At one time, as a gambler there was nowhere I would rather play the races and seriously gamble than at Fairmount Park on a day there was no live racing where I could spread out, be in my element of deep study and focus in on all the simulcast action especially for the Big Event Days. Richiebee has seen me in what at that time was \"my spot.\" Since 2012 though, I\'ve had some awesome friends pry me away from the gambling obsession at Fairmount and take me to the Breeders Cup, Handicapping Contests, Oaks/Derby Days, and countless other racing related places. My gambling experiences \"on track\" at live races have typically been subpar compared to my pre-2012 offtrack betting experiences.
I sat in section 110. Loved it. If you want avoid lines of all kinds [Bathroom, food, drinks (all kinds including alcoholic), betting], I would highly recommend it. The unlimited food and drink is included in the ticket price. I\'ll admit the live viewing of races isn\'t great in the first turn but in exchange you can see the horses up close at the rail as they go back and forth from the barn for each race. It is the best Derby experience from a customer standpoint I\'ve had. And it is just my nature to watch the race on the TV feed anyway so that I can see as many nuances as possible. So the bad view of races was compensated with two days of staring at a full grandstand and the twin spires since I watched the races on TV\'s anyhow.
My gambling overall was profitable but not by much. I ended up betting Firing Line to win only. I decided against the super as I ultimately believed FL (as 4th choice) with the chalkiest results seeming most likely to come in around him pushed me to take 9-1. This was a race that afterwards I had no complaints. My horse was beaten by the winner yet gave his everything. Others have covered the key handicapping issues of the race.
I truly appreciate the board especially Jcovello who probably has strong opinions about me given the discourse that takes place from time to time. Power Alert was the key to my weekend being profitable and thanks to Jim and Richiebee for getting me to start looking deeper at this one since the Keeneland meet when the track was soft. I looked like a genius to my friends with a 5-1 shot I assured them would be 1st or 2nd....thanks guys. To my eye, he handled that field pretty well. My selection for the board, Paid Up Subscriber, opened at 6-5 and paid a $4.80. Guess I still owe you a winner Jim since he wasn\'t 5-1.
After the Derby yesterday, I felt all in my element as the seats were mostly empty and the place felt like it was mine to focus on the last 2 races. Cashed good on Chris Richard\'s horse to make up for FL\'s defeat. The finale I failed as I used 6 over the 9 and 12 in tri and exacta...RudyRod got me. I lost the race but felt I had conquered being a focused, successful better on track at the \"live event\" after many difficult experiences. I\'m curious others experiences in this regard compared to their Living Room Downs or simulcast experiences. It seems to be a potential area for an adept writer to conquer in a long article or a short book. Start writing richiebee.....
Riding home this morning, I bought a Grandstand Weekly Pass ticket along with my buddies for Whitney Weekend at Saratoga. It will be my first time there. Hope I get to match some names from the TG board with faces that week if you are there. Despite being more difficult to concentrate at the live event, the atmosphere is much better for the spirit than Fairmount Park. As for my friends that have taken me so many places with them as regular Big Day attendees..... I only first met them in 2012 just playing simulcast at Fairmount Park. Hopefully I can return the favor to someone else one day that I meet \"at the track\" as it\'s my favorite place to be every time I go regardless of whether it is staring at the Twin Spires....or the barren grandstand at Fairmount in the middle of winter playing simulcast.
So happy Power Alert came through for you
It\'s always a magical weekend down there but this year there was a little something extra!
Is there anything on the Belmont day undercard for Power Alert?
The Jaipur is 6f on the Turf. Grade 3. 300k purse.
Other option is Evangeline Downs Turf Sprint. Ungraded stake but same purse as Jaipur week before the Belmont. That is 5f
If he comes out well, we will pick one of those two spots.
I like 5f for him more than 6 but I will let Lynchie decide.
Maybe point to Evagelne and run there is turf is firm but if it rains there, then head to Belmont.
High class problem to have to make that decision.
I finally got my first derby trip this year. We arrived on Thursday and played in the grandstands; on Friday it was the Oaks and it was the infield as was Saturday. It was an experience; as a horse racing handicapping aficiando (sic) it was a disappointment. Where were the betting machines? The untrained tellers were frustrating and clearly a distraction. The long lines were surely a restraint to last minute betting. I know orchestrating an event that has 170 thousand is a daunting task; but if your employees cant lead to where to buy the form or other handicapping tools there is a problem. Overall, it was a worthwhile experience; but a plebian I think maybe my place is at Lone Star or Louisiana Downs; which seem to have a better understanding of the fact that you have to please the average bettor. But then I realize it is ultimately a show.
