When you take the most conservative track in the world, and get new and innovative leadership, things will surely change…. You bet they did, and it doesn’t look like they have plans to close the books just yet.

Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky was as conservative as they came. There were eight races daily, and one early daily double. You would think folks would think twice, but they packed the place daily to the brim. With only 15 days in April, and 15 days in October, this was the boutique meet the world awaited.

This track is heaven on earth… They began by getting an announcer, and a damn good one with Kurt Becker. Then they started rolling out wagers only the big boys would try. When others suffered handle problems, they showed a small decline or even a small increase. They are the gold standard of being good….

Now, the NTRA is sending out a survey. It is about the odds being shown differently. Instead of being shown as: 2-1, it would come out as 2.8. This would allow players to see that the payout would be better than a flat 2-1. This is accepted by the highest of chairs, and the gent I spoke to today informed me that Keeneland is at the forefront of wagering integrity. How many times have you been 5-2 coming down the lane, and then it flips to 2-1? The payoff turns out to be $6.80 to win. You were close to a 5-2 payout, but it dropped just a bit. I know, how many times has it went up compared to the drop?  Hardly ever…….

They want to offer the players the ability to see payoffs and fluctuations with handle. I like the idea, but it bites while it kisses. All the while you are informing the hardcore player, you are losing the attention of the new player. I love the idea, but I am not the only one playing.

Just think of Aunt Millie with her two bucks to win looking at the board betting a long shot who is 23.7.  What will it pay? Who does she ask?  Is there a section in the program that will help her understand? Will it talk to her?  I know, too many questions….

How about that U.K student decked out in the blue blazer and khakis? Will he or she know what 3.4 will pay? The answer is no…. No matter how much attention you pay to education, you will miss people. I have loved watching Keeneland going big time. No matter what, I have loved the changes. For me, if I see it is going to be 2.9, I know it is a very high 2-1 shot, and the payoff will be almost $7.00. But that is me. I gamble. I love wagering. I have been playing most of my life. Doesn’t scare me at all…. But, as someone who works at a track, I know it is hard enough to draw new people to the game. Don’t confuse the menu at a steakhouse by offering hot dogs…. I know the exact wagers will satisfy some of the big players. But, you will kill off many prospects for new players by making it hard to understand.  Make it easier. Make it accessible. Make it interesting. You can serve the off-track betting public by having a separate scrolling message at the bottom. It will look like the stock market, but the point will be made. You will satisfy all, and keep the integrity of the game intact.  Everyone wins…….

Every year, the day before New Year’s Eve, I like to meander to the clubhouse and pick up a few tabs and buy a few lunches. Kinda’ like playing Santa, but appreciated by the regulars just the same. This year, I saw things a little different.

I made my way around. I talked with more people, and shook hands with about every face in the place. It was on this day I was to be enlightened about the new plans for many for 2010.

Bob… He has a close shaved head and is built for war. He is in the Army, and loves what he does.  But this year, he and his wife Amber were blessed with a little girl. This tank of a man was reduced to tears telling me that he didn’t want to go back this time for his rotation. In the past, he would have been first on the plane. But now, he has a 7 lb bundle that is on his mind. It was on this day, he was enjoying the races as his wife was out lunching with the girls showing off the baby. He has seven days till his plane takes flight back to Afghanistan.  He doesn’t want to go, but knows that is his job… Starting 2010 has had some great joys and fears, as he told me. If there is an angel who watches over, Bob could sure use some divine guidance.

Sam…. A sixty five year-old-man who coughs more and more each puff. He has smoked for fifty years, and the toll has caught up with him… He always asks me who I like. We talk horses, and then we start on the Derby… He wanted to know my future bet, as his friend gets him on at a casino for winter book wager. I asked him who he liked… He just looked down with that smoke dangling from his lips… He said it didn’t matter.. He was going in to the hospital next Monday, and things looked very bleak… He just wanted to come out to the place he thought of as home. The Derby talk was just his way of making me feel more comfortable.  My prayers are with him as he makes his journey towards the finish line… He shook my hand, and said he would call me next week with my Derby bet. He was going to call his pal to get it on, and then wanted me to hold the ticket. I sure hope that we both get to cash together.

