coupling

[Michael D.]

from the DRF:

NYRA seeks to uncouple entries

The New York Racing Association is seeking approval from the New York State Racing and Wagering Board to uncouple entries in a race from the same trainer provided the horses are running for different owners. New York is one of the few jurisdictions that is mandated to couple same trainer-different owner entries in maiden, allowance, and claiming races.

NYRA president and CEO Charles Hayward said the coupling of entries cost NYRA more than 300 betting interests in 2005.

According to NYRA senior vice president Bill Nader, the state board will open the issue up to public discussion and said if a rule change is made, it likely would not occur before 2007.

......

opinions?

most bettors do not like uncoupled entries.

i do not like coupled entries.

when you bet a coupled entry, unless you like the two horses about the same (vs otherwise individual odds), you are paying for a horse you do not want. it\'s great to get an extra shot, but you have to pay for that extra shot. taking a coupled entry, when you only like one of the horses, is like buying a $80 stock that you think is going to $120, but having to pay $100 for that stock, and getting an extra option that you deem overvalued (or worthless). in the long run, if you are paying $100 for $80 stocks, even if they are pretty good picks, you are losing money.

unless you like the two horses in a coupled entry equally, you can not bet that coupled entry. get a lot of coupled entries, and the betting aspect of the game is ruined.

uncoupling entries has its drawbacks as well. a lot of funny things can take place when you have uncoupled entried, but if it\'s a choice between handicapping what the motives of the trainers might be, or not being able to bet the race at all, i\'ll take the gamble.

[imallin]

I like uncoupling because i feel that my horsepower knowledge outweighs any \'shenanigans\' that might go on with two different trainers. If you can \'snif out\' which trainers seem to win with the higher priced one of their runners, you can make money if you believe this is something thats not happening by chance.

I believe that judges have to fine/suspend jockeys for manipulating running style on a trainers horse to help the other member of the stable. Part of uncoupling is that its all for one and one for all.

Doug O\'neill had Cambiocorsa a few nights ago at Hollywood and she was a speedy 8-5 shot. O\'Neill had another horse in the race for a different owner and jockey Cohen strangled this one dimensional speedster 20-1 shot and was no where near the loose and lonely Cambiocorsa. Should Cohen be called in for \'lack of effort\"?

If i wagered on the Cohen-ridden horse, i\'d want a run for my money, you didn\'t get that in this case.

I did \'predict\' that Cohen might not send, so him not trying to win was predictable by some handicapping methods, but i\'d prefer every horse to be ridden to its style...if that not happens, i feel the jockey or trainer should be called in and questioned about the lack of effort.