Have been to 3 derbies years ranging from the late 70\'s to 2007. The commercialization of the event has changed greatly during that span. At least the technology has improved since my first derby where I wanted a win and place bet but couldn\'t get my place bet in because of having to do win, place and show betting at separate windows and simply ran out of time. In 2007 the lines were still long but at least I could get win and place bet in at 1 trip to 1 window. I can\'t imagine what it\'s like now with the continued expansion of the complex know as Churchill Downs. Certainly going to the Kentucky Derby is a experience I would recommend to anyone. Would love to do 1 more except now it is soooo expensive to pull it off.
The separate windows would have drove me crazy. My entire complaint is that they don\'t seem to give a ____ about the bettor. There handle was somewhere between phenomenal and poor; I am not sure. But I know it could be better if they paid attention to it. Maybe they do in the high dollar suites.
Would you consider Del Mar for him after that? Their sprints are all 5F and you are destined to get the firmer going he seems to like
It\'s funny you mention Del Mar as I thought the same thing about that turf course and I LOVE that place
I checked through the stakes book last night and there\'s nothing in there that would be worth shipping out to run in.
Relative small purse ungraded stakes.
great minds think alike........
Come on, Jim. You have a chance to run for 300 on Belmont day and you\'re thinking of getting on a and to the Bayou? Who are you kidding. Besides, you need to find out about the 6f (Canadian stakes etc).
I hear you JB but we have a chance to run for 300 down in the Bayou at a distance we know he loves where he will be 4/5.
Not really sure I want to go against Undrafted going 6f unless we have to....especially since I sort of got in Welker\'s face after the race on Friday.
It was totally unintentional (he was there with a good friend of mine who I know also had a huge 10/12 box so when I went to chest bump my buddy right after the race, I inadvertently bumped into Welker and he didn\'t seem too pleased).
now, Welker I think I can handle but he was with Gronk and all of his other boys down there so I would rather just leave well enough alone on that front.....lol
Also, if we run at Evangeline, I can be at the Belmont in shorts and a T-Shirt!
Jim, seriously? Everyone you know except me is Italian. You must know a guy, and if not Miff can help you out.
You\'ve been living in the suburbs too long, taking too many helicopters. As I recall you worked your way through college as a bouncer, no?
Start working on a getting an extra paddock pass. You\'re gonna go all the way to Louisiana to avoid confrontation? Come on, man...
Have your secretary send Welker some flowers.
Horse players and horse owners very passionate.Many brawls over the years.The Tricky Contessa bout was a classic,nary a blow landed.Indian Charlie and Dale Romans reported a classic also.
No worries Jim,Welker only knows the Boston Italians, you have the NY goombas!
Indian Charlie/Romans supposedly very one sided.
Julie still the standard by which racetrack fights are measured, yes?
You know, I heard more about that from Julie\'s husband (Hovedy). Apparently, the reason she hit that guy with a chair is he tried to drown her in the pool at Monmouth. Which seems perfectly reasonable. At least.
Billy Reed of the Louisville Courier Journal vs. Doc Harthill another one punch
epic bout on the Churchill backstretch. Harthill threw the punch and later
regretted it when he found out what a powerful weapon the printing press is.
Fists not the only weapon of choice in battles among racetrackers. A trainer I
will not name got into a heated argument with Richard Hazelton while they were
standing at a bar in Chicago; during the verbal sparring, the unnamed trainer
\"unholstered\" himself and urinated on Hazelton\'s leg.
TGJB Wrote:
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> You know, I heard more about that from Julie\'s
> husband (Hovedy). Apparently, the reason she hit
> that guy with a chair is he tried to drown her in
> the pool at Monmouth. Which seems perfectly
> reasonable. At least.
Happy to address this from my Mth-vet perspective . . . in August.
Romans by TKO. Angel Cordero figured Julie could be a \"guy\" at one point, she was so strong, manhandled horses, so to speak.
TAP considering 3 for Preakness, Competitive Edge(sure to be wiseguy horse) Carpe Diem,head scratcher in Derby and Materiality troubled trip.
Lukas to run MR.Z...wtf
Ramsey to run Intl Star reported to be scratched lame by KY State vet Derby am, Ramsey took hissy fit.
I was totally kidding about running in Louisiana to avoid Welker himself. I don\'t mind avoiding his horse but I was joking about avoiding the person.
I was just trying to be funny on that point (failed as usual)
I do think Evangeline is the target though
300k at 4/5 is too good to pass up.
good memory about me working my way through college as a bouncer though, that is true.
Beating up on The Little Sisters Of The Poor for $300k...great strategy imo.
we generally try to take the path of least resistance and yet we still come up short plenty of the time
most recently, when we skipped the Breeders Cup with River Rocks to try and take down what we thought was a sure thing at Belmont for 200k only to finish off the board.
I have learned to take NOTHING for granted but horse came out of the race great so we will go down there and take a shot at a good purse.
I seem to recall someone telling you that 200k was no sure thing...
Sometimes the spot that\'s supposed to be tougher is not, depending on the horses, weights, etc. As an example, the field you caught for 200k ran a lot better than the BC Sprint.
covelj70 Wrote:
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> 300k at 4/5 is too good to pass up.