Sally…. She has been a long time widow. She has been coming to the track alone for ten years. It was something she did with her husband for forty years. She had a glow to her on this day, and I asked if she had won big… She exclaimed to me “YES!” I have met a man, and we are getting married. We are going to be married on opening day at Gulfstream. He has been alone for over twenty years after his wife passed, and retired from a major chemical facility. They are so happy, and 2010 brings a renewed sense of hope and promise. The days of being alone are over, and hopefully there will be many more trips to the winner’s circle…. Good luck!

The changing of each year brings good and bad news.  Being at a race track, you get to meet all walks of life. These are just a couple of the stories that I ran into on the final day of the year. I hope I get to see these folks rooting in the sun for years to come. The game brings many together, and it allows us to appreciate the excitement that life has to offer.

On behalf of WinningPonies, we wish you a safe and Happy New Year. May all of your winners be many, and memories be filled with joy.

Good luck everyone, we’ll see you next year!

Every year we all join a gym, quit smoking, go to church more, and be nicer to the neighbors. But this year, I have decided on picking something that I will stick to….

#1 – I promise to not bet any runner that has not made it to the races for over sixty days. This excludes turf races of course. (They tend to hold their form).

#2 – I promise not to lend any money to “stoopers” who pick up tickets for a living. Even though they need the money, they just bet it anyway. Then they don’t talk to me for six months. Well, on second hand, I’ll keep this one going…. It is a cheap way to say so-long for a half a year….

#3 – I will do more trip handicapping before I make wager one. This used to serve me well in the past, and I have recently gotten back into things. It works, give it a try….

#4 – If I see a horse that looks good on the board, I will try and stretch out more with multi-race wagers to find maximum value. Why leave it on the table?

#5 – Take someone new to the track this year. We need to grow a new fan base. The old ones are dying off….

#6 – I resolve to not criticize anyone who handicaps on TV or in print. It looks pretty easy, so go ahead and give it a try….

#7 – I will download my data at the earliest time possible.  Waiting just set me back, and can get me in a jam….

#8 – I will not play a rider or trainer who is o-20 or worse at a meet or season. I will wait until they pop the cork, and then I will follow them to the winner’s circle.

#9 – I will make it my goal to educate someone along the way this year. It kinda works with taking new people to the track. I will help them find useful info that will make the fog disappear.

#10 – Be a keeper of the flame. Talk about our sport, get involved, and know what is going on. All of this I do, but we can always do more. Help others understand what racing is facing, and hopefully we will start a grassroots effort.

Well, there they are…. I know my gym membership will get dusty, and I will light up a Macanudo on a big day. But for the upcoming year, I think it is more than ever important to educate the people. When we watch old footage of when Seabiscuit faced War Admiral, more than 1 in 3 Americans tuned into the race. We just had a year when two of the best females to ever grace the track ran lights out all year long.  Relish the moments. Go the track with friends and relatives.  Get involved in an ownership syndicate. Donate to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.  Make it a point to go out at least a couple of times a year for family events and marquee race days. Above all, make the track a kinder place. Get to know three new players this year. It is like Facebook without the typing.

I love the holiday meet at Turfway. You get daytime racing, and I always stop over and catch the last race on my way home. But hey, enough about my fun…. I like a few runners on Tuesday, and you may want to check them against the tier levels to find true value.

Race #2 – #3 – Saint Bayou Gold (6-1). De La Cruz is in the saddle for Bill Stinson. Stinson is a 48% ITM trainer. This is a horse for the course going 4/4 ITM at the TP oval. Drops in class today, and goes from open company $7,500 down to conditioned company $5,000. 2nd time off the claim, and this barn goes 33% and 67% ITM. Add in that he is 2/3 at the distance, and you may have a player.

Race #4 – #10 – Indyama Jones (6-5). Yuri Yaranga in the irons for Joe Woodard. They team up to tear it up at a 30% clip, and 60% ITM. 3rd off the layoff gives Woodard a 68% ITM win, and dropping down two classes yields him 62% ITM. His dam has won with 60% on her babies, and has 7 starters with 6 winners. Take this chalk, and use it wisely with the powerful tier level prices.

Race #6 – #5 – Do Your ABC’s (5-1).  McKee in the saddle for Jeff Sheets. 2/3 at Turfway, and was pulled and steadied last out. If you look back, you will see three riders in the last three races.  He is spotted right, and the rider change may be the answer.

