THE Official Breeders Crown Selections Thread!

[Dolfan]

If Harness racing went to only half mile racing,  I would just  bet the T-breds then. 1/2 mile racing sucks. Michael's Power turned out to be a good one didn't he???

Same Michaels Power who won all those races at Wdb/Moh.  BTW, I still have a shade of doubt about those retention barns when it comes to this horse.  They were pretty apprehensive about shelling out the cash to get in.

If harness went to only mile tracks, I'd bet nothing & watch little.

Understand though that I am not a very big gambler so 10-horse fields do not turn me on & when I do bet it's usually to win on my idea of an overlay.  That said, I could watch live harness at any 1/2 mile track & have a great time.  That is what is missing in the sport - newcomers who can fall in love with the game.  Passion.

Same can be said for baseball.  I know one Detroit Tigers fan who watched the World Series.  No one else cared.  I heard somewhere that it wasn't very good. 

So you going to credit Northfields handle to it being a 1/2 mile track ?   

I'm just pointing out that it is possible to get decent handles on 1/2 mile tracks.  I can't remember who but someone here figured out that generally, the handles on 1/2's are much better than 5/8's.

I looked at Bal vs. May on comparable nights - Wed. for Bal & Thu for May with this "scientific" result:

Looks like Bal handles about 20% more than Maywood.  There are some variables like the constant bickering done about Maywood and then there's the fact that approximately 25% more horses race in every race - 10 instead of 8.  That's 2 extra mouths to feed as far as horsemen & horses go.  Maywood's upkeep is smaller being that the building & track are much smaller.  In the end, it's closer to a wash than you think.

[beans and weenies]

My position is well known. I love a half with no passing lane. I also love a 5/8 with no passing lane. If racing on a mile track is mandatory, you might as well have a passing lane because everyone drifts off the rail so far anyway.

And I really wish ALL horses raced two heats each time they raced on a half. Call me old school if you want, but that is harness racing, laddies.

 

[careless hal]

Old school is great for fans of it.  However, I really doubt that old school ways will attrack any new blood.  The passing lane on any track helps fight the notion that shenanigans are taking place.  Whether they are or not.  As for Maywood and Balmoral, they both will stay open only as long as there is hope for slots, no matter how slim.  I would imagine the land Maywood sits on is more valuable than Balmoral's land.  If things fall apart, I would expect Balmioral would be left to race weekends only.  Balmoral is close to the Indiana border.  Maybe some day the Hoosier's will build a racino in NW Indiana.

[Jeremy]

If I had a choice on a track size to take someone new to the track, it would be on a half mile track.  If I had a choice on how often there is a race, it would be every 15 minutes.  It is hard getting people to stay focused and want to stay when there are 20-25 minutes between races.  These days I don't even want to stick around and wait that long.

[The Skipper]

IMO a half mile track is the best to watch and Nfld is my favorite, at least when I was betting there they

were competitive races with a good amount of movement during the mile. The mile track is my best to

gamble on, less getting locked in and the larger fields make for the best pools. I think Balmoral has as

bad of fields as you can get but they still outhandle every place except M1, I'd like to bet someone that

tomorrow night Bal don't do 500K. Who is brave enough to put a cup of coffee and a donut ?

[Just Saying]

Half-mile racing is much better to watch from the grandstand, and requires alot more strategy by drivers. It's alot easier to be a driver on a mile.

How's this for a new Idea? Allow the #7 & #8 to move to the 2nd tier to follow someone else off the gate (their choice)  instead of hanging out there on the wing. 

[Dolfan]

Half-mile racing is much better to watch from the grandstand, and requires alot more strategy by drivers. It's alot easier to be a driver on a mile.

How's this for a new Idea? Allow the #7 & #8 to move to the 2nd tier to follow someone else off the gate (their choice)  instead of hanging out there on the wing. 

That would totally eliminate pp 7 & 8 as front runners.

I prefer the severely slanted starting gate with a roving start like Maywood.  In fact, Maywood might have the best answers to the 1/2 mile track dilemmas but it is masked by cheap horses with only 2 skilled drivers.

http://www.maywoodpark.com/Stats/Posts.pdf

Post 8 at May is comparative to pp 10 at M1 which wins at 7.9%.

http://www.meadowlandsracetrack.com/uploadedFiles/pp_stats.pdf

[Just Saying]

That would totally eliminate pp 7 & 8 as front runners.

I prefer the severely slanted starting gate with a roving start like Maywood.  In fact, Maywood might have the best answers to the 1/2 mile track dilemmas but it is masked by cheap horses with only 2 skilled drivers.

http://www.maywoodpark.com/Stats/Posts.pdf

Post 8 at May is comparative to pp 10 at M1 which wins at 7.9%.

http://www.meadowlandsracetrack.com/uploadedFiles/pp_stats.pdf

I did note "by choice". If you have a horse with good gate speed that has a good shot of winning, then don't choose to take the back tier. If there's an odds-on monster that drew the rail you might opt to follow them out and win with the right trip. The #9 horse at Maywood(who trails the #1) has a full 3% better winning avg than the #8. Ease up, it's just an idea. Trust me... I've had dumber ones.

[Jeremy]

I did note "by choice". If you have a horse with good gate speed that has a good shot of winning, then don't choose to take the back tier. If there's an odds-on monster that drew the rail you might opt to follow them out and win with the right trip. The #9 horse at Maywood(who trails the #1) has a full 3% better winning avg than the #8. Ease up, it's just an idea. Trust me... I've had dumber ones.

At Northfield the 9 is 3% than the 6

[Dolfan]

Ease up, it's just an idea.

  Please, I wasn't trying to criticize your idea.  On the contrary, we need all ideas & an open mind on anything that's broken.

The biggest problem with a choice is the average bettor will never know where the horses are actually starting from. 

Also, starting 7 & 8 behind 1 & 2 may be beneficial to 7 & 8 but then 5 & 6 will become the new 7 & 8!

[Just Saying]

Please, I wasn't trying to criticize your idea.  On the contrary, we need all ideas & an open mind on anything that's broken.

The biggest problem with a choice is the average bettor will never know where the horses are actually starting from. 

Also, starting 7 & 8 behind 1 & 2 may be beneficial to 7 & 8 but then 5 & 6 will become the new 7 & 8!

Sorry if I took it wrong. I always try to think up ways to make it better racing. If the fans & bettors aren't interested in watching our sport we're screwed.

[careless hal]

IMO a half mile track is the best to watch and Nfld is my favorite, at least when I was betting there they

were competitive races with a good amount of movement during the mile. The mile track is my best to

gamble on, less getting locked in and the larger fields make for the best pools. I think Balmoral has as

bad of fields as you can get but they still outhandle every place except M1, I'd like to bet someone that

tomorrow night Bal don't do 500K. Who is brave enough to put a cup of coffee and a donut ?

Total Handle: $640,785

[pezz97]

Total Handle: $640,785

I know the skipper put out the bet, but that is awful! Nothing else is going tonight and that is it?

By the way Skipper, first, get healthy, second, Balmoral does not out handle weg. They are probably 3rd but definitely not 2nd

[Just Saying]

Skipper, reach into your highly elevated pockets and buy Hal coffee and a doughnut. (you don't want me to sic the real boss on you) ...remember Sandwich?

[Gazoo]

but that is awful! Nothing else is going tonight and that is it?

Let's not forget that most if not all  OTB and Racetracks on the east coast  are closed for simulcasting .