JC / Railbird

The Sport Archive

Watching the Workouts

“But determination matters more than time. And determination’s often visible, right there on the track, even through the dimness and over the distinct sounds that can seem unmoored — yes, it’s visible right there in the turn, where the horse moves smoothly and evenly as if gliding, like a sprite or perhaps some kelpie, curving with the track and then bursting into the stretch, reaching for real estate and then reaching for the wire but ultimately reaching for something more, something essential, something that must be, because it can’t be anything else, self-definition.” (Dallas Morning News)

Posted in The Sport on October 22, 2004

He Got It

Outgoing NYRA Chairman Barry Schwartz got racing: “The co-founder and former CEO of Calvin Klein not only grasps the sport from the rarified perspective of breeder and owner of racehorses, but he also understands the horseplayer, because he shares that passion, too. He supports rebates, can read the sheets and can put together a Pick 6 ticket.” ‘Tis a shame that his administration, which began with such promise, writes Paul Moran, was distracted by the mess NYRA found itself in. (Newsday)

Posted in The Sport on October 15, 2004

Racing Needs Celebrities

Like Smarty Jones, says marketing guru Laura Ries: “You need those celebrities out there. What would happen to football if Brett Favre retired at age 21? What would happen to baseball if Barry Bonds retired at age 21? … Keep the horses on the track and out of the breeding sheds.” More advice from Ries: Forget about slots. “Why put slot machines at racetracks and educate your customers to patronize the enemy?” (Blood-Horse)
Related: “Van Clief says NTRA could make changes in advertising” (Thoroughbred Times)

Posted in The Sport on September 29, 2004

Good News

“Horse racing continues to gain ground in popularity and measures up very well compared with other major league sports, according to the latest information from the ESPN Sports Poll. The horse racing fan base among the United States population ages 18 and older went 31.4% in 1999 to 37.7% for the first seven months of 2004, according to the data.” Plus: “The number of avid fans overall increased 38% from 2002-2004…. 48 million Americans indicated they are interested in going to the races. That number is up from 34.8 million in a 2003 survey.” (Blood-Horse)

Posted in The Sport on September 27, 2004