We interrupt the normal hum-drum of movie reviews to bring you this lovely rant about the new point system to be eligible to start in the Kentucky Derby.
Today, CDI (Churchill Downs Incorporated) announced the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" to better connect with fans and to help them understand how a horse becomes eligible to start in the Kentucky Derby. You can read the Blood-Horse's article on it here: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/70551/churchill-revamps-derby-qualifying-system
My big thing: How hard is it to understand that the top 20 horses with the most earned money in races are the ones that become eligible to run in the race? Okay, there's the whole "graded system" of races, but you don't really need to know that since they (racing stewards) keep track of how much money is earned in graded races so all you have to look at (list wise) is how much money the horses have made. Sure, a lot of solo sports do use a point system (e.g., NASCAR) to determine the winner of a season and such, but, honestly, this is determining who is eligible to START in a race. I think it's an interesting system to add the points and I am glad they are trying to come up with new ways to generate more fans and to change things around, but I don't think this is it.
First off, I think the point system is incredibly limiting for the trainers because the trainers now have to make sure they enter their horses in the races with points. Some small-time trainers sometimes wait to enter their horses in the bigger races to make sure the horse can do well in it since entering a horse in the Derby isn't cheap (it costs over $50,000 to start in the Kentucky Derby, not including the nomination fee (between $600-$6,000), it costs $25,000 to enter and $25,000 to start). So instead of going about it their own way, they now have to plot a path through the number of races CDI is going to count instead of allowing well over a hundred different options.
Not only that, the new system practically makes it impossible for a filly (female horse) to enter the Derby. Most fillies who have run in the Derby have run in restricted races (i.e., against other females) and then run in the Derby. The new system makes it so fillies HAVE to run in open company (i.e., against other males) BEFORE the Derby to even be eligible on the list. I simply don't see trainers doing that to their fillies. Trainers almost from the start now have to think "Derby" with a filly rather than running her against her fellow 3yos to decide if she's good enough or not. Admittedly, in other countries, females running against males isn't an unusual thing as it is in the US, but we have our system and I don't see more females running against males to start in the Derby.
Another thing, I feel like the CDI was kind of "lame" with their list of chosen races because they didn't include some races that have produced Derby winners, but added races that haven't produced a winner. Really? Who is it for these "people" to determine where the best runners are going to come from? Mine That Bird (2009 winner) wouldn't even have made it onto the list if they had the point system back then. Not only that, they made some races more valuable than others. Again, who is to say that one race is more valuable than another?
And my last quibble (I suppose it just makes me sound lazy) is that I'm going to have to keep a spreadsheet now of the races, their point value, which horses win it, and how many points the horses earn. Course, someone else will keep that list for me, but it's more work!
I think the REAL reason they're doing this is they can market better. As they do with all other sports like the playoff season, they have a marketing strategy to point people to the lead-up to the Derby underneath one marketing banner. Sure, it simplifies things better that way, but since ESPN and NBC don't even air these races, what's the point? If they simply aired those races, I don't think you'd even need the point system to drum up interest. I think the point system is interesting because almost everyone can understand a point system and people can now tally points for their horses and keep track of them (I guess), but I'd rather they just made a blanket point system (30 for 1st, 15 for 2nd, and 5 for 3rd - as an example). Not only that, but money earnings can be easily done too if you want your horse to win...They tell you how much a race is earned for each race. Okay, I guess counting to several hundred thousand can be a pain.
To say the least, I'm not exactly thrilled by the new system. I think I'd be more thrilled for them to change the age restriction on the race (how about 4 instead of 3 year olds?) or even change the field number (how about 14 horses (like the fillies compete against) instead of 20?) than the point system. I suppose, in the end, the next year will be an interesting time to see how this point system works. It'd be great if it garners more fans, but I highly doubt it.
Next post will return to your regular movie news. I watched two movies this week. They were movie rentals as theirs nothing in theater I want to watch right now (I think Madagascar and Prometheus will be renters) until after the 22nd when Brave comes out! Chris is not looking forward to it, but I certainly am!
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