Doc's, Big M Drivers and Ron Paul

Have you ever seen a horse in the post parade that makes you wonder where the track vet is? Well it appears that even human doctors can’t quite get things right, either. Last week in the UK a jockey - after falling from a bolting horse - was pronounced “fit to ride”. One problem: His leg was broken.

The incredible episode occurred at Warwick when jockey Christian Williams took a crashing fall in the opening contest. His mount Allistathebarrista ran out approaching the final fence whilst challenging eventual winner Beat The Boys, smashing through the plastic wing of the obstacle.

Williams was thrown out of the saddle, but was able to walk back to the weighing room where he changed silks and weighed out to take his ride aboard Big Buck's in the Grade 2 Kingmaker Novices' Chase.

However, when Williams was unable to get his swollen foot into the stirrup, the racecourse executive commendably gave connections the opportunity to quickly replace the jockey, and Liam Heard was called up as substitute.

"He has broken his leg just below the knee - the tibia bone - and is going to have an operation to put a plate in tomorrow.

Next time I see a washed out horse, I will give the track vets a break. No pun intended. I thank Equidaily.com for pointing me to that story.

Panaramic Art won his 19th in a row this week at the Meadowlands. Nice horse and certainly deserving, but I am interested to see if he is in this week again, as I believe I will play against him. I think he is ripe for a loss.

Speaking of the Meadowlands, it’s time to crunch the 2008 driving stats.

The Good

Brian Sears gets an A. He is the outright leader. But he has some chinks in the armour in ’08. He is only bringing in 39% chalk (which is well down from where he was), and is about smack-dab in the middle with longer shots, batting 0.150. He is getting overbet finally as well. His ROI has gone from positive to negative at -15%.

George Brennan is making the most of his drives, and he too gets an A. Positive ROI on chalk at a whopping 61% hit rate is noticeable. George on chalk nets you a 24% return!

Cat Manzi, considered washed up by bettors not long ago, has had a resurgence. Amazing what driving for a hot barn can do, huh? Grade A-.

The Bad

Tim Tetrick might have made a decent move heading back to Dover. He has a negative 51% ROI, and has been ordinary. Grade C.

John Campbell, who seems to be on the top of his game come stakes time, is having a tough time. Very few live drives, too. He gets a C+, just because we know he will be kicking some serious butt in the warm weather.

Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul didn’t vote for the online gambling ban in the US. He’s a bit of a libertarian, and he thinks people can make their own decisions with their cash I guess. He has gained a following in online gambling hot bed Costa Rica, and they want him recruited for their cause of legal online gaming in the US.

A number of operators have been planning a Ron Paul meet up group in Costa Rica. Some have talked their own customers into voting for Paul during the state primaries and caucuses.

I personally think legalizing online gambling is good for horse racing. What you say? How can that be good? Well it is good because these people know how to sell gambling; they understand churn and they understand the business. Betfair has been alive only seven years and they have a million customers. The worst thing racing ever did was not take these folks seriously. They built companies from the ground up, with zero customers. They know what they are doing. Instead of yelling at them, racing should have been copying them. If racing can’t bring us into the 21st century, maybe they can. Sell them the signal for 5%, and let them do what they do. We'll grow.