HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1973-08-16, Page 13ting about own e
Ones in the
tends to
one night per week
Goderich Raceway
nal Park.
ay operated byathe
n d
Trotting under
1 rter Ae issued by the
Agricultural
is seventh year of
nd sillmaintains
seems
e
incredible to
eem
onlooker•
eoperation not only
tremendous amount
the track but alo
(fort on the part
'le during the week.
nal Park has seen
on Wada/ holidays
is mainly categorised as an
oyerseer of the entire operation.
An important part of his job
is to obtain such officials as the
presiding judge who , is a
representative of the Canadian
Trotting Association, two
associate judges who represent
the Ontario Racing Com-
mission and the Goderich
Raceway, the paddock judge
who looks after the stable area,
and the patrol judges who see
that correct racing procedure is
followed on the track while the
race is in progress. •
Other racing officials in-
volved are two timers and two
chartwriters. 'to ensure that
the judges call the correct win-
ner, there is a photo -finish
camera constantly in operation.
own horses in the race and
when there are more than
seven entries, they are selected
according to their last race
date.
When there are entries in the
same race with the same dates,
the entry forms are turned up-
side-down and the ` seven en-
tries are selected or whatever
number is needed for that par-
ticular race.
After the entries are deter-
mined, the post positions must
be picked, If there are seven en-
tries in the race, numbered
wooden peas are placed in a
leather bottle. The numbers go
from 1-7. These numbers are
picked 'one by one by two hor-
semen. At the same time they
choose one of the seven entry
dreds of betters and spectators.
It is now that the whole
heart of the raceway operation
begins to pulsate with action
and activity. The "nwtuels" o;
betting area is the "bread .and
butter" of the organization. It
is at these betting windows that
the raceway either succeeds or
fails.
"In Goderich, a total of
$28,000 must be wagered
during the .evening for the
raceway to ,break even," accor-
ding to Mutuel Manager.Ted
Williams.
As a better makes his choice
or choices of the winning
and/or place horses, he then
has a choice of 15 ticket sellers
to go to.
There are seven feature
sellers, which include the daily
double and the exactor, one $4
combine seller, one $10 win
and place seller, one $5 win
and place, three $2 win«sellers
and two. $2 place sellers.
This year, a major change •
has been made in the betting in
Goderich. The "show" ticket
has been dropped. Williams ex-
plains that "in regular races
the totalizer, or the computer,
which tabulates the ticket sales
on each horse, could not handle
all three categories (win, place
and show) because of the way it
is programmed.. Secondly, in
feature races, the exactor bets
have proved most popular and
thus the show category was not
being efficiently used."
As the better gives his or her
selection and money to the ap-
propriate ticket • seller, the
seller electronically registers
the ticket sale. These figures go
into the computer totalizer
which totals the amount ' of
tickets sold on each horse of
that race.
The sellers' job . is very
responsible as it is a duty to en=
sure that the proper tickets are
issued to the betting public. At
least seven sellers here in
Goderich have been with the.
"raceway for five years or more.
Four of them have been
working here since the
raceway's beginning in 1967.
As the money from betting
begins to add up, a precise but
complicated system -of
calculation takes over.
'The "odds man"' takes the
total amount of money bet in'
the win pool and the total
amount bet on each horse and
then refers to a government
chart to determine- the odds on
each horse and the win payaoff.
The odds are calculated on
the amount of money in the win
thoDerich
SIGNAL -STAR
pool only. Between the official
results of the previous race and
the post time of the next race,
the odds man will post from 8.-
10 readings by phoning the
man in the tote board, .office
located in front of the grand -
stand so that the betting pyblic
can easily see it.
There are other calculators
to tabulate the win and place
payoff prices, as well as
features.
