Gural Keeps Fighting & Wednesday Notes

At Chuck Hayward's site today, Dave Briggs has an extensive interview with Jeff Gural.

•  “I say to myself, ‘Let’s see, I stand for integrity, I built a brand new building, I try to market it, I have good food,’” Gural said. “‘What am I doing that should be polarizing?’”

The polarizing argument is one that I often have a chuckle at. If Pete Rozelle wanted to clear up the dangerous rules in football; because one day concussions would be hurting ex players, if a czar wanted to clear up EPO in cycling, or a baseball commissioner steroids in baseball, they would not be polarizing. They'd be doing their job. Some, maybe in 30 years or more, would be credited in history books for saving a sport.

In racing, Jeff is "polarizing". I think that says more about horse racing than it does Jeff Gural.

The biggest complaint I've heard about Jeff is not that he's wrong - make no mistake, people know he's right - or that he's some sort of evil one percenter. No, it's that he "doesn't get along with people."

Let's see. These issues that he is tackling are not new. They've been around for 15 or more years. He's been 'getting along with people' for awhile, but when the people you are trying to get along with drag their feet, are unable or unwilling to make progress, well, sooner or later you break away and try a different tactic. It's insanity not to. Who wouldn't?

The interview is well worth a read on many fronts. Give it a look if interested.

Notes:

What Gural is dealing with: NZ labs send out bloods to test for Xenon and Argon gas, which is rumored to be used by trainers to performance enhance. 

Arizona investigating "abnormal" results.

It's not drawn yet, and I'm sure they'll get more horses, but right now there are four probables for the Lexington Stakes. Are we having fun yet?

March's handle figures were down. Reading the Paulick Report comments, it's only because of racedate cuts. Note: Cutting dates in half does not mean handle will be cut in half; handle is still a function of horseplayer bankrolls. That's why if Hong Kong doubled racedates, their handle would not double. Racedates are more on par with field size as a handle generator, or eliminator.

Average daily handle at Turfway was up 8.2%. Great meet for them, especially because even still, in this day and age with contrary evidence, we hear nobody likes polytrack.

The Horseplayer Monthly magazine should be out soon. From what I hear, it will be a solid industry issue, with commentary from customers about what's right and what's wrong on the demand side of the sport. It's also the track ratings issue.

Have a nice Wednesday everyone.