Is harness racing thriving?

[Pacer 2]

Im fairly certain that the people at Pompano were concerned when they were no longer receiving any checks

  That was unfortunate but they had notice and many found greener pastures in a new Kentucky track as well as NY and Pennsylvania.

[MTP1972]

They made a big deal on here when Freehold closed but for the majority of horsemen it wasn't a bad thing because they were losing money year after year. Their options were to upgrade their stables or find a real job you make money at.

[Kenny]

      I'm fairly certain when the owners, trainers, drivers, grooms, vets, feed and hay suppliers get their checks they arent overly concerned where they come from!

An industry with few customers for its product is not "thriving" it is failing. Living off government handouts in not a thriving industry.

We need to hold a poll of slots players:

"A portion of every dollar played on slots machines goes to subsidize the horse racing industry. How do you want you money allocated"?
1) Increase the payouts of the slots machines
2) Use those funds to support schools
3) Use those funds for infrastructure like roods and bridges
4) Lower taxes
5) Give it to the horsemen

Can you predict the outcome?  I am waiting for your answer.

[Pacer 2]

An industry with few customers for its product is not "thriving" it is failing. Living off government handouts in not a thriving industry.

We need to hold a poll of slots players:

"A portion of every dollar played on slots machines goes to subsidize the horse racing industry. How do you want you money allocated"?
1) Increase the payouts of the slots machines
2) Use those funds to support schools
3) Use those funds for infrastructure like roods and bridges
4) Lower taxes
5) Give it to the horsemen

Can you predict the outcome?  I am waiting for your answer.

   When owners are paying record prices for horses and earning record amounts along with drivers and trainers it sure looks like its thriving to me! 

[Kenny]

   When owners are paying record prices for horses and earning record amounts along with drivers and trainers it sure looks like its thriving to me! 

Are you really that dense?  All that money is GOVERNMENT HANDOUTS!

An industry with few customers for its product is not "thriving" it is failing. Living off government handouts in not a thriving industry.

We need to hold a poll of slots players:

"A portion of every dollar played on slots machines goes to subsidize the horse racing industry. How do you want you money allocated"?
1) Increase the payouts of the slots machines
2) Use those funds to support schools
3) Use those funds for infrastructure like roods and bridges
4) Lower taxes
5) Give it to the horsemen

Can you predict the outcome?  I am waiting for your answer.

I see you did not answer the question!

[sledge hammer]

Fryeburg is packed daily and you can't get a seat in the grandstand unless you get there an hour before first post.

It's funny, I was just randomly looking at the charts from Fryeburg over the past week and they actually handled decent money. Is that all on track or do they send their signal anywhere?
Seems like it would be fun to go there.

[Any1Left]

An industry with few customers for its product is not "thriving" it is failing. Living off government handouts in not a thriving industry.

We need to hold a poll of slots players:

"A portion of every dollar played on slots machines goes to subsidize the horse racing industry. How do you want you money allocated"?
1) Increase the payouts of the slots machines
2) Use those funds to support schools
3) Use those funds for infrastructure like roods and bridges
4) Lower taxes
5) Give it to the horsemen

Can you predict the outcome?  I am waiting for your answer.

  1-2-3-4 are all fair answers.      I remember betting the days when i would bet 400 to win on a horse and not affect the pools at all,       I remember when the racetrack had races where if you figured out the puzzle you could buy a new car but today its figure out the puzzle and you can buy a coffee.      If you go to any sports event you will have people painting their faces with the teams colors and cheering from start to finish and it feels like a war thats fun to watch and today you have a crowd of super seniors that never cheer and are waiting to die.

