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                      -- Boycott Churchill Downs and Kentucky Derby

"@santaanitapark prez Tom Ludt says rolling doubles, with low 18 percent takeout, will return to the track when summer meet begins April 25."

"We at Playersboycott.org think the actions of Key Executives at CHDN are egregious.

• I submit to you the idea that Key Executives at CHDN deciding to hit you the horseplayer with a takeout increase and suggesting to the press there was no other option while at the same time seeing their compensation increase by more than double the amount they say the takeout hike will raise is unconscionable.

• I submit to you the idea that horsemen and track execs at other tracks are waiting on the sidelines to see what you do next.

• I submit to you the idea that you as horseplayers are consumers and that as consumers you have a very big say in all of this.

• I submit to you the idea that every handle dollar spent - not just at Churchill Downs - but every dollar spent at a CHDN owned track (Calder, Arlington, Fairgrounds) - and that every dollar bet through CHDN owned ADW Twinspires.com - and that every dollar spent on data or reports from CHDN owned data provider Brisnet.com is a vote for higher takeout.

• There are plenty of other tracks to bet this summer whose wagering menus offer more value than Churchill.

• I've decided CHDN does not deserve one penny of my business. Effective immediately, I'll not bet one penny on races held at ANY CHDN track this summer (Churchill, Arlington, Calder, etc.) Further, I'll not bet one penny this summer through CHDN owned ADW Twinspires.com. Further, I refuse to spend even one penny downloading data or reports from CHDN owned data provider Brisnet.com.

--Jeff Platt
--President, HANA"

"Playersboycott.org Announces Boycott of Churchill Downs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (April 25, 2014. San Diego, CA)

Playersboycott.org has announced that a horseplayer boycott of Churchill Downs is underway, citing an increase in takeout coupled with a massive jump in compensation for Key Executives at CHDN as reasons for the boycott.

"Key Executives at CHDN decided to hit horseplayers with a takeout increase," Playersboycott.org spokesman Jeff Platt said. "They suggested to the press an extra $8 million could be raised for purses if they multiply last year's handle numbers by this year's higher takeout rates. But it never works out that way. Takeout and handle share an elastic relationship. Horseplayers are price sensitive. Higher takeout translates to lower handle and lower purses."

Platt cited takeout increases in California as an example. "For the first 6 months immediately following the takeout increase at Los Alamitos in 2009 their on track handle was down 27 percent. Horseplayers boycotted Santa Anita and Golden Gate in the early months of 2011 as a result of takeout increases there. Handle dropped significantly enough that track management and horsemen invited us to the table to talk about ways to stop the bleeding. As a result of those talks Hollywood Park put in a 14% takeout pick5 and Del Mar began adding $50k in seed money to their pick6 pools on non carryover Sundays. Beginning this Saturday April 26, 2014 Santa Anita will be offering rolling doubles at 18%. None of this would have happened if higher takeout was the answer."

"But that's not the worst part," Platt said. "According to Morningstar, compensation for Key Executives at CHDN jumped from $8.20 million in 2012 to $27.92 million in 2013. On the one hand CHDN is suggesting to the press the only way to raise $8 million for purses is to hit horseplayers with a takeout increase. While on the other hand, the same executives who decided on higher takeout saw their total compensation jump by more than double the amount they hope to take from horseplayers. In my opinion that's egregious."

Beginning Saturday April 26, 2014: Takeout for WPS wagers at Churchill Downs will be 17.50%. (An increase of 9.375% vs. last year's takeout rate of 16.00%.) Takeout for all EXOTIC wagers at Churchill Downs will be 22.00%. (An increase of 15.79% vs. last year's takeout rate of 19.00%.)

• Playersboycott.org is asking horseplayers to consider the idea that horseplayers are consumers and that every handle dollar bet not just at Churchill Downs, but at CHDN owned tracks Arlington Park, Calder, and Fairgrounds, along with every handle dollar bet through CHDN owned ADW Twinspires.com, and every dollar spent downloading data and reports from CHDN owned data provider Brisnet.com is a vote for higher takeout everywhere.

• Playersboycott.org also wants horseplayers to know there will be plenty of tracks running this summer whose wagering menus offer better value than Churchill and that players have other options when it comes to choice of ADWs and data providers. "

"Churchill Downs’ opens its doors tonight for their spring-summer meeting, highlighted by the May 3 Kentucky Derby, but some horseplayers will keep their wallets shut tight when it comes to betting on the famous track.

Playersboycott.org has announced that a horseplayer boycott of Churchill Downs starting tonight for Churchill’s opening day card, citing an increase in takeout coupled with a massive jump in compensation for executives at Churchill Downs Inc. (CHDN), as reasons for the boycott."

"CD handle - Thursday down 46%, Friday down 29%, Saturday down 39% and Sunday down 25% when compared to 2013. #boycottaction"

"Do the above numbers suggest everyday horseplayers are staying away?"

"This isn't the first hint of a problem at the Twin Spires race place. There is Internet discussion about increased takeout by the track that limits gamblers' profits. Loosely organized boycotts by gamblers seem to be finding traction."

"Arlington, Mother's Day Weekend 2013 vs. Mother's Day Weekend 2014:

Total handle and avg. handle per race DOWN -27.6%

Note: Belmont down just 2.4% for the same weekend despite a larger drop in avg field size.

---

Churchill, Mother's Day Weekend 2013 vs. Mother's Day Weekend 2014:

Total handle DOWN 32.5% and avg. handle per race DOWN 25.7%.

Note: Belmont down just 2.4% for the same weekend despite a larger drop in avg field size. "

"Wagering on U.S. races rose slightly in May compared to the same month last year, up 1 percent, but the uptick was likely due to an even larger increase in race dates during the month, according to figures released by Equibase on Wednesday.

Race dates climbed 2.5 percent during the month, from 511 in May of last year to 524 in May of this year, despite racetracks encountering widespread troubles in attracting full fields to races. Wagering climbed from $1.20 billion last year to $1.21 billion this year, for an average wagering per race day of $2.31 million this year, down 1.3 percent from average wagering per race day of $2.34 million in May 2013.

The May figures are heavily influenced by betting on the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. Betting on the Derby this year was $124.7 million, down slightly from last year’s total, while betting on the Preakness was $58.6 million, up 8.3 percent.

Overall handle was up despite a steep drop in handle on races at Churchill Downs this year aside from its Oaks and Derby day. Handle at the track has been impacted by poor field sizes and a widely publicized boycott of the track’s races because of a decision to raise takeout at the beginning of the spring meet."

"Do the above numbers suggest everyday horseplayers said "no" to higher takeout?

• Churchill's 2014 Spring Meet is in the books. You the everyday horseplayer spoke loud and clear.

• There's no way to spin this.

• No business announces a price increase, has their sales crater 25% in two months, and calls the result anything but terrible.

• All of the other major racing jurisdictions running in 2014 at the same time as Churchill (New York, Maryland, and California) either had good meets that resulted in reporting of an uptick in handle - or are still running meets that when completed should result in reporting of an uptick in handle.

• The field size narrative CDI Execs have been feeding reporters doesn't hold water. Tracks at other major racing jurisdictions running during the same time period as the Churchill Spring Meet are having field size issues of their own.

• NONE of the other major racing jurisdictions had their numbers crater for regular race dates in 2014. "

"Regarding the sizable drop in all-sources handle that ensued, the California-based website playersboycott.org was updated this week to read: "You the everyday horseplayer spoke loud and clear.""