Racing Superstars Off To Fast Start In The Shed

It’s funny to hear about a stallion siring his first foal when you can remember the sire’s first race like it was yesterday. That’s how I felt today when I learned that J Be K’s first son was born. You may recall that J Be K took the Grade 2 Woody Stephens in 2008. The colt is a half brother to Grade 3 winner E Z Warrior and multiple stakes winner J Z Warrior.

J Be K isn’t the only one getting off to a good start in the shed. Undefeated Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Zarkava gave birth to a filly on Saturday, Febuary 6. Zarkava is owned by Aga Khan IV and was bred to his sire Dalakhani who won the Arc in 2003. She is going to be bred to Sea The Stars  who also Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe next. Aga Khan described the filly in the quote below.

“a lovely individual that is correct, strong, and full of quality. It was a straight-forward foaling and Zarkava has proved herself to be a good mother. The Dalakhani filly is a good size for a first foal.”

Grade 1 Suburban Handicap winner Frost Giant recently became a father. The son of Giant’s Causeway has every right to be a success at stud, and I’ll be watching his progress closely. Other sires to recently produce their first foal include Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown, Grade 1 winners Street Boss, Majestic Warrior, Circular Quay and Grade 2 winners Lewis Michael and Ready’s Image.

In other breeding news, Grade 1 winner Great Hunter will be standing in Venezuela at Haras Los Semanas after being privately purchased. Grade 1 winner Square Eddie has been retired to stud duty after several lackluster performances and an injury. I can remember watching every single one of the previously mentioned horses and I actually bet most of them at one point or another. I’m feeling old and I’m still a young man. Imagine how I will feel in 20 years!

Horse Racing lessons apply to everyday life

Horse racing is a very complex sport with various plots and subplots. It is very much like life in many ways. Horses are like people in many ways. Every horse has its own unique personality. I’ve learned a lot of things from thoroughbred racing that can be applied in real life situations. Let’s take a look at a few.

#1) Horses that break poorly are often eliminated at the start; but not always. A bad start in a horse race and a bad start in life will not prevent those with supreme determination from finding the winners circle. Whether Rags to Riches in the Belmont Stakes or projected first round pick Mardy Gilyard who was homeless at one point in his collegiate career, getting back on track is possible for those with the spirit and grit.

#2) No matter how great the odds, everyone has a shot. Mine That Bird shocked the world when he slipped up the rail to a powerful win in the Kentucky Derby. Giacomo also won the Run for the Roses at impossibly long odds. The same holds true in everyday life. Who would’ve ever thought that a black man named  Barack Obama would be President of the United States of America? Love him or hate him, the odds were a million to one.

#3) Age takes its toll on all of us. There is no avoiding father time. However, just because your old doesn’t mean you can’t do great things! Look at John Henry. The famous gelding won the Arlington Million and was Horse of the Year at the ripe old age of 9. Cloudy’s Knight was a desperately close second in the Breeders Cup Marathon last year at the age of 9. Brett Favre is having the season of his life. He won the Super Bowl when I  was in kindergarten. Who would’ve thought his next Super Bowl triumph might possibly come when I was in college? Certainly not I. While I’m sure most of us would prefer to be in our prime, it is still possible to do very great things in the latter stages of life.

#4) Sometimes making a few changes is all that is need to do your best. Many horses can’t run a lick on dirt but are lights out when you put them on the grass. Others can’t run well over long distances, but are speed demons at sprint distances. Furthermore some horses aren’t using the most optimal running style or equipment. We all remember what happened when Calvin Borel took Mine That Bird off the lead and decided to close in the Kentucky Derby. The next time you encounter trouble try and think objectively about what you can do differently to solve the problem.

#5) The people you surround yourself with are very important. Many horses have done poorly for one trainer or jockey but for some reason respond very well to another jockey or trainer. I hate to keep coming back to the same example, but this is very true for Calvin Borel and Mine That Bird.

Can you think of any lessons that horse racing has taught you which can be applied in everyday situations? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.

Bettor Friendly Tracks; where to get the most bang for your buck!

