Playersboycott.org: Horseplayers Boycott Keeneland

Keeneland Handle Update

PLAYERSBOYCOTT.org - October 26, 2017

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Handle Update from Playersboycott.org - the first 15 days of Keeneland's 2017 fall meet

Back in August, Keeneland made a calculated decision to hit horseplayers with a takeout increase. They raised WIN-PLACE-SHOW takeout to 17.50%, an increase of 9.375% vs. last meet's takeout rate of 16.00%. Takeout for all EXOTIC wagers except the pick5 was raised to 22.00%, an increase of 15.79% vs. last meet's takeout rate of 19.00%.

Keeneland during the first 15 days of their fall 2017 meet:

Side by Side Comparison - Keeneland during the first 15 days of their fall 2017 meet 
Day 2016 Track Handle Races Field
Size
  vs.   Day 2017 Track Handle Races Field
Size
Dollar
Change
PCT
Change
Fri 10/7/2016 KEE 8,586,744 10 99   vs.   Fri 10/6/2017 KEE 8,568,658 10 96 -18,086 -0.21%
Sat 10/8/2016 KEE 15,927,452 10 96   vs.   Sat 10/7/2017 KEE 13,919,528 10 98 -2,007,924 -12.61%
Sun 10/9/2016 KEE 9,527,321 10 105   vs.   Sun 10/8/2017 KEE 6,579,460 10 92 -2,947,861 -30.94%
Wed 10/12/2016 KEE 5,794,495 8 83   vs.   Wed 10/11/2017 KEE 4,591,837 8 77 -1,202,658 -20.76%
Thu 10/13/2016 KEE 5,731,249 9 84   vs.   Thu 10/12/2017 KEE 6,144,889 10 99 +413,640 +7.22%
Fri 10/14/2016 KEE 7,682,129 10 86   vs.   Fri 10/13/2017 KEE 7,880,860 10 96 +198,731 +2.59%
Sat 10/15/2016 KEE 11,656,440 10 85   vs.   Sat 10/14/2017 KEE 11,594,151 10 98 -62,289 -0.53%
Sun 10/16/2016 KEE 6,586,587 9 81   vs.   Sun 10/15/2017 KEE 6,122,769 9 79 -463,818 -7.04%
Wed 10/19/2016 KEE 4,469,993 8 71   vs.   Wed 10/18/2017 KEE 4,484,605 8 66 +14,612 +0.33%
Thu 10/20/2016 KEE 7,138,535 9 78   vs.   Thu 10/19/2017 KEE 5,105,554 9 79 -2,032,981 -28.48%
Fri 10/21/2016 KEE 7,338,837 10 85   vs.   Fri 10/20/2017 KEE 7,169,651 10 97 -169,186 -2.31%
Sat 10/22/2016 KEE 11,148,167 10 94   vs.   Sat 10/21/2017 KEE 9,971,403 10 94 -1,176,764 -10.56%
Sun 10/23/2016 KEE 6,145,670 9 75   vs.   Sun 10/22/2017 KEE 5,781,520 9 73 -364,150 -5.93%
Wed 10/26/2016 KEE 4,194,796 8 70   vs.   Wed 10/25/2017 KEE 4,250,935 8 71 +56,139 +1.34%
Thu 10/27/2016 KEE 5,413,395 9 78   vs.   Thu 10/26/2017 KEE 5,167,197 9 93 -246,198 -4.55%


REPORT SUMMARY - Keeneland during the first 15 days of their fall 2017 meet 
Days 2016     Handle Races Field
Size
  vs.   Days 2017     Handle Races Field
Size
Dollar
Change
PCT
Change
15 TOTALS   117,341,810 139 1270   vs.   15 TOTALS     107,333,017 140 1308 -10,008,793 -8.53%
  Per Race   844,186   9.14   vs.     Per Race     766,664   9.34 -77,521 -9.18%
  Per Runner   92,395   1,270   vs.     Per Runner   82,059   1,308 -10,336 -11.19%

DOWN -$10 Million (-8.53%)



Belmont during the first 15 days of Keeneland's fall 2017 meet:

