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Racing Taupo @ Taupo, Wednesday 26 February 2025
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By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Alessandro Marconi is perhaps best known for sourcing French 2,000 Guineas winner Metropolitan for just €78,000, but did you know that the Italian-born bloodstock agent can drink olive oil as if it were water? We bet you didn't. Marconi is next in the hot seat, where he reveals all of that and more. Enjoy. You are best known as the man who bought Metropolitan for €78,000 but what's the biggest mistake you've made in this business? Selling Facteur Cheval after he won his maiden. I think another mistake has been operating as a solo player rather than a global operator with deeper roots in the Middle Eastern market. If you get labelled too quickly in this game, and the label is wrong, you will struggle to become successful. At times, this can chew you up and spit you out. The key is to recognize your essential use and, despite how competitive the field may seem, work out where you can offer value. How did you become a bloodstock agent in the first place? Out of necessity. I worked with Ahmed Bin Harmash in Dubai for 11 years and that was at a time when building the stable was essential, so working the horses-in-training and breeze-up markets was a core part of the business. From that point of view, I have huge respect and understanding as to how good the younger Irish guys are. Their approach to a sale is very interesting. There is a great group of pinhookers that I would struggle to match because they can buy the foal with the right page that will marry up with market demand in six to nine months and, usually, make four or five times their investment. Then the breeze-up men and women are on a whole new level. I find that fascinating and believe that this generation is extremely sharp. What was your defining memory of 2025? This year was a rollercoaster that I am still dealing with. Tell us something people don't know about Alessandro Marconi…. I can drink olive oil as if it were water! Also, I love Formula 1. One other thing, I live my life by the mantra that tomorrow is another day. Therefore, if I can help somebody, I will. What keeps you awake at night? Watching races in America! Or else slow clients. I deal with some clients who must have memory problems because it takes them a while to pay their invoices! What motivates you? My Family. Give us an underrated sire to keep the right side of next year… I give Baaeed a big chance. He was a top-class racehorse and I liked his yearlings. I think he will do well. Also, in America, I like McKinzie. In Ireland, Make Believe is another stallion who consistently comes up with nice horses. Biggest regret? To this day, not buying Zaaki still haunts me. But I believe in fate so maybe it wasn't for me. More realistically, I regret not building a proper team of owners and horses by now. Your favourite sale/place and why? For holidays, it has to be Sardinia but for business, the Gold Coast in Australia. I think that will be the next stop for me. It seems to be a lucky charm for a lot of bloodstock agents. What's your go-to karaoke song? That's an easy one. Nessun Dorma, by Luciano Pavarotti. Who is your inspiration? Enzo Ferrari. He was a great breeder and was able to train his own horses well. A few people in Ireland, Yorkshire and even France have managed to emulate him. How do you want to be remembered? As one hell of an agent who managed to pull a little horse out of nowhere that would go on to win big races on the racetrack. That would be nice. The post In The Hot Seat: Alessandro Marconi appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Despite efforts dating back to May, negotiations around an annual purses and race dates agreement between the Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (FHBPA) and Gulfstream Park remain at an impasse. The current horsemen's agreement expires Dec. 31. This agreement is a federal requirement for a racetrack to conduct live racing and simulcast its signal nationwide. Gulfstream Park, owned by The Stronach Group (TSG), is statutorily required to conduct a minimum of 40-days live racing to operate its casino. Without a horsemen's agreement, Gulfstream Park would still be able to conduct live racing—and presumably by extension, its casino—but it wouldn't be able to export its signal out of state. Efforts Tuesday to reach representatives from both the FHBPA and Gulfstream Park were unsuccessful. The TDN, however, obtained a copy of a rough transcript from a November 19 FHBPA meeting at which the status of the horsemen's agreement negotiations was front and center. Key sticking points in these negotiations include a multi-million dollar purse account overpayment, the length of the contract and number of race-days. In the crosshairs of this purse overpayment appears to be Florida's current summer racing program, which according to this transcript the FHBPA is fighting to maintain against efforts to scale it back. At the same time, Gulfstream Park's corporate leadership has also demanded that Florida horsemen provide a financial “backstop” to support the track's operational budget, according to the transcript. This is something the FHBPA has so far reportedly rejected on the grounds that they believe the track's racing operations are already profitable, according to two sources. Gulfstream Park receives considerable financial support from the state. Earlier this year, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a budget package that included $15 million annually for purses and facility maintenance for Gulfstream Park alone. On top of that, Gulfstream Park also gets $6 million from the state to be used as purses and purses supplements specifically for Florida-bred and sired horses. Gulfstream Park is also exempt from having to pay its $2 million annual slot machine licensing fee. These negotiations are playing out against a contentious battle between Gulfstream Park's corporate owners and the state racing industry's stakeholders. Efforts by Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs to decouple the live racing requirement to operate their respective casino and card rooms were ultimately thwarted in the state legislature. In August, Gulfstream Park filed a lawsuit suing the Florida Gaming Control Commission over the decoupling requirement. The commission subsequently asked the Florida state court to dismiss the lawsuit. A new decoupling bill was introduced Tuesday, meaning the fight will spill over into the latest legislative session in Tallahassee. The post Purse Overpayment, Financial “Backstop” Demands And Race-Days Hamstring Horsemen’s Agreement Negotiations appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