Horse bettors are presented with a million different variables on any given day. There are almost always at least 10 tracks to bet at any given moment. There are a minimum of 11 “traditional” wagers that can be made. These include Win, Place, Show, Exacta, Quinella, Trifecta, Superfecta, Daily Double, Pick 3, Pick 4, and the Pick 6. Many circumstances are beyond the bettor’s control. Tracks can come up sloppy. Turf courses can be rated good or soft. Jockeys can fall off their mount. These things are uncontrollable, but we as bettors are able to control certain variables such as takeout. Will I place my wagers at the track with 25% exacta takeout, or the one with 18.5% takeout? Will I give my business to the track that has large and competitive fields, or the track that has small fields with many favorites finding the winners circle?

There are many factors to consider when deciding which track offers the best bang for the buck. The number one factor is size and competitiveness of the fields. If favorites are winning a disproportionate amount of races it will be hard to make money. If the majority of races at a track have only 6-8 horses or even less then exotics will pay little to nothing unless a huge long shot is able to win and the favorite runs out of the money. The wagering menu is also an important factor. Dime superfectas offer great value in fields of 10 horses or more. The same can be said for the 50-cent trifecta. Rolling Pick 3’s and the Pick 4 and 6 wagers offer great value for those who are able to string together several winners in a row. Takeouts must also be taken into consideration when making your decision. Whether you realize it or not, YOU have a choice when it comes to where you will bet your hard earned money. Let’s take a look at the top five bettor friendly tracks in the United States along with some honorable mentions.

#1 Churchill Downs (Louisville, Kentucky)- It was a tough decision, but the storied Churchill Downs ranks as the most bettor friendly racetrack in the entire United States. Whether it’s the beautiful scenery behind the legendary twin spires, low takeouts, or full fields, gamblers cannot go wrong with Churchill Downs. Home to the Kentucky Derby, this track is beloved by many fans. The Run for the Roses is one of the best betting races you will find, but there is much more to Churchill Downs than just a single race. One of the things I love best about Churchill Downs is the “real dirt”. While many gamblers have no problem with synthetic tracks, I find them harder to handicap and I know a lot of people out there would agree with me. Regular dirt races are much easier to handicap, and thus easier for gamblers to make money. The second thing I love about Churchill Downs is the diversity in race types. Churchill Downs is one of the only tracks I can think of where you might see low level claimers and Grade 1 winners compete on the same day on a regular basis.

The takeouts at Churchill Downs are very reasonable. The track keeps 16% of the Win-Place-Show pools, and 19% of all exotic pools. The amount of money in the pools is among the highest in the nation due to Churchill Downs popularity and strong racing. Their wager menu is very strong. They offer 50 cent Trifectas, Pick 3’s, and Pick 4’s. They also have the very popular dime superfecta wager. These wagers shouldn’t be underestimated. They allow bettors to stretch their bankroll and offer more bang for your buck. Average field size at Churchill Downs is 8.28 according to information provided by the Horseplayers Association of North America. I also like Churchill Downs because of their very useful advanced deposit wagering service (www.twinspires.com). Wagering online is very convenient and has many benefits, but we will save that discussion for another time. Churchill Downs has set the bar for other tracks when it comes to treating the bettor well.

#2 Keeneland (Lexington, Kentucky)- While the Kentucky racing circuit certainly has problems that it needs to address, the top two tracks when it comes to wagering lie in the Bluegrass State. Keeneland is one of the premier meets in horse racing. The beautiful location combined with the highest quality of racing makes Keeneland a must visit for all horse racing fans. The feature race in the spring is the Bluegrass Stakes, which has produced countless Kentucky Derby winners. It is just one of many excellent races at Keeneland. The takeout rate of 16% for Win-Place-Show wagers and 19% on exotic wagers is very reasonable. The takeout rates in Kentucky are among the best in the entire nation. Keeneland is similar to Churchill Downs in many ways. Both have top notch racing and they share the same takeout rates. They even offer most of the same wagers. The place where they part the most is in their racing surfaces. Keeneland has Polytrack while Churchill Downs still has traditional dirt.

