Good luck to all of you that qualified. I gave it my best effort, but it was not to be this year. I\'ll be at the Orleans though, hope to see many TG players there.
Dennis
Bill Spillane will be out there, more on this in the days to come.
There\'s one more satellite left -- the \"Last Chance\" qualifier at the Red Rock on Wed. Jan. 21
Five seats to the big dance available. I\'ve got to give it a shot.
It looks like tracknet is going to be pulling the CD/Magna tracks from Vegas, should make for an interesting tourney. Anyone have any tips on Philly Park?
Did Mall make it?
Four years running now isn\'t it?
The number of entries at the Last Chance Contest has probably had as big a high/low variation as any qualifier. Given everything that\'s going on, logic would seem to dictate that the number will be down significantly this year, which could result in a very favorable ratio of spots to entries for those who do decide to make the trip.
If you\'re so inclined, you might want to take a look at a brand new contest---the first 2009 qualifier---which is scheduled to take place at the Red Rock on the Sunday after the NHC. Details on the NTRA site, but from memory I think it\'s a so-called \"Shootout\" consisting of four mandatory and four optional races for a total of only 8 races, all from East Coast tracks, with a modest $100 entry fee. Two NHC spots are up for grabs.
It will be good to see Bill again, but it won\'t be so good for either of us if the only races we\'re discussing are from Philly and Haw because the casinos and TrackNet weren\'t able to reach a signal agreement by tomorrow\'s deadline.
I don\'t want to sound too cynical, but at times like these it sure seems like it\'s getting harder and harder to avoid the conclusion that there\'s just never going to be any light at the end of the tunnel in this industry.
Five in a row actually, which I admit to being proud of, but there\'s a very nice profile of Trey Stiles, who\'s made it seven years in a row, the record for consecutive appearances, on the B-H site. And if that record is not enough to tame my ego, all I need to do is take another look at this year\'s final NHC Tour Leaderboard.
I\'m thinking GP in March this year, details to follow, assuming of course that my wife\'s golf schedule cooperates.
Five in a row actually
But who is counting right......lol
If you hit GP in March and do not look me up then I will start rooting aginst the #1 team in college BB to spite you.
Mall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It will be good to see Bill again, but it won\'t be
> so good for either of us if the only races we\'re
> discussing are from Philly and Haw because the
> casinos and TrackNet weren\'t able to reach a
> signal agreement by tomorrow\'s deadline.
Hawthorne\'s last live card for the winter meet is Jan. 11
How ironic would that be, if Philly goes from being banned from LV race books years ago, to being the lone track running during a major handicapping contest?
It will never happen, I know, but it\'s a deft segue into what I\'ve always wondered about which would be the \"Last Track Standing\", should industry consolidation go to far and we were left with only one track. Previously, I always seemed to come up with Churchill.
I have a new vision now: in the end, it will indeed be Philly Park. And the cockroaches.
Are there any more qualifiers for the Coast Casinos tournament Feb 19-21? I finished 29th of 545 in the BQVE last weekend and needed 25th to go :(
I cut this off the Orleans / Coast Casinos web site.
http://www.orleanscasino.com/gaming/race-and-sports-book/horse-player-world-series
Jan. 10 PENN NATIONAL Christopher McErlean 717-469-3313
Jan. 17 HARRINGTON RACEWAY Diana Harrison 302-398-5914
Jan. 17 HORSEMEN'S PARK Greg Hosch 402-731-2900
Jan. 17 CANTERBURY PARK Jeff Maday jmaday@canterburypark.com
In case there is any confusion at all about the HPWS: you are able to buy in for $1000, and skip the qualifiers.
Officially, there are no partners on entries in this contest, but numerous guys have handshake deals with other players for part of their entries -- sniff around and you will find takers if you want to lay off some of that steep entry fee.
Having one or more partners can get a little tricky, tax-wise, if you hit big, but that\'s not the world\'s worst problem to have.
From the NHC qualifiers website.
