Todays Action Horse Thread

[TodaysAction]

Instead of making a thread for each day, I figure it has to be easier to have everything all in one location. At times there will be handicapping articles, horse news, wagers plus other tidbits along the way. Comments and or questions are welcome and will be responded to as best as possible in order. Let's have some fun!

[TodaysAction]

Track Stats
CRC: 1 race, 0-0-1, -$16
Ellis Park: 2 race, 0-1-0, -$79
Delaware Park: 1 race, 1-0-0, +$39
Del Mar: 3 races, -$375

[madmaxx]

Saratoga is mess today

[TodaysAction]

Saratoga is mess today

Thanks for the update.

[madmaxx]

Thanks for the update.

it was pouring rain not like i gave insight but you're welcome

saratoga is now cancelled

[TodaysAction]

Weather updates are always appreciated.

[TodaysAction]

Improving Your Winning Percentage

Something to SERIOUSLY think about.

Most people capable of thinking will agree that ignorance is the most costly element in human existence. Under certain cirucmstances it may even cost a man his life. Since this truth does not submit to argument, it is clear that no matter what type of work we do, it is of vital importance that we know what we are doing; and that we do it well.


Handicapping–that is, the making of good racing selections — is not a science nor in the strict meaning of the term an art. Handicapping is a trade.


Surely no one will argue against the fact that one must learn a given trade before he can logically hope to practice it effectively. Certainly, the reader would not assume that they can become a master plumber by merely reading a few articles or books on that subject.
Reading and studying do, of course, constitute the starting point in the mastery of any trade. This is so because one must first acquire a broad knowledge of the basic principles of a trade or profession before he can effectively undertake a study of the finer details and their proper application to the work involved.


In addition to reading and studying, there is a third step — practice, which in our trade is equivalent to serving an apprenticeship in the manual trades. One cannot become a journeyman without first serving an apprenticeship. No more can one become a master handicapper without serving a period of practice work.


In the manual trades, the apprenticeship is served under the guidance of the journeyman. Unfortunately, in our trade, few beginners have an opportunity to serve their period of training under the supervision of an expert.


The beginning selector frequently finds himself struggling with what appear to be insoluble problems, when in reality these problems could be solved easily, if one had a reasonable knowledge of the facts of racing.


Our purpose is to briefly discuss some of these facts and persuade the reader that they must accept them before they can solve their problems. First, horse racing is a business, not a sport. Most people who own and race horses do so for the purpose of making money. Therefore, the first fact one should accept is that every person with a fit horse in a race wants the purse money, and they are going to try to get it. No trainer in their right mind ever purposely wastes a sharp horse. They can’t afford to if they want to remain in business.


If one can’t bring himself to accept this fact, then they are in poor position to make effective selections. The very fact that they may suspect a sharp horse is not going to try will trip him up so frequently that they will be hard put to make their selections break-even. The trainer, so to speak, is the middleman in racing. With few exceptions, their livelihood depends upon winning purse money. Never forget that a trainer can be fired if they fails to produce.


A second fact that should never be overlooked is that all horses do not respond to identical methods of training. Thus, we encounter different methods of procedure which we sometimes call racing angles. Therefore, one must familiarize oneself with what a trainer has done in the recent past and what he is doing today. And more important–why he is doing it.


We believe every reader will agree that they could improve their winning margin if they knew that every selection they back is a fit horse well-meant and properly placed. In many instances, this information is available to the selector who knows their trade.


Let’s look briefly at a type of move which tells us what the trainer is up to. A horse turns in a fair effort over the six-furlong distance. Next start, the trainer enters this horse in a route race and gives it an easy conditioning race. Today, they have again entered this animal in a sprint race.


What does this trainer move tell a selector? It tells them that after the horse turned in a fair sprint effort its trainer decided it needed more stamina. Therefore, they entered it in a route race in order to leg their horse up a bit. Today, they have entered the horse in a sprint race, which means they believes their horse is now ready, and he is going to try. If the horse is a figure contender, the selector knows it is a real threat — it figures well, and the trainer has practically told us he is going to crack down.


This also applies to many other angles or other types of trainer moves. The selector who knows little or nothing about training methods is unable to get the message the trainer has broadcast by how he places his horse.


