I would like to personally thank Jeff Gural for hosting the Hambo!

[rainman2]

I live about 20 minutes from Harrah's Philly. It's located in Chester, PA in a bad neighborhood with high crime. There's virtually no one at the track for live racing, the casino is 3/4 empty, and they do no promoting at all.

Isn't the prison [jail] in the same area as the track?

[Lockedin with Pace]

2 blocks away, it's a small prison.

[rainman2]

2 blocks away, it's a small prison.

Is there enough room for a few more?

[Lockedin with Pace]

It's called SCI (State Correctional Facility) Chester and is a medium security prison for men.

[jupiter]

Years ago Pete Szymanski did a live interview around 5pm every night on the radio in Buffalo. Give pics talk about card

[G]

Who’s talking about slot welfare?!?! I guess you conveniently ignored the fact that racetracks existed before these casinos join them so just because a racetrack has inflated purses, that’s the cost of doing business with a racetrack and that’s how the casinos were able to get their doors open. But of course you conveniently ignore that.

 We’re talking about owners trainers and drivers making record money. That’s thriving.

unfortunately you're talking to these bust out losers that are brain dead. I have a bunch of horse racing most of them are making a lot of money.

[G]

Years ago Pete Szymanski did a live interview around 5pm every night on the radio in Buffalo. Give pics talk about card

I remember that!

[Grandstand Handicapper]

I don't get the love/hate thing with Gural. Did the guy save the Meadowlands from closing? I think he did. Nobody else single-handedly had the credibility, connections, and stature to do it. I am sure the NJSBOA would have formed a committee to do something and after about a year, they would finally agree where to buy office supplies from.

Do I agree with everything he's done since? Absolutely not. But that doesn't mean I hate the guy. I think too many doomsayers and doomsdayers are consumed by negativity and want to see the Meadowlands close. They are part of the problem, not part of the solution. Why even pay attention to them. To what end. I still go to, support, and bet at the Meadowlands. I contribute, in my own way. Everyone can say whatever they want. But the sport, industry, track ownership/management, they may not always know who to listen to, but they certainly know who not to listen to.

[Kenny]

I don't get the love/hate thing with Gural. Did the guy save the Meadowlands from closing? I think he did. Nobody else single-handedly had the credibility, connections, and stature to do it. I am sure the NJSBOA would have formed a committee to do something and after about a year, they would finally agree where to buy office supplies from.

Do I agree with everything he's done since? Absolutely not. But that doesn't mean I hate the guy. I think too many doomsayers and doomsdayers are consumed by negativity and want to see the Meadowlands close. They are part of the problem, not part of the solution. Why even pay attention to them. To what end. I still go to, support, and bet at the Meadowlands. I contribute, in my own way. Everyone can say whatever they want. But the sport, industry, track ownership/management, they may not always know who to listen to, but they certainly know who not to listen to.

Gural is the only track owner who is will to use other revenue to subsidize racing. Most of the rest have been sold to casino companies. It is only a matter of time before the casino companies get tired of seeing the red ink from racing on the reports from the bean counters and pay off whoever they need to in order to shut down racing.

[seen2much]

Jeff is a friend. At lunch he asked me if I knew a good Proctologist. He has a G problem that needs to be removed.

[JT]

Jeff is a friend. At lunch he asked me if I knew a good Proctologist. He has a G problem that needs to be removed.

[rainman2]

Gural is the only track owner who is will to use other revenue to subsidize racing. Most of the rest have been sold to casino companies. It is only a matter of time before the casino companies get tired of seeing the red ink from racing on the reports from the bean counters and pay off whoever they need to in order to shut down racing.

The process began a few years ago when pompano park closed (RIP)!
Gulfstream next??

Wasn’t there a big shuffle of finances in Pennsylvania and other parts of Canada?

What tracks will be the next ones to close?

[G]

Gural is the only track owner who is will to use other revenue to subsidize racing. Most of the rest have been sold to casino companies. It is only a matter of time before the casino companies get tired of seeing the red ink from racing on the reports from the bean counters and pay off whoever they need to in order to shut down racing.

I would say he's a smart businessman

[Ignorance Is Bliss]

I would say he's a smart businessman

Did you personally thank Jeff for pushing the Hambo to Hoosier??? BTW, if you're personally thanking him for anything, why on Horseplop? Want his number? 

[Grandstand Handicapper]

Gural is the only track owner who is will to use other revenue to subsidize racing. Most of the rest have been sold to casino companies. It is only a matter of time before the casino companies get tired of seeing the red ink from racing on the reports from the bean counters and pay off whoever they need to in order to shut down racing.

I don't disagree. I've long said I don't begrudge Gural for wanting a casino. He took over the Meadowlands thinking/hoping he'd get one and I am OK with that. He is a capitalist. He's supposed to want to and make a profit. While the casino referendum will not be on the 2026 ballot, if it gets on the 2027 ballot, and the Meadowlands gets a casino, I'd rather see him get it than simply a casino company. Obviously casino companies and racetracks have been a poor solution. Sure, it works in the t-breds but it's still the exception and not the norm. For every Oaklawn Park, there's a Yonkers or Gulfstream. The latter falling to decoupling. Whether it's casinos, VLT's/real slots, HHR's, sportsbooks, whatever, I want to see real horsemen, who will support racing, get them.