Sports - Saratoga Race Course '08: Bet on the fans

I am pretty certain that if Jim Palmer were alive he would feel that Gavin Landry is preparing to “Stir the Champagne.” Ticketmaster scares me. Another corporate tent, food courts and air-conditioned tents on the aprons are all perks for a fleeting kind of customer. If people want to eat from food courts and be in air-conditioned space, let them go to the mall or the Racino.

Horse racing is about horses and concentration should be placed upon attracting fans by the product and not by the variety of food offered. We have lots and lots of restaurants downtown more than ready to serve food to people. NYRA should work with Saratoga businesses not against them. We all need each other in order for the bubbles to stay in our champagne. This might be a good time for marketing to look at the pitfalls at Gulfstream. We sure don’t want to create a similar situation here. Horse racing is the product and Saratoga is one of the few remaining venues in the country offering quality racing. The proper handling of the successful product is in order.

We do not have immunity to the adversities plaguing racing across the U.S. We do, however, have an opportunity to help “right the ship.” Instead we appear to be setting our sails to the winds of greed. Great horses are the ones with resolute hearts. Great racing venues are required to have the same quality. Are we going to spit the bit and let gaming take over? The constant pushing of people further and further from the horses will do just that. We do not have to throw security to the winds in order to provide people with a glimpse of the intrigues of racing. We must however, employ common sense, a little horse sense if you will. Has management fallen so far away from knowing their product that they think all fans want is to be inside and fed? The relaxing of the dress code for the clubhouse is another step in the wrong direction. Monmouth Park did this a number of years ago and sometime later fell under state control. Does anyone else see the signs on the horizon? Monmouth is in dire straights and questions regarding its future loom large.

Sometime things have to fall apart in order to prompt improvement. We are there in racing.

Somehow the horses have been lost in the formula and the fans have been ignored. The inspiration to “right the ship” is a strong pull for some of us and a lot of thought and effort is being put toward that goal. Amongst the fans of racing, there are those with brave hearts and they are teaming up. If management doesn’t kill the fans, they will row until the ship gets turned around.

Marilyn Lane, a freelance writer, has a lifelong association with horses. Her experience includes more than 20 years as an owner, trainer and breeder of thoroughbreds. She was an assistant trainer to Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg during Alysheba’s racing career. You can reach her at marilynlane@msn.com.