Tuesday racing in Kentucky….. Enjoy your chance to play the poly track, as Turfway will be going to a three day a week schedule starting in January.

Good luck!

By now, you have put together toys, ate until your pants won’t buckle, and are looking forward to bowl season getting in full swing. But, you may have forgot that Saturday brings renewed gamblers to the plate. They have been off for two days, and you just may need a little adult break before you get back to finishing the toys.

Tomorrow brings racing back to life. The “Big A” is back in action, and the rest of the country is preparing for a nice run of holiday action. Here is your chance to slip out the back door and get back in action.

I would find out the weather conditions around the country, and then proceed to download your data. WinningPonies is ready to get back in the swing, and all it takes is for you to choose your tracks and man-up to the printer.

My advice would be to check out New York racing, They have a holiday hiatus, and will be ready to get running. This is one of my favorite tracks, and they will be ready. Kentucky is cooking, and they will have a special holiday post time all week through New Years. The “Big Easy” offers up some great turf racing, and California is starting to brew. So, what are ya’ waiting for ?

I know what would make it a holiday hoe down…. Let’s give out a couple of free selections that may help. These little nuggets give you something to focus on, and to run against the tier levels. Here come a couple of plays worth the effort:

Race #1 – Aqueduct = #2 Geno Green (5-2). David Cohen is in the saddle for Cody Autrey. Cohen has won at a crisp 17%, and Autrey wins at 23%. They team up to win at a 27% win clip, and 55% ITM. This guy is 3/4 ITM at Aqueduct, and is coming fresh off a claim. Autrey wins at 23% on this move. This gelding just won last out, and drops in class. Yep, you heard it right… Autrey wins at 33% dropping in class off a win. This all adds up to a nice play.

Race #3 – Aqueduct = #6 Pashito the Che (1-1). Eibar Coa up for Scott Lake. They are expecting some rain in the New York area.  This 3-year-old colt is 3/3 with wins on a soft going. The is the $65,000 Gravesend Handicap, and this race looks to have some nice competitors. This guy is 7/7 ITM at the distance, and Lake trains them to win at 20% in non-graded stakes. With two straight bullet works, this colt should run well with Coa at the helm. The price may be a little short to get value on the win end, but this looks like a nice play for the gimmicks.

Race #4 – Aqueduct = #5 Fortyninegeorgest (2-1). Ramon Dominguez in the saddle for Sydney Dutrow. They are winning at 28% and 32% respectively. The team-up value yields a sweet 50% win and a 67% ITM. Drops in class, and goes from turf to dirt. You can throw out that last race as it was a tough trip. This class level should fit better, and look good down the lane.

Well, there is nothing like finding that extra present under the tree. You know, the one that was hidden way in the back. We hope that you get your data early, and prepare to pick up where you left off. Racing awaits, and it can’t get any better than this. So, guzzle down your last eggnog and make your way to the track. It is time to get back in the game….

Good luck!

This is the shout of every child under 9 years of age… This could also be the cry of every person involved in the racing industry. Hope springs eternal, and possibly common sense will prevail.

We are looking towards the state governments of every state reaching down and finding an answer. But, as of late, it seems more of a fairy tale.

If a star could be wished upon, or if anyone has a pocket full of pennies for the wishing well, get them out now. It seems that the stall tactics have been put in place. The lifetime politicians want to etch an answer of sorts that solves portions of the problems. The tracks need and want to make money. If that is a surprise, also know that they vote when it comes time for reelection. Get your heads out of the sand and quit pretending that tracks do not need the money.

Here is the scoop. Casinos take all of the money wagered and put it all in a big hopper. They pay taxes, insurance, and payrolls. They make so much money, that they have paved every alley in local townships they call home.

Now, let us go to the track. They pay all of the above minus being able to refurbish local townships. They take 17% out of every dollar wagered. This is called parimutuel. It means “betting amongst yourselves.”

Out of every 17 cents, half goes to the horsemen for purses. Now, they pay all of the above out of 8.5 cents from every dollar. Do the math…. They just want to compete. They have promised wonderful facilities, and every model in the country has revived racing. Some have had to tweak out problems, but the opportunity is there… The state governments have turned this down. Why? Do they want to create more unemployment? The loss of tax revenues? The death of a sport that goes back over a hundred years? What is the problem? If it is your moral compass, then leave it in the car and do what is right. If you doubt me, just watch the next year in Kentucky. They have cut back dates, which hurts horsemen and smashes the folks who have worked in the industry with pay cuts and job losses.

