How Does Plainridge Harness Stay in Business

[rainman2]

Also take a look at the size of the fields, the drivers, trainers, as well as how the races are written up on the condition sheet that comes out for every racing day. If you’re aren’t local, you are at extreme disadvantage of racing in certain classes. Yonkers on the other hand encourages horsemen to race there so they get fuller fields. Big difference between Yonkers and Plainridge and the Yonkers paddock is the exact same as 40 years ago!

[Locked in with pace]

They stay in business just like all the other harness tracks. It's called Casinos. And the Casinos would not be there if there was no racing. So the casinos make millions, the racing portion costs them money, but at the end of the year, the casinos make huge profits for thier sharholders. The racing portion is part of the "cost of doing business"

[Fuguzzi]

Well Theo, I appreciate your words and support but I think in retrospect I was wrong to single out Jason B. as an example because many. many drivers at or near the top of a particular driving colony at a track whose very existence depends on slot revenue are experiencing purse earnings unlike they had ever seen before. I do believe the driving colony at YR is rather dull especially compared to the glory days and although by competing in front of the public who wager on us leaves horse people open to their wrath I should have been smarter than to stay above that I guess. I should be careful not to abuse the anonymity the site provides us. I saw a parallel between Plainridge and Yonkers but went about making my point the wrong way. Like all of you I like to make my opinions known, but I should be careful not to "touch a nerve". I apologize to Jason and his supporters on here. Timing is everything and in many ways this has to be the greatest era ever for drivers, especially financially. So much cash out there to grab and so many chances to race for drivers at every level.

[Fuguzzi]

They stay in business just like all the other harness tracks. It's called Casinos. And the Casinos would not be there if there was no racing. So the casinos make millions, the racing portion costs them money, but at the end of the year, the casinos make huge profits for thier sharholders. The racing portion is part of the "cost of doing business"

You are correct. The deal with the Devil had been struck years ago and now the 2 entities are forever codependent moving forward.

[Locked in with pace]

Rainman 2:

are you serious? Yonkers fields are the smallest they have been in years and when did they encourage trainers to race there?  I don't see many new faces racing there.

I was curious on your comment so I looked at some other track's condition sheets. It's like so many other conditions sheets I looked at; I see PA preferred listed on PA sheets, Maryland preferred, Ohio preferred. the list goes on and on.

Seems to me that you are not from Mass, raced there or want to race there, and want to take advantage of their great purse structure: That you are not eligible for these races.

Simple way to Solve your problem. Move to Mass

[Fuguzzi]

Every track handles atrociously. You jokers are just looking to take shots in unrelated topics at a particlar driver.
Where would the Ohio guys go if casinos went away? How about Indiana? Delaware? PA?

I was not trying to take any shots and i agree. Where would these guys go to earn anything like they are earning now.

[theokodjak26]

I see a few Ploppers say today’s driver colony at YR is mediocre at best. Personally I find it difficult to evaluate todays colony compared to the days of Carmine, Loosh, Benny the Whip, Buddy etc. First the horses today are bred for extreme high speeds out of the gate. The equipment is lighter and more aerodynamic. The drivers as a group are physically in much better shape and can take a tougher beating on their bodies. Let’s face it we don’t see any George Sadowsky size drivers in a race any longer. So I look at the reflexes, strength and quickness with today’s drivers and see a better group. It’s not much different than today’s athletes that are bigger, stronger and faster along with better training and equipment. Besides Herve in his prime I cannot recall that era driver that travelled like these guys do today. I mean Aaron Merriman is a beast. Guys like Gingras, Zeron, the down under boys and others are amazing how they stay fresh and effective when traveling all over, many times in the same day. I really wonder if yesterday’s drivers could keep up with today’s editions.

[Fuguzzi]

I see a few Ploppers say today’s driver colony at YR is mediocre at best. Personally I find it difficult to evaluate todays colony compared to the days of Carmine, Loosh, Benny the Whip, Buddy etc. First the horses today are bred for extreme high speeds out of the gate. The equipment is lighter and more aerodynamic. The drivers as a group are physically in much better shape and can take a tougher beating on their bodies. Let’s face it we don’t see any George Sadowsky size drivers in a race any longer. So I look at the reflexes, strength and quickness with today’s drivers and see a better group. It’s not much different than today’s athletes that are bigger, stronger and faster along with better training and equipment. Besides Herve in his prime I cannot recall that era driver that travelled like these guys do today. I mean Aaron Merriman is a beast. Guys like Gingras, Zeron, the down under boys and others are amazing how they stay fresh and effective when traveling all over, many times in the same day. I really wonder if yesterday’s drivers could keep up with today’s editions.

