Monday Morning Message with Jason Beem for Feb. 24, 2025

Jason looks back at getting to bring a friend to the races this weekend for the first time and their experience of it. 

A good Monday morning to you all! The Rebel S. (G2) came to us 24 hours after intended, but it sure did live up to the anticipation as the story of Coal Battle continues as he won nicely. He’s now gone over a $1 million in career earnings and has enough points to get into the Kentucky Derby (G1). Good news is it sounds like they’re planning to run him back in the Arkansas Derby (G1) in a few weeks, so we’ll get to see him one more time before Louisville. 

It’s become one of the best stories of this year’s Kentucky Derby trail, a relatively low-key trainer and jockey teaming up to continue to win bigger and bigger races. I mean purse-wise, it doesn’t get much bigger than the Rebel S. on the way to the Kentucky Derby. The horse seems to be versatile and has a few gears when he needs them. The move he made at the quarter pole was decisive, and then he won a stretch battle against a Bob Baffert-trained horse ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. Crazy! 

One cool thing that I got to experience this weekend was a good friend of mine and their daughter coming out to the races. Neither had ever been to a track before and they both seemed to have a great time. Because I work in racing, it’s so rare that I actually get to bring someone out and spend time with them on their first day at the track. Granted I only got to see them for a bit between races, but it was so much fun to see the excitement in her daughter’s face seeing the horses and the experience of the track. 

What was even more fun was that she had a million questions about the races. How fast do they go? How much do jockeys weigh? Do you always talk so fast? It was really fun to hear her perspective and questions on what she as a kid (she’s probably 12?) thought and was wondering about this experience she was taking in. 

I’ve said a lot in my time in horse racing that almost every time I’ve brought someone to the track for the first time, they seem to enjoy it. Now maybe they’re just being polite because I work in the industry, but they do seem to generally have a good time. I mean, going to the track is supposed to be fun. 

But so often, they never or rarely ever come back. I know there are a million reasons why that could be, but as someone who wants to grow the game and create regular fans, it’s tough to watch that pattern play out. I know very little about marketing, but it’s always seemed to me that part of marketing is to create awareness and just let people know you exist. The other part is to actually get them to want to come out. Maybe getting them to come back a second or third time isn’t marketing so much as it is making sure they have a good experience that first time.  

I try and think about the businesses and hobbies I partake in that require me to get out of the house. In the last few years, a big one has been minor league baseball here in Florida. Part of it is that I love baseball, and part of it is that it’s very enjoyable and super affordable. A ticket is just $8 or $10 depending on the stadium, and there are games almost every night. I think right now cost is driving what a lot of people do or don’t do. 

Just kind of thinking out loud here but also reveling in the joy of seeing someone enjoy their first day out at the races and the spectacle of it. 

Everyone have a great week!