The payoff prices are double
checked by officials of the -
Pectoral Department of
Agriculture. The calculations of
the federal officiate, and the ,
track officials must agree
(continued ors Page. 11A)
As soon as the betting windows open Wednesday evening
betters begin placing their wagers for the evening. Programs
are available when patrons . arrive 'at the track and many
cone -early to study those programs, listing the horses slated
for each race with their past records, before making up their
mind concerning what horses will carry their money. A' total
of $28,000 must be wagered during the evening for the"
raceway to break even according to Mutuel 'Manager Ted
Williams.' (staff photo)
ssch race gets underway the horses and drivers involved parade past the stands to
wishing to place a wager one last chance to maks up their minds. Those wishing
may place wagers right up to the last minute but as each race gets underway the
ra' machines are automatically shut off. As the money comes in the Odds are
on a board facing the grandstand (seen in the background) so patrons can keep
Annoy wagered. Results Mid' tit1"cbmputed.payoffs are Glib posted on that board
$111c11 race. (staff photo)----`---
r to 1897. However it
ntil 1967 when 1-1.0.
spearheaded the
bring night racing to
the problel is which
m .and other men
to this age-old sport
tting up of the track
o Racing Commission
eral Department of
re standards. To do
t the expenditure 'of
to improve track
g-tharnight -racing
good for the economy
ch, the "town fathers"
to lend the
ral Association the
n the condition that
of it would be paid
,reason that only that
as paid back was
certain amount of the
gents were made to
belonging to the
lf.
ganizing the raceway,
remained manager
first- fouryears of
During that 'time,'
to the town was fully
Today, the racetrack
of the better lighting
for night racing.
major renovations
'e to the track area
re ago. 'The cost of
nges Was in excess of
The front of the grand -
removed and a new
ith increased walking
added along with
Ways which accom-.
the larger crowds.
ch year the province
grant or subsidy of
2,000 which is used for
tenance of the track
The actual .ariiount, of
t is determined by the
handle,or amount bet.
the raceway's incep-
15 estimated that the,
has received in the
of a0,000 in taxes
trent manager of the
ono Erskine. His job
•c•r:r
Just as in any industry, the
product, in this case racing,
must be sold. This is the job of
the advertising and promotion
man. Also on staff are program
and admission sellers;
gatemen; electrical, carpentry
and track maintenance person-
nel and the concession booth
workers.
Some interesting figures at
the track show that to meet
payroll and race purses, it costs
the .raceway around $5,500" just
to open it s gates -each Wed-
nesday. - •
On an average night, the
amount of money bet may total
around $29,000 but the amount
paid out might reach as high as
$23,000. This means that with
the expenditure of $5,500 the
profit to ' the raceway would
only be $500 which isn't much
if the Next week is bad. It is
figured that this year. $28,000
must be bet each Wednesday
night for the raceway to break
even. .
Some other expenses of in-
terest include the cost of the
mutuel machine at $425, the
starting gate $75, programmes
at $312, light and power "
around $60, wages $1,050 aid
the announcer at $45.
Another segment of the
raceway operation is the entry
and acceptance of the various,
horses for each race -night, This,
job is in the capable hands of
Don Masse and his wife Gayle.
Prior to the closing date for
upcoming race entries, the hor-
semen are given condition
sheets .are
state the
G,lassification of each, horse ac-
cording to the amount of money
that horse has won during the
current racing season. For
exam/it-6,4 horse which -has- not=_
won at least $100 would be
classified as 1, whereas a horse
which 'has won between $900
and $1800 would be classified
as 6.
The .condition sheet also
states what the purse is valued
at for each classification race.
The horsemen enter their
forms lying upside-down on the
table. This determines which
horse gets what post position.
One horseman draws the
numbers out while the other
picks ` the entries.
Each horse has an eligibility
card . with the previous race
lines on -it. These cards are put
in racing order and sent to the
printers so that they can be en-
tered into the racing
programmes.
tn the paddock, race night,
the numbers that the horses
wear during the race are given
out. To protect the betting
public a veterinarian represent
ting the Ontario Racing Com-
mission examines the winning
horses after each race and
takes' urine tests.
As race time, draws near, the
track comes alive with hun-
Wednesday.. afternoon the courtyard of the -Agricultural Park stables begins becomes jammed with horses and drivers making final preparations. (staff
to come to life as horses, ow rs and drivers arrive from throughout Western photo)
Ontario to prepare for the evning's races. As post time approaches the yard
"The fleWs in motion and they're off?" for
Goderich Raceway. What began as one of the annual
of the century has grown info a weekly specfacii at
another night of harness racksg at
exhibition attraction around the tum
Agriculture Park filling the bleachers
every wedneeday wfh avid raospoersr. Hartness rear* Mas grown in popsilarlly all awes.
North America and since 1967 has been gaining an ever strengthening foothold in Goderloh•
(staff photo)