You make some great points especially pondering whether the guys from the past could keep up with the travel, long race programs and the need for speed of today. Kinda funny how the four guys you mentioned at the beginning are all HOFer. only true HOF driver racing at YR regularly today is Brennan and then maybe Bartlett, though i feel the powers at Goshen are gonna find a way to put Jason in the HOF as quickly as they can. I believe they love him there.

[Mailbox Money]

The travel back in the day was nowhere near what it is today. When Case arrived in  Cleveland in a helicopter it was a national story. Although the miles between tracks are the same, the comfort level while doing so is much more enhanced.

[rainman2]

Rainman 2:

are you serious? Yonkers fields are the smallest they have been in years and when did they encourage trainers to race there?  I don't see many new faces racing there.

I was curious on your comment so I looked at some other track's condition sheets. It's like so many other conditions sheets I looked at; I see PA preferred listed on PA sheets, Maryland preferred, Ohio preferred. the list goes on and on.

Seems to me that you are not from Mass, raced there or want to race there, and want to take advantage of their great purse structure: That you are not eligible for these races.

Simple way to Solve your problem. Move to Mass

Yes I am serious!  I know of people who have had an entry denied by the race office although the horse fit the class by the numbers at Plainridge.  Also at Plainridge, look how the feature race is written.  Open not eligible.  Is the Saratoga Open the same as the 3-5 year old open at Yonkers?  Look at the purse money differences!  Saratoga races for 15-17k, the open at Plainridge goes for 20-25k and the Yonkers 3-5 goes for 36k.

Also, a horse who was denied at Plainridge had classes opened up at Yonkers so he fit the conditions!

[Locked in with pace]

So why are you complaining? You obviously don't live in Mass to take advantage of their State preference,.

Go to Yonkers where the money is so much better with 5 horse fields.

[oldjohn123]

I agree 10000000% with your post. Jason Bartlett is an average driver at any other racetrack outside of Yonkers where he gets 1st call for all of the juice trainers. If he isn’t listed on th3 best horse in the race, he immediately calls the trainer or owner and cries his way in to getting them to list him. If they don’t he goes out of his way to fuck them over. Jason is a horrible human being. I know he is a horseplopper and reads this but he is a very evil person.

Wow I have raced with Jason for years and he is a great person with a nice wife and kids.

[theokodjak26]

When it comes to drivers we Ploppers have a lot of diverging opinions. Some Ploppers praise Walter Case and then bash Jadon Bartlett. I don’t get that at all. All I know is Bartlett took his family on nice vacations while Case took a knife to his wife. Hard to throw accolades at Case after doing that.

[Fuguzzi]

When it comes to drivers we Ploppers have a lot of diverging opinions. Some Ploppers praise Walter Case and then bash Jadon Bartlett. I don’t get that at all. All I know is Bartlett took his family on nice vacations while Case took a knife to his wife. Hard to throw accolades at Case after doing that.

I have never said anything personal about Jason. I have scene and heard that he is a good guy and family man. i feel I am entitled to view him objectively as a driver. I trained and owned horses for decades and never drove, so I HAD to make objective assessments on drivers, as do people who bet on horses. Doesn't this make sense.

As for Walter Case, he never ever drove a single horse I owned or trained, no matter how good he was, because I wouldn't let him near any horse of mine. I know every single thing he did on and off the track. i was there when SOA named him Driver of the Year and he cried at the podium and promised to get sober and blah, blah blah. I don't care about anything other than what I see on the track.

If I was still racing horses at YR, would use Jason to drive, of course. He is talented. If I was in the Hambo, would I use Jason to drive? No. What's wrong with that?

[theokodjak26]

I have never said anything personal about Jason. I have scene and heard that he is a good guy and family man. i feel I am entitled to view him objectively as a driver. I trained and owned horses for decades and never drove, so I HAD to make objective assessments on drivers, as do people who bet on horses. Doesn't this make sense.

As for Walter Case, he never ever drove a single horse I owned or trained, no matter how good he was, because I wouldn't let him near any horse of mine. I know every single thing he did on and off the track. i was there when SOA named him Driver of the Year and he cried at the podium and promised to get sober and blah, blah blah. I don't care about anything other than what I see on the track.

If I was still racing horses at YR, would use Jason to drive, of course. He is talented. If I was in the Hambo, would I use Jason to drive? No. What's wrong with that?

There is nothing wrong with choosing whoever you want to drive your horses. The old saying was correct..horses for courses. Same as drivers for different types of events and tracks. This doesn’t pass any judgements on a driver since other trainer may want to use Jason at all tracks. That’s what makes horse racing.