www.horseracingnation.com/blogs/zatt/Wha...both_new_and_old_123
It’s been said many times, and in many ways, but after witnessing firsthand the excitement of the crowd at Wise Dan’s most recent win, coupled with the recent closing of historic Suffolk Downs, I think it’s time for me to put down in words just what horse racing offers to new and old fans alike.
Eat, Drink, and be Merry
Attending an afternoon at the racetrack is just plain old fun. I should know. I’ve been going to the races for more than 40 years, and I still enjoy as many moments of pure exhilaration from being there, as I did when I was a kid. Besides those special moments, though, such as Wise Dan provided at Keeneland on Saturday, the racetrack is a wonderful place to be with friends, catch up on things, and to get your adrenalin pumping every 25 minutes or so. Outside at interesting venues, perhaps enjoying a few drinks with friends, and scarfing down some comfort food ... I know I enjoy all those things. What’s not to like?
For the Sport of It
Have you attended one of the major team sports recently? If you said yes, you know just how much the afternoon or evening costs these days. Bringing the family to an NFL game in 2014 can quickly approach four figures in expenses. While racing does not have the American publicity machine churning non-stop behind it, in my humble opinion, it does offer all the excitement of any of the most popular sports in the United States. While a basketball game may offer a strong rooting experience, racing offers the opportunity to quickly develop a rooting interest over and over again. Root for the jockey, trainer, and of course, the horse of your choice. Root for the wager that you just placed. Either way, there is the opportunity to root just as fervishly as there is any baseball game I’ve seen. In team sports, you have to wait two, three, hours or more before you find out if you are on a winner. At the racetrack, you have ten chances to be a winner after each exciting race.
Handicapping as a Challenge
Handicapping the horses is the most intellectual of any form of gambling out there. If you are accustomed to the instant gratification of a slot machine or a scratch-off, you may not be up to the challenge and time needed to win money at the races, but then again, how much joy can one gain from talking up their win from seeing three “7’s” come up? Handicapping the horses is skillful. It promotes competition and striving to be the best at something that is not easy. Not only does a winning bet on a horse race offer a financial gain, but it also rewards the intellectual sensibility of the person who solved the puzzle of picking a winner. Fantasy football is currently all the rage in the world of sports betting, but even that falls short of the mental challenge of horse racing, as well as, the opportunity for several victories within one day. Whether it being playing the races on the card of your choice, or testing your abilities on a racing tournament site like Derby Wars, horse racing truly does offer the best of both worlds for the gambler.
Horses are Good for the Soul
As an animal lover, I do enjoy an afternoon at the zoo, but for my money, I’d rather view the most elegant and beautiful of creatures, at the races. Go to any racetrack, anywhere, and watch new and old fans alike huddle around the paddock, and out at the rail to see the post parade. Sure, some may be doing some last minute looks handicapping, but there is much more too it than that. It is said that being around horses is good for soul, and I find that to be personally true. The average person does not get to see horses like past generations did in everyday life. A day at the races brings us close to the beauty of the horse. While it is true that a good zoo offers variety, I’d still rather see the equine doing one of the things they are best at, than a number of different animals in a cramped and confined space.
I Need a Hero
In this day of rampant free agency and mug shots of many of our favorite athletes, sports fans of all ages are in need of heroes like never before. Say what you will about the practice of a percentage of our equine stars retiring too soon, and therefore limiting the time we have to emotionally connect with them in action, but even short-lived, great thoroughbreds make for great heroes. I know I am not alone in investing my heart and soul with the race horses who most affect me. Spectacular Bid, Sunday Silence, and Rachel Alexandra, just to name a few, will have my undying love until I leave this world. In fact, I have been a big sports fan all of my life, and while I loved what Michael Jordan, Walter Payton, and Ryne Sandberg did for their respective teams, it is my fandom for the great racehorses of my life that I most cherish. Race horses in a pack of bubble gum cards? That is something I’d invest in. Even after retirement, what is better than visiting a beautiful stallion farm, or a retirement haven, to connect with your heroes in a more intimate way.
Not an Old Man’s Game
An old man’s game? I think not. Granted I am not always at the track on the odd Wednesday, or during the doldrums of winter, but when I go to the races, I generally see a young and vibrant crowd enjoying the happenings. Gone are the days when bringing kids to the races is looked down on. In fact, let me ask you this … when is the last time you saw a child having a bad time at the track? Unless I am only looking at this with rose colored glasses, this is surely a good sign for attracting new generations of race fans. I believe the same could be said for the linchpin of American marketers. 20 and 30 somethings with disposable income appear to be having a great time at the racetrack. And why not? Whether it be the sport, a great day with friends, the challenge of handicapping, the potential of winning money, or the beauty of the horse, it seems to me that racing has something for them all. Market all of this, and you have yourself a winner.
So does horse racing have something to offer from the new fan as young as my six-year-old daughter, all the way up to the weather beaten old man chomping on a stogie? For the reasons outlined above, I can sincerely answer, yes. Yes it does!
