The concrete walls of Dick Duchossois’s massive grandstand will echo like an empty canyon this afternoon. There’s so much going on in the Windy City that going to the horse races – these horse races – will be last on the minds of Chicagoans.
Horse racing prospers in areas where there’s little else but horse racing to entertain folks. Perhaps that’s why the Breeders’ Cup will announce today that its end-of-year event will be scheduled for relatively quiet Louisville. Louisvilleans (is that what they call ‘em?) still think horse racing is major league sport and the places which make sense for staging the Breeders’ Cup aren’t available.
The choice of location is a mistake for several reasons. European participants won’t like that the track provides a home team advantage. Those lucky enough to be at Santa Anita the past two autumns won’t find balmy temperatures, majestic views and interesting things to do during their visit. The day (and a little of the previous night) will be all racing, no celebrities, no diversions – boring. But, at least, there won’t be anything else going on to compete for attention.
11 Jun 2010 at 12:28 pm | #
who the **** is Vic Vast?
11 Jun 2010 at 05:23 pm | #
come on, Bob. Be nice. Vic has a right to his opinion, even if is is clueless. I would love to come to Louisville for the BC. Most horseplayers and fans have no complaints about Churchill Downs. It is the mecca of horseracing to many. I live in California and have seen 3 BC’s in 6 years. But I have no prob with Churchill. Most people come for the horses and the racing,not for the nightlife or BS celebs that I could give a rat’s ass about.
It is about racing, not restaurants and nightclubs and other diversions. Hell, i was handicapping soon as I got back to my hotel for the next day. who has time to trot around town?
11 Jun 2010 at 10:19 pm | #
Louisville has more restaurants per capita than any city in the United States. You could look it up! And some of them are pretty good, too.
And as for European contestants not liking the track, Sheikh Albadou won the Sprint there in ‘91 at 26-1, Arazi won the Juvenile that same year in an unforgettable performance, Giant’s Causeway almost beat Tiznow in the 2000 Classic, and Swain was probably best in the 1998 Classic.
Before one makes a statement, one should not ignore the facts.
12 Jun 2010 at 06:07 am | #
Come on, Mr. Zast, it’s way past time for you to try to take Jim Murray’s place in the world of insult! For any activity which might draw people from both coasts, the middle of the country is the best place to be! How many New Yorkers, except for expense-account people, will go to California for the Breeders’ Cup races, and how many Californians, except for those whose expenses will be paid by someone else, will venture to New York for racing’s greatest day? Louisville or Chicago are the natural places to hold the Cup races, except for an occasional foray to either coast, and experience has proven this truth! Get with it, Vic, and get real!
12 Jun 2010 at 07:25 am | #
Several other reasons why Churchill is the wrong choice: the weather is unpredictable and more often than not is uncomfortable. I’ve been there for the Cups in 1988 (pouring rain) and 1991 (30 something degree cold). And with the late Cup races being run in the darkness this year I can already see a lot of shivering people in the dark.
Second, there is very little adequate seating where you can actually view the races. Sections 1XX and 2XX offer little in the way of views of the race. Third, the grandstand is old and unattractive; hardly the venue to showcase racing’s biggest day. Fourth, while Louisville is a wonderful city, it can’t offer the attractions LA or NY.
Hoping for a quick retrun to suuny and warm southern California.
12 Jun 2010 at 08:14 am | #
Several city Web sites purport that their city has the most restaurants per capita, including San Francisco, CA; Madison, WI, Washington, D.C. and Shreveport, LA. But the number of restaurants is really irrelevant. This piece isn’t even about Louisville’s attraction as a destination. It’s about branding.
By choosing Churchill Downs for two years in a row, the Breeders’ Cup is emphasizing the competitive side of its main event out of proportion to its enjoyable side. CD is a great racetrack operator that will present the races properly. But few outside its immediate reach will be encouraged to participate because a weekend in Louisville seems exciting.
I know how hard it is to hear someone say something about your home town that may not cast it in ideal terms. I hail from Buffalo, NY. I’ve loved every minute I’ve spent in gracious Louisville. But the BC isn’t the Derby and the restaurants aren’t Le Bernardin and the view of Papa John’s Stadium isn’t the same as the San Gabriels.
12 Jun 2010 at 08:46 am | #
I disagree horse country is a bad place for the championships. While Arlington would be nice, Chicago in November is an unpleasant & unpredictable weather challenge.
I don’t need useless celebrities who don’t give a damn about racing showing up & filling seats. The ones who generally attend racing events by invitation of someone are C-list celebs at best.
12 Jun 2010 at 09:21 am | #
Wow Arlington Park is really effected by the struggling economy. I bet you anything that their event making cutbacks on the employees checks as well. How could they afford to have Jessica Pacheco and Alyssa Ali doing the paddock show their. Also having Joe Kristefik and Brian Spencer doing the Arlingtonpark.com videos. Finally having John Dooley and Pacheco hosting Arlington Park’s handicapping show “Arlington Today.”
12 Jun 2010 at 11:26 am | #
Personally I would love to see the B.C. at Saratoga. Of course there would be problems such as the cold as Saratoga is mostly all outdoors. And since there are no lights the racing would have to start earlier. However there are so many plusses to having the premier racing event at the capital of racing, one of which is the Hall of Fame across the street. And who knows, since there would much less picnics, they could possibly go to the old custom of saddling the horses under the trees. And certainly nobody can knock the Saratoga night life, and of course harness fans would have a place to go in the evening.
12 Jun 2010 at 11:28 am | #
Just to add: If Monmouth could open for just two days in the fall, so can Saratoga. People will just have to dress warmer.
12 Jun 2010 at 12:10 pm | #
In five years, there won’t be a Breeders’ Cup, so it will become a moot point.
12 Jun 2010 at 05:27 pm | #
Ah, poor boy! Bemoaning that it’ll be 45 degrees and cloudy in Louisville instead of 75 and sunny in SoCal. After I finish with my two jobs and 90-hour work weeks I feel so bad for you, Zast.
13 Jun 2010 at 12:04 am | #
The only thing worse than an arrogant person is an arrogrant person with no right to be arrogrant. You diss Louisville, a small city compared to Chicago. Yet, until the Blackhawks recent success, you guy had not won much in a while. Horse racing is a major league sport in Louisville as there were nearly 30K people there last night. I now live in Miami and it takes 5 games for the Marlins to have that many fans. Is that because Miami or baseball is not major league you moron?
13 Jun 2010 at 08:34 am | #
Go easy on Vic, I met him at Saratoga and talking racing he told us about his proposal to run the Kentucky Derby every year on the first Saturday of November. He said it’s needed to save racing. See he must really like Kentucky. PS: I didn’t see him drink anything during the conversation.
13 Jun 2010 at 10:51 am | #
not only will the racing late not occur in the dark due to lights being installed, churchill has consistently had the highest handle and attendancee out of all the locations the bc has chosen. just as many euros will show in ky, as many don’t like the balmy temps in cali and choose to skip the race. their horses are already getting into winter mode by november, and they don’t wish to put them back in the heat. then there are those connections who don’t like the super firm turf in california. it’s a good choice, and in my opinion, a better location to hold back to back bc’s.
14 Jun 2010 at 10:23 am | #
Someone calls a radio station and off handily says Wells was out till 3 in the morning, then you report that as fact? It has since been denied and retracted all the way around
17 Jun 2010 at 01:44 pm | #
“Horse racing prospers in areas where there’s little else but horse racing to entertain folks.”
Uh...San Diego?