Breeders' Cup confirms Santa Anita as 2013 host track

So... If they bring in more money at Churchill downs why not go back? Also the cost of the tickets at other tracks are outrageous so the everyday fans, not the celebrities that only show up for the big races, can't afford to attend their favorite sporting event.

the self proclaimed world championships should go on a poly track sometime to bring more international horses over after all its the world championships

What about Hialeah?

laurel park has a better turf course than pimlico but no infield access. the baltimore washington corridor is the 4th largest media market in the u. s. any comments on how a stronach venue would do when holding a breeders cup.

if pimlico holds the breeders cup kegasus coulg make an appearence

How about The Fairgrounds in New Orleans or Pimlico?

New York's political environment is more toxic than ever now with an autocratic and despotic governor who holds an inherited disdain for racing. As much as I'd like to see the Cup run here, the BC is wise to avoid NY. It would be in-character for this governor to hold the Cup hostage if it would provide him any political gain or would further emasculate NYRA. Racing can't afford that risk. That said, I'm weary of seeing these races run so often at SA. If the BC wants to milk every possible penny out of the event until it dies from it's own created boredom, then we'll probably see it cycle between SA and CD. However, if the BC wants to act as an agent for the good of the sport, then it will find ways to increase the number of venues and areas of the continent to hold the event. A four year cycle with stops in California, Kentucky, NY(if the NYS politicial attack dogs eventually heel) and a rotating fourth slot dedicated to one of the mid level tracks would be great. As a fan, I've liked the event being held at Lone Star, Monmouth and Woodbine. Colonial, Remington and Gulfstream would be other interesting options. These tracks might be willing to agree to contract provisions that would have them install things like lighting, temp seating/pavillions and other improvements with financial incentives from the BC. The easy answer is to go to the places that are cookie cut already. It's also an answer that will be one more step American racings journey toward obscurity.

thankfully santa anita is back on real dirt.

I know a joke when I read one and this is a joke. Belmont DESERVES a BC ASAP. John Gaines and John Nerud never had this kind of monpoly in mind when this championship day concept was created back in the early 1980's. 2008/09 SA, 2010/11 CD, now SA 2012/13. I realize TV and money dictates things, but with all due respect fair is fair. There's a limit to the hook-ups.

If we continue to have issues with NYRA and so forth, what about working out a deal where Colonial Downs in Virginia does a major expansion so it can hold 55-60,000 for a Breeders' Cup? They have a 1 1/4 Mile main track (with a chute like Belmont that allows races up to 1 1/8 Miles around one turn) along with two turf courses (15/16ths of a mile and 1 1/16 miles in circumference I believe) that are heavily used in the summer, along with lights (though Colonial would need to have the lights in a way that it lights up both the main track and turf obviously for the BC). The weather I suspect would be better for the Euros as well: While not as warm as So. Cal or South Florida, it's usually not as cold as Churchill or Belmont could be in early November either, with the normal high temperature at that time around 65 degrees and the normal lows in the low-to-mid-40s, and likely in the low-to-mid 50s for a nighttime BC. That probably would be near-perfect conditions for a BC (that for a Saturday evening would likely start in daylight with temperatures around 60 and drop through the 50s during the evening). Colonial Downs is a track more than a few people I know would love to see get the BC and probably would make a point of being at for such. Aside from Colonial, what about Fair Grounds as a future BC host? New Orleans itself has always been a huge tourist destination and as noted in a prior post, the Fair Grounds annually hosts a Jazz Festival every April (shortly after the finish of the racing season) where they often are dealing with 80,000+ for several days at any one time. They probably would be able to make the adjustments to hold 55-60,000 for the BC (including if necessary installing lights on the turf course) if they got it, and the weather in New Orleans certainly isn't cold (normal high in early November is 75 degrees with normal lows in the upper 50s), so that would not be an issue.