>
Jim Covello, the Floyd Mayweather of horse racing.
Make as much as possible by taking the path of least resistance.
That\'s not an insult Jim, even though I can\'t stand that guy.
Go wherever you want, as long as I can enjoy him running at KEE last weekend of
October.
There Jimmy, I jinxed you again.
lol
love it Richie
JB
you absolutely did say we should run in the BC and skip the Belmont race
The way he ran at Belmont though (and then subsequently at Penn), we could have been running against 25k claimers and it wouldn\'t have mattered
you were right about the respective spots though for sure
Evangeline is the target but we could change that if
a) race comes up tougher than we think
b) it rains
It wouldn\'t have mattered unless you shipped out early to SA under any circumstances, as it turned out.
now that Derby is over, let\'s explore that whole \"east coast shippers didn\'t run well\" thing
I have seen you write that a whole bunch of times but I have held my tongue but since Derby is over, why not have the debate now
Chad shipped all of his horses out there on the same plane as everyone else and he completely dominated the BC.
if your point is that you needed to be acclimated to the dirt track, then, ok, I can see that
but if the point is they needed to get acclimated to the weather, I don\'t agree with that at all as the turf horses ran in the same weather as the dirt horses
also, to the extent it was just the west coast horses dominating the east coast horses in the BC (i.e. Texas Red whupping the east coast shippers in the Juvy), I think we have to consider that he was just a much better horse.
Pharoah destroyed Texas Red and then Pharoah destroyed the same horses that Texas Red beat on Sat. Not definitive but we have to consider that the west coast horses were/are just that much better in this particular crop
As I stated in the seminar BEFORE the BC, it only applied to dirt horses, and only those that came out less than 3 weeks in advance. The Assmussen\'s that came out early ran fine, as predicted.
By the way, I had a conversation with Clement 2-3 years ago about this, he had picked up on his own that applied only to the dirt horses. He didn\'t have a reason either.
There is absolutely no reason why it would apply to dirt horses and not turf horses unless the argument is acclimation to a different surface in which case that\'s no different than people saying you need a breeze over CD which hasn\'t really proven to be true the last few years either
I just don\'t think we can make a big deal out of something that isn\'t logical (i.e. it matters for dirt horses but not turf horses)
The same east coast horses that Texas Red worked over in the BC got worked over by AP in the Derby
I think the more logical conclusion is just that the west coast horses are better horses in this crop
Jim,
JB wont like this but can I convince you to say the west coast horses are \"faster\" this year rather than \"better\"
Mike
Jim, I predicted exactly what would happen in advance about dirt and grass shippers and it did, to the point where someone here posted about getting tomorrow\'s newspaper today. I bet Texas Red based on exactly the logic I\'m talking about. You\'re going to have a hard time convincing me the logic that yielded the results I predicted was wrong based on the results.
I can see this argument is going nowhere fast
We can agree to disagree
I\'m in too good of a mood to get into a big back and forth about it.
PLEASE run at Evangeline. I promise a good time will be had by all in attendance! And, just by the way, Evangeline is not Bayou country - it is Cajun Country. That\'s why you need a local guide like me! Great run by Power Alert. Bring the horse and Lynchie down to Cajun country.
michael
If you introduce him to Carville I want not just a photo but either a tape or a transcript.
covelj70 Wrote:
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>
>
> Pharoah destroyed Texas Red and then Pharoah
> destroyed the same horses that Texas Red beat on
> Sat. Not definitive but we have to consider that
> the west coast horses were/are just that much
> better in this particular crop
Disagree with the Texas Red race assessment. Red had the widest of wides in that race and ran even with Pharoah after straightening out with Pharoah having his own way. There was no destruction.
We\'ll see how good Pharoah is after having to be asked for every last ounce.
A conditioned Red would have been a great addition to the Derby.
As an aside do agree that picking one\'s spot is critical, in that regard assessing the horses correctly is fundamental.
\"We\'ll see how good Pharoah is after having to be asked for every last ounce\"
A fly in the ointment! Before the Derby Baffert confided to one in his entourage his concern that AP was sweating, dragging his handler,and was unnerved like never before going into a race.It seemed the walkover/crowd had put AP on tilt.
Baffert felt that AP may not have run his best as a result of the pre race fanfare and the Derby experience would help him stay calmer in future.
...interesting to see AP pre Preakness.
So after Ramsey threw a hissy fit at the KY State vet for ordering a lame Intl Star scratched from Derby, word is IS has a chip and out of Preakness.
Why was the majority of his horses scratched on Derby Day??
IS was lame scratched by attending vet.Ramsey had another hissy fit when Chad Brown ran Slumber against his Stephanie Kitten, scratched.
The other scr\'s unknown except maybe they were inadvertently, or not, vet treated past permitted time out for certain drugs.Maybe something illegal came up with his horses which is not yet reported.