Was there just before the 4th of july and the upper deck was completely empty on a Saturday.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Arlington draws more people than most racetracks. But attendance isn't how success is measured in that business. It's about handle. Arlington's handle is still respectable in the age of simulcasting/racinos. There is definitely a market for racing in Chicago.

You're just not going to get the same quality of horses when a slots track is offering purses that are three times higher. Hell, some guys are even skipping important and historic races at Saratoga to race at Parx. As an analogy, imagine if guys were paid less to play at Wrigley Field and Yankee Stadium than they were to play at Horner Park.

The industry has a lot of discussions about a "horse shortage". I would argue there isn't a horse shortage but rather a track surplus.

I don't disagree with Dennis that if racing can't make it without slots welfare then it should just die. But let me explain some facts that Mr. Libertarian probably isn't aware of. It's not like when the limited number of casino licenses are/were offered that it's an open process for everyone. It's crony capitalism at its worst.

If you had handed the original casino licenses to the five poorest people in the state of Illinois, they'd now all be rich. Just like the Indians that share ownership in casinos. Of course that didn't happen. It was guys like Neil Bluhm and the Pritzkers who got the licenses. And when they have to give minorities a chance it's not like Nas or ltg gets a crack. No, it goes to Chaz Ebert.

That's an interesting story in itself. The Eberts and others including "minorities" who were actually the wealthiest and most connected blacks and Hispanics in the state invested in the ill-fated Rosemont casino with the Flynns who were ultimately found unfit to hold the license. I'm pretty sure they got most, if not all, of their money back. Would you get your money back if you invested in a bad deal with a dirty garbageman?

The reason CDI gets an inside track to open a casino or a sports betting parlor is strictly because they own a racetrack. They use the racetrack to get the more lucrative gambling opportunities and then do whatever it takes to eliminate the racetrack. Illinois isn't the only place that business model is in play.

In their perfect world CDI would run Twinspires including sports betting, maybe a few bricks and mortar casinos/sportsbooks, and three days of racing during Kentucky Derby week.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

shouldn't have rebuilt it after he burned it down

_________________
I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.

One think I think is that Arlington will remain open as long as Mr. D is alive. I think that's an unwritten agreement that CDI has with him.

I'm sure the Racing Board is stocked with pro-Arlington/CDI people, but this may be seen as a betrayal. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

I get the argument about the low purses in Illinois, which has caused better horses to leave the state.

I just don’t think slots are the answer. Ultimately, there are a lot more forms of legal or easily accessed illegal gambling than in the past. It used to be the tracks were the only gambling game in town. Now you have endless lotteries, slots in bars, casinos, and app base gambling. The track is only appealing to a small minority of gamblers, and even those gamblers are sitting at poker tables.

The market has spoken, and you said it- too many tracks.

Arlington is a treasure. But the fact is I spend more with one night in Vegas than an entire year at the track. And I am a fan.

_________________
Hawaii (fuck) You

There are a couple things that I do not understand. I do get that Illinois could fuck everything up but there is a track/casino setup here called the Meadows that seemingly does just fine. Jorr knows this one. So even with other casinos right in downtown Pittsburgh this works.

So the question is the percentage the state will take makes it not profitable and all the slots in every bar and strip mall now? Who's great idea was that? Was it to stop the mob collected tavern video machines?

So confusing with the other tracks closed that a track cannot stay open and race year round between regular and harness in the Chicago metro area. Someone on one or both sides is either being dumb, stubborn or both.

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Elections have consequences.

Arlington handles far better than the Meadows. The Meadows is strictly a slot welfare distribution system.

I suspect the PA breeders led by Hanover Shoe Farm had a lot of clout in crafting the legislation.

But eventually PA will have a cash crunch and legislators will start asking why they're handing free money to guys from Canada and New Jersey.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

Next time we meet, I'll have to tell you my kinda Mr. D story.

_________________
There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

There has to be a CFMB Arlington meet up next year, right?

_________________

Yeah, for sure!

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

Definitely.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

Be that as it may for now anyways we do not hear about it closing at any moment every year.

_________________
Elections have consequences.

The Arlington 10 will ride again!

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

_________________
Why are only 14 percent of black CPS 11th-graders proficient in English?

Of course the guy in charge of a horse racing outfit is fucking 97 years old

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

I might fly in for that....only if I get to park in Helen Vorhees Brach's spot

_________________
I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.

At the end of October I have to debate and write a paper on the gaming community. You think I can source you guys?

Seriously, I might be pming some of you soon.

He's 97 years old and about as charming as a guy can be but he's still the toughest negotiator you're gonna find.

I'm not sure what breaks he's suggesting they're looking for, but I'm gonna say his body won't be cold and Carstanjen will be listing the property for sale with a clause that says it cannot be used as a racetrack.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

Is there any way this is just a ploy for them to get a casino on-site? It was hard enough to see Maywood get knocked down, this would be incredibly depressing.

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No. They can have a casino on site. That's what they don't want. They own Rivers 15 minutes away where they don't have to give horsemen a percentage and they still get to keep recapture. And they'll open another casino in Waukegan where they also don't have to split with horsemen.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

_________________
"I honestly don't see a good bet on the board here."

_________________

Since today looks like the end of an era....I'd like to have your favorite story, horse . memory of AP.. Had so many Double headers it was unbelievable ( catching the flats at Arlington and the buggies at Sportsmans after dining at the Clubhouse Inn ) Favorite horse Maxwell G ran until he was 16. Best race John Henry and the Bart. Favorite jock Fires Earlie on grass was like sterling on silver. I sit thinking maybe just have a meet from the Derby until the Belmont......loved parking in Helen Brach's spot. For the last race Dooley ought to give it one last here they come spinning out of the turn

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I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.

Shit, I've never been to AP.

_________________

Of the times I've been there, I guess the thing I will miss the most isn't just the racing. I've taken the Metra into the city past the practice track so many time over the past 15 years and it was always great in the morning when a bunch of riders were taking the horses out and about. It will always remind me of summer I suppose.

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https://www.dailyherald.com/sports/2019 ... -situation

I think the odds are that they're going to race in 2020. After that, who knows?

There are a lot of moving pieces here. I'm not sure who has the most clout. I do know that most of the people making the calls don't really understand all the components. If CDI pisses off the wrong people the state might license a casino and/or sportsbook in Rosemont and stick it right up their ass.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

Dave Feldman giving me a four-leafed clover when I was a kid. Spectacular Bid winning the Washington Park Handicap in 1980, the best horse I have ever seen. Betting $200 to win on John Henry when he won the Million for the second time in 1984. That was a HUGE bet for me at that time. I couldn't tell you the name of the horse but I was stuck a lot of money and Zoe Cadman looped a field of maidens for me at a giant mutuel and I walked out of the track with my pockets full. Lots of good times in the Gold Room. I'm here today and I hope it isn't the last time for live racing.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

I had the Bid/ Hold Your Tricks exacta STONECOLD $2.10.Feldman and I spent most the time cursing one another

_________________
I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.

There are a couple of goofs screaming and high-fiving in the Gold Room over 3/5 shots in 25% rake races at Parx. They are so fucking dumb they don't even understand how much they hate money.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

I made my provisional good-byes yesterday but I hope they are back for at least one more year.

And yesterday actually was a decent card, at least to me it was. Lots of turf races, MANY with 9-12 starters and few scratches. And actually managed to cash a winning ticket or 3.

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"I honestly don't see a good bet on the board here."