Horse Racing

[WriteThinking]

Horse racing is not a short straw.

For someone who takes an interest, and gains an understanding of the sport, I'd consider it truly one of the best beats to have. Enough work to be as regular, and as great, as you want it to be, yet not so much that you'd necessarily get run into the ground.

I've done some work on horse racing, absolutely loved it, and always wished I could have had it as my regular beat. I'd have been all over it.

As it was, I only covered it occasionally, but that was all I needed to get loads of ideas, both for features, and real news and enterprise/project work.

Really, a perfect, wonderfully interesting beat that I, personally, don't think papers take enough interest in, considering all the stories that are there, all the money involved and all the gambling interest there is at the tracks and via satellites.

 

[doctorx]

If you can find him, he's a great quote.

Wilbur or Ed?

 

[Rumpleforeskin]

If you can find him, he's a great quote.

Wilbur or Ed?

Sarah Jessica Parker Ed.

 

[HanSenSE]

If you can find him, he's a great quote.

Wilbur or Ed?

Sarah Jessica Parker Ed.

I've heard they're only talking to the Post.

 

[Birdscribe]

The track flack should be an incredible font of story ideas for you. He pretty much sees all and knows all, particularly the good stories and good characters in the stables. And you can trust his judgment because his job is to get you out to the track; once you're there, he has succeeded. You'll find he's interested in a good yarn as much as you are. He'll steer you in the right direction(s) until you settle in and get to know the key trainers, jockeys (or drivers) and owners over time. I'll be shocked if he doesn't prove to be an enormous resource for you in the meantime.

As usual, Pete is dead-on nails here.

We handle PR for one of the big SoCal tracks and there are stories aplenty. One of the coolest ones we pitch is one anybody on this board would run to cover: an annual, fund-raising basketball game between the jockeys and a local MIDDLE SCHOOL basketball team.

The most pedestrian writer on the planet could write a good story here.

Also, are you near a place where they auction horses? Like Elliotte said earlier, this is a great source for stories. I got a great column out of a big regional auction they had at the LA County Fairgrounds merely by befriending and following around one of the "scouts" wealthy owners hire to find them their next thoroughbred. It was fascinating to follow him around for a day.

 

[Boom_70]

Our shop is going to cover the Opening Day of horse racing at the local track and I drew the short straw on that. I've been to a few tracks as a gambler but never as a journalist. What are things that you, who cover horse racing routinely, look for on opening day for stories?
Any insight would be appreciated.

Damon Runyon is spinning in his grave.

 

[Ben_Hecht]

Our shop is going to cover the Opening Day of horse racing at the local track and I drew the short straw on that. I've been to a few tracks as a gambler but never as a journalist. What are things that you, who cover horse racing routinely, look for on opening day for stories?
Any insight would be appreciated.

Damon Runyon is spinning in his grave.

You can smell the smoke from the spinning of the two Joes -- Hirsch and Palmer.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

You guys, lighten up. This poster doesn't know anything about horse racing, probably because of age. He/she probably doesn't remember life before cable TV, either. Asking questions to learn things is always a good place for a reporter to start.

 

[Oggiedoggie]

Another idea is that, whenever you encounter a jockey who happens to have the same name as some better-known sports icon, you can ask him questions about the icon's sport and just sort of wink at the fact that he's an entirely different, largely-unknown person.