How the Success of Tampa Bay Downs can help The Meadowlands (an editorial)

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The Success of Tampa Bay Downs and How It Can Help The Meadowlands
By Walt Gekko, Price and Probability Associate

Tampa Bay Downs has become quite a success story in recent years, albeit with flaws that Andrew Beyer wrote about in a February 10, 2011 column in The Washington Post:

In his article, Beyer noted problems this season with the teletimer, which has actually been the fault of Teleview Racing Patrol, as well as the video and a few other things. While the timer needs to be worked on, and maybe the video, the fact is the overwhleming reason for Tampa Bay's success has been one item over everything else that bettors love: Big Fields. Big fields have allowed Tampa Bay Downs in recent years to go from a very small-time track with very small purses to a track that while still offering relatively low purses compared to the major league winter tracks (as well as those tracks that have slots) is one that has become popular with bettors, who have shown such through the windows.

There is no more striking evidence of how far Tampa's popularity has come in recent years than with the handle. While much of it is out-of-state, the handle on December 29, 2010 when compared to one of the legendary winter race meets in the country, speaks volumes as to how far Tampa has come: That day, Tampa Bay Downs handled $4,230,056, while Santa Anita's handle that day was $4,038,175. While it does need to be remembered that Santa Anita's handle came just after they had changed back from synthetics to a dirt surface that was running extremely fast the first week and also just after a period where the area surrounding Santa Anita got well over a foot of rain, the fact Tampa Bay Downs was able to outhandle Santa Anita, even for just one day speaks volumes as to how far Tampa has come. More astounding is the fact that Tampa Bay has averaged over $5 million on Saturdays during the winter, and their handle was an astounding $6.8 million on February 5, a day where Tampa only had a $65,000 stake as their feature while Gulfstream Park (widely considered to be the marquee thoroughbred horse meet in the winter) had one of its bigger programs of the season with two Grade 1 stakes, including The Donn, one of the most important early season races for older horses annually on their card that day. It became even more obvious the following Saturday (February 12, 2011), when Tampa had the "Derby Preview Day," featuring the Sam F. Davis (primary prep for the Tampa Bay Derby) and two other stakes. The handle for Saturday, February 12, 2011 was $8,208,422, which if not a record has to be very close to one for them. Tampa even came close to doing the once-unthinkable for a Saturday, and that is outhandle Aqueduct (which on Saturday 2/12/'11 handled $8,302,350 total).

While yes, Tampa Bay Downs has had some flaws of late, the overall success of Tampa is why I think what has gone on there can have far-reaching benefits for Harness Racing if the powers that be will listen, especially at The Meadowlands. Tampa's success to me shows what should be done at The Meadowlands if Jeff Gural is successful being able to obtain The Meadowlands Racetrack and build a new grandstand on the backstretch is this:

1. Ditch the existing turf course, as Thoroughbred Racing is unlikely to return to The Meadowlands (at least during the warm weather months) anytime soon.

2. Shrink the size of The Meadowlands' existing main track from a mile to seven-eighths of a mile in circumference.

3. Build a chute that allows for two things: Run-ups from a straightaway instead of around a turn (as is done on most seven-eighths tracks) and make the chute long enough to, along with a long enough stretch allow races up to a mile and an eighth with at least an eighth of a mile run-up.

4. Make the track wide enough to allow for a minimum of 12 starters across.

The last item to me is THE MOST important in making a new Meadowlands Racetrack work. Bettors have made it clear they want big fields, and what I would be looking at do at The Meadowlands is give those fans what they want, as I would be looking to go with 12 starters across PLUS 2-3 trailers (those who would start in the second tier) in most races with the goal being an average of 11+ starters per race. That likely brings the big bettors back and with that, handle likely soars.

Considering the purse structure Tampa Bay Downs runs with (FAR lower than most top-level thoroughbred tracks), their handle, which has averaged well over $5 million on Saturdays for most of this season (and now on Saturdays is often topping $6 million if not more) shows the popularity bettors have with big fields. Field size clearly is the reason Tampa has had the success it has, and is why The Meadowlands needs to seriously look at shrinking the harness oval to seven-eighths of a mile and make it wide enough to go 12 starters across. Those that argue that Tampa is thoroughbreds while The Meadowlands is harness are missing the point on this one: The fact is, big fields are what bettors want, and if Harness Racing is going to survive and potentially thrive, the sport must make changes tailored to the changing tastes of bettors. As The Meadowlands is the #1 track in all of Harness Racing worldwide, it needs to show the way on what needs to be done in order for the sport to prosper in the future.

Want to discuss what should be done at The Meadowlands?

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