Whatever happened to that guy Miff - One of the sharpest guys on the board? Board not the same without him.
I believe he left when Sighthound left. Agreed on it being a big loss....
You must be thinking of a different board. The Miff on this board was as dumb as a post....... :)
I thought he was quite knowledgeable. I miss him also
He is. It was a joke. He is a friend of mine.
So there\'s no confusion, I did not throw him off, I invited him back, and he still emails me sometimes. His old school Italian chivalrous streak kicked in when I tossed Sight and he\'s a stubborn guy, but hopefully he will reconsider.
Miff, look at it this way. It has to be more fun to be a pain in my butt in public than privately.
I think everyone on the board misses the NYRA insider perspective that was provided
by my fellow Staten Islander...
I too wish Miff would reconsider. I so appreciated his insights and contributions.
I would also love to see Sight return. Her perspective on racing, handicapping and drug use and misuse were insightful. JB I\'ve heard your explanation as to why she was banned but think your decision was ill advised and prevented many of us from hearing the other side of the story. But it is your bat and ball.
She was given a lot of chances to present her side of the story and she won\'t be back.
Silly to keep going over the same philosophical differences.Since NYRA was mentioned some news(old to some)
1. Trakus comes to NYRA soon and a .50 cent pick five( pick 5 taking FOREVER due to Albany BS)
2. A synthetic surface is getting a serious look, and while considered dead while Charlie Hayward was there, not the case now.
3. Substantial differences of opinion exist within NYRA as to transparency towards enlightening players on a range of issues, vet records, medical procedures, stuck/hustled entries etc.A few NYRA officials,esp one, diabolically opposed to that along with certain trainers and some Albany regulators feeling a can of worms will be opened that could adversely affect handle.
4. New improved NYRA rewards betting platform soon.
5. New software re late odds changes close.
6. Disconnect between NYRA, current Board, Franchise Oversight Board,Gaming Commission a cluster f..k!!
7. Cuomo story changing every day re future of purse subsidies when full blown casinos open in NY State. Large players with big money invested in racing and breeding stock most concerned at mixed signals from Pisano Cuomo.
8. New CEO Chris Kay closest thing to a corporate exec ever to head up NYRA, monsterous bureacratic set up in his way.
9. Disgraceful Belmont backside being fixed.
The very important player issues discussed here, takeout, drugs,overall transparency just not being supported in a meaningful way,it seems that we players are a necessary evil.Bet your money and shut up!
Welcome back, nice to see you still don\'t have any opinions.
Poem for Miff
Miff hailed from the island of Staten,
Cross the bay from the one called Manhattan,
Scourge of empty suits without clues,
And loons seeking safer horseshoes,
He\'s now back in the chair he once sat in
I kept waiting for Nantucket.
\"Welcome back, nice to see you still don\'t have any opinion\"
...those were just things.Here\'s an opinion: Game On Dude ran a Beyer of 114 and Kettle Corn 112(like TG neg -4 and TG neg-1)...absurd!!!
Too fast or too slow? (Haven\'t done it yet).
I think she did present her side, though it was diametrically opposed to
Yours.
You say the numbers, jump ups are unexplainable it has to be drugs
She says I don\'t see drugs on the backside maybe there are other reasons for the jump ups. I still think we should hear her side. Ok I\'m done no more politicking for sight
But great to see miff back
Fast....problem, only one route and at the tough distance of 1 1/4 miles.
Track was kinda tight for all sprints and doubt it changed speed for the one route, run in 2.01.88, hardly smoking considering track speed.
Aside from the first two,the field imploded and the first two separated some 7+ lengths. Unless Beyer suddenly considered the 127 lbs carried by GOD in the 114(very doubtful), the first two horses figs are tough to reconcile on that day.Weight will help the TG/RAGS fig but doubtful the figs come up as fast, ground was not a big issue with either of the first two.
Would be wrong not to thank the always positive and relevant High Roller for his
role in bringing Senor Miff back into the fold...
Give the devil his due.....;)
Please don't let a synthetic surface come to NY. I think the biggest benefit of synthetic tracks is that it puts alot of money into a very few pockets, and I am sure favors are given in return. Michael Dickinson who came up with the first such surface was genius beyond any out there now peddling the stuff.
