Global Perspectives Shared at Tuscon Symposium

By Dean Hoffman

Attendees at the Global Symposium on Racing & Gaming got an update on international wagering markets early Wednesday morning from a panel of experts representing North America, Hong Kong, and Australia. 
Carrie Tong, senior business manager for Hong Kong Jockey Club—where daily handle averages $150 million (US)—says that its success can be summed up in one word: Integrity. 

“At the Hong Kong Jockey Club, we have the highest level of integrity, establishing global best practices,” she said in her presentation. She emphasized that the Hong Kong Jockey Club believes that the most important business principles are being “fair and just” in the conduct of its racing. The testing lab in Hong Kong, Tong said, is the best in the world. 
Scott Daruty is president of Monarch Content Management, a simulcasting purchase agent for numerous North American tracks. He emphasized that tracks in North America importing new signals from foreign sources must educate their customers on international racing if they expect bettors to embrace racing from a new source. 

“Don’t just put a simulcast signal up there,” Daruty said. “The more comfortable your customers feel, the more money they will bet.” 

Andrew Kelly, chief executive of Harness Racing Australia, listed non-wagering benefits that go along with emerging international simulcasting. 

“For example, there are now seven French trotting stallions in Australia and breeders find that very exciting,” he said. “There are even French owners who have horses racing in Australia. I probably shouldn’t mention that some of them are pacers, but they are.” (Pacers are prohibited on the European continent.) 

Kelly said that international simulcasting facilitates greater participation in yearling sales between North America and Australia. He also said that simulcasting stimulates imports of racing stock, encourages tourism and creates promotional opportunities. 

David Haslett, president and CEO of Sky Racing World, noted in his comments that there is a growing interest among customers in fixed-odds wagering, which is virtually unknown in North America. 

In a panel on “Breaking With Tradition,” Rick Baedeker, executive director of the California Horse Racing Board, said that racing often unwittingly discourages prospective racing fans. 

“We’ve gotten so focused on the person who wants more and more information that we have raised barriers to new people in racing,” said Baedeker. “I call it the ‘old fart syndrome’.” 

He said that tracks have made newcomers uncomfortable by relying too heavily on jargon and states. He pointed out that newcomers find greyhound racing simple to undersand but find horse racing to be complicated. 

“Nobody likes to feel stupid,” he said, “I’d love to see this industry figure out a way to repackage this great game and present the instructions in an easy, readable fashion. And I suggest it can be done with cool apps on a cell phone.” 

Trainer James Cassidy, president of the California Thoroughbred Trainers, agreed. He said that understanding the Daily Racing Form for a new fan is like solving a Rubik’s Cube, and noted that betting machines are another intimidating factor.

Baedeker chimed in by saying, “The self-service machine at Santa Anita lists 36 tracks and Santa Anita is on page two. It’s a good thing I knew to hit the ‘next’ button. I saw tracks listed on the machine that I’d never heard of.” 
When the subject of short fields was discussed, Cassidy said, “Twenty percent of the owners make 80% of the money and 80% of the owners make 20% of the money. It would be a good idea to give more incentive to guys running horses that finish seventh. We should be paying the purse down further if we want larger fields.” 

Georgann Hale, Director of Racing and Racing Secretary for the Maryland Jockey Club, said that she was initially concerned that tightening medication rules might result in even fewer horses dropped in to race. 

“When the new medication rules came out, the entry box wasn’t very full,” Hale admitted. “But the trainers then adjusted.” 

Dr. Lisa Hanelt, the track veterinarian at Finger Lakes in New York, encourages trainers to consider the long-term health of a horse before racing it. 

“Some trainers think that they only need to get a horse past the examining veterinarian and to the starting gate,” Hanelt said. “We urge trainers not to cover problems by using medication. At the track, we have a cooperative relationship with the private veterinarians and we encourage trainers to use diagnostic testing to find out if something is wrong with a horse.” 

Baedeker stated his feelings by saying, “If we take care of the horse, the horse will give us more starts over the course of its racing career. That might address the problem with short fields.” 

A trio of digital marketing experts shared insights with attendees. Yenni Vance, Digital Communications/ Social Media Director for Remington Park and Lone Star Park, said that businesses can no longer rely on consumers accepting their messages without question. 

“People don’t trust corporate web sites any longer,” she said. She then cited Amazon’s Jeff Bezos in saying that, “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.” 

What people say about a company is often on social media today, Vance emphasized, and that is why businesses must monitor social media and use the many analytical tools available. She also spoke to the need to target email blasts to the right people. 

“You don’t want to contact senior citizens about a Justin Bieber concert,” Vance said. “Personalize your emails. People love to see their name in an email. Be sure to analyze the results after every email blast. Remember one thing: no spam.” 

When asked for a take away thought from the panel, Vance said, “You need to listen, analyze, and have a digital strategy. Think beyond Facebook and Twitter.” 

Jennie O’Herrick, an online marketing professional for PARX, detailed the many marketing tools that are available to track officials and emphasized that it’s essential to “close the loop” after you listen and analyze what customers tell you. 
The Global Symposium on Racing & Gaming, which is sponsored by the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program, wraps up at noon Thursday.