There are three kinds of racing angles that help the selector in his work: Trainer angles, performance angles and a combination of the two. Trainer angles reveal the method the conditioner has employed to get his horse ready for the race. Performance angles reveal the condition of the horse through the manner in which it has recently performed. When we have both trainer and performance angles, we have a strong combination angle.
A third fact that should be remembered and accepted is a two-part fact: 1) Sharp condition contributes more toward a winning effort than any other single factor. 2) There is no such thing as a sure thing in horse racing. Any horse in the field may win or lose. This fact, if remembered, should prevent the common mistake of going overboard on a horse that looks like an extra good selection. In short, it is bad business to bet two dollars on one selection and ten dollars on another. The player’s wager should be the same amount for each selection. Otherwise, one too frequently sees the two-dollar bet result in a winner and the ten-dollar wager in a loser. Don’t whipsaw yourself by underbetting one selection and overbetting another.


For some reason, we have found it most difficult to persuade some racing fans to accept the above facts. Yet, one must accept them if he wishes to avoid beating himself.
When the effectiveness of sharp current condition is mentioned many fans ask: “What about horses that win when there was no evidence in their chart to indicate sharpness?” The answer to this question is not as obscure as some may believe.


First, let’s look at the cardinal fact–the horse won, therefore, it ran faster than any other horse in the field; so it was fit and ready. And now to the key question: Was there any evidence that the trainer believed his horse was fit and ready despite its poor public form?


No one can answer that question, of course, unless he is familiar with all of the good trainer angles. We can tell you, however, that in many instances such angles are present, and if you knew about them, you could pick up many an extra good priced winner. As we said in the beginning–ignorance can be costly.


Let us examine the chart of a good priced winner which did not give evidence of sharp form in its last race.


Here are the top-two races of a horse that was cleverly prepped by its trainer:
ADD CHART
Note that this horse was beaten 25 lengths last time out and nine lengths in its previous race. To the casual observer, the horse appears in no way ready to win a race.
But let us look at how the horse was handled by its trainer. The penultimate race appears to be dull until we see that the horse was allowed to run in one burst of speed from the half-mile pole to the eighth pole, making up 6-1/2 lengths on the leader.
Its “race within a race” shows us that the animal was sharp. Sharp enough for the trainer? No. Perhaps the boy told him the horse had flattened out.


Accordingly, the trainer next entered his animal in a race of 1-1/4 miles, where he could employ the race workout and distance-switch angles.


Was this the time for the horse to try for such a win after its six-furlong speed sharpener?


No, the animal received some backing in its next-to-last race, but next time out it went off at 30-1. After being close to the pace for half a mile, the horse was allowed to amble along behind its field.


What did the trainer achieve? He gave the horse a workout both for speed and endurance. Further, by now he has shaken off about 90 percent of the novice race-track handicappers.


But how can we tell if the trainer is really trying in today’s sprint contest? We get a pretty good tipoff in the fact that he has chosen a race where he must drop the horse $500 in value. If he was not going today, he would have waited for a $3,500 or $4,000 race. This horse won, returning $87.40!


Drops in claiming price do not always signify that a trainer is trying. But when you get 40-1 odds, you can afford to make a few mistakes. Bear in mind that if you can beat the price, you can beat the races.


Racing statistics are another factor that so many racing fans fail to use in their work of making selections. We wonder, for example, how many of our readers know that slightly more than 50 percent of the races run during the past 20 years were won by horses that finished in the money in one of their last two starts? And that when horses that finished fourth, beaten no more than 1-1/2 lengths, are included, the percentage climbs still higher. Isn’t this fact of racing important to the selector’s work? We think so.


How many readers know what percentage of races are won by horses that have previously won 35% of their starts? We can tell you it is surprisingly high, although the prices on some of them are too short for profitable speculation.


It is not clear that the beginning selector can acquire valuable knowledge if he will devote a bit of his spare time to research? A careful check of a year’s racing papers will add tremendously to one’s knowledge of racing, and a knowledge of racing is the very foundation upon which the work of making profitable selections is based.


