Friday, May 21, 2010
Monmouth Park By the Numbers
SARATOGA SPRINGS, May 21, 2010--There’s no other way to view it; some of the numbers are really impressive. Here are some of those digits as Monmouth Park, efforting to save thoroughbred racing in the Garden State, opens a 71-day race meet including The Meadowlands dates, which is now all harness racing all the time. To wit:
90: The number of stakes races that will be run between today and November 21, most during the “Elite Summer Meet” session that concludes September 6.
16: The number of graded stakes, including the centerpiece 43rd running of the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes, August 1, expected to attract both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winners, Super Saver and Lookin At Lucky. The 57th United Nations Stakes on turf is the other Grade 1, scheduled for July 3.
13: The number of races on today’s opening-day program, including the Elkwood (turf) Stakes and the Decathlon for three-year-old sprinters.
148: The number of entrants on today’s card.
3: The number of racing days per week, weekends beginning on Friday with the exception of Monday cards on Memorial Day, July4th and Labor Day weekends.
1500: The number of dollars earned by every horse starting at Monmouth Park, essentially an appearance fee, with money paid back to last. To accommodate the math, winner receive 55 percent of the purse, as opposed to the standard 60.
15: The number of percentage points management hopes opening-day attendance will increase over last year. The 2009 opener drew just over 7,000 fans.
4: The number of horsemen from Southern California given stalls for the entire meet; Mike Machowsky, Mike Mitchell, Bob Hess Jr. and Peter Miller.
7: The number of races per day that will be simulcast to California betting venues. Never before has California taken the Monmouth Park signal.
5: A pick wager, the Pick 5, the only one of its kind at a major venue. It reduces the degree of Pick 6 difficulty, by one, of course, while still offering the same potential for a life changing win.
50: The number of cents it costs to play the Pick 5. A 50-Cent Pick Five gives the average player a chance to leverage his investment via a greater number of combinations.
15: The parimutuel takeout on the 50-Cent Pick 5, the smallest hold on any super-exotic in the country. I never encourage bettors to get involved with multi-race wagers given the degree of difficulty and cost, but this bet is somewhat manageable and extremely tempting.
8: The number of states (7), and foreign countries (1), whose horsemen were allotted stalls for the entire meeting.
75,000: The number of dollars available to open class three-year-old maidens going two turns.
2: The approximate number of times daily handle from all sources will need to increase to justify million-dollar-a-day purse levels. And that’s the biggest number of all.
This model has to make sense from a business perspective. If it works, it will be the best thing that’s happened to New Jersey racing since the construction of The Meadowlands.
New Jersey owes horse racing. Giants Stadium was built with the cash flow generated by The Meadowlands. That handle also helped erect Byrne Arena. And, of course, the jobs that racing creates, the green space, etc., etc.
The industry also needs this grand experiment to succeed. Fewer races with quality horses racing for big bucks is the kind of product horseplayers not only want but need.
Obviously, the sport needs to grow its base to survive. The key is an improved, attractive product. The highest levels of the game still work. On paper, the Monmouth model makes sense. Ultimately, the proof that it does will be found at the bottom line.
Written by John Pricci