I was reminded recently of the single reason why I insist that horse racing administrators have it all backwards, and their apparent intent to turn race tracks into amusement parks is silly (ridiculous, even). The vehicle through which (whom) to turn potential...
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Marketing Horse Racing: Still Must Start with One Horse, One (Human) Heart
The Belmont Stakes, in which American Pharoah broke the spell of 37 years and won the Triple Crown, was such an historic and otherworldly event that it's taken me a full two weeks to process it.Speaking with a friend yesterday...
NO, Budweiser and Pimlico: “The Best Women Preakness Has to Offer” are NOT in Your Bikini Contest. :(
So it's Preakness Day 2015, and everyone in horse racing who writes or even scribbles with a crayon will spend the day watching-writing-waiting-writing about the horses, the jockeys, the owners, the crowd, the flowers, the hats, the fun.Proverbial inkwells will...
Open Letter to Bode Miller: Take Your Time, Pay Some Dues.
By now, everyone in horse racing knows that Olympics medalist, Alpine skier, Bode Miller has announced his intention to become a Trainer of Thoroughbreds. That's nice.I've read everything I can about his thoughts on the subject, because I don't want...
Mothers’ Love and Horse Racing: Give Us the Reins, We’ll Take ‘er from Here.
For 11 years now, I've ranted, cajoled and begged for the world of horse racing to See it This Way, that women must participate fully in the sport in order for it to grow and thrive--both in the United States...
Horse Racing Boards: Flip that Script to Reflect Demographic Reality.
The curtain has come down.The Saratoga race meet is over.Tom Durkin has left the building.For all intents and purposes, now it is the Autumn Racing Season, and with it come Belmont, Keeneland, Breeders' Cup, etc.So today's the first day of...
Technology is Not the Savior of Horse Racing. Stop Drinking the Kool-Aid.
On Saturday I had the privilege of hanging in the Saratoga (Race Course) backstretch with two friends: a dear grrrlfriend and her horse-loving, 10-year-old daughter. (I'm not giving their names, because they know their names and you don't need to.)My...
To Grow Horse Racing, Feel Like a Child: Pure, Obsessive Joy.
I just heard that, when Suffolk Downs starting gate flung open for the first time in 1935--35,000 people were there for Opening Day.Wow, Suffolk Downs must've had a great Facebook page. No doubt, they tweeted every five minutes. Their webmaster was...
Meet Horse First, Learn Wagering Second: NYRA Helps Grow Horse Racing, Saratoga 2014.
The sport of horse racing never will grow--doesn't have a snowball's chance in Hell of finding its way back to the glory days of the 1930s--as long as racing organizations and media continue to attempt to win new fans by...
For NYRA’s Starting Gate Crew, Every Horse Matters.
I've written about the NYRA starting gate crew in the past, including here at Saratoga.com.I believe that previous missives have been "love letters," so to speak. Gushy and full of admiration for the Cowboys of Horse Racing.But tonight I'm writing...