Purses Plunge in Michigan

Maybe I missed the press release.

Maybe the track officials couldn’t afford a fax machine or a lap top to send a message out.

Perhaps the phones were shut off and a call could not be made.

What I have not heard was that the purses at Michigan (MI) have reached dirt cheap levels.

I know the economy in the state has been terrible for a number of years and the state relies deeply on the automobile industry in Detroit.  When the auto manufacturers tank, so does the state’s economy.   Apparently the legislatures in this Sim-state have passed quietly sim-legislation to cut back funding to our sim-horse racing.

This week, I was astonished to find an allowance race with a measly purse of $4,800.  So I did a little more looking.   Over the next week, there are three stake races that have the top purses, two at $50k and one at $20k which are the highest purses this coming week at the track.  As for allowance races, the top purse comes in at  $15,000.  So the range of purses in Michigan is $4,800 to $15,000.  Not really enough to attract better runners to the state.

I found five starter allowance events are posted for the week.    A purse of $9,400 is up for grabs for horses running in claimers with a tag of $10k or lower.   What doesn’t make sense is the $6,000 purse for horses with a higher $20k claim tag.   Even the $7,500 claim tag starter allowance has a higher purse at $8,000.

Now the claiming races look a little more in line, but still the purses will turn away trainers.  At the bottom is a $2,000 claiming race with a chilly $2,500 purse.  On the higher end, I did find a $75,000 claiming race with a purse of $8,200.    Oddly, the $5,000 claiming race comes with a purse higher than the claim tag at $5,600.

Without question, the sim-track in Michigan is struggling.  But if you want to keep the track vibrant officials at the track need to work with sim-state legislatures to find a means to increase purses.  Increased purses will attract trainers and bring in better horses.  Better horses mean more competitive fields.   Competitive fields with better horses will catch the attention of horse fans.  Horse fans have sim-money and are willing to place sim-wagers.  Sim-wagers are taxed, bringing in sim-revenue to the state.

The math is not that hard.  Come on people in the sim-state of Michigan.  Pick up you sim-phones and get on these sim-brainiacs in your sim-legislature and get the purses up!!!!