Breeders Cup Pre Entries are Out in A Day or Two, But...

[TempletonPeck]

Folks love to whip on Tara and Johnny, but the KY Derby is the single greatest wagering opportunity of the year for the horseplayer, and it isn\'t remotely close.

We should beg them to put more of Tara and Johnny on the air. We should beg them to have more celebrities who pick cute names, one-eyed horses, etc.

[P-Dub]

Bet Twice Wrote:
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> If you’re not excited about huge fields and wide
> open races I think you should look for another
> hobby.
>
> Other than Justify, not sure which other star you
> are referring to.  Can’t imagine any other horse
> drawing attention outside of the horse racing
> crowd.  Is that what you are saying, because there
> isn’t a triple crown winner running in the
> classic, there is no star power?

I rarely bet horses anymore. Just the big days and a trip or two a year to Santa Anita.

Having said that, I still look forward to the BC every year. Maybe its because TG helps me win more often than not, I dunno.

There have been several recent BCs that have had plenty of stars, and there will be plenty of quality on hand this year. Not many years have a star people from outside the industry know about.....Pharoah, Zenyatta (forgive me)....but for horse racing fans there is plenty of quality, not to mention the top riders plying their craft.

As a guy that just wants to bet on horses and wants some good opportunities for a score, the BC is still a great two days with plenty of quality horses.

The BC used to have the entire card telecast on national television. Now its put on the minor NBCSN with just a couple hours on NBC for a few of the biggest races. The event is really for horse racing fans, not the general sports fan. I work in a casino/card room, and a LOT of people bet on sports. Horse racing hardly registers with 95% of them with many not having a clue about the BC.

I\'m flying into Burbank Friday morning, spending the weekend at SA. A buddy from out of town was supposed to join me, had to cancel. My cousin lives down there and is meeting me Saturday for a day of beer and gambling. Next man up, I\'m not cancelling a trip to SA. If anyone will be at SA Friday hit me up.

Wednesday can\'t get here fast enough.

[Fairmount1]

Speaking of the Derby, is it a BC rule to have a maximum of 14 horses in every race?  

When the BC is at CD, why can\'t they race a field of more than 14 in the BC Classic?  19 entered....why not run \'em all for the 6 million?  I don\'t know if other tracks (SA, Del Mar, Keeneland next 3 BC) can race 20 but I know CD can.  Maybe next time at CD?  Maybe at these others tracks?

[Marlin]

Got to be one of two reasons about a 14 horse field.

a) CD can\'t load more than 14 colts to run 1 1/4 miles @ CD unless its the first Saturday in May?
OR
b) The Pari-Mutuel machines only have 12 runners on the push buttons.  (The good old days)

Only two reasons I can imagine. HAR HAR

[bobphilo]

And say screw you to all racing fans. Your sport is not a sport anymore. Just a platform for trash TV. Gladly dump what is of interest to fans and handicappers and drive them away with this trash and stupidity. You will lose the few fateful fans by catering to the ignorant bringing in these morons who will not become racing fans anyway since they\'re to stupid to understand a reading form.
Some people naively think that this will save racing when it will destroy racing. As true fans will not tolerate these spectacles aimed at the stupid who will just forget all about racing the day after the races and return to their fashion and reality shows. One cannot make a sport more popular by disgrassing and destroying it. I guess you can get ratings with this rubbish but it will no longer be any kind of real racing.

[ajkreider]

bobphilo Wrote:
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> One cannot make a sport more
> popular by disgrassing and destroying it. I guess
> you can get ratings with this rubbish but it will
> no longer be any kind of real racing.


What are you on about, half of the the BC is turf races . . . .

[jp702006]

Lol:)

[Silver Charm]

I will be buying product and I\'ll make a few wagers. Regarding taking up another Hobby the Ft Lauderdale Yacht is a mile away and I\'ll be there too. Louisville is my hometown and I was offered good tickets. Free. I passed. I wasnt the first person to have turned the guy down who is struggling to give them away. Sooooo there is another perspective on some reality. People can ignore it if they wish. Good luck and I hope Jerry gives us all a few winners!!

[Strike]

Silver Charm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I will be buying product and I\'ll make a few
> wagers. Regarding taking up another Hobby the Ft
> Lauderdale Yacht is a mile away and I\'ll be there
> too. Louisville is my hometown and I was offered
> good tickets. Free. I passed. I wasnt the first
> person to have turned the guy down who is
> struggling to give them away. Sooooo there is
> another perspective on some reality. People can
> ignore it if they wish. Good luck and I hope Jerry
> gives us all a few winners!!

Sorry guys but I don\'t agree but I understand your (and others) frustration. With 5 former or defending BC winners, Aidan O\'Brien with 18 pre-entries, 2 time Arc winner Enable, multiple Group/Grade 1 winners including Roaring Lion and a record 221 pre-entries, I cannot wait -- to watch and to bet. I love the sport. I have owned horses (some good) since 1990. I have a box at both Del Mar meets. Watching and betting on the best Euros is a treat. As we get older we yearn for the \"old days.\" I get it. But, these 2 days are still special -- at least for me.

[Focus959]

If you think about it, the BC was way ahead of its time: a large festival of G1 races clustered around a big event day.