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Post by poohollar on Jul 10, 2007 17:20:57 GMT -5
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Post by jimhorseman on Jul 10, 2007 19:19:43 GMT -5
Poo:
Other than the Believer; I may be one of the few members who has actually visited Georgain Downs which is a modest 5/8 mile track about a half hour north of Toronto, Canada. The track is very narrow with eight horses across seemingly tight. I can't imagine what races would look like with the number of horses listed in many of those races. I know if I had a horse in a ten or more horse field there I'd like to be as close to the front as possible.
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Post by poohollar on Jul 10, 2007 19:43:24 GMT -5
My sister races there quite often and I too can't believe they are putting 18 horses on the surface!  Obviously it is something the horsemen support gathered from the number of entries. Should be interesting.  |
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Post by trackrat on Jul 10, 2007 20:04:44 GMT -5
Believer, you need to explain this Canadian racing to us Americans. I see that all of the races except for one (I think) are odd distances, which is fine for variety, but I see one race is a trotting race for over 3 miles? I would like to see that race on the internet. With the propensity for trotters breaking and the congested field, you could have trotters breaking all over the place. How many judges would they need to determine that breaking trotters (plural) did not gain ground while breaking. Yikes!!
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Post by the believer on Jul 10, 2007 21:01:40 GMT -5
Just something the Giss should try once , to generate interest in harness racing. Quebec more than Ontario has become famous for the iron horse races 5 MILES , BIG PURSES and also have A 2.5 MILE, also a race or two weekly for 3/4 of a mile . Trotters are bigger and stronger so the long distance shouldn't bother them at all. Years ago , pacers warmed up(jogging) for 3 miles , went back out jogged some more , went a final mile...then went out and raced. The pace is all important in these longer races , go out to fast and you have little left for the stretch , the short races are smoking right from the word GO.
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Post by caveman on Jul 10, 2007 21:37:57 GMT -5
I'd love to be there to watch these races. The variety would be just great and i think Northfield should be doing something like this.........i think it would be good for the track, horse folks and the fans..........hey giss and poo.........how about a poll so the track can know how everyone feels about some change.........just a thought.
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Post by poohollar on Jul 10, 2007 22:22:26 GMT -5
I'll go for a 3 mile race any day. Just as long as it is an amateur race and The Giss has the rail! ;D
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Post by trackrat on Jul 11, 2007 5:48:26 GMT -5
Northfield used to have the 1/2 mile and 3/4 mile sprints and they were interesting to watch because it was all out from the opening of the gate. They also used to have the Phillips Medley which included a 1.5 mile race (if I remember correctly). A lot of lead changes. I would like to see one odd-distance race per card, or per week, preferably a distance race. Just MHO.
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Post by jay44224 on Jul 11, 2007 8:03:38 GMT -5
The big fields in the short distances are mind boggling - these probably should be under saddle for better maneuvering
Do they use a starter car if so does it leave the track or become an obstacle?
The subject of alternate distances comes up a lot and I knw Northfield has offered some as recently as this past Classic night - but they did not fill.
I noticed at Kawartha the purses for these races were pretty substantial - is that there typical purses or were they bulked up to generate additional interest.
I do not believe the question is whether Northfield would hold races at alternative distances as much as what would it take for horseman to drop them into the box.
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Post by the believer on Jul 11, 2007 18:43:17 GMT -5
The big fields in the short distances are mind boggling - these probably should be under saddle for better maneuvering Do they use a starter car if so does it leave the track or become an obstacle? The subject of alternate distances comes up a lot and I knw Northfield has offered some as recently as this past Classic night - but they did not fill. I noticed at Kawartha the purses for these races were pretty substantial - is that there typical purses or were they bulked up to generate additional interest. I do not believe the question is whether Northfield would hold races at alternative distances as much as what would it take for horseman to drop them into the box. News X-treme Horsepower Races Announced With $400,000 in purse money up for grabs and a flurry of 18-horse fields, X-treme Horsepower promises to be like no event in harness racing history. Standardbred Canada, in co-operation with Georgian Downs and the Ontario Harness Horse Association, is pleased to release the confirmed condition sheet for X-treme Horsepower, scheduled for Saturday, July 14 at Georgian Downs, detailing race distances, field sizes and purses. A special post time of 5:00 pm has been set for the Innisfil, Ontario track. “The condition sheet represents a great deal of work and collaboration on the part of Standardbred Canada, Georgian Downs and OHHA,” commented Kathy Wade Vlaar, Manager of Industry Marketing for SC. “It’s been a work in progress and I think all three parties are very pleased and excited about the races that will be carded.” X-treme Horsepower will be the richest event in the history of Georgian Downs. The innovative card includes an eighth-of-a-mile dash which will be called the X-treme Sprint. The longest race will be a five lap (three and one-eighth miles) event called the X-treme Ironman. An invitational match race featuring two top ranked equine stars will also be carded, along with an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Final for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. In total, five of the 11 scheduled races will feature 18 horse fields, in two tiers, behind the starting gate. In those races, the top five finishers will receive the standard purse splits with the sixth to 10th place finishers receiving $500 and all remaining starters receiving $200. All horses that take part in X-treme Horsepower will receive a hitching fee. “We have had great co-operation and support from area horsepeople in finalizing the conditions for this great event. I can tell you that Georgian Downs is excited and proud to make X-treme Horsepower the cornerstone of our summer racing calendar,” reported Chris Roberts, Director of Operations at Georgian Downs. “We are looking forward to working with the industry to ensure that this event is executed as smoothly as possible.” “Preparation for many of these races is key to the success of the event and critical for horsepeople. We wanted to ensure that the condition sheet was finalized with lots of lead time.” In the coming weeks, Standardbred Canada and Georgian Downs will release details of a creative entertainment and marketing package that will compliment the racing card. |
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Post by the believer on Jul 11, 2007 18:48:06 GMT -5
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Post by thegiss on Jul 13, 2007 14:31:31 GMT -5
Just something the Giss should try once , to generate interest in harness racing. Quebec more than Ontario has become famous for the iron horse races 5 MILES , BIG PURSES and also have A 2.5 MILE, also a race or two weekly for 3/4 of a mile . Trotters are bigger and stronger so the long distance shouldn't bother them at all. Years ago , pacers warmed up(jogging) for 3 miles , went back out jogged some more , went a final mile...then went out and raced. The pace is all important in these longer races , go out to fast and you have little left for the stretch , the short races are smoking right from the word GO. Our horsemen REFUSE to support odd-distance racing currently. We had hoped to chase a couple odd-distance world records on the Cleveland Classic underacrd and the horsemen were so negative, Gregg K didn't even put 'em on th condition sheet. Would have been fun to call 'em though. |
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Post by therock06 on Jul 20, 2007 11:23:15 GMT -5
How about making another Survivor Series using N/W of 200 as the condition.
Make it a three or four week series.
If you added a $25 nominating fee and bumped up the final to about $5000 --- I bet you would not have a problem filling the race.
The elimination type races would make for good betting, good watching, and something for the horsemen ( like myself ) that race cheaper horses something fun to shoot for.
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