Via TD Thornton
Jason Boulet, the director of racing for the Fair Grounds, was repeatedly pressed by Louisiana State Racing Commission (LSRC) member Tom Calvert on Tuesday over whether his track would once again seek to win. statutory change to reduce the number of race days required from 80 to 75 when the state legislature convenes its 2022 session on March 14.
The exchange has yielded no definite answers beyond Boulet’s revelation that Fair Grounds and its parent company, the Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI), will advocate engaging in stakeholder discussions that could reduce race days in Louisiana with the goal of making it easier to fill entries at the state’s four Thoroughbred routes. easier.
The date regulation was not on the agenda for the January 18 LSRC meeting. But Calvert brought it up after Boulet reported that so far in the November-March meeting, the number of people has come out. per Fair Grounds race fell from 8.3 to 7.6 in an annual comparison, a drop Boulet called “alarming. ”
“The fight for entries is a reality for us,” said Boulet, noting that Fair Grounds had to get permission from the Louisiana Horsemen’s Protection and Benevolence Association (LHBPA) three times during the meeting. current to card programs eight races. out of nine requests.
“The [handle] numbers so far after 34 days – not a good thing, positive so far is 11.9% year over year,” Boulet said.
But Boulet also noted that year-to-year comparisons are difficult nationally because the COVID-19 pandemic has skewed industry indicators.
Boulet has managed to make handlebar counts sound more rosy by offering a pre-pandemic comparison that shows Fair Grounds handles “actually trended up 7%” from the 2019-20 meeting.
“Overall handling has been a struggle,” explains Boulet. “That being said, even with that, we had positive revenue from video poker and slots for the year. That’s good for us. And it allows us to actually increase our wallet by 15%. “
Then, Calvert wants to know if Fair Grounds or CDI has legislation that is either pending or plans to reduce the date requirement.
“I didn’t know that, sir,” Boulet replied.
“Isn’t that a good thing for you?” Calvert asked.
“I think, before this committee, yeah, I mean, it’s always been a very sensitive topic about touching that 80-day minimum statute,” Boulet said. “Again, Fair Grounds is a proponent of trying to move forward with talking about overlap, and we hope that conversation goes to this committee. Of course, HBPA has all the right to be concerned about moving toward allowing us to go below 80 days…”
Calvert then pointed out that last year, Fair Grounds and CDI were in favor of just such a five-day reduction. He noted that this provision was included in the 2021 racing law, “but at the last minute, it was withdrawn from the bill.”
Boulet later said he hadn’t recently met with the legal counsel or lobbyists that Fair Grounds hires, so he was reportedly unsure of what could be in the legislative process.
“What I’m saying, I think the committee will be okay with it,” Calvert said. “We understand that most successful models across the US have fewer days than Fair Grounds. I just think you can’t drag your feet on it. You have to move it. And sometimes I know it’s like swimming against the current, but you still have to put it out there. “
Boulet said, “I appreciate your presentation, because I know that in the long run [that] once we’re given that door to open, all the routes, including Churchill Downs [Inc.], will take advantage and try to move towards these store meet places and whatever…” Boulet said. “We basically hope that the committee can look at it on a case-by-case basis, follow up on a case-by-case basis, and that HBPA has a final approval…”
LHBPA President Benard Chatters will not allow this back and forth between Calvert and Boulet to take place without documenting how his membership feels.
“The riders are absolutely against reducing race days,” said Chatter. “Fair Grounds runs 80 days a year. The other three songs run 84 days, so [Fair Grounds] reduced the number of days that other songs didn’t have. “
Chatters noted that for some parts of the current meeting, the Fair Grounds chose to hold race weeks over five days instead of four, making it difficult for the race to fill.
“Everything in the horse world from [horse] Owner views are increasing,” said Chatters. “Costs are going up. One thing that doesn’t increase is the chance to race these horses. It is imperative for these owners to have as many opportunities to race these horses as possible in order for them to continue operating in this business. If you look at the numbers, if you look at all the positive things we’re racing for in the near future [like a cut from online sports betting], you will be able to see that everything is ready to be able to attract more horses to the state, bring more horses into the yard…
“It is very, very important that you never forget that the owners [of horses] wear this [show] and we are the ones doing all of this [negative financial consequences] Chatters said, pointing out that racetrack operators’ revenues are “incredibly high.”
The speakers continued: “I want to make sure you’re listening. Profits increase, bets increase and all this. And so this ‘hard’ of getting a horse is a bit of a stretch, I think… When you talk about cutting race days and stuff like that [it] which means it is very difficult not to necessarily profit from the horse racing business as an owner, but to simply keep your nose above the water so you don’t drown. When we run these [smaller outfits] out, we’re in trouble. ”
Then Calvert asked, “How do you respond to criticism of your position that says you want a terrible horse race? [That] you want to have races with four or five horses in [them] Let this low level horseman, this low level can make money, continue the business? I mean, I’m suggesting that this should be Darwinian and that [outfits that can’t survive] should be excluded from the world of horse racing. What do you think?”
The speakers responded by dissecting a sizable list of people and organizations that benefited from the money flowing into the economy, including hay farmers and car dealers. pickup truck.
“So the importance of as many people participating in horse racing as possible for the state economy is very important,” said Chatters.
“I disagree with you when you say the owner is the cornerstone of horse racing,” says Calvert. “I would say that racing fans are the cornerstone of horse racing… How do you react to fans who say we have to get rid of this low-end horse racing to keep fans interested? ? A four-horse, five-horse court with $5,000 claimants is not something fans go out to the racetrack to see. They don’t even bet on those races. How would you react to that?”
The speakers responded that those $5,000 claimants sometimes handle higher quality races. Calvert didn’t buy that idea. He said not with short fields, they don’t.
“I have no problem, Mr. Chatters, with a $5,000 race with 12 horses,” Calvert said. “I really have a problem with four-horse races. And [CDI] advised that the reason why [Fair Grounds has them] because they had an 80-day meeting. If they have a meeting that lasts 75 days, they will have a bigger purse, which will benefit the knights…”
The speakers, in the end, said, “We are simply asking that opportunities to race not be touched. [in the legislature]. We are asking for this commission further maintaining our position with these types of issues. “
