Some Derby "Anti-Branding" From Churchill

It's been no secret I am a huge proponent of making sure our biggest days are promoted as best they can be. And it's also no secret I am impressed with organizations like the Breeders Cup and Churchill Downs Inc for what they've done with them. Our brand on big days is so very important, and even with handle getting killed the last ten years, these days still bring in customers. They've all done a pretty good job.

However, one move that Churchill made this past couple of weeks, I believe, is taking a step backwards.

Via a post on the Betfair chat board:

• We regret to notify you that as of now we will no longer be offering exchange markets on racing from the all Churchill Downs-controlled US tracks due to contractual limitations placed on our US affiliate, TVG, by Churchill Downs. The impacted US tracks are:  Arlington Park, Calder Race Course, Churchill Downs, Fair Grounds, Hoosier Park, Oaklawn Park and The Meadows.  The 2012 KY Derby Ante Post market will be carried to its fruition, but no day of race market will be offered. 

About four or five years ago I wrote a white paper on exchange wagering for Canadian racing. For the paper I spoke to a player who plays at Betfair professionally.

This player was a huge racing fan and bettor in the 1990's, but after discovering poker, he left the game and did not play a cent in our game. Poker's takeouts, as you all know, allowed him to make money, and you can leave being a bettor of a game pretty quickly when something else is a better bet.

Then along came Betfair, and he began dabbling in racing again. If a race was on the site, he would look at it and play it. He also began betting in the pools again, re-following the sport, and watching it on television, because he had a rekindled interest in the sport.

I asked this player: "If Betfair stopped carrying tracks, how much would you bet into the pools?"

His answer: "Nothing"

Not "I would cut down my play", it was "nothing".

There seems to be a belief in the executive halls of racing that if you offer something like betfair, people will leave the pools and it will hurt handles. There is never (that I've seen) anything said to the opposite effect.

I spoke to him this week and asked who he liked in the Derby. After finding out the markets can't be traded, he won't even download the card. He'll catch the race on TV later.

No pick 6 tickets, no superfectas, nothing. If he can't play the markets, he won't spend precious gambling time on the race.

The Kentucky Derby market at Betfair is one big billboard for the race. It's an advertisement to fans all over the world. Millions of dollars will switch hands and be traded. Stories on how the horses are doing will be read by many people. It's a branding mechanism that any TV commercial cannot buy.

In my opinion, when you eliminate it, like they have this year over contractual ilk, the brand suffers.

Our big days are great. Racing needs every avenue to promote itself. When you shut one down I believe you will not get bigger, you'll get smaller.

Horseplayer Bible? I Think That's Long Gone

I remember when we were chatting about the HANA boycott of California racing. Was it the right thing to do? Did the members support such an initiative? Would the all-volunteer organization have enough time to put into it? Could a horseplayer group get the industry press to notice it?

After chatting about it for a long time, it was decided - after a member survey where the vast majority said "yes", and the crew that would have to work their asses off said "let's follow the members" - that it would be spearheaded.

In terms of the industry press, it was felt HANA would be up against it. Steve Byk's show? Not a chance. The Bloodhorse, despite excellent journalists like Jack Shinar and Tom LaMarra, get their shoes shined with industry advertising. That was a likely non-starter.

But there were some outs. Seth at Equidaily usually reports news without a slant, Paulick tends to dislike anything horseplayer if it interferes with horsemen issues and was no HANA fan at all, but he'd probably at least report on it, Frank Angst at the Thoroughbred Times is a straight shooter, and social media - filled with long suffering horseplayers - would certainly spread the word. Pricci and Fotias have been huge horseplayer supporters for many years.

As for the big one, the Daily Racing Form? The "Bible for Horseplayers"? The paper that in the 1930's and 40's would take any customer issue to the wall? Well, one may think they'd be an easy sell to help spread the word, but it was thought there was no way they would touch it. They were selling PP's from California racing, and they were now an ADW. Promoting to their customers that someone was telling them to protest a takeout hike that would make them not download PP's and not bet the races in California?

As time went on those assertions proved pretty accurate.

Seth at Equidaily probably linked dozen or more stories about it, as is. Like he usually does.

