bring in up and coming music acts, not washed up has beens like Eddie Money, that appeal to younger potential fans. They don't have to get the top of the line acts. My daughter prefers the "indie" bands that don't have a regular record deal and there are a lot of kids like my daughter. Bring them in with music and let them fall in love with racing in the process.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to take an ad hominum shot at Eddie Money, but I found it amusing last year when Gulfstream was trying to promote the Eddie Money concert the same night the Seminole Casino had Rod Stewart performing. Really, which, if either would you attend. I guess the difference is first tier has beens vs. second tier has beens. Buy why compete in the has-been market at all?
Well, this isn't the direction I meant to take at all when I sat down to write this. That's what I get for not doing the outline first. I was going to tell you about my day at the races. Briefly, I was unable to separate myself from the continuum in 8 of 12 on the card and did not play them, and in the four where there was separation, the continuum got the best of me on this day.
Also I was going to post some pictures, but I forgot to take my camera. Fortunately, I had my cell phone camera with me. Unfortunately, I think Todd Pletcher was a no show although Icy Atlantic showed up in the winner's circle for the Bonnie Heath Turf Cup.
That's Cornelio Velazques sitting on the winner and the guy in the pink shirt to the left, I suppose, works for Mr. Pletcher.
I thought I saw someone who looked like Bill Mott talking to someone in the paddock area, but I wasn't sure and opted not to make a fool of myself. At any rate, if he was there he wasn't saddling as some pretty young lady was doing the honors in the paddock. Tamborin was the Mott trainee that found his way to the winner's circle.
The young woman next to the guy in the orange shirt was standing in for Mr. Mott.
Then of course, a stakes day at CRC would not be complete without a visit to the winner's circle by our own Marty Wolfson.
Marty is the guy in the bluish shirt in the middle of the picture. The horse is Frolic's Dream winner of the Joe O'Farrell Juvenile Fillies Stakes ridden by J V Bridgmohan.
Ok, I'm done. Maybe next time I'll complain about the silly dispute between Advance Deposit Wagering facilities and various horsemen's associtions.
2 comments:
Sometimes the best work is done without a plan.
Nice post.
Thanks, sorry I've been away awhile. The modem/router died on me.
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