Common sense has been ruled out. If they want the cushy jobs, and the chair that has an imprint of their butts, do the right thing. We are not asking for Vegas, but just a chance to make some money and rejuvenate the sport. Every rag in the industry is tearing them up and down. Can you believe they still stand on Mount Pius and say NO????

Racing needs Santa. We need help, and we need it now…. For the first time ever, Kentucky racing has cut dates to three days a week. This is round one…. Let the tracks breathe, and allow them to make money and expand the sport: more jobs, and growth with promise. Not just wishful thinking, and the cheap promises of government.

Santa, where are you?  We have been waiting, and hopefully you will come soon…..

I like to look ahead. I plan my wagers so that I may double check and make clear cut decisions. WinningPonies does much of this for you, but here are a few advance looks that may turn your holidays happier.

Let us begin our holiday handicapping for Wednesday. Santa needs some sun and the beach, so off we go to Calder.

Race #4 – #7 Morgans Boy (3-1). Eibar Coa has the mount for Henry Collazo. They have teamed up very nicely to win 27% and 53% ITM this year. Not bad if I say so myself…

He was a beaten favorite last out, and that is a good betting angle to follow. Collazo comes back to win 20% with the angle, and it is one you should always be on the lookout for. This runner is 3/3 ITM in 2009. Add in that he is 3/3 ITM on the turf, and now he looks that much more attractive. Closed fast last out, and two times in a row he was a beaten favorite. That is another angle to mark down… I would look for the same today, and this time the job gets done..

Race #5 – #2 Bella Bella (5-2). Pascacio Lopez is in the irons for trainer Donna Clark. She is bringing her charge 2nd time off the layoff, and she has a bit of a horse for the course, going 7/9 at Calder. Heavily bet last out, and the tote board does not lie.

Drops back to claiming 5,000 from starter 10,000, and this could be the tonic that is needed. She is 25% a winner coming back off the claim for the second time. I think she needs a good look on this day….

Race #6 – #5 Repeal (5-2). Pas Lopez in the saddle. I have shortened his name, but you can’t short him on ability, as he has plenty. He is up for Bill White, and they win plenty of the time. He gets first time blinkers, and this equipment change adds speed and keeps the horse more focused.

The blinkers yield a 27% win mark, and drops down two classes. That also gets him a 25% mark.  He goes from a route to a sprint, and that little ditty gets him 31% a winner. Add all of this up, and you get a trainer trying to win at what he does best. A beaten favorite last out, and gets a huge jock switch.

To me, it sounds like this may be one for the books. I have not seen this many factors all converging at once. So, go with luck…. Be sure to see where the tier levels have him located.

Well, there it is… Wednesday selections and a couple of days to enjoy the holidays. Santa does come early, and you can enjoy the day.

On behalf of WinningPonies, we would like to wish you and yours a safe and happy holiday season. May 2010 bring you luck and happiness, and as always. “may your winners be many, and your photos be few.”

Happy Holidays!

Columbus is not the hotbed of the racing world. But on a Tuesday afternoon in December, it can offer up some nice value on this holiday week.

Race #2 – #2 Annie’s Ghost (8-1) is great place to start. This is a first time starter, and trainer Doug Cowans is teaming up with Edgar Paucar. They win at 20% at the meet so far, and 60% on the year. Cowans is on fire, winning at an alarming rate of 30%.

The dam of this runner is 100% a winner with her babies. Cowans has a nice debut mark of 41% a winner and 70% ITM with his youngsters. This two-year-old can only be ready by the hand of Doug Cowans. He is a powerhouse trainer, and only he can hold himself back at Beulah. If you get 8-1, bet early and bet often…. I don’t think you will see that price, but take what you can get. This is a good place to see what the tier levels have to say about multi-race gimmicks and the early DD.

Race #3 – #4 Witches Fuhry (2-1) looks to take flight today. Yuri Yaranga is in the saddle for trainer Joe Woodard. They are batting a sweet 34% winning number, and 60% ITM as a team. The are better than the Yankees…….

