Thoroughbred Racing League

[NormandyInvasion]

http://www.tbracingleague.com/

The above has been launched by Rick Porter (Fox Hill Farm).  It is an attempt to create a national governing organization from the ground up. We hope that you\'ll visit the site and support the effort.

[miff]

33 Racing States will never agree to a higher authority, State Governors will tell the Feds to stay out of the States business.The incompetent Feds almost bankrupted the world in 2008, want them in charge of racing?.All these calls for a National Organization or Federal oversight a waste of time.Racing is too unimportant or sexy enough for Congress to get involved. A couple of stray senators/congressmen make an occasional grandstanding threat about racing but with little to no interest from the main body.

Only possible chance for immediate and meaningful change is an organization comprised of players backed by substantial handle power.Jockey Club, NTRA, HANA all toothless tigers pontificating to the deaf ears of the Clueless Clowns/politically appointed stooges that now run the game for the most part.

The power of handle is the only possible meaningful weapon to change the game. Change is mainly up to the player.With all the negative press this past week, handle was not affected a penny,I\'d guess!

Let someone speaking for the players stand before racing and say \"We are NOT betting a penny until the following reasonable changes are implemented\".......guaranteed things will happen rather quickly.

The lifeblood of racing is handle, the players own it but are not \"handle organized\" to effectively use it to promote meaningful changes.

[richiebee]

All valid points. The amount of pressure that could be brought to bear
against racetrack owners, states, racing organizations, adw platforms, etc
through the use of  \"buycotts\" is potentially very significant.

Effectively organize the thousands of minnows to swim with the whales and you
may be talking critical mass.

The danger to me would be a scenario such as this: The fictional track
Winorlose Downs has medication or horse safety issues; the School of
Concerned Whales and Minnows informs WD management of its intention to cease
and refrain from wagering on the WD product until changes are made. WD then
abruptly announces that for the weekend of the upcoming Winorlose Derby,
takeout on all wagers will be drastically reduced. Buycott likely broken,
issues not resolved (though the fact that Racing becomes aware that
Horseplayers know and are concerned about the issues is good in itself).

Getting all the fishes in the sea to agree on issues might prove challenging.
While all horseplayers agree that takeout should be lowered, other issues are
more polarizing. Barry Weisbrod and Trevor Denman and others are to some
extent anti-whip; it is a non issue to me. The opinion of most is that there
is nothing wrong with the widespread use of Lasix in America, I believe that
only horses who bleed past a reasonable threshold should be administered the
drug.

Let us hope that some good things come out of Blasigate, and my grassy knoll
perspective requires that I suggest that the PETA campaign was one whose
concept was hatched somewhere from within the industry. I do not know if
Blasmussen was targeted, or whether they are fatted calves or sacrificial
lambs.

I\'d like to hear what the Thoroughbred Racing League says about \"in training\"
sales for young 2YOs and the overbreeding of underqualified stallions.

[Mathcapper]

Barry Meadow echoed these same sentiments in a piece the other day:

www.paulickreport.com

[miff]

The issue of reduced takeout is complicated. If takeout is reduced substantially, it will break the rebate houses,chase the whale rebaters.No certainty that the reduced takeout will increase handle enough to compensate for the departed rebate whales.

[richiebee]

Miff, I am just playing Devil\'s advocate with regards to takeout. Personally it
has never come into play in my determination of how or where I will wager.
Most of my reduced play this winter (Ms. Richiebee has sworn me to an oath of
poverty) has been on Santa Anita\'s late P4; I have no clue what the takeout on
that wager is.

But, you said that \"If takeout is reduced substantially...\" I
think the Horseplayers who are most vocal about takeout would initially be
pleased with even token reductions on certain wagers or on certain days.

My hypothetical about Winorlose Downs reflects my opinion is that most of the
Horseplayers who have become active in organizations and lobbying are doing so
to improve their own lot (ie, reduction of high takeout, surcharges, taxation of
winnings); their concern with issues such as the long term health of the
Racing industry, horse safety, jockey safety and the well being of racetrack
employees is secondary, if not tertiary or non-existent.

[TGJB]

Explain how it will chase the whales.

[miff]

Rebate whales,JB and probably computer software players jamming volume for rebates.

As you know,there is a substantial number of huge volume players enjoying 8-12% rebate rates, depending on volume and pool takeout.In many instances, the rebate whale is kept in high volume category b/c of the rebate.Without the rebate, it MAY make it economically unfeasible to continue to play at whale like volume or at all.

For those who do not know, takeout,minus signal cost, minus rebate,equals what the \"house\" holds.

[Boscar Obarra]

In theory , if they can play with the same EFFECTIVE takeout, there would be no or little  change in their habits.  

 Would that be possible? or is there some real SUBSIDY embedded in the current system that would vanish.

[TGJB]

Right. Why would takeout coming down on others have any effect on the take big players deal with? If anything, it would keep others in the pools longer.

[miff]

Meaningful Reduced takeout equals reduced rebates. Rebate houses only hold a couple of net points,trying to work off high volume players. If signal cost goes up or takeout reduced, they have no way to absorb it so they reduce rebate rates to players or work on a very thin house hold.

Fairly simple, the higher the takeout, the higher the possible rebate to the player, the lower the takeout, the lower the rebate.

[TGJB]

The rebate would go down for big players but the effective takeout they play into will be the same.

[miff]

Only if the rebate house makes an adjustment equal to the reduced takeout AND absorbs signal increases.I know of two houses wrestling with those issues right now regarding NY customers.Hear tell that KY, Cali,FL and MS looking at similar 5% tax/fee.

On reduced takeout, history shows a handle spike which reverts back to previous volume within months.

Racing has highest takeout of any form of permitted wagering and yet requires subsidies to stay afloat. How\'s that?

[Boscar Obarra]

What really matters is whether a whale or anyone else can WIN money.  

 Everything else is just noise.

 So if a lower real takeout = a lower rebate , so what?

 If you can prove otherwise, then there\'s a discussion.

[miff]

Without rebates not too many winning money and without sustaining present rebate rates,handle will suffer.

How\'s that noise?