another track bites the dust

[husker71]

and its in our area!!  Fair Meadows, which I have attended a few times, will not reopen next summer.  Lost $600,000 a year for that last few years.  Hope they keep their simulcast open because on trips to Tulsa I enjoy stopping there and betting a few bucks.   

[showhimthewhip]

Yea I have been there a few times.  The crowd is virtully nonexistent, even on the weekends.  I hate to hear this.  What do you think will happen to the low claiming trainers and low claiming horses in the future?  The horses and trainers that thrive on tracks such as fair meadows?  I have a friend who made it part of his yearly circuit.  Some horses just aren't cut out for churchill or santa anita, or even oaklawn.  We need these tracks around so that the low end horses can have steady competition.

[husker71]

I would think maybe Manor in Texas or maybe Retama, Arapahoe in Colorado, or Fonner or Columbus in Nebraska or maybe even to NM but thats about it.  Most cant win even bottom level at OP or any of the Louisiana circuit.  I was always around Columbus, Lincoln, Atokad and Park Jefferson growing up so I know how many times we took a horse to Atokad or Columbus to break their maiden after tries at Aksarben.  Now we are missing several of those plus the Woodlands and Blue Ribbon.  Sad,sad,sad. a   

[Horsesrus]

Fairmount Park is still alive for now for the lower level claimers.  It's in Collinsville, Illinois about 15 minutes east of St Louis.  If they don't get expanded gambling soon, they will be the next track we'll be talking about biting the dust.

[The Hog]

There may be more if this economy does not get on a steady up swing and put money back in folks pockets.

I just caught a glimpse about Hollywood Park.  Are they in trouble?  Sounded as though the early meet would happen but second meet might not.

[Horsesrus]

Hollywood Park was purchased several years ago with the idea of tearing it down and putting up a massive development.  The economy put a stop to that plan, but there have been murmurs of late that the redevelopment could happen in the next 18 months.  Hollywood has committed to run their autumn meet starting this week and their spring summer meet in '13 but will not commit to next year's autumn meet. 

Plans are for Los Alamitos or Fairplex to make improvements and take over Hollywood's dates when they eventually close.