\"There appears to be some speculation about the possibility of the canceling the NHC if Tracknet race signals are not available in Las Vegas. We wanted to let you know that the NHC will not be cancelled.\"
Seems like they have 2 options if this isn\'t resolved. Play the normal tracks, possibly without video, as it sounds like tracknet is going to play hardball with the feed and HTR. Or take the tracknet tracks off the slate and put in Philly/Turfway?/Sunland?/Portland?/Turf Paradise?.
I\'m sure the Red Rock book management isn\'t crazy about the idea of booking bets with a house full of people who know what they are doing...
I just received a call from Sin City with what I interpreted as the \"official\"--as in you should be reading about it tomorrow-- word that while TrackNet and the casinos did not work out an overall deal by today\'s deadline, Tracknet was willing to agree to an extension until Jan 25, which covers both the NHC and the Shootout scheduled to take place at the Red Rock on Sunday.
Hopefully, a final agreement will be in place long before the HPWS in mid-February.
You are correct - below is the article that The Blookhorse had up on Wed night regarding the Tracknet Media extension for Las Vegas...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TrackNet, Casinos Agree to Extension
by Ryan Conley
Date Posted: 1/7/2009 7:54:16 PM
Last Updated: 1/7/2009 8:53:53 PM
Photo: CDI
TrackNet Media Group has granted an extension of its racing signals to Nevada casinos following a meeting held in Las Vegas Jan. 7.
Scott Daruty, president and chief executive officer of TrackNet, said enough progress was made in meetings with the Nevada Pari-Mutuel Association to warrant an extension until Jan. 25.
"We believe we made enough progress to keep the signals on while we finalize a deal that everyone will be happy with," Daruty said. "We made progress on both philosophical issues and economic issues. I think both sides have a better idea where the other is."
Daruty recently said TrackNet was considering cutting off its racing content to more than 80 casinos after months of negotiations failed to bring desired results. On the table from TrackNet were requests for higher fees from casinos, as well as other issues, including how handle is reported to the content company.
"We took it very seriously and they took it very seriously," Daruty said. "Both sides are willing to make a move. And we are optimistic something can be worked out."
Patty Jones, the executive director of the Nevada Pari-Mutuel Association, said in an e-mail that both parties agreed to extend the current agreements in the interest of Nevada horseplayers.
"Both sides came away with a better understanding of the other side's position," she wrote. "We will continue negotiating over the next few weeks."
The extension will carry the signals through the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship, which is scheduled to take place on Jan. 23-24 at Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas. Rumors were circulating that the 10th annual contest would be postponed or canceled, although National Thoroughbred Racing Association officials said it would have gone on regardless.
TrackNet is a joint content venture of Churchill Downs Inc. and Magna Entertainment Corp. Current signals that could potentially be pulled from Nevada include Golden Gate Fields, Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita Park, which are owned by MEC, and Fair Grounds, which is owned by CDI.
Copyright © 2009 The Blood-Horse, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Mall
Have to say congrats to you for making it 5 years in a row. I know how difficult the challenge is, and how competitive the people you are competing against are.
Although we have gone our separate ways, and no longer are partners in the contests, I wish you nothing but the best of luck at the Championship in Vegas next week. Would be good to see someone who is not part of a big conglomerate of players, win this thing. I know it\'s truly not the money you\'re after (although it won\'t hurt) but the chance to say \"I am the King of the World\" a la Dicaprio in Titanic.
Stay focused this year and win the damn thing. If not you then Henry (Dehere).
If not, I\'ll be back to \"try\" to kick your ass next year.
NC Tony
Any word on availability of product at the NHC? thanks, michael
If you qualified you should be getting an email about that. If not, call us.
I qualified. I have not gotten email...from NHC/DRF or Thorograph?
From us. Don\'t know if Paul sent it out yet, but if you don\'t get anything by the weekend let us know.
Has there ever been any word on the contest moving east one year? That three hour time difference kills you at night when you are trying to handicap.