Results from studies can be manipulated to get the results you want. You start by manipulating the parameters of the study. Ok so there may be less fron end injuries, but what else is more common instead? I can see training on it as a fallback in poor weather, but to race on, well, the bad things I have heard don't seem to get written about or formally addressed in a study. The bad smell (the fumes you and the horses breath), the skin issues it causes for some horses, the increase in hind end injuries, and the greater damage jocks sustain when landing on it as opposed to landing on dirt, just to start for example.
I have never spent time around a synthetic track and I never will. I will never ever bet one either. But lucky me, I am primarily a turf bettor anyway. It's all back door politics. I knew someone would be blowing sunshine up Cuomo's you-know-what about it the second the state muscled control of NYRA. And they will sweeten his pot to do it.
Please, don't let Belmont go synthetic. It won't be the Triple Crown if it does. It will be a new animal, so to speak.
Racing on a blend of chopped up fibers and petroleum products is just not real.
Chris Kay seems like a down to earth guy for such a high power exec. What I do know is that he oversaw the ToysRUs buyout to an international firm and got paid 1.4million USD for it. The CEO got 65Million USD. Why? Hah! He also is a big time realestate/development lawyer. Yes, he was just head of the Land Trust, a good thing. But what exatly is his purpose here regarding the future of NYRA and specifically Aqueduct? Sounds like Cuomo has an agenda and Kay is his point man to get it done. Maybe a nice guy, but he is in league with the devil now. They have a sheep costume all ready for him, I fear.
Here is my prediction - Aqueduct gets closed, the racino becomes a full blown casino complex, and they put a synthetic surface on the training track at Belmont and viola! All problems solved...sure. Cuomo doesn't care about horseracing and he never has. When did he ever place a bet or go to a track? Or Chris Kay for that matter?
Call me cynical if you like. I embrace the skeptic label.
Some of your information is positive and those changes I welcome. Thank you for this post. A bit of light is always welcome. Please continue to participate.
\"2. A synthetic surface is getting a serious look, and while considered dead while Charlie Hayward was there, not the case now\"
It was never suggested that all the surfaces would become synth.Enormous pressure from Cuomo\'s politically appointed stooges re the public relations problem due to the unacceptable number of breakdowns during winter racing at Aqueduct.There are more committees dealing with horse safety,very important, than with all other important issues.
Re synth, it was probably never even considered how the gamblers would respond to the rug....bet your money and shut up!
Do you think the synthetic surface will change the breakdown rate? I thought they had come to the conclusion that $14k claimers were running for 50-60k had more to do with it. Like I said, data can be manipulated to say whatever the powers that be want.
As far as shutting up goes, that would be contrary to the spirit and purpose of a public forum. Where else does anybody hear the nobodies.
Don\'t be so cynical.
There is strong data which shows breakdowns are less frequent on synths vs dirt.The over racing, purses are an aside, as are other injuries which crop up on synths vs dirt.
\"Bet your money and shut up\" is what \'they\' say, not me.
Where is there a public forum to explain to the Stewards of NY Racing the error of their ways? Only recently have they somewhat acknowledged the existence of players.
Miff, I sincerely apologize.
Indeed, I started to say something about the lack of a public forum within the realm of NYRA. You are exactly right, it is sorely lacking. I hope that will change. I hope they take us seriously and don\'t just go through the motions and pay us lip service. For that to happen we, the bettors, need strong advocates within NYRA. Cuomo doesn\'t care. And it is not Kay\'s job to care.
And, I do understand there is strong data to support synthetic over dirt regarding breakdown frequency. I am saying there is a trade off somewhere. And there could well be a significant enough percentage of those breakdowns that have other mitigating factors not accounted for in such studies. The results of any scientific experiment or study is always presaged in the given parameters, I personally think synthetic surfaces have their highest and best use as an all-weather training track.
Your post is great food for thought. Please, do keep posting. Inclusion makes for strength not weakness. Thanks again.
I think her position was, in part, some people\'s names are being thrown around as cheaters that are not. One of these names (now that Triple Crown season is over we can discuss this type stuff as was posted once on Belmont Day) tends to be a polarizing figure in the sport. She also thought all the Cali/Baffert deaths are part of the game as it exists which was bizaare beyond belief when the facts in the articles she referred us to stated things she wouldn\'t admit.
