RACETRACK RAMBLINGS

Great new look for FREEHOLD in the visual presentation area as the new graphics make it even easier to follow the action than before. In this era of bringing the product into the living room the technological advancement at Freehold is a welcome addition. There is nothing more frustrating than watching races on a simulcast screen and not knowing who is where at what point. Freehold’s visual innovations alleviate that scenario…

HRTV
The Red Mile has struck a deal for FUTURITY DAY possibly other days to be broadcast on Magna’s Horse Racing TV network which is not only channel 10 on your RTN screen but is carried on a growing number of DISH NETWORK and CABLE SYSTEMS. This represents a significant opportunity to bring our best and most photogenic product to the potentially convertible instead of just the already converted RTN subscribers.

Dan Zucker of HRTV is trying to put together a meeting of Harness decision makers in Lexington in the vicinity of futurity day and you can count Perretti Farms amongst the vitally interested.

Don’t know is HRTV is yet available on HPTV the WEG replacement for Canadian TRN but it should be!

Commissioner Scotty Tickets made it to Monticello for the 2-year-old New York Sires Stakes pacing colts the other day and was a bit taken aback by the absolute dearth of spectators on what was a beautiful Tuesday afternoon that featured several attractive events. There were people in the casino however.

AN ILLUMINATING DISCUSSION
On Hambletonian Day wound up in a rather illuminating conversation after innocuously remarking how great it would be some of the 31,000 plus fans in attendance could actually be persuaded to come back on other days- only to be counseled by a hall of fame dignitary whose talent and intellect I respect greatly- how under the current spectrum of contemporary behavior that my statement was just a whimsical pipedream.

He indicated that people just don’t go out like they used to and how racetracks now operate via occasional big event days (Like The Hambletonian) and try to eek out as much simulcasting revenue as possible. But the days of people coming out on Wednesday nights have long gone. He gently chided that I too seldom show up at racetracks anymore although after 35 years of fanatically ritualistic attendance my personal abstinence is somewhat explainable. However, the lack of interest and/or staying power of those who’ve come after me does seem more than just disconcerting to say the least.

The gist of this is that if this guy is right and he may well be 100% on target considering how he would be privy to the inner sanctum thinking of upper echelon management then the question really becomes how our rapidly diminishing pool of owners gets replenished seeing as how so many of our existing owners were diehard racing fans first., .
This seems a far more pressing issue than many of the others being discussed these days.

Whacha gonna do Dave Palone when PALONE RANGER draws into the same field with DAVE PANLONE. PALONE RANGER (Western Ideal-Mercy Mercy Mercy) was a sharp second in the opening leg of the New Jersey Sires Stakes at Freehold on Saturday.
DAVE PANLONE won his Arden Downs division in solid fashion. We’ll be sending MERCULESE the Artsplace sister to Palone Ranger to Harrisburg in November. Sharp looking filly too!

Speaking of Artsplace fillies, you’ll like VAIN IN SPAIN the first foal from Open Season and OZMOPOLITAN from the very well bed Western Wizard.

You’ll also like ECHOLOGICAL the Muscles Yankee first colt from Echo Hanover. Echo’s first foal Repetitions never had a chance being pastured injured as a weanling.

Bob Marks