Derby owners give both sides on Churchill hospitality
May 30, 2014 21:59:25 GMT -5
Post by racinggal on May 30, 2014 21:59:25 GMT -5
I've been reading lots of threads and catching up. There are two issues at Churchill. It does seem bettors are being successful boycotting. When I've looked at CD, the races haven't looked so good! The other issue is hospitality. I'm bothered by what seems to be jumping on the bandwagon without explaining the complainmt. Depite Wiz's descriptive" language (LOL),I really don't know what the problem was with CC's owner's Mother. It seems there was little or no specific communication.
There are always differing opinions. Here's some positive feedback from others:
Derby owners give both sides on Churchill hospitality
Jonathan Lintner
Louisville Courier Journal
Another owner of a Kentucky Derby contender this week, in response to complaints about Churchill Downs' hospitality by California Chrome's connections, spoke out about what she called a disappointing day at the track.
Josie Delfino, who owns Wildcat Red with her husband, Salvatore, told The Blood-Horse that her first trip to Churchill Downs for the Derby "was terribly organized. If we had the opportunity to take another horse to the Derby next year, we may send the horse, but we wouldn't go. I'm not going to go through all that hell again. It wasn't just one thing (Churchill did wrong). It was everything. They need to make a lot of changes."
Churchill Downs received a similar Derby week complaint about seating from Fox Hill Farms' Rick Porter, who brought Normandy Invasion to the 2013 race. After the Preakness Stakes, California Chrome owner Steve Coburn said on NBC, "I just want to thank the people of Maryland for all the hospitality they've shown us. And Churchill, you need to take a lesson on this — you really, really do, because these people have been absolutely fabulous."
Though Delfino, Porter and Coburn were upset with Churchill Downs hospitality, other owners have started voicing that they feel the opposite.
In a phone interview Wednesday on another subject, Terry Finley, president of the West Point Thoroughbreds syndicate that campaigns Derby runner-up and Belmont hopeful Commanding Curve, made a point to take up for Churchill's staff.
"We've been coming to the Oaks and the Derby for a long, long time," Finley said. "They have been incredibly helpful to us. I do know that people who think they are going to get stuff for free run into trouble. But the people who are in the position that they want to bring more (people) than they are allotted, that they pay for it, Kelly Danner (in the racing office) and Becky Reid (in ticketing) are incredibly helpful.
"I know Churchill is perceived as the big, bad guy. But behind Churchill there are a lot of hard-working people. I'd love to make that point. That really was a big deal to me" he said, referring to Coburn's comments after the Preakness. "I was not happy at all that their professionalism and their hard work were called into question."
Clinton Glasscock, who owns shares of Intense Holiday and General a Rod through the Starlight Racing syndicate, tweeted Thursday night: "Enough of the criticism of CD for the Derby. I had a phenomenal experience and they could not have been better."
Delfinio, the Wildcat Red owner, had numerous complaints. She told The Blood-Horse that she was encouraged by a track official to purchase more boxes and tickets and felt Churchill was more concerned about her spending money than taking care of her as an owner. According to the report, she said that after paying $1,000 for a box, her family ate in "a fast food-type" area without seating.
"I felt like we were in exactly the same position as the people around me that weren't owners," Delfino told The Blood-Horse. "The treatment was no different. It was so badly organized. My husband was so disappointed."
Among other things, Delfino complained about lack of a hotel or transportation. Instead, she said, the family stayed at a "terrible" hotel and relied on Wildcat Red trainer Jose Garoffalo to show them around.
"There was no attention on us whatsoever," she said. "We felt like the rest of the bunch. We were just another number–nothing special. Churchill makes so much money on Derby weekend that I wouldn't think it would be a big deal to give the owners better treatment. We didn't feel invited at all."
Churchill Downs spokesman John Asher responded with a statement in the story, saying, "…Our team is following up on her comments, and we appreciate that she has shared them. We are always looking for ways to improve the experience of our guests for the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks, and every day they visit Churchill Downs, and we will use what we learn to further strengthen our hospitality efforts."
There are always differing opinions. Here's some positive feedback from others:
Derby owners give both sides on Churchill hospitality
Jonathan Lintner
Louisville Courier Journal
Another owner of a Kentucky Derby contender this week, in response to complaints about Churchill Downs' hospitality by California Chrome's connections, spoke out about what she called a disappointing day at the track.
Josie Delfino, who owns Wildcat Red with her husband, Salvatore, told The Blood-Horse that her first trip to Churchill Downs for the Derby "was terribly organized. If we had the opportunity to take another horse to the Derby next year, we may send the horse, but we wouldn't go. I'm not going to go through all that hell again. It wasn't just one thing (Churchill did wrong). It was everything. They need to make a lot of changes."
Churchill Downs received a similar Derby week complaint about seating from Fox Hill Farms' Rick Porter, who brought Normandy Invasion to the 2013 race. After the Preakness Stakes, California Chrome owner Steve Coburn said on NBC, "I just want to thank the people of Maryland for all the hospitality they've shown us. And Churchill, you need to take a lesson on this — you really, really do, because these people have been absolutely fabulous."
Though Delfino, Porter and Coburn were upset with Churchill Downs hospitality, other owners have started voicing that they feel the opposite.
In a phone interview Wednesday on another subject, Terry Finley, president of the West Point Thoroughbreds syndicate that campaigns Derby runner-up and Belmont hopeful Commanding Curve, made a point to take up for Churchill's staff.
"We've been coming to the Oaks and the Derby for a long, long time," Finley said. "They have been incredibly helpful to us. I do know that people who think they are going to get stuff for free run into trouble. But the people who are in the position that they want to bring more (people) than they are allotted, that they pay for it, Kelly Danner (in the racing office) and Becky Reid (in ticketing) are incredibly helpful.
"I know Churchill is perceived as the big, bad guy. But behind Churchill there are a lot of hard-working people. I'd love to make that point. That really was a big deal to me" he said, referring to Coburn's comments after the Preakness. "I was not happy at all that their professionalism and their hard work were called into question."
Clinton Glasscock, who owns shares of Intense Holiday and General a Rod through the Starlight Racing syndicate, tweeted Thursday night: "Enough of the criticism of CD for the Derby. I had a phenomenal experience and they could not have been better."
Delfinio, the Wildcat Red owner, had numerous complaints. She told The Blood-Horse that she was encouraged by a track official to purchase more boxes and tickets and felt Churchill was more concerned about her spending money than taking care of her as an owner. According to the report, she said that after paying $1,000 for a box, her family ate in "a fast food-type" area without seating.
"I felt like we were in exactly the same position as the people around me that weren't owners," Delfino told The Blood-Horse. "The treatment was no different. It was so badly organized. My husband was so disappointed."
Among other things, Delfino complained about lack of a hotel or transportation. Instead, she said, the family stayed at a "terrible" hotel and relied on Wildcat Red trainer Jose Garoffalo to show them around.
"There was no attention on us whatsoever," she said. "We felt like the rest of the bunch. We were just another number–nothing special. Churchill makes so much money on Derby weekend that I wouldn't think it would be a big deal to give the owners better treatment. We didn't feel invited at all."
Churchill Downs spokesman John Asher responded with a statement in the story, saying, "…Our team is following up on her comments, and we appreciate that she has shared them. We are always looking for ways to improve the experience of our guests for the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks, and every day they visit Churchill Downs, and we will use what we learn to further strengthen our hospitality efforts."