Another fact that every racing fan should accept is that: “Every race a horse runs either contributes to the furtherance of sharp condition or tends to dull whatever degree of sharpness the horse enjoyed at that time.” This is an irrefutable fact, and to ignore it can prove very costly.


This is why speed ratings are not always a true indication of the degree of current sharpness. In some instances, the speed rating will reveal the sharpest horse in the field; in other instances it will not.


This is so because we must first consider the probable effect of the last race upon the animal’s condition before we can accurately judge the true value of a speed rating. Let’s look at an example that will make this clear. Examine the running line of the two following races:


ADD CHART
It is clear that Horse B had a very hard race, one in which it was under severe pressure from the first call to the finish. Horse A, on the other hand, was never under hard pressure and, as a result, may improve today, while Horse B will almost certainly tail off.

Therefore, is it not clear that speed ratings of identical figures can mislead the selector? The problem becomes even more complicated when the two races were run over different distances, or when the two horses earned their respective speed ratings over different tracks. Speed ratings, which include the beaten lengths, if any, are a factor that is usable in certain conditions, but to accept the figures blindly at face value in every instance is a dangerous procedure.


Another costly fallacy common to racing fans is what we call the pattern hangup. For example, last week the fan backed a horse that ran as follows and won: 23 22 22 21. Today in the fifth, he finds a horse that ran its last race in an identical, or nearly identical manner. Therefore, he reasons that because the horse he bet last week won, the horse should win today.


His loose reasoning is based upon the fact that he does not realize that no two races are identical in every respect. While the running lines in the above example may have been identical, the two animals ran under widely differing conditions. For one thing, the horse in the fifth today is not meeting the same horses the winner of last week was meeting.


Another fallacy among beginners is their belief that claiming prices can be used effectively as an accurate measuring rod of class. A claiming price is actually a selling price, that is, the price at which the horse is offered for sale. Thus, the best that claiming prices can do is to roughly divide claiming grades. Therefore, the price of $3,500 does not actually prove that the horse is of a higher class than one bearing a $3,000 selling tag. Class can best be determined through pace, combined with claiming price.


In the limited space of one short article, it is impossible to discuss all the many and various factors and facts of racing. We have, however, pointed out some of the more important facts which one must accept if they logically hope to produce a respectable winning percentage.

[TodaysAction]

The "V" Angle

Here is another useful method when not familiar with a track's tendencies.

Every trainer in the business knows that the success of the individual horse depends to a great extent upon its current physical condition than it does upon any other single factor. Therefore, the trainer who backs his own horse takes every precaution to make sure his horse is razor sharp.


The betting trainer is interested in price. Thus, he is faced with the problem of determining the fitness of his horse without revealing its true state of condition to the betting public.


These chaps want to out-smart the betting public, and they develop many little devices which serve to insure them a good price on their horse on the right day.


A careful study of the past performance charts reveals that quite a number of the betting gentry use a little device which we call the "V-Angle" race. This type of race differs from the regular race in that the angle deals only with the lengths off the leader at the three final calls. That is, lengths off the leader at the pre-stretch, stretch, and finish calls.
The name "V-Angle" race was adopted because the length calls would actually form a "V" if placed on a graph chart. For example, take the three following length calls:
Pre-stretch Stretch Finish
74 56 44


Here the horse showed a good effort in that it was within four lengths of the leader at the pre-stretch call. Then it was given a bit of a breather, losing two lengths, after which it came on again to gain two lengths in the last furlong. So if placed on a graph, the beaten-length calls would form a "V" as follows:
4 4
6


Remember, the horse is not trying to win; it is only being tested for condition. The important point is that when the conditioner tested his horse’s fitness, the horse was able to be within four lengths of the leader at the pre-stretch, drop back a bit in lengths for the stretch call, and then come on again in the final furlong. A fundamental aspect of this angle is to make sure that the number of lengths or fractions thereof were greater at the stretch call than they were at either the pre-stretch call or at the finish.
In the vast majority of races the "V-Angle" horse did not pick up poundage today over that which is carried in its last start. In many instances, the horse got anywhere from one to four pounds off today. Therefore, we should include the weight factor when making the selections.


Another point of importance has to do with separating two contenders. Past experience reveals that the horse that made the greatest gain in the stretch run was usually the better choice of the two.