And Ithink that was the ultimate issue: she refused to acknowledge ANY factual issues against her views. It was blatant, her lack of respect for the opposing factual information--not even the speed figures withstanding. As any good attorney can probably tell you, certain facts can be \"agreed upon and stipulated to\" and others aren\'t and opposing views of the law are certainly a part of most controversies. She refused to acknowledge ANY facts, issues, etc other than \"good husbandry accounts for horses performing better....\"
Not meant to get miff miffed....but glad to hear his NYRA thoughts, speed figure beefs, and see his return to the board.
catcapper Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------
>
> I have never spent time around a synthetic track
> and I never will. I will never ever bet one
> either. But lucky me, I am primarily a turf bettor
> anyway.
There are great betting opportunities on all surfaces, synthetics included. I love me some turf racing as much as anybody, but Hollywood/Arlington/Woodbine, etc... can yield some tremendous prices that are very gettable.
TGJB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I kept waiting for Nantucket.
Nantucket is doing great. He got his vaccinations today, and is doing well for a 14yo.
Beautiful Piece of Work!
Miff,
Just to keep your Italian right, when you say \"from Pisano Cuomo,\" you are saying \"Cuomo, from the city of Pisa.\"
I\'m guessing you meant to say \"from paesano Cuomo,\" i.e., \"countryman\" Cuomo, or \"fellow Italian-American\" Cuomo.
Non volevo offenderti.
Mike
Mike,
Thanks, what did you expect from a 2nd generation 3/4 Sicilian raised in Williamsburg Brooklyn, proper Italian? :)
Paesano Cuomo should worry anyone financially involved in NY racing as well as us card carrying racing degenerates.
Odds that he shows up at the SPA on Travers Day? Anyone?
Mike
miff Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Mike,
>
> Thanks, what did you expect from a 2nd generation
> 3/4 Sicilian raised in Williamsburg Brooklyn,
> proper Italian? :)
>
> Paesano Cuomo should worry anyone financially
> involved in NY racing as well as us card carrying
> racing degenerates.
>
> Odds that he shows up at the SPA on Travers Day?
> Anyone?
>
> Mike
How about the odds on two current candidates being there:
Elliot \"the Love Gov\" Spitzer and Anthony \"A-Wad\" Weiner?
They will be joining Silver Charm in promoting Saratoga County\'s Chamber of
Commerce campaign for 2013 -- \"Get a Room!\"
richiebee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> How about the odds on two current candidates being
> there:
>
> Elliot \"the Love Gov\" Spitzer and Anthony \"A-Wad\"
> Weiner?
>
> They will be joining Silver Charm in promoting
> Saratoga County\'s Chamber of
> Commerce campaign for 2013 -- \"Get a Room!\"
Mark Sanford just got elected to Congress, four years after his stroll down the Appalachian Trail. No politician has the rock star appeal of Bill Clinton. Wrap yourself in the flag, and talk about mom, apple pie, and getting some on the side. Appears to be the easiest way in the world to rehabilitate a political career.
Please start another string, as Jerry is required to pay me for each Miff post.
Board on Fire - Since the Great Miff Returns!
You guys left out Vitter, who is far worse than the others.
P-Dub Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> There are great betting opportunities on all
> surfaces, synthetics included. I love me some
> turf racing as much as anybody, but
> Hollywood/Arlington/Woodbine, etc... can yield
> some tremendous prices that are very gettable.
P, what you say is tempting and very fair as usual.
I guess I am a purist at best and a pointy stickler at worst. But I am never so hardcore or close-minded that I can't be persuaded.
I have watched races on synthetic. The horses, to me, just look different running. I don't think they stride out the same. I didn't enjoy it at all. (And where is mjellish?!? He has a great eye. I would love to hear what he thinks about synthetics.)
I admire those who can watch multiple tracks and surfaces. I would have to change my whole methodology to do that and it would take more time than I now have. And it would require significant additional pre-race investment. Given my personal methodology for handicapping, I can barely make the time to study 3 or 4 races a day. I can spend an hour or more handicapping one race, horse by horse. With turf, I can at least study a race and figure out who will be around in the end. I stick to 1M to 1 1/8M for the most part. The bigger the field the better. I prefer 1 1/6 to 1 1/18. If I look at 3 or 4 races a day, if they are available at my tracks, I may only feel good about 1 or 2. So my opportunities are very self-limited. Too many strange things happen on dirt, and I am not a 6f 'capper for the most part. I follow a certain circuit, Belmont in spring and fall, Gulfstream in the winter. By concentrating on one circuit, I get to know a lot about the trainers and jocks and those nuances pay off. Hence, Saratoga is so tough for me because there are so many trainers and jocks from all over coming to that meet. But it is a must-watch meet. This year I watched Churchill in the spring. Had really good success there.