What will horse racing look like in 2036 from a horseplayer. I see TDN has had some of the major power brokers respond, most of whom didn't mention anything about the gamblers. Last I checked the racetrack ecosystem, maintenance/upkeep, improvements, purses, etc. are paid by takeout (which is a percent of handle bet, for the owners out there that I shockingly have found out a vast majority of don't know) and subsidies. I responded on my X account about the lack of horseplayer representation in this hypothetical racing question of the year 2036 and was pleasantly surprised when TDN responded asking me to send my prediction. Well, here I am to respond for good or bad. About me: Horse gambler since a young age, horse owner in the last 10 years, and I won't mention my ownership accolades (you wouldn't believe me and they are driven by people smarter than me when it comes to picking out equine talent). The gambling side, however, I will comment on. I won't sit here and tell you how much I lost as a kid (good thing my bankroll was much smaller then), but I will say I have evolved into a sharp player (both in contests and live bankroll). It took time, hard lessons, being a sponge of reading and constantly educating myself and changing how, and more importantly when, I play. I have taken down the two largest Pick 6s ever paid at the Spa in the last few years for a combined $1.3 million and 90% of my wagering takes place in California. The other 10% goes to Pick 5 and Pick 6 carryovers wherever they are. While my handle hasn't decreased, my selectivity has. I bet more on certain days and nothing on the other 24 or so days each month–and the large players I speak to are doing the same or leaving. So here is my prediction for 2036– two actually: one from the Grinch (my brain) and one from Santa (my heart, as I have met too many friends that are employed by the greatest gambling game on the planet): 1. Nothing changes for the next 10 years, all participants remain greedy (except the retail gamblers) and take the slow kill. Nobody (states/tracks) talks to anyone because the bottom line and the next quarter is all that matters. Zero forward thinking. Retail gamblers on racing go away in the U.S. as they are completely ignored and priced out from large takeouts and other things to make wagers on. The large retail bettors that probably make up 50% of the retail wagering start telling the smaller ones, “If I can't survive on rebates of being a 'high roller,' you have no shot.” These large retail players ($10M annually) move their handle to Europe/Hong Kong/Japan as the World Pool sees the weakness in the U.S. market and the opportunity to capture market share. Large retail players want a challenge –and a fair game–and they learn the nuances of international racing. The CAWs will not eat each other but rather move on to the next money making advantage game. They were well ahead of us retail players but the word got out about them (I'd say to the racetracks' demise), but if CAWs can't see last-second action (they are looking for ineffiencies in pools and churn millions with large rebates), they lose their edge and leave. Handle goes down 40% (sorry, I am just guessing because no track shows CAW handle. Maybe it is 80%. Why is it that no track breaks out retail vs CAW play? Perhaps it would scare the industry to death is why?). So handle plummets–remember what handle drives right? The industry gets weaker. Jobs are lost. Tracks close. People wish the foal crop was what it was in 2026. Government ends slot subsidies. It goes to things deemed more 'worthy' like education/seniors. HHR (Historical Horse Racing (slots based on prior races run) is no longer. There are new games like HNFL (Historical NFL slots that revenue goes to the NFL that pay out better). Parx has slot welfare, but whoops, when they signed that deal it didn't include revenue from mobile phone wagering which has grown significantly over the years. Tech changes. Prediction markets are next and they are not going to violate the Interstate Horse Racing Act of 1978 (I'm serious, the Act is from 1978). There are 20 trainers and six tracks. Finally, racing continues to ignore their core customer–the retail gambler. (Fans are great, but they don't all bet and they show up a few times a year to spend some money on tickets, food and beverage, and some mementos.) If you can't exist without subsidies you won't exist. Socialism, that is what that is, and socialism is 0 for pick a number. – The Grinch 2. It is 2036. Horses, aftercare, and racing's overall product have never been better. Ten years ago, industry stakeholders realized they were slowly ruining a great game and they all agreed to take a financial hit to better the product and ensure its survival. They formed an allegiance in 2026 as they knew if they went after each other instead of working together, the end of U.S. racing was imminent. Tracks that were owned by people or entities not interested in racing, but for casinos/condos/etc. were forced to sell to those that were, by government mandate, as it would cripple jobs and the 'agriculture industry.' Those that refused learned what Eminent Domain means. The government comes in and takes your property. They earmark it a state park that can never be built on except for racing's best interest. The tracks are not just for racing. It is space for other forms of non-gambling entertainment. The industry understood the threats to the parimutuel pool established in 1867. They brought in new customers through the World Pool. Anywhere in the world a person could bet a U.S. track –in return U.S. citizens could bet into other countries' tracks but it would all be commingled (large pool, higher liquidity). Fixed odds are everywhere and there is no max bet. If you want to be in this game to take bets, you don't get to take off risk. Learn to hedge. Tracks/ADWs worked with prediction markets in 2026 and signed deals. Retail gamblers have multiple options now. Handle thrives and with that purses, foal crops and field sizes as well. You can cross-bet every sport (including racing) with parlays. When a race is over, the results are immediate, as are the photos pending it official. Jockeys are required to give 15 second interviews of their race. Races are never run on top of each other. There are stall limits. The cost of betting a race (takeout) has decreased significantly as the game grew the prior 10 years. And all of us retail gamblers laugh about when tracks would advertise 'retail- friendly wagers' a decade ago. – Santa The post Racing in 2036: Horseplayer Mark Stanton appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
A rundown of the adjusted post-Christmas weekend of horse racing coverage on TV, streaming, and radio.View the full article
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