Personally, we are in favor of backing the "V" horse only when one horse in the field qualifies.


Price is a strong factor, so we will not play any horse that is less than 9-1 on the tote board.


In addition to demanding price, we make it a rule not to consider any horse as a contender on this angle that did not finish fourth or worse last start. Our reasoning in this matter is as follows:


The horse was being tested for condition, therefore it was not expected to finish among the first three. Second, in those instances where the horse won or finished a close second or third the price next start was no incentive to a betting trainer. Third, in many instances where the horse finished in the money it might have just run its best race.


Now, one final point: remember that the date of the test "V-race" is important because the race was run to determine the condition of the horse. The vast majority of winners was found among the qualified plays that had started within the past 15 days.


Now let’s review the rules of play:
1. Horse must have started within the past 15 days.


2. In that race, horse must have been within four lengths of the leader at the pre-stretch call, lost lengths at the stretch call and gained lengths at the finish.


3. The horse must not be picking up weight from its previous race.


4. Qualified horse must be 9-1 or more on the tote board.


5. If there are two qualified horses in a race at 9-1 or more, play both.


6. If there are two qualified horse in a race and one is less than 9-1 treat it as a non-qualifier and play the one that is 9-1 or more.


7. If there are more than two qualified horses in a race, pass the race regardless of their closing tote odds.


8. There is no play on any horse that finished closer than fourth in its most recent race.

Sunshine and flowers was a perfect qualifier in the fifth race at Golden Gate on December 30, 1998. She had raced within 11 days (Rule 1), was 3 1/4 lengths off the leader at the pre-stretch call, lost 1 1/4 lengths between the pre-stretch and stretch calls and gained one length between the stretch call and the wire.


The only other starter at 9/1 or more who had raced within 15 days could not meet the requirements of Rule 2. Sunshine and flowers paid $33.60 to win, a nice overlay.

Try out the "V-Angle" on some more races and post them in this thread.

[TodaysAction]

Quick Play For The Casual Player

Another, something to consider ...


It isn't difficult to present a method that will produce good prices, but it is an exacting task to find such a method that also produces a reasonable winning percentage. Most difficult of all is to develop a price method that avoids extensive runs of consecutive losers. Price and good winning percentage are not kissing cousins.

It also involves a toilsome effort to create a price method that requires only a little time in which to make the selections. In short, it is a job that requires more research than we could accomplish in the limited time at our disposal for such work. Therefore, we have assigned the research to one individual who has devoted a lot of time to checking a basic idea we had in mind.

Over the years, we have noted that many of the better-priced winners were horses that were very close up at both the first and second calls in their last race. This was the starting point at which our researcher began his work.

It soon developed that if price was to be the main objective, and if long runs of consecutive losses were to be avoided, certain types of races had to be eliminated from consideration.

For example, added-money races, turf races and steeplechase events proved to be unprofitable. Likewise, horses who won their last start did not show a margin of profit sufficient to warrant their inclusion.

Surprisingly, maidens proved to be profitable when played in conjunction with the basic idea upon which the research was based.

As might have been expected, the date of the last race revealed itself as more important than any other single factor. In short, it was found that 15 days was the most profitable date spread between a horse's last race and today.

The reader may wonder why 15? Why not seven, or eight, or ten? Fifteen proved to be the best because it allows the trainer a three-day margin in which to find a suitable race beyond 23 days which is generally accepted as the ideal rest period following the last race.

When all tracks are considered, regardless of their class, we find that the highest percentage of winners are horses that started within 12 days.

This means that to take full advantage of this race a trainer must find a race within that period where his horse is eligible for entry. This is not always possible. Research revealed that in a number of instances a suitable race was found within 15 days. So it became clear the highest percentage date of 12 days should be extended by three days.

After extensive study of this problem, we found that where separation is necessary it was better to use a point credit separation than it was to attempt to apply one rigid rule.

We found that five factors (which we'll outline below) produced better results than could be obtained by laying down one hard and fast separation rule. When each of these factors was given a value of one point, they proved successful in separating contenders.

Price proved troublesome in that frequently a qualified horse went off at short odds. After experimenting with several ideas, we found that the only possible way the player could be sure or receiving 4-1 or higher on his winning selection was to make a price rule part of the qualification for play. Therefore, no horse is played unless its odds are 4-1 or more five minutes before post time.

