Racing is risking the loss of fans by complicating the core purpose of attendance, which is betting.
Free tee-shirts inflate racecourse attendance as wedding bells ring at the polo grounds.
One thing we do know is the synthetic surface installed at Santa Anita has been a mess from the start and has seen more facelifts than Joan Rivers.
Five grade I races at Oak Tree the weekend of Sept. 27-28 gave the Pro-Ride synthetic surface recently installed at Santa Anita a workout.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Oak Tree's opening day, Sept. 24, brought sweltering temperatures back to Southern California, almost as if by design to test the new Pro-Ride synthetic surface. The surface heated up, but after the day's six races over it (the other three being on turf), reviews were generally optimistic.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008Newbury, one of Britain's most prominent racecourses, has announced plans for a 15-furlong all-weather (dirt) course with five and six-furlong straight races and a chute for contests over seven furlongs and a mile.
Tuesday, February 15, 2005Twenty-nine minutes before the first Breeders' Cup race today at Arlington, the track condition was upgraded to fast. It began the day as muddy, quickly was switched to good, and then announced as fast.
Saturday, October 26, 2002By Nan Mooney -- Most racetrack insiders have their own peculiar way of viewing the world. But a crucial viewpoint appears to be getting lost. Everyone on the inside is so busy looking sideways, they seem to have forgotten about all of us on the outside looking in.
Tuesday, August 29, 2000
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