if people want their races run at a mile why is nobody betting pocono? i mean that is what your comparing yonkers handle with right? could it be why handle in harness racing is down everywhere is because the industry refuses to change or is often too late change.
The comparison between Yonkers and Pocono was handle only, not the racing distance. I was merely pointing out that Yonkers, which once handled over 80K per race (not too long ago) is now barely making 40K, and sometimes doesn't make that, since going to the 1 1/16th mile races. Pocono never handled anything and never will. That product is completely useless in the eyes of the bettors. They could run 1 mile, 70 miles, 10 feet, no one would care. Yonkers, on the other hand, had a decent thing going and elected to actively ruin it. Basically the difference between malfeasance and nonfeasance. The former, to me, is never excusable.
Harness racing is a niche product and as such should be honed. A foot-fetish dominatrix should not worry about her hair at the cost of neglecting her feet. Understand your market and try to control that to near perfection, and then worry about expanding your market, but do not sacrifice the product that made your market.
