Track Execs Talk Purse Pooling
With harness racing looking for different models to survive, some in the industry are in favour of a model that pools purses then doles them out in a tiered-track
system.
In his weekly column for The Guelph Mercury, Dave Briggs received positive feedback from three prominent racetrack officials.
"I think this business requires a premium racing product that can be sold worldwide, that everybody aspires to work at," said Western Fair's Hugh Mitchell. "From that, I think you need some element of the minor leagues and the grassroots product to develop people and horses to be able to go and work and perform at that higher level."
Mitchell's co-worker at Western Fair, Ian Fleming, also the Director of Racing at Clinton Raceway, believes that slightly lower purses at Clinton would be beneficial to the local horseman.
"If they raced for less purses in Clinton, the people stabled in Clinton would make more money,” said Fleming, with the thought that tougher competition would find it less lucrative to race there.
As certain tracks like Woodstock Raceway have a strange imbalance of slot revenue and race dates, purse pooling would see more of that money doled out to racing at other tracks. Grand River Raceway's General Manager Dr. Ted Clarke referred to Woodstock's purse structure as a "ridiculous model."
To read more from The Guelph Mercury, click here.
Gentlemen, Instead of
Gentlemen,
Instead of dilluting the purses away from the region where the slot revenue was generated, here is an idea, spread the purse money over more race dates.
If Clinton, Grand River and Woodstock started racing now, with day light savings changes, and doubled the number of race dates, this would cut the purse in half. Further more, the local horsemen would not have to truck (gas money) for a much longer period of time, and save money in addition to earning more. London could then return to 3 days a weeks and increase their purses if that was the idea.
Clinton could add a Tuesday afternoon card to compliment Woodstock for wagering. And Woodstock could race three or four dates a week, as London does. All this without putting up lights to race at night.
If Clinton and Woodstock have too much slot revenue, re-open Goderich, or Lemington, or Orangeville raceways and move some of the machines there. Or here is an idea, Markham Fairgrounds with a full season meet. I believe WEG would resist, but this is an area under-served with half mile racing, you literally have to go West of Mohawk to get half mile racing in southern Ontario. I am sure the fairboard there would listen to proposals for slot revenue, and be happy to entertain taking your excess.
There are so many options to keep the money where it is generated. or generate it in other locations if the local area feels like they have too much.
Just a few alternative thoughts.