In order to meet the request for a non-time-consuming method, we had to eliminate pace ratings entirely and depend upon the time in which the winner ran each contender's last race in tie-breaking situations.

The method we developed is by no means the best way to make thoroughly sound selections. However, it is the best "quick pick" method developed to date.

It is easy to use, isolates a reasonably good percentage of winners at odds of 4-1 or higher, and does avoid unreasonable runs of consecutive losers.

We do not advocate its use by those who are sophisticated handicappers. The method was researched and designed to fill the needs of recreational horseplayers. We present this method with the hope that it will fulfill their needs. Following are the selection rules:



1. Play no added money races, no turf races, no steeplechase events. All other types may be played.

2. First eliminate all horses whose last race was run more than 15 days ago, and all horses that won their last race.

3. Eliminate any non-maiden that has not won in the two years (as shown in its two-year and career box score) or does not show a win in its past performance.

4. In order to qualify, a horse must have been leading, that is running first, at one or both of the first two calls in its last race, and it must have been within one-half length of the leader at the other of the first two calls. For example:

First Call Second Call

30Apr98 1 3h

17Apr98 2 1/2 1

20Mar98 1 1



5. The selection must go off at 4-1 or higher.

If two or more horses qualify under the rules at this point, separate them according to the following point system:



a. Earned highest speed rating last start: one point.

b. Started on latest date: one point.

c. Faster winner's time in last start: one point.

d. Entered in highest class most recent race: one point.

e. Finished closest up in top race: one point.



The contender with the highest number of points is the final selection.

[TodaysAction]

Here's three races for today.

CBY 1: #1 Nishani $20 w/p, #6 Heaven's Work $20 w/p

CBY 3: #6 R J Blue Explodent $20 w/p

CBY 5: #2 Forest Monkey $20 w/p $60 s, #10 I the Jury $20 w/p

[TodaysAction]

Here's three races for today.

CBY 1: #1 Nishani $20 w/p, #6 Heaven's Work $20 w/p

CBY 3: #6 R J Blue Explodent $20 w/p

CBY 5: #2 Forest Monkey $20 w/p $60 s, #10 I the Jury $20 w/p

There were two scratches in the opener causing a no wager situation. Although there's a scratch in the third, it's still good to go.

[RippedTickets]

Wow! This is great info! Thanks for your insight. It really helps me to read your column and imagine ways to incorporate all this wisdom into my system. I'm primerally a numbers guy (my hat is off to those who really know horses), so I can try out some of these ideas with my database. Do you have a web site somewhere? And, if not, why not?

[madmaxx]

6 is gonna rolllllllllllll in the del mar 5th....2/1 odds now are nice

[TodaysAction]

Wow! This is great info! Thanks for your insight. It really helps me to read your column and imagine ways to incorporate all this wisdom into my system. I'm primerally a numbers guy (my hat is off to those who really know horses), so I can try out some of these ideas with my database. Do you have a web site somewhere? And, if not, why not?

Hi Ripped Tickets,

Thanks for the compliment. Glad you're able to run them through your database. I hope you find enough to make it worth your time. Over 99% of my `capping is done by pencil/pen, using as many as five ways to look at the race to try and find a logical play. Unfortunately, it does not always work that way and when that happens, I move to the next race. That is especially true when I'm not familiar with all the bumps and bruises of the track, jock, horses, etc. Going by straight numbers is something I know will land a person in the poor house. All selections need to have a VALID reason why a person is on them and it can't be, "Because it's my numbers method." After a length of time, you'll see where your mistakes have occurred and then (hopefully) you won't keep repeating them. Sorry no web site at this time mostly because don't have the time to cap all the days races, post them, etc. If you're able to do this feel free to contact me at the e-mail in my profile and I'll get back to you at next log in.

[TodaysAction]

6 is gonna rolllllllllllll in the del mar 5th....2/1 odds now are nice

Nice call and thanks.