Side by Side Comparison - Belmont during the first 15 days of Keeneland's fall 2017 meet 
Day 2016 Track Handle Races Field
Size
  vs.   Day 2017 Track Handle Races Field
Size
Dollar
Change
PCT
Change
Fri 10/7/2016 BEL 7,420,488 9 67   vs.   Fri 10/6/2017 BEL 7,545,462 9 70 +124,974 +1.68%
Sat 10/8/2016 BEL 15,024,108 11 81   vs.   Sat 10/7/2017 BEL 15,535,315 11 92 +511,207 +3.40%
Sun 10/9/2016 BEL 5,345,667 9 63   vs.   Sun 10/8/2017 BEL 9,224,079 9 79 +3,878,412 +72.55%
Mon 10/10/2016 BEL 5,422,385 10 56   vs.   Mon 10/9/2017 BEL 5,386,422 9 61 -35,963 -0.66%
Thu 10/13/2016 BEL 5,728,680 9 72   vs.   Thu 10/12/2017 BEL 6,575,821 9 84 +847,141 +14.79%
Fri 10/14/2016 BEL 7,149,539 9 78   vs.   Fri 10/13/2017 BEL 7,338,283 9 74 +188,744 +2.64%
Sat 10/15/2016 BEL 10,459,515 9 81   vs.   Sat 10/14/2017 BEL 11,866,807 10 81 +1,407,292 +13.45%
Sun 10/16/2016 BEL 7,548,571 9 81   vs.   Sun 10/15/2017 BEL 8,103,407 9 76 +554,836 +7.35%
Wed 10/19/2016 BEL 6,056,594 9 73   vs.   Wed 10/18/2017 BEL 5,613,509 9 80 -443,085 -7.32%
Thu 10/20/2016 BEL 6,244,614 9 73   vs.   Thu 10/19/2017 BEL 5,788,511 9 71 -456,103 -7.30%
Fri 10/21/2016 BEL 5,901,693 9 65   vs.   Fri 10/20/2017 BEL 6,292,190 9 62 +390,497 +6.62%
Sat 10/22/2016 BEL 9,660,082 11 78   vs.   Sat 10/21/2017 BEL 13,182,998 11 92 +3,522,916 +36.47%
Sun 10/23/2016 BEL 6,150,287 9 63   vs.   Sun 10/22/2017 BEL 9,271,111 9 72 +3,120,824 +50.74%
Wed 10/26/2016 BEL 5,713,006 9 76   vs.   Wed 10/25/2017 BEL 4,834,031 9 66 -878,975 -15.39%
Thu 10/27/2016 BEL 5,044,675 9 77   vs.   Thu 10/26/2017 BEL 6,520,989 9 82 +1,476,314 +29.26%


REPORT SUMMARY - Belmont during the first 15 days of Keeneland's fall 2017 meet 
Days 2016     Handle Races Field
Size
  vs.   Days 2017     Handle Races Field
Size
Dollar
Change
PCT
Change
15 TOTALS   108,869,904 140 1084   vs.   15 TOTALS     123,078,935 140 1142 +14,209,031 +13.05%
  Per Race   777,642   7.74   vs.     Per Race     879,135   8.16 +101,493 +13.05%
  Per Runner   100,433   1,084   vs.     Per Runner   107,775   1,142 +7,342 +7.31%

UP +$14.2 Million +13.05%



Santa Anita during the first 15 days of Keeneland's fall 2017 meet:

Side by Side Comparison - Santa Anita during the first 15 days of Keeneland's fall 2017 meet 
Day 2016 Track Handle Races Field
Size
  vs.   Day 2017 Track Handle Races Field
Size
Dollar
Change
PCT
Change
Fri 10/7/2016 SAX 4,942,175 8 68   vs.   Fri 10/6/2017 SAX 7,418,193 8 79 +2,476,018 +50.10%
Sat 10/8/2016 SAX 10,183,133 10 88   vs.   Sat 10/7/2017 SAX 9,297,160 10 88 -885,973 -8.70%
Sun 10/9/2016 SAX 7,827,377 9 81   vs.   Sun 10/8/2017 SAX 8,507,964 9 76 +680,587 +8.69%
Mon 10/10/2016 SAX 6,233,741 9 89   vs.   Mon 10/9/2017 SAX 6,811,953 9 89 +578,212 +9.28%
Fri 10/14/2016 SAX 5,069,470 8 58   vs.   Fri 10/13/2017 SAX 5,601,232 8 60 +531,762 +10.49%
Sat 10/15/2016 SAX 7,484,320 9 73   vs.   Sat 10/14/2017 SAX 9,036,244 9 87 +1,551,924 +20.74%
Sun 10/16/2016 SAX 6,733,013 9 79   vs.   Sun 10/15/2017 SAX 7,793,776 9 77 +1,060,763 +15.75%
Thu 10/20/2016 SAX 3,697,401 8 54   vs.   Thu 10/19/2017 SAX 3,822,229 8 64 +124,828 +3.38%
Fri 10/21/2016 SAX 4,823,020 8 59   vs.   Fri 10/20/2017 SAX 4,976,324 8 62 +153,304 +3.18%
Sat 10/22/2016 SAX 6,664,345 9 68   vs.   Sat 10/21/2017 SAX 7,456,996 9 69 +792,651 +11.89%
Sun 10/23/2016 SAX 7,108,799 9 72   vs.   Sun 10/22/2017 SAX 7,227,757 9 74 +118,958 +1.67%
Thu 10/27/2016 SAX 4,146,750 8 62   vs.   Thu 10/26/2017 SAX 4,247,877 8 65 +101,127 +2.44%


