Who was the winner in having the lowest WPS take - thoroughbred or standardbred - of the 140 or so tracks in North America?
Del Mar?
Hollywood?
How about Saratoga?
Nope, Tioga Downs.
Yep, little Tioga Downs.
As most know Tioga lowered their take this year and their WPS take of 15% is better than anywhere else on the continent. If you check that map listed above you will see just how punishing harness racing takeouts are compared to the runners, so a harness track having the lowest take in NA of both breeds is simply astounding.
I do not expect Tioga's handles to set the world on fire. Behaviorally a takeout reduction does not bring in money in big amounts, churn from lower takeout does. And as tracks who have lowered their takeout like Tampa Bay Downs did each year since 2003 have learned, it takes time. But I do know one thing - I will be playing Tioga this season.
Their meet begins May 1st.
4 comments:
Lowest exactor takeout in North America too.
Thanks PTP - I'm always looking for a way to prolong the agony, and this might just be the ticket! Maybe me and you, head to head at Tioga this year, last man standing gets that juicy $25 cheque mailed from HPI and buys 24 Tremblay for both of us.
Salut!
I'm not sure about the extent of this "experiment" at Tioga, but I'm hoping that these reductions in takeout rates will be for the long haul.
Too often we have tracks playing the fiddle with small reductions in some pools, some of the time. And when it fails to bring about instant growth, they revert back to their normally high rates. That won't do.
Racetracks: make it work !!
AL,
For $16 a case I can probably afford 19% exactor takes.
I think I have a new column - why harness racing should model themselves after Tremblay Blonde.
I think I have three left from my last trip through La Belle Province. I might have those and watch the hockey game, like a good Canadian.
PTP
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