I\'m a wimpy weekend warrior. As such, I rarely look at weekday entries.
Wednesday, a day off, I looked at Belmont entries, thinking maybe a rare weekday
play. Not.
9 races. 6 (six) (SIX!!!) maiden races, supplemented by a 20K claimer, a 14K
claimer, and a starter allowance which drew 5 entries. Inconceivable that NYRA
has maybe 1800 horses stabled at three tracks, plus all the horses stabled at
Monmouth (which now races 2 days per week) and this is the best the racing
department can do.
I know there are some of you out there who will say \"Its a great betting card\"
or \"I love betting maidens\" or as I like to say \"You don\'t know if its a good
betting card until after the last race.\"
Stop the insanity. After I finish this broken record of a post, I am downloading
full card TGs from Laurel Park. On Wednesday I will make an excursion down to
Monmouth Park, a nice outdoor OTB facility as Michael D likes to say, maybe
stopping at Ocean View Bakery for a nice sub. Even though I haven\'t been there in
3 years,the 90 year old nonna behind the counter will remember exactly the
way I like my turkey hero.
Laurel has 9 races, bookended by a maiden claimer to kick off the proceedings and
a turf MSW as the caboose. Two 5.5 furlong turf sprints, some hard knocking
nickle claimers, a shipper with familiar running lines from Rudy Rod, and three
entrants from the Untouchable Jamie Ness (if his strike rate goes over 40%, can
we call him \"Lock Ness?\"). What more could a man ask for?
I\'m flippin ya the bird NYRA, but I will see you live and in person for what will
hopefully be an old school Super Saturday.
richiebee Wrote:
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> I know there are some of you out there who will
> say \"Its a great betting card\"
> or \"I love betting maidens\" or as I like to say
> \"You don\'t know if its a good
> betting card until after the last race.\"
>
> Stop the insanity.
All due respect, Richie, but is the money you win
betting a Grade I race any different than the money
you win from betting a bunch of heartless maidens?
I used to get hung up on the \"class\" of the animals
I was betting on until one spring Saturday years
ago, when my buddy Mike got me interested in what
he found in a God-forsaken bunch of nickel maidens
at the old Sportmans Park: a couple of giant
longshots who seemed to always run 2nd and 3rd.
The bet structure was a no-brainer: ALL in the top
slot of the trifecta, and key the longshots in the
lesser spots.
While the longshots I used took their places like
trained pigs, some Fairmount Park jockey went flying
by late and blew up the tote with a $200+ winner that
I couldn\'t have picked straight up in ten lifetimes.
I thought I died and went to heaven. I split the tri
pool with one other $1 ticket, the closest I have ever
come to a sweep.
Ever since, it\'s been \"screw class, gimme the cash\" for
me. Richie...isn\'t that why you bet, to win money?
Rick B:
I bet to win money, but betting money, winning, and winning in a big race makes it
more memorable.
Hate to do redboards that go back decades, but my 3 most memorable (though not
largest) scores would have to be Grindstone (Derby), Cat Thief (BC Classic) and
Birdstone (Belmont). Big races + Big scores = pleasant memories. I remember the near
misses on the big days also, such as Gio Ponti getting caught by whatshername in the
BC Classic and Round Pond, who I named as a solid contender in a pre BC post on this
board but somehow neglected to use in the BC F/M Classic, costing me serious shekels.
Thorographically speaking, quoting the guru, in maiden races \"the public knows more
than we do\", meaning the advantage of being able to see patterns is just not there
in Mdn races.
You mention Fairmount and Sportsmans, two venues not traditionally known for quality
racing. NYRA once had the best year round racing. Belmont\'s fall meet used to feature
(especially prior to the inception of the BC) races where championships were decided.
Wednesday\'s racing is a far cry from those days. Speaking with fellow TGenerates
over the summer, the steep decline in quality is a concern of many.