Paulick was Paulick, but he certainly didn't ignore it. How could he? Handle was falling no matter what spin he was getting from the tracks and the TOC. Despite early on writing some tangential things about HANA's President, he did ask some tough questions to the powers that be in California near the end of the Santa Anita meet.

Frank at the Times was solid. Reporting both the track spin and horseplayer replies as straight as an arrow. He was no lap dog for anyone.

What was interesting was getting blindsided by the reporting of the Bloodhorse. They not only told the story sans spin, people like Lenny Shulman on his video show talked about how stupid raising prices was at a time like this. There were a dozen or more stories or comments on the Boycott. I gained a huge respect for that organization as a fan, horse owner and bettor; and found fondness for its writers like Jack and Tom. They played it almost 100% down the middle, and never tried to bury anything. It was all that anyone who loves this sport could ask for from a trade press publication.

The DRF. Well, the thoughts were about right on. There was nary a peep. They might have not liked the idea, or the people involved, or whatever. But who knows? It wasn't even reported on in any meaningful way, for debate, or discussion.

No one can deny it wasn't at least horseplayer focused news, worth reporting, can they?

Sour grapes? Maybe, but in my defense I will say no, because I think it's a pattern, not an isolated instance.

Of late we've seen stories on race-day Lasix with an insider slant in the DRF (with, as Paulick pointed out, a completely dichotomous conclusion). We've seen the recent explosion of negative press from the Crist and Hayward discussion (most of the negative comments are now wiped clean under the piece I see). The stories and opinion on the New York Times expose, and the worshipping of dirt only, add to the status-quo, don't rock the boat, narrative of late.

We don't see a horseplayer bible any longer. We're seeing, in my opinion, an industry megaphone. And that's everything the Daily Racing Form editorially never was.

Sid Fernando on twitter recently said along this topic line (paraphrasing), 'yesterday's revolutionaries are today's establishment'.

I think that's exactly what we're seeing with the Form. And I wonder if its cutting edge, customer-centric journalism is gone forever from its pages.

Today's Derbyspeak

Yes NYRA looks to be imploding. Steve Crist is getting slammed on chat boards, as is the DRF.

But, hell, it's Derby week.

In case you missed it, here are some things that have been said, or are likely to be said in the coming days.

"He was perfect today" - Popularized in modern times by Todd Pletcher, this phrase is now used by upwards of 15 entrants connections. The other five often go with "We're pleased".

"This is the best chance I've had" - For owners, trainers and jocks who have had previous Derby starters and lost, this is a good buzzphrase.  It inspires confidence.

"That's my Derby horse!" - For people who watch works, this phrase enters the lexicon on a daily basis, when a horse looks like he has a nice move.

"I knew he wouldn't win from post one" - Ed DeRosa

"I told you post one was gold!" - Derek Simon

"I'm going with Calvin" - This is a phrase used by people who don't know any of the horses in the race, or don't follow racing. It will be said many times before post time. (note, people who watched Derby coverage on major media the last several years might replace Calvin with "Bo-Rail" to show some Derby chops)

"That's the wise guy horse" - The wise guy horse is a capable under the radar horse that was picked before the internet was invented. This year it appears to be Daddy Nose Best.

"The horse doesn't like dirt" - Said after Dullahan comes third, while getting bumped four times, coming home in 22 flat, while scoping sick afterwards.

"That horse has no shot" - This phrase is used mainly by non-gamblers. Ever since Mine That Bird won, it's been less frequently used.

"I knew he'd win, he went 1,543 thousand feet further than Hansen in the Juvenile" - Union Rags fans who follow Trakus

"I'm glad he won, I was getting tired of hearing how Union Rags went 1,543 thousand feet further than we did in the Juvenile" - Dr. Hansen

"I'm going to win the Triple Crown" - Dr. Hansen

"I'm naming Kegasus to ride in the Preakness" - Dr. Hansen

"@#*$" - Ramon Dominguez after Alpha wins by seven

"Geez, if only he got a better trip" - Thousands of us after the 20 horse dash that is the Kentucky Derby


Have a nice day everyone!