Race 5
Finish Runner Win Place Show
1st 6 6.40 4.00 3.40
2nd 8 21.20 10.20
3rd 2 6.00
4th 5


$1 Exacta 6/8 77.20
$2 Quiniela 6/8 95.40
$1 Trifecta 6/8/2 672.20
Superfecta 6/8/2/5 313.57
$2 Daily Double 2/6 100.60
$1 Pick-3 Pick Prices 3 of 3 167.00

[TodaysAction]

Are The Odds On Your Side?

Every racing fan of any real experience knows that the prices their winners pay is of vital importance to their financial success. However, various handicapping writers have caused some confusion on this subject. A few authors have suggested that one should confine their wagers to horses that go postward at no less than 8-1; others have argued that the smart player never backs a horse that is held at odds of more than 4-1. Therefore, some racing fans are confused as to just what they should do about price.

The perfect selection method, of course, is one that produces a good percentage of winners at moderate prices, but which also points out a winner now and then at really high odds. It isn't easy to find this happy combination.

It's obvious that every horseplayer needs a high-priced winner now and then in order to help offset the losses incurred during a given period. The need for an occasional longshot winner is obvious because no matter how good their selection method is, or how efficient they may be as a selector, nearly all horseplayers will always back more losers than winners.

So it is clear that you can't earn a steady profit if all of your winners are low-odds horsesóat least on a flat bet basis, and progression wagering can prove highly dangerous in the hands of an inexperienced operator.

The advice that one should stick to selections that go postward at 8-1 or more is mathematically sound, but such a demand limits a player's wagering action severely. Further, such a requirement will usually result in a long string of consecutive losses, two facts which the average racing fan dislikes.

So is there a truly satisfactory answer to the price problem? We believe there is, but it involves the use of two methods for making a selection.

A brief example will serve to make this point clear. Suppose that your present method had been found to be entirely sound, but the prices paid by the winners are a bit on the low side as compared to the winning percentage.

Under such circumstances, the method will show a small profit. However, in order to earn an adequate return for your effort it is necessary to increase the amount of each wager to a level which may demand more capital than you have available. For instance, if the method shows a yearly net profit of $3,500 on a flat $10.00 wager, one would have to back each selection with a $30.00 wager in order to bring the yearly net up to a worthwhile figure.

The alternative to this scenario is to employ a longshot method in conjunction with one's regular method of making selections. We'll be emphasizing two criteria: 1) Make the odds demand for the longshot method 14-1 or more, which will rule out many of the plays the method would normally point out; 2) Find a system, if possible, that will point only a few plays each week at any one track. The latter will prove difficult to accomplish. Hence the odds demand of 14-1 or more is the more logical choice. The angle we'll examine this month has served us nicely and should prove of help to you.

Several years ago, we noted that some horses that won and paid $30.00 and more followed a distinct odds pattern. We also noticed that most of these horses had moved up in class or claiming price last time out. On the day when we first noticed these factors, there were three high-priced winners at two different tracks. In every instance, the three horses won and paid $30.00 or more. This triggered our curiosity to the point where we could not resist checking back to see whether the same situation have prevailed in the past.

We soon discovered that the same thing had been happening with reasonable frequency in the recent past. But we noticed that when the odds today were less than 10-1, most of the qualified horses finished up the track.

This called for an examination of results charts and past performances for the previous year, and again we found the same pattern repeating itself. This convinced us that some trainers make a practice of raising a horse in class or claiming price one race before they intended to crack down.

We are not prepared to say why trainers sometimes do this; however, it appears to be done in the interest of improving the horse's odds in its next start. This assumption is based on the fact that too frequently when such horses were held at moderate odds they failed to run in a successful or impressive race.

During the survey period, we watched the class factor to the extent of noting whether or not the horse was dropping in class or claiming price today. We found that in most instances the horse dropped in class or claiming price today. However, in some instances the horse went back for its trying effort at the same price for which it was entered last start, and in a few instances and under peculiar conditions a few of the winners went up in class again today.

This latter situation occurred usually in starter allowance and starter handicap races, where the events were conditioned for horses that had previously been entered for a claiming price. Technically, such horses were moving up from a claiming event into either an allowance or handicap race. In reality, the field was made up of nothing but claiming platers of a given grade.