So far, I just don't believe that synthetics are as much the answer as they are promoted to be. There are other trade-offs that don't get equal and fair attention. And synthetic surfaces are very easy to manipulate for speed or no speed, good lanes, bad. I would think being the manager of a track crew with a synthetic surface is more nerve racking than that of a dirt one. I say that because a synthetic track must stay consistent to prove its worthiness. And yes, I know, dirt can be manipulated too, but synthetics more easily - from what I understand- and I acknowledge I am no expert but neither do I have a vested interest.
But, if anything these days could persuade me to bet synthetics, it would be this weather!! Massive green blobs everyday moving up the east coast...sigh. This darn weather is beating me more than anything. Hmmm....
As always, thanks P.
(Sorry Miff, but I hope JB is paying you by the word!)
TGJB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You guys left out Vitter, who is far worse than
> the others.
It\'s Louisiana. I assume it to be a prerequisite.
catcapper Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
Saratoga is so tough
> for me because there are so many trainers and
> jocks from all over coming to that meet. But it is
> a must-watch meet.
Anybody else have this problem with Saratoga because I do, I love to go there and watch all the talent running there but I don\'t think in the decades I have played the place that I came out ahead over a meet. Every race has a bunch of horses that can win and I\'m a multi-race wager guy so it can get expensive quick and you know i\'m going to drop the wrong \"A\" horse to make the cost fit my pocket..Anybody have tips for betting Saratoga?... I know P-Dub, there are a lot of other races out there to play...and that has been the approach I have taken but I really would like to figure out what i\'m doing wrong..
BTW, Welcome back Miff..The board needs your handicapping knowledge and back door politics knowledge of racing
Lost,
Forgive the pun but it\'s very easy to get lost in this meet. Everyone wants to run up here and everyone wants to win up here; throw in the number of 2 year old races as well as turf races that you\'re never sure if they will stay on or off due to afternoon thunderstorms.
This will be my 40th consecutive meet, my Grandfather took me to see the great Secretariat get beat in the 1973 Whitney by Onion for my first visit as an almost 15 year old wide eyed kid. I was hooked; my Grandfather had seats every Wednesday and Saturday for 60 years for the then 24 day meet.I\'ve had many 24 for 24 years in daily attendance and normally since the expansion I\'m somewhere in the 30\'s out of the 40 days.
Turning a profit at this meet is an obsession with me and many years the ROI equates to a less then minimum wage job if you count the hours of capping and the daily expenses of attending live. T-graph book and DRF as well as a pocket program,(yes cat I to love to mark up my form and book old school style) parking, clubhouse admission, lunch at the Carolina BBQ and buying Richiebee\'s drinks makes me start the meet a minimum of 3 grand in the hole.I keep meticulous records of my wagers and expenses as I feel all daily players should; it can be a reality check big time for sure!!! Not to mention when you go into an IRS audit you had better be prepared to blow them away with more than a bag of losing tickets.
Jerry and Alan both constantly talk about trainer intent at this meet every Saturday & Sunday. Here on a daily basis you also have to deal with owner intent as well. Everyone wants to run on the weekends to get clubhouse seats for the big days; local ownership interests especially.
If you get a tip from a bartender, mens room attendant or from more than 2 people, TOSS IT. In my days as a daily AM fixture on the Oklahoma track and the back stretch I would routinely get touted by 3 & 4 outfits in the same race. They were all betting their money and all were sure they had the best horse in the race. I do all my work the night before and early mornings and will only tweak my wagers during the day via post parade appearances, odds or weather factors. There are way too many distractions in the social atmosphere up here; particularly the fillies!
The 2 year old races which almost always encompass 3 of the 8 races on the daily pick 4 menu have become increasingly difficult mainly due to the plethora of Pletcher 3 and 4 to 5 shots that are almost always live. You are really forced to spread in these races if you want to find any pick 3 or 4 value. I\'ve found that the T-graph data on the dams side of the breeding has been especially helpful in finding a price horse and yes with any firster you are guessing.
