Tuesday Notes

Illinois announced a super-test got 26 trace-positive tests for a corticosteroid from 11 trainers. I don't know what that is for sure, but it's probable it's something for allergies and breathing. Feel free to use the comment section to fill me in.

It does go to show the reliance, in my opinion, on treatments between races. A lot of trainers nowadays treat each race like a Super Bowl. It keeps their average up and it is not horrible for the bettors, because you know the horse is likely there to win. The downside of course is that vet bills skyrocket. I don't know one trainer who doesn't want the best stuff they can find to help horses between starts. You can probably spend $5,000 a month on highly marked up treatments if you want to. This, again in my opinion, is why we don't see horse buying like we should when purses double in slotsville. The costs eat up the slot money purses.

We've been speaking about it for some time here on the blog, but it's coming closer and closer to reality. Zynga looks at mobile and online gaming. If that passes and catches on, horse racing handles online (our only growth spot) will likely get massacred. The industry is not even talking about it; nary a peep, other than maybe trying to get some sort of slice. Racings business model seems to be built upon getting a slice of someone elses business instead of worrying about and developing its own.

Finally someone is asking for certainty on something before the yearling sales. Too late? Probably.

First year sires like Big Jim are an example of just how tough the slots decision was. Imagine, you shell out a few million for a sire, with your forward sales hinged upon the best state bred program and overnight program in the world. Then you wake up to find your investment had the goalposts moved. Governments seem to do this often, and it is a scourge to free-market types like me, and many of you. I guess that's what happens when you get into bed with politicians.

Will Bolt the Duer come to the Jug and not race in a second heat? If so, I agree with Alan. If you are not planning on going two heats, why bother coming?

Form reversal? No, but a no try, try effort. That's what Thinking Out Loud did in his most recent start at Mohawk (right to the back, home in 25.3 as a 2-5 chalk) versus his to the top in 53 Red Mile start. This is commonplace in harness racing, and it is about time we did something about it, in my opinion.

Have a nice Tuesday everyone.