Woodard’s runner takes a huge drop in class off a victory. This move yields a 20% win, and 50% ITM. Owner Billy Hays does not flinch about dropping in class. He just won at Turfway Park against a better field.  3/3 ITM at Beulah, and is 3/4 at the distance.

Hays and Woodard have had a great deal of success over the years. He is a car dealership owner, and he doesn’t have to sell what he has on the track. They speak for themselves. This is a good bet.. Barring a typhoon or volcano, I would back him in my wagers….

So, there it is… Tuesday plays that need a look before going to the windows. Check them out against the tier levels, and make sure you check the track condition before printing your predictions.

Good luck!

In the desert, there can spring up an oasis. On the outskirts of Dubai, there is a place where racing will flourish. Trust me, it is only a matter of time before the birthplace of the Thoroughbred makes their way to the winner’s circle at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May.

The new venue being constructed by the Sheik will be a crown jewel. There will be a world class turf course that surrounds a 1,750-meter all-weather Tapeta course inside it. That’s right, the synthetic revolution is going global in a big way.

The old venue hosted the Dubai World Cup, and some of the greatest horses romped to victory under the desert moon. The best riders, trainers, and horses all converged on finding the prize.

The race may chase away some dirt specialists, but it opens the door for European runners and stables to get practical experience in the desert and to ready themselves for the biggest races in America. With the heat, I think there could be no better place in the world where a synthetic oval would work better. It has held up nicely in extreme cold and heat.

Dubai Racing CEO Frank Gabriel spoke of a 60,000-capacity grandstand, luxury boxes that would make every track envious, and level the playing field by offering a world-class facility to showcase their talent.

I feel that with the money that will be put into this facility, racing will jump greatly, and the chance to see the best in the world will draw crowds. We needed something like this. The game needs it, and the future needed it. I guess now the conversation will begin about Breeders’ Cup future dates, and how they should be considered. Who knows? It is a tough answer. They can accommodate the crowds and showcase racing in fine fashion. I think we need to wait and see how Meydan unveils the carpet. But my money is on a red-carpet treatment for the world to see; the visions that only few could have dreamed.

If you could have what you wanted as a racing fan for the holiday season, what would it be?  A big winner?  Nice exacta?  The pick six? Your call….. What would you want?

For me it would be a few things.  Many would not be the usual things on a player’s list.

Number one – This one on my list is easy. I would love to travel back in time to the days when I was a young man. When my dad and my grandpa would be making plans to travel out to watch the last three or four races. I would get my homework done just so I could be asked. My dad would have me in the backseat, and we would pick up papaw. He loved to smoke Dutch Masters cigars. He smelled like those honeys all of his life. My pop would usually float him a $20 or so and get him in the game. I was just glad to be there. I didn’t want to hang out with the boys my age watching Happy Days. I wanted to be with my dad and papaw. No matter what, I loved the ride out. Sometimes I would get to make a bet. Those days were golden. I sure would love to make that drive with them again. Just to hear papaw talking, and loving the races. He even met my grandmother at the races. I have the program from their wedding day. Not a wedding program, but a Kentucky Derby program from 1933. They stopped at the justice of the peace, and got hitched on the way. I would love just one more ride out with the two men I loved the most.

Number two - I would like to duplicate a week in December 1993. It was a huge week for me… I just graduated college, I gave my wife a ring to be married, and my horse won his first race. College was easy for me, and my wife and I were living together, so getting married was the next logical step. My horse winning… Well, that was another thing.  He was not able to win bottom $4,000 claimers. He kept running second. I asked my trainer, and begged him until he gave in. I told him that he ran the same race every time. It won’t matter against what level. So, we entered claiming $8,000. He thought we had no chance, and I bet every dime I could get my hands on. He won in a three horse photo coming out of the clouds like Silky Sullivan…. My entire family was there, and we had about 100 people in the photo….. On my way to the winner’s circle, I thought about my papaw. He had passed away a few years prior, and this would have been the time of his life. It was great for everybody. I wish I could have that week back one more time.

Well,  there it is… These are some of the things I would like to have back. But, I am very lucky. I have a wonderful son, and I still go to the races with my dad. I have some good friends, and I enjoy the work that I do… So, in a way I am living a dream. It would not make the front page, but it has been fun for me. The fun I have had, and the adventures it has shown me will long live in my heart.