Saturday Notes

Happy Breeders Crown day.

Here are a few notes that caught my eye:

The Aqueduct slots parlor opens with long lines. I am reading on a few chat boards and blogs like Alan's the need for capital improvements at the Big A, and the general excitement that somehow a bigger purse will make life so much better.

I guess because I have seen multi-millions in improvements here in Ontario since 1996, purses 300% higher than they used to be, and racing handle at the same time be decimated (it's been cut in half) that I have no glee for the Aqueduct casino for the future of the sport.


With the folks in line at the racino today - all there to pull a lever - it tells us just how bad of shape we're in. Not to mention, now with a casino on the premises, when you hit a $500 tri in the last, you stop in at the machines on the way out and lose a few hundred, killing your churnable horse racing bankroll. It's one of the reasons why every track in existence since they were introduced in the mid-1990's has on track handle go kaput after putting a racino in.

Until places like NYRA put slots money into the demand side of the equation, we will be back in 5 years (just like everywhere else) wondering where the handle and fans went.

I spoke about this several years ago at both a marketing seminar and at subsequent horse racing wagering conferences - and was met with horror at the marketing conference and nods of the heads at the wagering conferences.

Horror from marketers, and nods of heads from the industry that the policy is very wrong. But in New York, this long-failed policy has not changed a bit.

Boy I'm cheery, eh?

On to more happy items!

Tonight's Breeders Crown card starts at 6:30 and several of us will be chatting and playing along on twitter. You can follow me at @pullthepocket if you want. Unfollow me after and I won't be offended. Nothing offends me on twitter anyway; it's the only way you stay sane :)

My thoughts are below, and there are several other avenues for picks and strategy across the web.

What wins is free tonight (you just have to sign up) and their odds lines are good and (and unlike many other odds lines) are historically ROI flat to positive. Speaking of conferences, I presented with Dave from Whatwins on a "new wagers for horses racing in the 21st century" panel and he was just developing What Wins at that point - and it was working! Check them out.

VFTRG has his picks up. The DRF has some action.

The Sportsman had a roundtable of cappers picks, but for the life of me I can't find the link. If anyone sees it, pop it on the comments section. Edit: Here it is. Thanks Dave Briggs.

Good luck and hope to chat with you later. Enjoy your day.