Monday Musings on the Racing Weekend

Hello horse racing peeps.

Although I don't mean it to, these Monday posts with weekend musings are becoming a trend. Somehow I don't think it's overly groundbreaking, but, anyhoo, here we go.

I watched the Pacific Classic and was pretty impressed with the Shared Belief victory, despite it being trip and pace aided. It's nice to see a horse win a big race like that, look fresh and sound doing it, when the connections skipped the Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown to do just that. We've seen horses scratched the day of the Derby, or before it, because it was on the calendar. It was on the calendar for Shared Belief, too, but they didn't take the bait.  As for his Beyer, well, I agree Mike.

I am unsure why old Game On Dude takes so much flack. The old boy shows up, and even with a ridonkulous 45 and change (on poly no less), he still didn't give up.  It seems every time the horse loses, twitter chimes in with "Dude no good". Dude is very good.

Sweet Lou won his 10th in a row Saturday in his CPD elimination. I didn't think he looked fantastic but the depth of field he faces next week is not overly stout. In the other CPD elimination, Clear Vision rolled home fast like a little fish, off way too slow fractions on the front end.  I'll be betting against Lou in the Final, I am just not sure with who.

Bolt the Duer, who has been flat as a pancake with some sort of maladies this season, won Saturday at Pocono and driver Mark MacDonald said he felt like his old self. 

The Canadian Pacing Derby card will be a good one, and the last race of the day has a mandatory payout of the super high five, aka the only day people should probably be playing that bet.

Palice Malice's work Sunday was reported as poor and this was confirmed when owner Cot Campbell (guys named Cot are made for racing, I think, but I digress)  said he's out for the Woodward. Palace Malice's issues appear to be deeper than originally thought. Something is wrong with him, I suspect. .

I watched the Travers. I, like everyone in racing except people who did not watch the race, or those who have real trouble with numbers, was surprised Joel Rosario pushed that pace. Tonalist raced super, I thought.  I really like that horse.

Speaking of the Travers, attendance was announced at 45,557. I don't know about you, but when I hear NYRA attendance numbers now, I think of stories about Fidel Castro winning elections with 99.3% of the vote.

I saw an exacta payoff or two at Del Mar today (I don't play Cali racing, so I never pay attention), and saw just how terrible that exacta rake is for punters. If you have a positive ROI in the exacta pool in Cali since late 2010 when they jacked the juice, you are probably the greatest horseplayer alive.

I was surprised that Pacific Classic day only handled around 17 million. Satuday's Travers card handled something like 40 million. 

Captaintreacherous was scratched on Saturday. It was announced his next race is the Winbak Pace on Jug day. They said they were going there early in the year; and it's ballsy. It's been no secret the Cap'n has little quick speed and is not the best gaited horse around the turns. He'll likely need a good post, or park the mile first over to have a chance.

The four year old male pacers continue to have a terrible year. Sunshine Beach looked nothing like the horse he was last year on Saturday (or even off his qualifier this year), and horses like Lucan Hanover are non factors. Conversely, the four year old mares are not too bad (despite no ILTN), female trotters aren't either, with Classic Martine, Ma Chere Hall and others doing well. Bee a Magician is not going as fast as she was last year, but she's done alright, too.

Joe over at the VFTG blog looked at harness horses who have disappointed in 2014.  I have to take issue with Foiled Again. If one thinks he would do super-well having to pace 1:47.4 each week at age ten, I don't think that was wise. He's Tom Watson. Last year at age 55 in human years, Foiled could really contend in the Major's. But this year at age 65 in human years, he is not quite up to snuff. But he's still a really fast, nice horse, who can win races.

This weekend someone asked me why, with computers and technology, tracks don't payout to the penny. Short answer: They don't want to.

I played a few races this weekend with TimeformUS PPs, and their website only. If you have not tried it, I recommend it. It's good, and modern, with a lot of clickable stats that are useable.

I have never felt this way before, but I think the two year old pacing fillies - as a group - are faster than the two year old pacing colts.

Have a nice Monday everyone.