Large fields of sore poorly bred horses may equal chaos, which may yield huge
mutuels, but thats more like gambling than horseplaying to me.
richiebee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I\'m a wimpy weekend warrior. As such, I rarely
> look at weekday entries.
>
> Wednesday, a day off, I looked at Belmont entries,
> thinking maybe a rare weekday
> play. Not.
>
> 9 races. 6 (six) (SIX!!!) maiden races,
> supplemented by a 20K claimer, a 14K
> claimer, and a starter allowance which drew 5
> entries. Inconceivable that NYRA
> has maybe 1800 horses stabled at three tracks,
> plus all the horses stabled at
> Monmouth (which now races 2 days per week) and
> this is the best the racing
> department can do.
>
> I know there are some of you out there who will
> say \"Its a great betting card\"
> or \"I love betting maidens\" or as I like to say
> \"You don\'t know if its a good
> betting card until after the last race.\"
>
> Stop the insanity. After I finish this broken
> record of a post, I am downloading
> full card TGs from Laurel Park. On Wednesday I
> will make an excursion down to
> Monmouth Park, a nice outdoor OTB facility as
> Michael D likes to say, maybe
> stopping at Ocean View Bakery for a nice sub. Even
> though I haven\'t been there in
> 3 years,the 90 year old nonna behind the counter
> will remember exactly the
> way I like my turkey hero.
>
> Laurel has 9 races, bookended by a maiden claimer
> to kick off the proceedings and
> a turf MSW as the caboose. Two 5.5 furlong turf
> sprints, some hard knocking
> nickle claimers, a shipper with familiar running
> lines from Rudy Rod, and three
> entrants from the Untouchable Jamie Ness (if his
> strike rate goes over 40%, can
> we call him \"Lock Ness?\"). What more could a man
> ask for?
>
> I\'m flippin ya the bird NYRA, but I will see you
> live and in person for what will
> hopefully be an old school Super Saturday.
Plan to be in attendance, barring a monsoon. Anyone else going?
richiebee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Speaking with fellow TGenerates over the summer,
> the steep decline in quality is a concern of many.
OK, it\'s becoming clearer to me. No offense, but maybe
you and some of the other NY guys are a little spoiled,
that\'s all.
Sounds to me like your local racing product is merely
\"backing up to the field\". It\'s not fatal, believe it
or not. Annoying? No doubt.
> Large fields of sore poorly bred horses may equal
> chaos, which may yield huge mutuels, but thats more
> like gambling than horseplaying to me.
Ha! Welcome to my local racing...and that of plenty of
other horseplayers around the country.
Thank goodness for simulcasting, I guess.
I, for one, like classy racing and this coming Saturday at Santa Anita is the epitome of classy racing with five Grade 1 races on Breeders Cup Preview weekend. I\'ll be there in the clubhouse, ready to take some swings on what looks like a great day of So Cal racing on real dirt. Can\'t wait.
If I had gone to temple I would not atone for betting on horses. [Of course I have nothing else to atone for]
But should we MOTs and others atone for facing such difficult odds to win?? 20 to 25% takeout?? If God were a bookie he would be chuckling benevolently and stuffing his robe with dollars. Even after rebates.
The randomness of life gets us. The right seat at a bar?? But we keep using our brains trying to win or to lose a little. What else gives us such pleasure and excitement?? Not paying for a seat at temple. Sorry.
I like overlays. Give me value in any kind of field and I\'ll take it.
Worshipped at Temple Monmouth (simulcast). Plenty of free seating, couldn\'t find a rabbi.
Very confusing time of year for me. Still writing \"5772\" on all my checks.
Had to comment given my message board user name. Some very attractive races today to watch interspersed with Ryder Cup. That includes a JCGC with Ruler On Ice to finally come through and some Santa Anita plays:
Race 6 - why not Butterfly Soul
Race 7 - Carving in his first route
Race 9 - a Stormy Lucy and Nereid exacta