Re-scheduling the Breeders' Cup?

[Kennedy]

An interesting article was posted on HRI and I thought it might be worth discussing.

You can read the entire article here: http://www.horseraceinsider.com/Carryover-2-0/comments/poor-clark-poor-cigar/#comments

For those who want the short version here is the main crux of the article:

"Two things should happen: Either the horse racing year must end and take a two-month vacation before racing picks up again in January, or the Breeders' Cup, if it stays in SoCal permanently, should be moved to December and thus truly end the year."

[peeptoad]

I don't agree with a number of statements in that article, but I do agree that racing would benefit from a winter break (though not for the reasons in that piece).

In particular I don't agree with this:

The running of great races, namely the Clark Handicap and the Cigar Mile, after the Breeders' Cup is a disservice to the races.

How is the Cigar Mile negatively impacted by being placed after the BC? For starters there are 3 or 4 BC winners coming back for that race. Almost every year this race gets a high-quality field of a decent size. IMO this was not a good race example for the author's point.

Given a choice I would say leave the BC as is, and give the horses the winter off... start up again in February maybe. I'm already tired of it being at SA and we have another year out there. I enjoyed the BC more when it traveled (which means it's got to be placed earlier in the year) and when there were fewer races (ironically)..

[Kennedy]

I think the comparisons to sports such as football and baseball are off the mark. Those are sports with a definite season and off season with a clear year end goal. Racing is much more like Tennis or Golf in its near continuous nature.

I think the author makes a mistake when he assumes that racing wants to have one race that encapsulates the season. It may be the American way for most sports but I actually prefer the more cumulative situation we have now where some races are definitely bigger affairs and count more in the minds of voters but no one race decides it all.

I think the nature of racing effectively makes the notion of a "one race takes all" pretty illogical and yet so many people want the BC to fill that role. I like it better as the most important prize in a series of prizes available, but not so important that it outweighs the sum of all other events.

[peeptoad]

I think the comparisons to sports such as football and baseball are off the mark. Those are sports with a definite season and off season with a clear year end goal. Racing is much more like Tennis or Golf in its near continuous nature.

I think the author makes a mistake when he assumes that racing wants to have one race that encapsulates the season. It may be the American way for most sports but I actually prefer the more cumulative situation we have now where some races are definitely bigger affairs and count more in the minds of voters but no one race decides it all.

I think the nature of racing effectively makes the notion of a "one race takes all" pretty illogical and yet so many people want the BC to fill that role. I like it better as the most important prize in a series of prizes available, but not so important that it outweighs the sum of all other events.

I agree, especially with your baseball/football comment. I actually intended to post something specific about that, but spaced. I do think racing would benefit from an "off-season" of sorts, but that isn't likely to happen. Basically there is just too much/too often in racing (imho). It winds up diluting the sport.

[mchorseracecall]

Personally, I disagree of what that journalist said about the Breeders' Cup. In my opinion, they should leave the Breeders' Cup World Championships as it is, to be held during the final week of October, or the first week of November. Second, I don't support the ideas to have one particular major racetrack to have four consecutive years of the Breeders' Cup World Championships or any of the major racetracks to become the permanent site for the Breeders' Cup World Championships. It's like putting the World Cup in the United States every time, the Olympics in Los Angeles every time during every four year period, and the Super Bowl in New York every year, which means it has no variety for any horse racing fans, which is bad for horse racing.

[Senator L]

I dont think the guy took into account that most of the races are claiming and low level allowance races and all the southern tracks are just starting to get going

[Senator L]

The other reason why they always have thebc at end of oct or beg of nov is
Because of their schedule. It all depends on when notre dame football is playing

[Zenyatta]

I think the comparisons to sports such as football and baseball are off the mark. Those are sports with a definite season and off season with a clear year end goal. Racing is much more like Tennis or Golf in its near continuous nature.

I think the author makes a mistake when he assumes that racing wants to have one race that encapsulates the season. It may be the American way for most sports but I actually prefer the more cumulative situation we have now where some races are definitely bigger affairs and count more in the minds of voters but no one race decides it all.

I think the nature of racing effectively makes the notion of a "one race takes all" pretty illogical and yet so many people want the BC to fill that role. I like it better as the most important prize in a series of prizes available, but not so important that it outweighs the sum of all other events.

I agree, especially with your baseball/football comment. I actually intended to post something specific about that, but spaced. I do think racing would benefit from an "off-season" of sorts, but that isn't likely to happen. Basically there is just too much/too often in racing (imho). It winds up diluting the sport.

You'd have Frank Stronach to answer to if you wanted a racing off season, since that off season could step on the toes of two of his biggest tracks.

Personally, I wouldn't mind if racing took all of December off. It would provide a good holiday breather for horsemen and horses alike.