Breeders Cup PERMANENTLY at Santa Anita?

[MO]

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/54394/breeders-cup-approves-strategic-plan

They are talking about 1 permenant sight for the Breeders\' Cup. Gee, I wonder where that would be................

[TGJB]

Churchill, definitely, if it\'s permanent. And I agree.

[sekrah]

Anywhere but California please.

[covelj70]

I spoke with one of the board members of the BC this weekend, it\'s Santa Anita.

Don\'t shoot the messenger but that\'s the deal.

[JimP]

That\'s unfortunate. I\'ve attended nearly every one of the BCs that have been held outside LA and NY. Sorry to you LA and NY homeboys, but I hate those two cities. Two of the worst in the world in my opinion. I skip the BC when it is in either of those locations because I just don\'t like to go there. So if the BC becomes a permanent fixture of either of those locations it becomes a much less interesting event for me. I may be the only fan who feels that way, but they will lose at least one potential ticket buyer with this decision.

[miff]

Cov,

Since a permanent synth site would probably be the worst possible scenario, you can bet the clueless clowns calling the shots will go that way.Can\'t argue with the Cali weather though,light years the best.


Mike

[covelj70]

Mike,

I very much agree the permanent synthetic is a real issue.

Apparently (and of course I am getting this second hand remember so take it for what it\'s worth), the Euros affinity for Santa Anita and the usually firm ground is a big issue driving this decision.  One of the goals of the board is to make the event as global as possible so whatever attracts the most European horses is very heavily weighted.

I see both sides of it.  I love all of the Euros that come over, the weather and how much there is to do in LA.  On the other hand, I like going around to the different venues and I don\'t like the fact that horses going from dirt to pro ride can\'t win.  That factor does take alot away from the event (see Rachael).

[miff]

Cov,

In their efforts to increase the participation of the Europeans,the clueless forget that anyone with half a brain and a fast dirt horse probably ain\'t coming to a synth venue.That alone could eliminate many of the best horses in the country from participating.

Did they even bother to note the horrific performance of 95+% of dirt horses.In the future,many will not point for the BC if it\'s to be run on synth.Will the clueless factor than in? Doubt it.

In most phases of racing, those in the fiefdoms are the cancer on a terrific game.Maybe in the not too distant future,when the players are gone, they can\'t all get together and have a nice circle jerk.

Mike

[richiebee]

My best case BC scenario would be a 4 track rotation:

Belmont, Churchill, Santa Anita, Woodbine.

If hosting a BC is not a profitable venture, I can not see NYRA or CD pursuing
the matter.

I have no problem with the BC being run each year at Synthetic Anita, but the
Racing Powers that Be must think creatively and establish an end of year series
of traditional dirt championships.

Nobody mentioning the fact that SA being awarded BC permanently might be
conditioned on SA reinstalling a traditional dirt main track.

[martoon]

What is their motivation for locking in a permanent site?  Is it a location fee or just weather-Euro related?  Are they just frightened of the weather threatening the handle and attendance of a 2 day event like it did at Monmouth?  I guess I can understand that.  I would hate to plan for a multimillion event myself and have to sweat out the weather reports at gametime.  Why would the tens of thousands of horses here bred for dirt even bother to nominate their foals for permanent synthetic-grass Cup?  That is obviously a waste of money and it is expensive.  The stallion owners would be better off just adding a $100 fee automatically in the stud fee to every horse bred and have every horse automatically nominated than try too get breeders to cough up the $500 per foal.  Lots of smaller breeders are getting disenchanted with the Cup and not nominating foals that are not especially well bred.

Are there any hints that Santa Anita is going back to dirt main track any time soon?

[sighthound]

If true, that\'s beyond absurd.  No, wrong adjective: beyond stupid.  

And that has nothing to do with the surface.  Extra flight time for the Euro horses, not even close to the majority of your racing fan audience regarding filling your stands.  Sure, okay for Japan and Australia, but really.

Perhaps Churchill (perfect choice I think) wouldn\'t play ball, and NYRA is too scary with their governmental involvement.

[sighthound]

Could be a contract with Breeders Cup is the justification financially for returning SA to dirt?

[TGJB]

That\'s quite possible. Complicating factor is, who will end up owning SA?

If they do go permanent synth they would be shooting themselves in the foot-- other tracks are sure to run big end of the year dirt races to get the top dirt horses. That might be the only justification for keeping the Haw Gold Cup and De Francis going.

[properch]

Breeders Cup needs to emulate the NFL whenever possible. The NFL would never do anything  as stupid as having a permanent site for the Super Bowl.

[martoon]

Maybe the Breeders Cup is buying Santa Anita on the cheap out of bankrupt sale.  otherwise anyone think think Cup may be in primetime under the lights at Churchill?