Another big factor up here is the \"OUCHIE\" off the layoff with the back number; what to do with him or her? I blindly invoke the Covello rule of never letting the fastest horse in the race beat you in a horizontal wager, throw it onto your ticket.
Shippers are everywhere every day; a lot of the old timers used to say give\'em a race over the track and bet them 2nd out. Where do they come from and why are they here? Intent again, it\'s expensive to ship up here and stay up here. For whatever reason shippers from various locations seem to be hot and cold from year to year for no particular rhyme or reason. Some years the Kentucky outfits kill them others they are ice cold. I pay particular attention to Woodbine, Maryland, Suffolk and Finger Lakes horses. Although it was a much better angle when the bottom claiming price at this meet was 25k and Richie\'s favorite PJ Campo wasn\'t writing soooooo many NY bred turf sprints. It used to be a huge step up in class for these horses; today sometimes they are actually dropping if you read the condition closely.
It\'s a tough meet for sure but it does get my blood flowing and believe it or not; I can be a tad bit emotional and irrational about my Spa days. TGJB was ready to call 911 on me a couple of times last year, particularly when Jackson Bend did not run 2nd to Pacific Ocean on opening day last year!!!!!
7 days and a wake up to opening day and let\'s hope for a break in the weather.
I look forward to seeing all the weekend warriors in what has turned into a cult like atmosphere every Saturday & Sunday at the seminars or are they handicapping discussions? I get confused!!!!
Good luck,
Frank D.
A look at the SPA from an \"old\" Kool Aid drinkers perspective!
1.NYRA hell bent on perception so there will probably be extra security and targeted trainers for scrutiny. This may or may not be \"announced\" Downstate attempt at catching Jacobson bombed but feel he shot his load and will have it tough up there with his weakish over raced stock.
2.TAP and Chad Brown pointed for this meet and both loaded.Castellano, Rosario sitting on tons and probably live with everything.Edgar Prado has some nice business lined up and bears watching as he does not get bet.Anna Rose will get huge support and be overbet, can really ride though and will be live.Owner Ramsey brings a load of horses but this ain\'t CD or winter Gulf. Interested to see if this outfit dominates,thinking not.
3.Condition book for early days loaded with turf sprints.Monster purses being given away at this meet with new outfits showing up.
4. Watch for horses with recent dark form that previously ran well at the SPA, sure to be a few that hit as bombs.Simple look at TG figs from last SPA meet a must.
5. Forever and always outside post at 1 1/8 mile poison unless a horse has high speed to avoid wide turn,very short run to first turn.Inside positional speed and inside out trip huge edge that distance.
6. Must haves:Mike Welch new SPA work reports(no longer free) and access to Maggie\'s comments on body language and overall appearance. NYRA too dumb to expand her pre race air time and cut down redundant analysis.
7.Mutual pools huge,esp on weekends,loads of soft money,like mine,in there.SPA meet worth an extra swing!
Good luck to all and be kind to the old guy cursing and mumbling in the back yard, that\'s me.
Great post Miff. Regarding Ramsey, I agree that his success rate here will not match that in Kentucky. Heard much of his success there was due to his horses being on his nearby farm where he has his own hyperbaric oxygen facility and a shockwave machine(which is not allowed on track).
Miff-- Whoa, slow down. Welsch is doing daily workout reports for Saratoga?
The single biggest and most interesting question is Ramsey, I\'ll be watching not just for whether they win but whether they run tops. And I\'ll be looking at Maker\'s runners for other owners by the same ctriteria.
Given how Ramsey ran his mouth trash talking Repole he seems to think they\'re going to be firing.
Drbill
NYRA is trying to control the use of such equipment,but many farms have Hy-chambers, ESW therapies. Awful lot of people think it\'s very helpful to quicker recovery by horses.
Suggestions that pre race disclosure of the use of such things on a long list of greater transparency info for the players. Probably will be ignored by the neantherthals running the game.
Mike
JB,
Welch report for SPA meet like $39, I heard. Check DRF site, surprised this is not being advertised more,unless I heard wrong
Mike
Great post Frank...everything you said is why I seem to have problems with the meet..the only thing I am positive ROI on is throwing the outside post horses in routes as Miff pointed out..