Many bettors often complain about the trickiness of handicapping Keeneland due to its Polytrack surface. While it can be difficult at times, it isn’t impossible to figure out. For those that are baffled by the Polytrack, Keeneland offers a complete database of information about the Polytrack. It is available for free on their website and is titled “PolyCapping”.  There is an abundance of valuable information available at www.keeneland.com, and it is all free.  Other resources available online are the Winners Book, and Clocker’s Comments. The Winners Book contains information about every horse that won in the previous meet. Some of the information included is the winning jockey, post time odds, morning line odds, and much more. Clockers Comments is one of the most valuable resources you will find anywhere. The clocker at Keeneland makes notes for every horse that works there. This information is invaluable, particularly when handicapping maiden races with first time starters. The final thing I like about Keeneland is their excellent contests. They have handicapping contests quite frequently both on site and online. I recommend any handicapper that wants a challenge to give these contests a try. Keeneland and Churchill are neck and neck for first and second. You can’t go wrong with either track. Keeneland is a credit to the entire racing industry.

#3 Oaklawn Park (Hot Springs, Arkansas)- While Keeneland and Churchill Downs clearly set the standard for doing right by the bettor, Oaklawn Park isn’t too far behind. The facilities at Oaklawn are top of the line and will put a smile on even the most well traveled track enthusiast. The feature race at Oaklawn is the Arkansas Derby. It is a great betting race and has presented us with many future great horses such as Smarty Jones, Afleet Alex, and Curlin just to name a few. Oaklawn is also home to the Apple Blossom, a Grade 1 race won by potential Horse of the Year Zenyatta in 2008. The takeout rates at Oaklawn are solid at 19% for Win-Place-Show and 21% for exotic wagers. The average field size is 9.04 according to data gathered by the Horseplayers Association of North America. This is a solid number and ranks Oaklawn in the top tier of all tracks for that statistic. The pool sizes are strong and average over $100k per race.

Oaklawn offers both the 50 cent trifecta and dime superfecta wagers. These wagers help bettors to obtain value, especially when making bets on races that have large fields. The track has benefited from increased purses thanks to an onsite casino. Increasing the purses subsequently lead to better horses racing at this track. Gamblers are able to join the Oaklawn Park Winner’s Circle Player’s Club. Members are rewarded for wagering at Oaklawn and can use the points they earn to buy things like a Daily Racing Form, food, or cash. Oaklawn has some of the finest race calling in the entire country thanks to track announcer Terry Wallace. He has delivered race calls for 36 years and hasn’t missed a single race at Oaklawn since 1975. His calls are some of the best around, and he has called 19,621 races at Oaklawn without missing a beat. While Oaklawn is a top notch track there are a few things I would like to see them improve upon. Their website is lacking and doesn’t even begin to come close to Keeneland. Other than that and a few other small details they are doing a wonderful job. There is a reason they call Oaklawn Park the Saratoga of the South; they treat the horseman and the bettor very well. Owner Charles Cella has always maintained that Oaklawn is about the horse, and he is making good on that promise.

#4 Santa Anita Park (Arcadia, California)- There is a reason that Santa Anita has hosted the last two Breeders Cup World Championships. This track is one of the finest in the entire world. Aptly named “The Great Race Place”, Santa Anita is home to the “Big Cap”, better known as the Santa Anita Handicap, and the Santa Anita Derby. Both are Grade 1 events that attract some of the finest horses in their divisions. This track has some of the best takeout ratings around. Their Win-Place-Show takeout is just 15.43%, ranking them in the top five of all tracks in North America for that category. The exotic takeout is a bit higher than some at 20.68%, but is still more than reasonable. The average field size is about average at 8.53 horses per race. Santa Anita offers the dime superfecta wager, but at this point in time does not offer 50 cent trifectas or 50 cent Pick 4’s. That is something I would like to see change in the near future.

One of my favorite reasons to bet Santa Anita is the $2 minimum Pick 6 wager. It isn’t uncommon for the wager to pay in excess of $100,000. If you are able to string together six winners in a row, you will be handsomely rewarded. The difficulty of the wager, combined with the massive amounts of money in the pool allows this to happen. The Super High 5 wager offered at Santa Anita represents another chance for a huge score. To a hit a Super High 5 the bettor must pick the first five finishers in a given race. It’s hard enough to hit a trifecta these days, so hitting the High 5 will almost always result in a huge pay day. Santa Anita’s website has Pick 6 carryover alerts for all tracks on the southern California circuit. Santa Anita is the perfect destination for the handicapper seeking the score of a lifetime.

