This is completely false and an extremely unfair allegation....to be kind. I NEVER bet on horses that I claim I do not like. NEVER. I may sometimes say that I don\'t particularly like a horse\'s chances, and/or think it is an underlay, but still use it as one of a few in a multi race play, but in that case I always say something like \" while I think it can win I don\'t particularly like its chances. \" This is betting strategy as opposed to strict opinions. However, when I knock a horse\'s chances like Sal the Barber, whether right or wrong, I NEVER bet on them.

I do not try \" to get home horses other than the ones \" I have \" touted. \" I bet the horses I say I am betting on and not on ones I say I am betting against. Now, I may bet horses that aren\'t my first selection, as price obviously dictates how one plays, but I am also clear about this on the show. For instance, I played the 26:1 winner of Friday\'s 1st, even though I picked it 3rd, but also said both during the pre-race prattle and on Twitter, that I was betting this horse. Does this sound like someone that a few races later declares he hates a horse and then bets it? What, I gave thousands of people a 26:1 shot but later tried to stear them away from a 5:1 shot? Give me a break.

Love me, hate me, ignore me, whatever....but spare me the allegations of dishonesty and deception. I have no doubt the proprietor of this site will vouch for my integrity. I may be the worst handicapper in the history of the game but I share my honest opinions no matter how bad they may be.

I don\'t think I was shilling, per se, just wondering why NYRA is always the one that seems to get pointed out as the guilty party. I recognize that this doesn\'t solve the problem but I think it would seem fairer if your hope was that racing associations in general cover the issues you listed. Whether or not each and every one of them is realistic is another question.....for another time. I\'m certainly for providing as much information as possible as long as it is absolutely accurate.

I appreciate your thoughts on the show....but how do you know the horses are too slow until you see where they reappear?

I am curious, while I find MIFF\'s list of suggestions interesting, what other tracks and/or racing organizations are offering any or all of this information? Is it just NYRA that should provide this info? Have you spoken to any of the powers that be at NYRA to see if any of this information could be provided and why or why not?

I am all for moving racing forward as much as possible, and providing as much information as possible to the bettor, and I hope that my employment at NYRA will be a positive step in that direction. For what it\'s worth, we have started a show on NYRA\'s Youtube Channel called \" Trips & Traps \" which will review a handful of races from each previous week and offer some of our ( being Eric Donovan and myself ) thoughts on some horses to watch and overall trip analysis. You can access the show from NYRA\'s webpage.

I can\'t speak for everyone, but I know I am always eager to hear realistic suggestions as to how things can be improved for bettors and really anyone involved in the game.

I did not say that anyone that believes in bounce is lazy ( I looked it up ). What I said, basically, is that it is a convenient excuse used by people who are often too lazy to figure out exactly why a horse ran well one day and poorly the next.

By the way, did you say anything important or interesting on the message you left me, as it went on way too long and I deleted it after 12 seconds or so.

I think the result would have been much different had third place finisher, Monopoly Pricing, drawn an outside post.

I would just like to thank you, not only for responding, but for being in the office preparing Saturday\'s Thorograph sheets, even on this Holiday, and especially after your busy morning guiding Garfield in the Macy\'s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

I will be around and give you a call.

Another fine job by track superintendant extrordinaire Jerry Porcelli in, once again, failing to provide a safe riding strip for the riders, and thus depriving racing fans of the Thanksgiving card at the Big A. Despite temperatures in the mid 50s, a breeze and sunshine, Porcelli was unable to get this strip of dirt in racing condition. And, don\'t blame the rain, as we have had barely a drop since around 1:30 am. Couple this with his incompetant handling of the Aqueduct turf course, which inexplicably \" fell apart \" despite a relative lack of rain and also almost a complete lack of use this year, and it\'s hard not to wonder how he still has his job. While I may be wrong about this, and I don\'t have any stats at hand, I would be willing to bet that cancellations, at NYRA, have gone up substantially since he took over.

While my heart goes out to the many patrons, like myself, who were truly looking forward to playing today\'s races before settling in for Thanksgiving dinner with their respective families, I also feel terribly for the loss Thorograph must be absorbing. It is hard not to have great sympathy for all the hard work that was put into putting today\'s Thorograph booklet together for Aqueduct only to now find themselves in the unenviable position of refunding the money to their many loyal patrons. It is bad enough that NYRA has to suffer this needless financial loss, but on this day when most of us are giving thanks for what we have, it is particularly difficult to accept this needless loss to so many others.

Happy Holidays!

Unbeknowst to most people, NYRA effectively cut off computer generated/batch wagering months ago when they stopped these rebate shops from betting with zero on the clock. Zero, at least in NY, means less than a minute until post. Since this wagering requires that bets be made at the last possible second, this change has eliminated these players from their pools. The dramatic decrease in NYRA handle from these shops offers further proof.