Worst and most...

[Iwastherein1969]

boring year ever in horse racing....no superstars, hell there aren't really any stars when you compare them to generations past....the racing quality sucks...there are, on a daily basis at Oaklawn, at least three NW2/3 in a lifetime with claiming tags of 5,ooo, 7,000 on up to 15k....these races combined with the ARK bred trash that is run twice daily along with the distance Mdn Special Weights and almost all of the card is taken up..one, at the most two decent races per day at OP...the year that was 2014 were sad times at the Big Green Lady...sad to say I don't expect any difference this coming January than we have had the past 5 years

[HawgWild]

This has been a problem throughout the years. I remember 9 race cards with 5 Mdn races. Raising purse hasn't had that much of an impact. What would change it?

[husker71]

and no Leon Cline winner either.  Just because he passed is no excuse.  I actually like the ark trash races because sometimes you can scope out a big winner by knowing the trainer patterns.  I guess I am a degenerate BUT I cannot wait for opening day.  I have been watching and even recording some RP and Hawthorne races.  You know Jim Miller at Hawthorne is a pretty sharp handicapper IMHO

[Iwastherein1969]

OP just seems smaller....maybe as I pass the 50 year mark in age things just don't seem as cool as they used to....I want a super star horse, just one more before we all get too old to enjoy it

[jdelo77]

Speaking of Remington I find it one of the hardest tracks to gauge ..

[HawgWild]

OP just seems smaller....maybe as I pass the 50 year mark in age things just don't seem as cool as they used to....I want a super star horse, just one more before we all get too old to enjoy it

So, you want another Sunny's Halo/Smarty Jones in the stalls at OP this spring? I'm with you on that one.

[holeinthewall]

This has been a problem throughout the years. I remember 9 race cards with 5 Mdn races. Raising purse hasn't had that much of an impact. What would change it?

A Turf course

[heavylifting]

A Turf course

Except on those days when either (1) the turf will get chewed up due to bad weather or (2) there is a line of trainers looking to scratch at the first sign of a mist because they won't get to run on firm turf.

Then you get the "pleasure" of trying to handicap races that change complexion (sometimes with 30 minutes to post time) when the race gets switched to a sloppy main track. You have main track only horses to consider. Which horses that want to scratch instead get stuck and have to "run." Your 12-horse field with four AEs somehow leaves the gate with 4 or 5 runners, only 1 or 2 of which have a legit chance on an off track, consolation payoffs galore in the multirace pools and general dissatisfaction all around.

I have nothing against racing on the turf (although it may read that way), just that it's not a cure-all and introduces a whole new set of problems, especially during periods of bad weather.

[holeinthewall]

Except on those days when either (1) the turf will get chewed up due to bad weather or (2) there is a line of trainers looking to scratch at the first sign of a mist because they won't get to run on firm turf.

Then you get the "pleasure" of trying to handicap races that change complexion (sometimes with 30 minutes to post time) when the race gets switched to a sloppy main track. You have main track only horses to consider. Which horses that want to scratch instead get stuck and have to "run." Your 12-horse field with four AEs somehow leaves the gate with 4 or 5 runners, only 1 or 2 of which have a legit chance on an off track, consolation payoffs galore in the multirace pools and general dissatisfaction all around.

I have nothing against racing on the turf (although it may read that way), just that it's not a cure-all and introduces a whole new set of problems, especially during periods of bad weather.

I agree with all that but the time of year Oaklawn runs they have a pretty good indication of the rain chances when they set the card. It's not like we get the pop up storms in the Spring like we do in the heat of Summer. The Turf races when full usually are very competitive and can add value to the P4 and other exotic bets. To be honest I have played less this year than any year in the last 30. I played a few races 2 weeks ago for the first time since Kentucky Derby day. It has just lost the fun to me.