Friday, September 08, 2006

Back to Belmont

The return of racing to Belmont starts on a flat note as Friday's planned General Douglas MacArthur stakes had to be shelved after drawing only three entries. Things pick up with three Grade 1's Saturday, including the Man o' War. Showing Up steps up to face older company in the Man o' War, including Bobby Frankel's Cacique and two other Gr. 1 winners. I love Showing Up's chances here despite the accomplished elders he faces. Showing Up has been brilliant so far, winning 5-of-6 races including the Gr.1 Secretariat. And that one loss, in the Derby, was better than it looks as Showing Up hung tough with Barbaro for nine of ten furlongs before giving way in only his fourth career start.

Fellow 3-year old Bernardini is drawing much of the sport's attention right now, but I think Showing Up's campaign becomes every bit as impressive with a win Saturday.

Thursday, September 07, 2006

Franchise Bidders in Glass Houses...

Empire Racing steps up the propaganda campaign against NYRA with a press release citing 'disappointing' attendance figures at the 2006 Saratoga meet.

Total attendance at Saratoga Race Course has fallen each year since 2003, from a peak of 1,049,309 in 2003 to 908,569 in 2006 – a total decline of 13%, according to NYRA figures cited in the Empire Racing release.

NYRA's own spin notes that on-track average attendance was actually up very slightly in 2006: 25,939 fans per day, compared to 25,914 fans per day in 2005. Overall handle increased 5%, and Saratoga continues to top all other racetracks in attendance, handle and purses.

Empire, not surprisingly, fails to acknowledge the attendance problems of Churchill Downs and Magna Entertainment, the two largest 'for-profit' racetrack operators in the U.S. and key supporters of Empire's bid for the NYRA franchise. At Churchill's signature spring meeting average daily attendance in 2006 slipped 11%, to 12,319.
And, as Bill Finley notes on ESPN.com, what racetrack has not seen on-track declines since 2003? He makes particular note of Magna's performance at Gulfstream Park.
"Perhaps no track in the nation has seen more severe declines in on-track attendance in recent years than Gulfstream Park, which is run by Magna Entertainment. That's the same Magna Entertainment that is partnering with Empire it its bid to take over New York racing. Funny how Empire has failed to put out a press release castigating Magna for its many failings."

Sunday, September 03, 2006

Denman's on Notice

Denman's officially on notice (with apologies to Brad and John). Don't mess up the Breeders Cup Denman!
Jose Santos makes the list for his awful ride on Caiman in Friday's first at Saratoga. Santos gets fanned out five wide on the turn (in a six-horse field!) and then can't extend Caiman enough to get by Seaside Salute and apprentice Jeffrey Sanchez (who was making his first-ever ride at Saratoga).

Saturday, September 02, 2006

Durkin Out as Breeders Cup Announcer

It looks like Tom Durkin's contract with NBC will prevent him from calling the Breeders Cup on ESPN this year. It will be the first Breeders Cup without Durkin. The day, of course, is about the racing but I don't think the BC will be quite the same. Durkin is one of the best announcers in all of sports and it's usually a joy to hear him call a day at the races.

Durkin does seem to get a bit bored for some of the lesser races (especially something along the lines of a late-November state-bred frightfest at my beloved Big A) but he is always on for big races. Durkin calls a race smartly without laying on the cliches or hyperbole. He's very good at calling or signalling moves before they become evident (especially if you're on track). And he is one of the few announcers that instinctively knows that more than a few race watchers also care about who finishes second and third in a race.

Some are suggesting that the ESPN job may go to Trevor Denman, the announcer at Santa Anita and Del Mar. I haven't heard Denman all that much but I haven't been that impressed. He seems to make mistakes. Any SoCal race followers or goers think differently or view this positively?

Blood-Horse: Durkin Out as TV Voice of Breeders' Cup