New MD head wants to keep Triple Crown schedule as is
Dec 18, 2014 0:15:35 GMT -5
Post by Evelyn on Dec 18, 2014 0:15:35 GMT -5
I agree with him - do you?!
New Maryland Jockey Club head wants to keep Triple Crown schedule as is
Baltimore Business Journal (via Paulick Report)
The Maryland Jockey Club's new general manager, Salvatore "Sal" Sinatra, wants to stick with tradition.
Whereas Sinatra's predecessor, jockey club president Tom Chuckas, was pushing to expand the Triple Crown schedule — with a month between each of the three races instead of two weeks — Sinatra said that's not something he will pursue. Changing the schedule would diminish the victories of previous Triple Crown winners, he said.
"I come from racing, I come from history. I don't like to mess with that," Sinatra said. "It takes a special horse to be a Secretariat."
Sinatra stepped into the jockey club as its vice president and general manager Dec. 9 after Chuckas resigned Nov. 30. He previously served as director of racing for Parx Racing outside Philadelphia for 15 years.
Overseeing the tracks at Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course will be "breath of fresh air," Sinatra said. Unlike Parx, the tracks aren't tied to a casino (although they still receive funding from casino revenue).
On one hand, that makes it harder to draw racing fans to the tracks. Sinatra said he wants to attract more people to the tracks by boosting the field sizes of races.
Tim Ritvo, chief operating officer of the Stronach Group, which owns the tracks, said he hopes Maryland's race tracks can partner with those in surrounding states. That would help increase field sizes by creating less competition among tracks on race dates.
"When everybody's running at the same time, there's really a lack of horses, and it's really difficult to put out a quality product," Sinatra said.
Sinatra is especially interested in drawing more fans to Laurel by offering more promotions there. But even Pimlico gets overlooked outside of the Preakness Stakes. Sinatra is still settling into the new position, but he said he also hopes to have a concrete plan for renovations at Pimlico by the end of March.
New Maryland Jockey Club head wants to keep Triple Crown schedule as is
Baltimore Business Journal (via Paulick Report)
The Maryland Jockey Club's new general manager, Salvatore "Sal" Sinatra, wants to stick with tradition.
Whereas Sinatra's predecessor, jockey club president Tom Chuckas, was pushing to expand the Triple Crown schedule — with a month between each of the three races instead of two weeks — Sinatra said that's not something he will pursue. Changing the schedule would diminish the victories of previous Triple Crown winners, he said.
"I come from racing, I come from history. I don't like to mess with that," Sinatra said. "It takes a special horse to be a Secretariat."
Sinatra stepped into the jockey club as its vice president and general manager Dec. 9 after Chuckas resigned Nov. 30. He previously served as director of racing for Parx Racing outside Philadelphia for 15 years.
Overseeing the tracks at Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course will be "breath of fresh air," Sinatra said. Unlike Parx, the tracks aren't tied to a casino (although they still receive funding from casino revenue).
On one hand, that makes it harder to draw racing fans to the tracks. Sinatra said he wants to attract more people to the tracks by boosting the field sizes of races.
Tim Ritvo, chief operating officer of the Stronach Group, which owns the tracks, said he hopes Maryland's race tracks can partner with those in surrounding states. That would help increase field sizes by creating less competition among tracks on race dates.
"When everybody's running at the same time, there's really a lack of horses, and it's really difficult to put out a quality product," Sinatra said.
Sinatra is especially interested in drawing more fans to Laurel by offering more promotions there. But even Pimlico gets overlooked outside of the Preakness Stakes. Sinatra is still settling into the new position, but he said he also hopes to have a concrete plan for renovations at Pimlico by the end of March.