However, we decided to confine our selections to qualified horses that were not moving up in class again today, accepting only those horses that were re-entered for a price identical to their last entered price and those that were dropping down today. This has caused us to miss some good longshots. Therefore, it is a question you should decide for yourself after making a check of no less than three months.

We have never set an exact rule about the odds between the next-to-last race and the most recent race. It is next to impossible to do so effectively, because when one compares the odds at which a horse was held in its next-to-last race with the odds at which it was held last time out, the figures are relative. For example a horse that was held at even money in its next-to-last race and at odds of 10-1 last time out represents an increase in odds of nine points.

Another horse that went off at 14-1 in its next-to-last race and 28-1 last time out represents and increase of 14 points. In the first example the horse's odds last time out were 10 times as great as the odds in its next-to-last race, while in the latter example the odds were only twice as much.

Since we demand odds of 14-1 or more today, we do not believe that the exact ratio of the odds in the next-to-last and most recent races should be restricted to any specific figure.

Following are the selection rules to qualify a longshot selection.

1. The horse must have moved up in claiming price $1,000 or more last start if entered in a claiming race, or one full grade or more if it was entered in a non-claiming race in its next-to-last race.

2. The horse must have started at a major track within the past 30 days, and its last race must have been run over a major track if it is running today over a major course.

3. The horse must have finished in the money in its next-to-last race, or it must have been running first, second or third at the stretch call in its next-to-last race, being no more than 3 lengths off the leader at that point.

4. The horse's odds in its most recent race must have been 10-1 or more and they must be at least two times higher than the horse's odds in its next-to-last race.

5. The horse must not be moving up in class or claiming price today. It must be entered for the same class or at a lower class than its entered class last time out.

The odds today must be 14-1 or higher.

[madmaxx]

Race 7 Del Mar
Exacta Box 5,6,9
Trifecta 5,6 / 2,5,6,9 / 2,5,6,9

Pick 3

ALL / 9 / 1,12

[TodaysAction]

Track Stats
CRC: 1 race, 0-0-1, -$16
CBY: 2 races, 0-0-1, -$180
Ellis Park: 2 race, 0-1-0, -$79
Delaware Park: 1 race, 1-0-0, +$39
Del Mar: 3 races, -$375

[madmaxx]

Azul Leon is gonna take the Best Pal (8th) at del mar. Look for 2,8,10 to fill out your exactas/trifectas...good luck

[madmaxx]

what a horrible trip for the 9, was easily the best

[madmaxx]

the 10 should be tossed, drifted out then in totally taking out the 9

[madmaxx]

wow the stewards finally get something right, good job

[pimike]

needed that one

[madmaxx]

needed that one

2/1 on synnin and grinnin earlier and 9-5 on azul leon are great prices, both should have been 3-5

[madmaxx]

now a horse opens at 1-5 in a maiden claimer...stupid del mar bettors

[pimike]

2/1 on synnin and grinnin earlier and 9-5 on azul leon are great prices, both should have been 3-5

Thats exactly what a friend of mine said, he is a ticket taker in Laughlin

[pimike]

now a horse opens at 1-5 in a maiden claimer...stupid del mar bettors

1-5 Maiden means bet any horse but.

[madmaxx]

they could have run 2nd by a nose in 11 straight starts against much better, never won so how can you be so sure the horse is...im playing the 1

[madmaxx]

now the 12 is 1/2 and needs a rushed shoe repair...hadn't seen a blacksmith since I was in Oslo....avoid the 12

[pimike]

they could have run 2nd by a nose in 11 straight starts against much better, never won so how can you be so sure the horse is...im playing the 1

ok i tried it for 10 across the board.

[madmaxx]

ok i tried it for 10 across the board.

lets get em

[madmaxx]

this race can be a huge payoff ... i think the 12 really got hurt by that shoe, it can be very painful which is why they do it in the morning not 10 mins before a race

playing the 1 with the 5,6,7,11

[madmaxx]

Los Alamitos Race 6

SAN DIEGAN

gotta play it

[madmaxx]

Los Alamitos Race 10

$10 Trifecta 1/4,5/4,5,6
$80 W/P #1

[TodaysAction]

Delaware Park 3rd: $200 to win on Creme de Cuvee. The scratch rule has been lifted for this race - if she goes to post, action will go forth.