If you can't afford to take at least 4 bills to the track stay home!!!!

The title of this post was the anonymous response left to an early view of Rebel Stakes Day at Oaklawn Park.  The intention was always to update those photos with a much more in depth slide show of the entire scene.  Rebel Stakes Day is a big day for Arkansas racing, in fact the second biggest. And while Arkansas Derby Day is the big one, Rebel Stakes Day is always important. For Arkansans who love racing, it marks the end of winter and the beginning of Spring. There were many brutal days through this winter meet, many races cards canceled due to snow and Rebel Stakes Day was quite the departure.  With 70-degree weather and the apple blossoms starting to bud, it was a beautiful scene.

     Enter the response from an anonymous follower of Stride LIVE. Do hardcore race fans really believe that quote. We will repeat it: “If you can't afford to take at least 4 bills to the track stay home!!!!” In fairness, here is the full response: "The stands are full becuase nobody is betting. All those people and on track handle only averages 70-75 dollars per bettor. If you can't afford to take at least 4 bills to the track stay home !!!!"

     Ponder this quote for a minute.

     We at Stride LIVE believe quite the contrary. Racing needs more fans, not less. And for every heavy hitter who brings $1,000 to the races, if 50 more show up, betting their $50 and buying hot dogs and soda, which element has a better impact on racing? Here was our response:  “Respectfully, we at Stride have to disagree. Part of the allure of racing, especially during tough economic times, is that every person, no matter how deep their pockets, can be a fan. Look at the vast support of Seabiscuit and Secretariat as evidence of that. While you might need $400 or more to enjoy a day at the races, the folks who bring $50 or $75 have fun too and their contribution to racing should not be discounted.”

     Take a look at our video slideshow of the people, the racetrack and racing at Oaklawn. We welcome your opinion.

Rebel Stakes Day at Oaklawn Park from Stride LIVE on Vimeo.
It is the second biggest day of racing in Arkansas and 40,000 people showed up to celebrate great horse racing and the emergence into Spring from a brutal Winter.