REPORT SUMMARY - Santa Anita during the first 15 days of Keeneland's fall 2017 meet 
Days 2016     Handle Races Field
Size
  vs.   Days 2017     Handle Races Field
Size
Dollar
Change
PCT
Change
12 TOTALS   74,913,544 104 851   vs.   12 TOTALS     82,197,705 104 890 +7,284,161 +9.72%
  Per Race   720,323   8.18   vs.     Per Race     790,363   8.56 +70,040 +9.72%
  Per Runner   88,030   851   vs.     Per Runner   92,357   890 +4,327 +4.92%

UP +$7.28 Million +9.72%



The first 15 days of the Keeneland Fall 2017 meet are now in the books:

Keeneland announced a takeout increase back in August.

Win Place Show was hiked to 17.50% (the maximum allowed by Kentucky state law.) --This is an increase of 9.375% vs. the previous takeout rate of 16.00%.

Exacta, Double, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pick3, and Pick4 were hiked to 22.00% (again the maximum allowed by Kentucky state law.) --This is an increase of 15.79% vs. the previous takeout rate of 19.00%.

We polled HANA membership. 63% said they wanted a boycott. 28% said no. And 9% said other.

Based on that we organized a boycott.

Fast forward 15 days into their fall 2017 meet - and Keeneland is down more than $10M or about -8.53% vs. the first 15 days of their fall 2016 meet.

How much of that -8.53% is because we announced a boycott -- and how much is simply the market speaking is anyone's guess.

At first glance, -8.53% might not look like it's all that bad for them.

As a few of you with jobs in the industry have pointed out to me -- looking ONLY at last year's numbers to this point in the meet: Keeneland is likely revenue neutral right now, or maybe even revenue positive. (But if so, not by much.)

But I think putting blinkers on and looking ONLY at last year's numbers to this point in the meet would be a huge mistake.

Last year at this time:

Keeneland was the big dog on the block among the A tracks. They out-handled both Belmont and Santa Anita. They ranked #1 in market share vs. the other tracks they compete with for handle dollars.

Fast forward to now:

Belmont has replaced Keeneland as the big dog on the block. Belmont now ranks #1 in market share among the tracks competing for handle dollars this fall.

This is significant.

Right now Keeneland is losing ground to its competitors.

Keeneland is down -$10M or about -8.53%

At the same time Keeneland's two primary competitors, Belmont and Santa Anita, are UP a combined total of $21.49M or an average of +11.7%

These are terrible results for Keeneland.

In absolute terms, Keeneland is down roughly -20% from where they would be if they hadn't had a takeout increase.

Let me put that another way:

If Ken Ramsey had appeared as a guest on Billy Koch's radio show to talk about the horses he was sending to Keeneland this fall -- if Bob Elliston had gone on Billy Koch's show to talk about Keeneland's mission in advance of their fall meet -- if Keeneland had pulled out all the stops like they did opening weekend and stuffed the entry box with an average of 100 horses each day -- if Vince Gabbert had appeared on TVG to tout Keeneland's "successful meet" -- if Keeneland had done everything the same -- except for the takeout increase:

There is every reason to believe Keeneland would still be the big dog on the block with the #1 rank in market share -- and their handle to this point in the meet would be 20% higher than it is now.

Let's keep to the task at hand and remember what we're boycotting for.

We're boycotting because we're trying to send a clear message.

We're boycotting because other tracks are waiting to see what happens and we want them to think twice before having takeout increases of their own.

I'm asking each of you to take it upon yourselves to reach out to other horseplayers.

Tell them about the boycott.

Ask them to join us.

Together we can convince Keeneland to reverse their decision.

--Jeff Platt, HANA President







• PLAYERSBOYCOTT.org is asking horseplayers to consider the idea that horseplayers are consumers and that every handle dollar bet at Keeneland is a vote for higher takeout everywhere.


* About the above numbers: The above numbers were compiled by horseplayers who spent volunteer man-hours combing through the charts hand keying pool amounts into a spreadsheet. If you notice an obvious mistake please let us know by email at: info @ hanaweb . org (remove the blank spaces first)

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