There’s just got to be a way for more competitive racing!

[Seamus11]

Take (3) tracks yesterday for example.... Harrington (12 races 10 chalks).... Saratoga (13 races 9 chalks) .... Pocono (14 races 9 chalks).... that’s 37 races and 28 DEAD FAVORITES !!!!  That’s 76% !!!  Who in hell would ever try to either get into or want to wager on this garbage ??  No wonder casinos are killing races!!!

[cigar]

 
Have you ever seen the odds at casinos?
That’s the house advantage on most games.

[GTW]

Aged pacers by a landslide.....a different winner every week. That division is the most wide-open by far

[Jazzman]

years ago claimers where always best races but now that breeders have taken over they jam all the nws races or worse condition claimers down our throats

[Parked]

It all happens in the race secretary's office.  Condition sheets have not changed at most tracks for 10 years.. except for the dates..

[Superfecta]

Get rid of the drugs. Those in the know hammer away and you don't just get favorites, you get $2.40, $2.60 and $2.80. Guys in the know bet to get free money like it's interest at the bank. A good favorite used to pay $6.80. My program doesn't have that gas pump symbol next to the horses name so I'm NOT eligible for the free money.

[toothman]

Get rid of the gosh darned courtesy tucks that result in lineups and chalk winners. No tucks mean competitive racing, better payoffs, and a more exciting product to market

[Seamus11]

Couldn’t agree more.  This bullshit about not hanging a horse that’s trying to leave has completely ruined racing.  If you have the horse to clear... then clear!!  If not?... hang the damn thing.  For the person that doesn’t watch harness racing regularly, the first thing that would come to their mind is “why did that guy just let the other guy in??!!”  Just a lot wrong here.

[dinkadoo]

Have you ever seen the odds at casinos?
That’s the house advantage on most games.

takeout on a slot is helluva lot less than horse racing....

[dinkadoo]

don't know why... but I looked at the results of Monticello

8 of 9 races winner paid less than $5.60

[HornbyDuke]

Harness should try steeplechase! Probably would intimidate most bettors from knocking favorite down to odds on.

I would have every other race a steeplechase and only use amateur drivers in these.

Plus I would have one race a card be quarter horses with buggys at 200 yrs distance.

Vernon or running aces be good tracks to try.

Plus bring back the voice but only let him sign the races.No verbal description.

[chief yogi]

we have steeplechase now just called low class trotters.  race sec. of this age refuse to piss off the big stables. any system of classification can work if you tinker with it a little. you win you have to go up. lifetime conditions can have different levels. its a little more work but possible. racing same sheet week after week creates most of the problems. if nw of 2lt is about your horses top and your not trying to win out of it the race sec should split the condition and have those horses race for like half the purse. claimers can work too even in this day. start with really low purses at the lowest level and increase much more for each level up. make it so trainers are fools to stuff a 10 claimer in for 5. problem is lazyness and not wanting anyone to be mad.