I\'ll just try to pick my spots but it\'s hard when all that pool money is in the P4\'s
Good to know i\'m not the only one..
I have a problem there as well.
I started keeping records in 1994; between \'94 and \'07 I had 9 winning Saratoga seasons including a run from \'03 through \'07.
Haven\'t had a winning season since. A few guesses why, which may or may not apply to others:
- Could be this is about the time (since \'07) when the overall racing quality began its serious, steady decline. During my good run at the Spa the bulk of my success came in quality turf allowance and stakes routes. With more and more cheap grass races (and more and more grass sprints), maybe I don\'t have the number of opportunities I once did. Playing maybe half the days of the meet, with a moderate bankroll, it often only took getting two or three of these races really right to put me over the top.
- The mental effect of wagering at \"Living Room Downs\" all year. Over the past few years I stopped going to \"parlors\" on weekends and started playing at home. If I\'m going to be home on a Saturday I\'ll take a bit of time early in the morning to figure out which races look interesting, and it\'s very easy to pop on to the computer, check odds, track conditions, etc., and make a decision on whether to make a play. I\'m not immersed in it all day and the atmosphere at home (despite the presence of four children) is pretty mellow. I guess this is a long-winded way of saying that in the past few years I\'ve come to feel extremely distracted and overstimulated at the track, much as I love being there. I don\'t bring a laptop or device with me so I find myself wandering around looking for TVs to show exacta prices and such, all with my fourteen year old son constantly asking if I can play him a 3-7 exacta and pleading his case for the fourth chili dog of the afternoon. I absolutely adore being at the Spa but ironically when I\'m there I feel like it\'s hard to concentrate on...betting. Going to (mostly) the old 711 Teletheatre was not the same as going to the track but it did acclimate me to dealing with distraction (conversations, checking TVs, etc.). Feeling overwhelmed, distracted, etc., obviously does not generally lead to good wagering decisions.
- Losing my $h!t mentally at the end of the meet. Am I the only one out there who, as Travers Day approaches, starts behaving like pari-mutuel wagering will cease to exist as of Labor Day? My discipline, normally a strong point for me, often goes out the window the last week of the season. I\'ve seen modest profits become deficits over that last week several times, and a couple of times have seen deficits move into the immodest territory.
Would love to hear thoughts from folks who\'ve been doing well at the Spa the last few years. I know in the end it\'s all money no matter where you cash but given how much I love the place it\'s a little sweeter winning there.
I\'d like to see 1 minute for the boys and 5 for maggie. The one minute might be a bit much, but anything less would be rude.
off topic, but wtf was that in the 9th at BEL ?
I think some whale was told the wrong ortiz.
Boscar Obarra Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I\'d like to see 1 minute for the boys and 5 for
> maggie. The one minute might be a bit much, but
> anything less would be rude.
I\'d just like to have them install a sound system so I could hear what she is saying.
Since I\'m permanently ensconced in Living Room Downs, audio is not an issue.
If its really a problem, NYRA has a live audio feed that could be accessed with a laptop, not sure about a smartphone.
Boscar Obarra Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Since I\'m permanently ensconced in Living Room
> Downs, audio is not an issue.
>
> If its really a problem, NYRA has a live audio
> feed that could be accessed with a laptop, not
> sure about a smartphone.
It\'s really a problem, as are nearly all acoustics at the Spa, and it shouldn\'t be. I have an iPad, and can utilize it if necessary, but it requires moving in and out of web sites, which would be a minor pain in the butt. However, most people do not have an iPad or laptop. This is the most esteemed track in the country, and it should be all about maximizing the experience for the customers (yes, I know, \"Clueless Clowns\"). Maggie is perhaps the biggest asset they have in the NYRA broadcast, and she is inaccessible to the majority of paying customers. Is it technically impossible to have an acoustic system in an aging facility with many outdoor speakers which can provide audible sound for the masses? I have no idea, but it would seem to be at least a step or two below rocket science.
PapaChach Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have a problem there as well.
>
> I started keeping records in 1994; between \'94 and
> \'07 I had 9 winning Saratoga seasons including a
> run from \'03 through \'07.
