Does casino-ization detract from horse racing?
More and more racetracks are adding casinos. Does this bother any horse racing fans?
Update:Does it bother anyone that these "racinos" market themselves as "casino only?" Rather than building the sport from a background sport to a household, primetime sport, they are kind of downplaying that these race tracks even exist and exploiting them as an "in" to open up gambling. Without the tracks, they wouldn't have their casinos where they stand, but many racinos would probably scrap the entire racetrack portion of their facility if they could.
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
Good Point will i.. Times change and the way things are going it keeps both afloat..would prefer it separate... personally, I go straight to the track, no interest in slots/casino games..horse racing simulcasts and Internet has change things too, where people watch and or bet from home, phone or from OTB parlors..still going to a live track when I can is my game.
Great answer Laura..I think Sandra would agree, since she starred out of interest, I've seen her at several NY tracks many of times as some of us plan race days.
Good Question ..
Joe.
That’s an interesting question. Thank you!
I’ve never been to a racino, so I can’t comment on the experience. Being at one probably would not bother me as long as I could avoid the casino part of the establishment. I’ll get my chance to see for sure next year, though. My local track, River Downs in Ohio, is getting a makeover that will add gaming. Unfortunately, this means that our picturesque, traditional grandstand has been torn down, and I hear they are taking out the existing tracks and installing a bullring dirt track. This is a shame, as the River Downs turf track was one of the best in the country and a source of pride for local racing fans.
Generally speaking, I have mixed feelings about racinos. I think that the higher purses are on balance a good thing. They give horses a chance to earn their keep even if they don’t win consistently. For bettors, higher purses mean full fields and a somewhat better quality of horse. I follow a horse who runs at Charles Town in WV (I used to own part of him). He’s a $5000 claimer, but he has managed to earn over $60K in less than 2 years on the track. He is a good horse at his level. He tries hard, has won four races, and finishes in the money more than half the time. He may actually be covering his expenses.
Of course there are down sides to casino-ization. The higher purses enable more horses to keep themselves in hay, but they also may motivate trainers to run hurt horses that shouldn’t be on track. As purses rise and better horses come in, the less talented animals are pushed even further into cheap races at marginal tracks. Also, the folks who build and run racinos seem to come from the casino side of the business. For example, some racino executives don’t understand the need for such things as track kitchens, dormitories, and adequate barn space when planning renovations. And I think bullrings are a bad idea, as the tight turns put additional stress on the horses’ legs.