Saturday Notes

Some notes and other commentary for a Saturday morning:

Canadian horsemen go south to Turf Paradise. Canadian bettors sure don't, or shouldn't. They quietly upped takeout recently. The WPS take now stands at 20.75% (note: this is not a misprint).

Harness Racing Update has some response letters to Andrew Cohen's last piece on the sports' participants turning a blind eye to cheatin'. Harness racing meets this head on at times, while thoroughbred racing doesn't.

Betfair hired a former NYRA exec to help establish exchange betting. I'd love a NYRA exec to look into lowering the takeout that they've hiked, now that gazillions are coming in the door via the slot machines. But maybe that's just me.

"Judges" can play with betting money in racing - anyone who got a call go against them, or for them knows that - but we rarely think of it in other sports. Betfair has changed all that. On Thursday in the NFL there was a close call on a 4th and five late in the game. The TV cut to commercial, but many thought it was worth a challenge. Regardless, $4000 popped up to bet Baltimore at 1.30. If this play was challenged and the challenge won, it was game over with Baltimore winning (and trading at 1.01).  It turns out the play was challenged, but it was not overturned. For the bettor who may have taken a chance on that $4k, he still won. You'd see this at Betfair from time to time in the past on photos in running. The horse will trade while the judges are looking at the photo, or an inquiry. There is more in this world to bet, other than outcomes of a final score, or who hits the wire first. The internet has changed all that.

Want to watch some harness action? Check the video  of Smokin Up's win in the Miracle Mile. In Million dollar races up here sometimes we see a boat race. Not down there, for half that. Exciting, and it was a wire to wire win, to boot.

Fans of Wise Dan's win in the Clark include the owners of Havre De Grace and Caleb's Posse. Those votes are easier today.

Allan looked at the complicity in some tracks regarding kill buyers yesterday. This was spawned from a chat on twitter from a harness fan who was there.

Tonight is the Forest City at Western Fair. Interesting race. I'll be watching.

Have a great Saturday everyone.