>
> Haven\'t had a winning season since. A few guesses
> why, which may or may not apply to others:
>
> - Could be this is about the time (since \'07) when
> the overall racing quality began its serious,
> steady decline. During my good run at the Spa the
> bulk of my success came in quality turf allowance
> and stakes routes. With more and more cheap grass
> races (and more and more grass sprints), maybe I
> don\'t have the number of opportunities I once did.
> Playing maybe half the days of the meet, with a
> moderate bankroll, it often only took getting two
> or three of these races really right to put me
> over the top.
>
> - The mental effect of wagering at \"Living Room
> Downs\" all year. Over the past few years I stopped
> going to \"parlors\" on weekends and started playing
> at home. If I\'m going to be home on a Saturday
> I\'ll take a bit of time early in the morning to
> figure out which races look interesting, and it\'s
> very easy to pop on to the computer, check odds,
> track conditions, etc., and make a decision on
> whether to make a play. I\'m not immersed in it all
> day and the atmosphere at home (despite the
> presence of four children) is pretty mellow. I
> guess this is a long-winded way of saying that in
> the past few years I\'ve come to feel extremely
> distracted and overstimulated at the track, much
> as I love being there. I don\'t bring a laptop or
> device with me so I find myself wandering around
> looking for TVs to show exacta prices and such,
> all with my fourteen year old son constantly
> asking if I can play him a 3-7 exacta and pleading
> his case for the fourth chili dog of the
> afternoon. I absolutely adore being at the Spa but
> ironically when I\'m there I feel like it\'s hard to
> concentrate on...betting. Going to (mostly) the
> old 711 Teletheatre was not the same as going to
> the track but it did acclimate me to dealing with
> distraction (conversations, checking TVs, etc.).
> Feeling overwhelmed, distracted, etc., obviously
> does not generally lead to good wagering
> decisions.
>
> - Losing my $h!t mentally at the end of the meet.
> Am I the only one out there who, as Travers Day
> approaches, starts behaving like pari-mutuel
> wagering will cease to exist as of Labor Day? My
> discipline, normally a strong point for me, often
> goes out the window the last week of the season.
> I\'ve seen modest profits become deficits over that
> last week several times, and a couple of times
> have seen deficits move into the immodest
> territory.
>
> Would love to hear thoughts from folks who\'ve been
> doing well at the Spa the last few years. I know
> in the end it\'s all money no matter where you cash
> but given how much I love the place it\'s a little
> sweeter winning there.
Cannot overestimate the necessity of remaining sane for the last two weeks of the meeting, as the last two weeks of said extravaganza have been \"the stuff that dreams are made of\", so, so often.
-- A New York Phillie
I love Saratoga..it\'s my favourite meet of the year
Finally got to the Spa for the first time in my life last summer...(I\'m old enough and have been playing long enough so that \"for the first time\", is meaningful).
Long story short...played for four days and got my head handed to me in a basket...too many distractions! I felt like a tourist in a museum, etc. etc.
Last day, half way through the card, I sit down in front of the simulcast screens....my only \"hit\" at the Spa was a pick three at Arlington.
Chicago is nice in the summer. You should consider a trip there
Politically appointed Albany stooges in charge of NY Racing overwhelmed by something so simple!
Steve Crist:
Pick five wager hamstrung by red tape
Will there be a new, low-takeout pick-five when Saratoga opens? Fans are clamoring for it, track officials want it, but the heavy hand of government bureaucracy may thwart it.
The short explanation is that the New York Racing Association has received approval to offer the bet, but for technical reasons it would have to be conducted under the pre-1996 rules for multirace bets, which did not include a provision for what happens when a race is switched from dirt to grass because of heavy rain after the wager has closed. When that happens in a pick four or pick six, the race is declared an "all," since it would be unfair to stick bettors with selections made for the wrong surface.
Obviously, the same should apply in a pick five, but unless someone in government steps in with some scissors to get through procedural red tape, there could be a nightmarish situation – surface-switched races declared "alls" in the pick four and pick six but not in the pick five. This would create chaotic confusion among bettors and justified howls of unfairness from the betting public. It is unclear if the track would even want to offer the wager under those conditions.
There is absolutely no difference of opinion that this would be an intolerable situation and that there has to be a way around it. We will know by next Friday whether common sense can be made to prevail on the smallest and simplest point, or whether the dysfunctional relationship between racing and government in New York has reached perhaps