Horse Racing Decline & Fanduel

**Optional** · 07-24-25, 02:23 PM

For years I have repeatedly been told by US bettors that having fields of 15 or 20 in Australian races makes them impossible to cap.

Must have heard it 30 times over the years.

**Ampkat** · 07-24-25, 08:41 PM

Originally posted by Optional

For years I have repeatedly been told by US bettors that having fields of 15 or 20 in Australian races makes them impossible to cap.

Must have heard it 30 times over the years.

I love betting over the pond because the fields are so large. It's like betting on the KD every race and let me tell you it's very difficult and you really have to spend time getting used to the trainers owners and Jockeys. I typically bet Ire and have gotten very familiar with that system and who wins consistently over there. Aidan O'Brien and his sons and typically about 5 to 6 jockeys that come in on a consistent basis at exceptional odds .

Love the Turf races and Kentucky Downs in the US but it has been a brutal year with rain this year and the fields in general are getting. very weak at several tracks like Saratoga that used to be full on every race. I' m getting to the point if you can't give me at least 9 I'm not betting it and those are getting harder and harder to find. I bet two races at Saratoga today and hit both. The 7 in the last race was a cinch with Chad Brown and the only reason he went off 3-1 was there were 12 really good horses in there with him.

**str** · 07-25-25, 05:59 AM

Originally posted by Ampkat

Just deleted one of my accounts and deleting the other soon. The racing is getting worse and worse and the fields are getting smaller and smaller. Can't make money on a 6 horse field and the rain on a good Turf day just absolutely destroys what would have been a great day.

Fan Duel taking over TVG is a betters nightmare. They don't have a real person you can talk to if something goes wrong which fortunately rarely does in my case because I know exactly what I'm doing. They don't give me points or cash for my deposits and make me wait way to long to get my money when I win.

Now lets talk about why HR is dying and what they can do about it. 1st thing that is wrong is owners are becoming disinterested as are pari-mutual betters. Not sure I can blame them or the betters but it has to be a big concern amongst tracks,owners,trainers and even jockeys. So what are they doing about it ? Here's the bad part and the answer is nada !

Here's something they should consider is taking a track every week end and creating a Super Race kinda like the Breeders Cup where trainers and owners can bring their horses to compete for more money which with more interest and full fields would create more advertising creating more purse money for larger fields. Nothing irks me more to open TVG (Fan Duel ) and see the 1st 5 races at Saratoga with 7 horses in it. Not playing that crap and if it continues I'll stop all together and that is very soon. All the tracks competing against each other are killing the fields. Look at Kentucky Downs and the fields they get for that thing and the pari-mutual has to be the best other than KD and Breeders cup. Just saying they better do something and fast because it's killing horse racing which has to be hurting their pockets. Then add a rained out Turf card and a 13 horse field turns into 5 and that's a killer but can't blame the owners. Maybe Fanduel can get their head out of their ass also and start giving betters a little more but obviously they don't care as it's likely a small % of their income and getting smaller and smaller every day.

Quite a bit to comment on here so I will try and keep it brief.
You can make money in shorter fields. Not sure why someone needs 10-12 horses in a race to find value.

Fanduel is most likely a communication mess but aren’t most places that take wagers?

Owners are not disinterested or they would no longer own. That was my experience with them.

Short fields have been a concern for all involved since the first short field was drawn. Racing is saturated and the foal count goes down continually.
Unfortunately, there is no profit sharing so it’s each track for themselves. That’s a bad business model.

Race tracks try and create super races all the time. Most tracks have a stake race every Saturday. Saratoga almost everyday.

Rain screws up turf fields. Frustrating but before there was horse racing, there was rain so rain was here first.

As for the last Fanduel comment you answered your own question I think.

Read my thread if you have a chance. Pretty sure we have touched on all of this.
GL.

**Ampkat** · 07-25-25, 10:14 AM

1 .) How you gonna make money in short field when 1-9 and 7/5 come in 1st and 2nd ? Every blue moon a shot will come in but doesn't pay very much because there are only a few horses and the exotics get detroyed.

2.) TVG was way better than Fan Duel in so many ways.

3.) ownership is way down at every track especially in CA.

4.) I'm not talking about 1 Super Race I'm talking about a Super weekend. Where trainers bring multiple horses for a multi race weekend that would fill the whole card on every race. Doesn't have to be a stakes race which are usually short fields anyway because most can't afford the entry fee.

5.) What thread ? Dont have ESP today lol

Thanks for replying but wasn't really impressed by anything you said or correct by any means. Did you see the race card for the SPA today ? They should be embarrassed to put that crap on us. Just a horrible program tstl for a Friday being they are the #1 track in the US !

One more thing that may help me explain my cause is I don't bet favorites to win because it's a bad bet. I bet small amounts to win big which usually only happens in large fields. Everyone has their way of betting and that's usually my way. Doesn't mean I won't play shorter prices in exacta's and tri's to cover my other bets. Shots come in quite frequently usually in big fields on the turf and nobody can hit them all but I hit massive amounts betting small amounts which is why I like large fields. Just wanted to clear that up !

**str** · 07-25-25, 10:40 AM

Originally posted by Ampkat

1 .) How you gonna make money in short field when 1-9 and 7/5 come in 1st and 2nd ? Every blue moon a shot will come in but doesn't pay very much because there are only a few horses and the exotics get detroyed.

2.) TVG was way better than Fan Duel in so many ways.

3.) ownership is way down at every track especially in CA.

4.) I'm not talking about 1 Super Race I'm talking about a Super weekend. Where trainers bring multiple horses for a multi race weekend that would fill the whole card on every race. Doesn't have to be a stakes race which are usually short fields anyway because most can't afford the entry fee.

5.) What thread ? Dont have ESP today lol

Thanks for replying but wasn't really impressed by anything you said or correct by any means. Did you see the race card for the SPA today ? They should be embarrassed to put that crap on us. Just a horrible program tstl for a Friday being they are the #1 track in the US !

Really appreciate the back handed compliment there.
What thread ?
The thread in this horse racing section that you are in.
It’s called “horse racing questions and answers”. I’ve probably answered any question you might have including those you presented.
I’m probably not as seasoned as you are but maybe I guessed right on a couple of them.
GL. I get the feeling you are going to need it.

**Ampkat** · 07-25-25, 12:07 PM

Originally posted by str

Really appreciate the back handed compliment there.
What thread ?
The thread in this horse racing section that you are in.
It’s called “horse racing questions and answers”. I’ve probably answered any question you might have including those you presented.
I’m probably not as seasoned as you are but maybe I guessed right on a couple of them.
GL. I get the feeling you are going to need it.

Like I said really appreciate that you even responded as looks like it's just you and me and Optional lol. I'll try to be more forgiven and you are right that I've probably been doing this so long that the changes are overwhelming but I'll get over it. Thanks again str !