#5 Gulfstream Park (Hallandale, Florida)- Home to the SunShine Millions, Florida Derby, and Donn Handicap, Gulfstream Park is a top notch track that bettors love. Due in large part to the excellent weather, this track has plenty of great horses to bet on when it runs from January to April. Winners of the Donn Handicap can often be found in the Dubai World Cup later in the year, and the same can be said for the Florida Derby and the Kentucky Derby. Gulfstream has excellent field size, averaging 9.07 horses per race according to the Horseplayers Association of North America. The takeouts for Win-Place-Show are acceptable at 17%. The trifecta and superfecta takeouts are too high at 25%. The Pick 6 takeout is 15%, and all other wagers are 20%.

I really like the takeout numbers for Gulfstream, minus the trifecta and superfectas. Those large numbers can really take a bite out of your payoffs. Gulfstream currently accepts the Dime Superfecta and 50 cent Pick 4 wagers. These wagers offer good value, but the excessive superfecta takeout means I’d rather play that wager at another track. The Good Luck Players Club is a nice thing for onsite bettors. It allows customers to accrue points for every wager they make, and the points can be spent on various items. Overall I was disappointed with the usefulness of their website. Keeneland clearly sets the standard in this area, and most racks have a lot of catching up to do. On the whole, Gulfstream is a good track to wager on, but it has some work to do in order to catch up to the top four.

Honorable Mentions:

Del Mar- I love this track, and I could find little wrong with it. However, I felt it was just a bit lower than Santa Anita in terms of quality. Where the turf meets the surf, Del Mar is one of the best tracks in the country and bettors can’t go wrong with this one.

Saratoga- The Spa is a great track for win bettors, but the excessive trifecta, superfecta, Pick 3 and Pick 4 takeouts caused me to leave them out of the top five. The pools always have tons of money in them, and the quality of racing is almost unparalleled. If you’re going to bet in New York, then Saratoga is the place to do so.

Hoosier Park- This track has great field size and low takeouts. However the pools are small in comparison to the big boys, and I believe in betting into larger pools. This typically results in larger payouts. Hoosier should be the top pick for anyone seeking to bet on a smaller track.

Evangeline Downs- In my experience this track is a graveyard for favorites. Evangeline often has very large fields over 10 horses and it’s never a surprise to see a huge long shot find the winners circle. If you like making win bets on horses at big odds then look no further than Evangeline Downs.

Overall it is clear that Kentucky comes out in front when it comes to giving bettors the best bang for their buck. Churchill Downs and Keeneland are far ahead of all of their competition overall. Santa Anita is clearly the place to be if you are looking for a life-changing score. Oaklawn and Gulfstream are both excellent meets that cater to players that like traditional dirt racing and excellent fields. While takeout, field size and field quality are very important I advise you to not lose sight of the reason you are wagering. I think I can speak for the majority of horseplayers when I say we bet the horses because it is something that we love dearly. Stay within your comfort zone and remember the most important rule; have fun.

*I would like to give a special thanks to HANA (Horseplayers Association of North America) for the excellent work that they do and for gathering a large portion of information about the tracks and making it available on their website. If you would like to access their track information chart that includes takeout rates and much more visit: http://www.horseplayersassociation.org/hanatrackratingsbyoverallscore.html.

Horse Racing New Year Resolutions

I find that its great to set goals. The New Year is the perfect time to do so. Here a couple that I have as a horse player for the coming year.

1. I want to start playing more trifectas. I barely bet them and I had two signers this year that were trifectas. They offer great value.

2.  Stop betting races just to bet them. Sometimes when I’m at the track I’ll get bored and go bet a race just to be betting it. This is a waste of money. If I’m not going to make a strong effort to handicap a race then I have no business wagering on it; period.

3. Wager on primarly stakes races. Thats where I do my best work. My handicapping of a graded race is ten times better than that of a 5-10 claimer. I need to stay away from those races.

4. Get a few guys together and put $100 in a Pick 6 ticket. I’ve had 5 of 6 on tickets that only cost me $10-30 several times. I’ve been really close nearly every time I’ve tried. I think if I have a decent sized budget I could take one down.

5. Visit Indiana Downs. I live within 2 hours of the track and have never been. I wouldn’t mind going for the Indiana Derby next year.

6. Go to the Kentucky Derby and Breeders Cup. I was able to make it to the ‘06 Breeders Cup and I plan on going again this year. The Kentucky Derby will be a new experience. I just hope I can actually watch the race if I’m there.

What are some of your goals for the coming year?