[Brown jug]

or you can ask the slots players the following
 if not for a deal with horseman allowing the casino to be built on their land and using their license their would be no slots for you to play in most states
that small amount that goes to the horse racing industry supports thousands of jobs and has  a major trickle down effect on economies where race tracks are located
the answer is 5
number 2,3,4 are to be supported by taxes collected from citizens and businesses in the area

[Any1Left]

or you can ask the slots players the following
 if not for a deal with horseman allowing the casino to be built on their land and using their license their would be no slots for you to play in most states
that small amount that goes to the horse racing industry supports thousands of jobs and has  a major trickle down effect on economies where race tracks are located
the answer is 5
number 2,3,4 are to be supported by taxes collected from citizens and businesses in the area

You may be right as grooms are paying off homes and honest vets are not been used with most honest trainers getting destroyed and owners are leaving at a alarming rate and if you are a fan from what you are watching you have no life,        People making money are drivers who could care less if anyone was watching and crooked vets plus suits that do not deserve a job so it could only be 5,       Watching racing is like watching the TORONTO MAPLE LEAfs when Harold Ballard owned them and yes he created many jobs without giving the fans a chance ever doing well.

[NOTHING BUT TRUTHS]

   When owners are paying record prices for horses and earning record amounts along with drivers and trainers it sure looks like its thriving to me! 

It's only good for a very small portion of the population. Roads and bridges,schools will help way more people. The end will come. 

[Stan durbread]

An industry with few customers for its product is not "thriving" it is failing. Living off government handouts in not a thriving industry.

We need to hold a poll of slots players:

"A portion of every dollar played on slots machines goes to subsidize the horse racing industry. How do you want you money allocated"?
1) Increase the payouts of the slots machines
2) Use those funds to support schools
3) Use those funds for infrastructure like roods and bridges
4) Lower taxes
5) Give it to the horsemen

Can you predict the outcome?  I am waiting for your answer.

1. Ain’t never going to happen.
2/3/4. Approximately 90% of the tax on casino revenue are supposed to be paying for.
5. The vast majority of this small portion that goes to horseman circulates through local economy
6. The one yall always forget. Give more money to casino companies (most of which are owned by overseas interests

[NOTHING BUT TRUTHS]

You don't think 234 produce jobs?  I bet they produce way more jobs than harness racing. And don't worry about the local feed man. Everyone goes to tractor supply now. Tractor supply will be ok.

[Any1Left]

The people that help this game the most are racetrack investigators and racetrack judges plus the racing commissions that keep the game pure and make sure every race is run like a sporting contest should be,   The sad truth is that fans and betting people would rather have a drug problem in the game far more than the friendly drivers shit we see every race as that creates no prices and boring racing,     You take a great football team like ALABAMA a few years back and in games that had 40 point spreads nobody could watch unless you had a bet on the game as nobody cares about a great team but they do care about a great game.

[Kenny]

  1-2-3-4 are all fair answers.      I remember betting the days when i would bet 400 to win on a horse and not affect the pools at all,       I remember when the racetrack had races where if you figured out the puzzle you could buy a new car but today its figure out the puzzle and you can buy a coffee.      If you go to any sports event you will have people painting their faces with the teams colors and cheering from start to finish and it feels like a war thats fun to watch and today you have a crowd of super seniors that never cheer and are waiting to die.

The money is NOT coming from the people going to the races, it is coming from the people PLAYING SLOTS. You will get an overwhelming majority saying increase the payouts of the SLOTS. You might get a few saying lower taxes. Give it to the horsemen will get the least votes.

[Kenny]

or you can ask the slots players the following
 if not for a deal with horseman allowing the casino to be built on their land and using their license their would be no slots for you to play in most states
that small amount that goes to the horse racing industry supports thousands of jobs and has  a major trickle down effect on economies where race tracks are located
the answer is 5
number 2,3,4 are to be supported by taxes collected from citizens and businesses in the area

The casinos exist because PEOPLE WANT THEM. One way or another, thewy were going to happen. The casino interest used racing and racing fell for it. The bottom line is racing is getting money from the slot players. That is not where they would choose for the money to go and neither would the general public. If racing does not realize this, they will wake up with no handouts AND no customers.