Time to raise stakes in TC to make Bel meaningful
Jun 1, 2013 23:30:58 GMT -5
Post by Evelyn on Jun 1, 2013 23:30:58 GMT -5
I'm hoping this article was a joke! Although the 2nd suggestion might make some sense but not a million, 250K tops. To Mr. Smith - Real New Yorkers do not whine 
Also - as you seem behind the times, there are no more NHL playoff games in NY 
It's time to raise the Stakes in horse racing's Triple Crown to make the Belmont meaningful
By Bill Price / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
It's time to get creative with the Triple Crown as the Belmont comes up short once again thanks to the results in Louisville and Baltimore.
In case you haven’t heard, there will be a horse race next Saturday in New York.
If a horse named Orb had won a race in Baltimore two weeks ago, this race in New York would be the biggest sporting event of the year. But since a horse named Oxbow won that race in Baltimore, the race in New York will draw as much attention as an NHL playoff game.
OK, that may not be fair to the folks at NYRA and Belmont Park, because the Belmont Stakes is still a pretty big deal.
But the Triple Crown format has made it the ultimate feast-or-famine event, with races in Louisville and Baltimore, of all places, determining just how big our New York event becomes.
Just think, if Orb had won the Preakness, there would be 100,000 fans at Belmont Park Saturday. Since Orb didn’t get it done, Belmont Park may have all the atmosphere of a Mets home game.
And what about last year when I’ll Have Another won the Derby and Preakness, but pulled a Jeremy Lin the day before the Belmont and left us New Yorkers, once again, holding the feed bag?
I mean this is New York for goodness sakes. We should be the ones guaranteed of having the big event.
So here are a few ideas to make that happen.
1. ROTATE THE RACES
If the BCS — perhaps the worst thing ever to happen to sports — can spread the wealth when it comes to its championship game, why can’t the folks who run the Triple Crown races do the same thing? Next year, let the Belmont Stakes be the first race and have the folks in Kentucky sweat out the Preakness. They already have the best two teams in college basketball, and world famous fried chicken, why should they get the biggest race each year? Let’s see how many folks in fancy hats show up with their mint juleps if the Derby means nothing.
The Preakness could still be the middle race every year, because, well, it’s Baltimore and now that Ray Lewis is gone, so is their hope for any more big sporting events.
2. A POINTS SYSTEM
If you don’t like the rotating deal because of some dopey thing called tradition, try this saddle on for size: A system where the horse who collects the most points in all three races wins a million dollars. This way, there will still be some interest in the Belmont no matter what happens at Churchill Downs and Pimlico. It works for NASCAR, why not horse racing?
This would also encourage owners and trainers who run horses in the Derby to run their horses in the Preakness. This year, 20 horses ran at Churchill Downs and only nine at Pimlico. Are you kidding me? I know there are health concerns with the horses, but if you sign up for the Derby, you’re in for the long haul. Maybe that million after the Belmont will keep you in the race.
3. GET THE NFL INVOLVED
The NFL is great at many things, but its best trait is making everyday, run-of-the-mill events seem like the biggest deal on the planet (yes, I’m talking about the draft). If there is no shot for a Triple Crown winner, a little NFL touch on the Belmont could turn it into Super Saturday.
I can see it now: Bon Jovi plays a song between each race, Beyonce pretends to play the bugle when the horses take the track and Mel Kiper Jr. gives us the lowdown on each horse. Throw in a six-hour pre-race show, some funny Budweiser commercials and a thousand or so drunk Jets fans and really, who needs the Derby or the Preakness?
In the meantime, we’ll have to deal with the hand we have been given when it comes to the Belmont. And in case you have already forgotten, it’s next Saturday.
Read more: www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/score-time-raise-stakes-article-1.1360595#ixzz2V1tteTtJ
Also - as you seem behind the times, there are no more NHL playoff games in NY 
It's time to raise the Stakes in horse racing's Triple Crown to make the Belmont meaningful
By Bill Price / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
It's time to get creative with the Triple Crown as the Belmont comes up short once again thanks to the results in Louisville and Baltimore.
In case you haven’t heard, there will be a horse race next Saturday in New York.
If a horse named Orb had won a race in Baltimore two weeks ago, this race in New York would be the biggest sporting event of the year. But since a horse named Oxbow won that race in Baltimore, the race in New York will draw as much attention as an NHL playoff game.
OK, that may not be fair to the folks at NYRA and Belmont Park, because the Belmont Stakes is still a pretty big deal.
But the Triple Crown format has made it the ultimate feast-or-famine event, with races in Louisville and Baltimore, of all places, determining just how big our New York event becomes.
Just think, if Orb had won the Preakness, there would be 100,000 fans at Belmont Park Saturday. Since Orb didn’t get it done, Belmont Park may have all the atmosphere of a Mets home game.
And what about last year when I’ll Have Another won the Derby and Preakness, but pulled a Jeremy Lin the day before the Belmont and left us New Yorkers, once again, holding the feed bag?
I mean this is New York for goodness sakes. We should be the ones guaranteed of having the big event.
So here are a few ideas to make that happen.
1. ROTATE THE RACES
If the BCS — perhaps the worst thing ever to happen to sports — can spread the wealth when it comes to its championship game, why can’t the folks who run the Triple Crown races do the same thing? Next year, let the Belmont Stakes be the first race and have the folks in Kentucky sweat out the Preakness. They already have the best two teams in college basketball, and world famous fried chicken, why should they get the biggest race each year? Let’s see how many folks in fancy hats show up with their mint juleps if the Derby means nothing.
The Preakness could still be the middle race every year, because, well, it’s Baltimore and now that Ray Lewis is gone, so is their hope for any more big sporting events.
2. A POINTS SYSTEM
If you don’t like the rotating deal because of some dopey thing called tradition, try this saddle on for size: A system where the horse who collects the most points in all three races wins a million dollars. This way, there will still be some interest in the Belmont no matter what happens at Churchill Downs and Pimlico. It works for NASCAR, why not horse racing?
This would also encourage owners and trainers who run horses in the Derby to run their horses in the Preakness. This year, 20 horses ran at Churchill Downs and only nine at Pimlico. Are you kidding me? I know there are health concerns with the horses, but if you sign up for the Derby, you’re in for the long haul. Maybe that million after the Belmont will keep you in the race.
3. GET THE NFL INVOLVED
The NFL is great at many things, but its best trait is making everyday, run-of-the-mill events seem like the biggest deal on the planet (yes, I’m talking about the draft). If there is no shot for a Triple Crown winner, a little NFL touch on the Belmont could turn it into Super Saturday.
I can see it now: Bon Jovi plays a song between each race, Beyonce pretends to play the bugle when the horses take the track and Mel Kiper Jr. gives us the lowdown on each horse. Throw in a six-hour pre-race show, some funny Budweiser commercials and a thousand or so drunk Jets fans and really, who needs the Derby or the Preakness?
In the meantime, we’ll have to deal with the hand we have been given when it comes to the Belmont. And in case you have already forgotten, it’s next Saturday.
Read more: www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/score-time-raise-stakes-article-1.1360595#ixzz2V1tteTtJ
