Courtesy of Thoroughbred Daily News

[colt]

I was fortunate enough to make it to the Vegas field a few years back and have played in several of the larger contest with the current format, but the contest needs some reworking.  The contest needs to incorporate money management, hence a live money contest.  There are several live money contests out there, but the CTOTB-NEW Haven contest is probably the best model out there where you start off Day 1 with $20 and you are required to make at least 10 $2 wagers (limited to WPS only) from several tracks. Day 2 - you are given $30 plus your winnings from Day 1 to make a run at it.  This format is more realistic of everyday handicapping.

[BitPlayer]

A propos of the willingness of owners to absorb losses, I see that Frank Calabrese says he lost almost $2 million last year.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/horseracing/1398753,CST-SPT-frank27.article

Calabrese is not happy about it, but, as Barry Irwin suggests, it seems clear that money is not what keeps him in the game.

That said, even if owners are not in the game for money, trainers and Churchill Downs certainly are, and any analysis has to take that into account.

I don\'t disagree that slots create incentives that are bad for the future of the game.  I think Cartman has it right in terms of where the game should go, but I\'m not sure we can get there from here.

[lcfjr3]

Had a friend who won the World Series of Handicapping at Penn National in the 1970/80\'s/ On the last race he bet $1000 win on every horse in the para mutual pool (except his contest choice) and his entire bankroll on his choice (who would have been the favorite).  His choice won and he won $50,000. It was a Penn National only contest using live odds.



The NTRA/Las Vegas (racing world) needs either 2 formats or 1 that all contests agree to;

1. Handicapping contests
$2 Win/Place  
Higher buy in/fee
3-4 tracks
20 races
10 races mandatory
10 optional

2. Gambling contests
contest buy in/fee
3 tracks a day limited rules

Right now there is a huge conflict.  

Like Poker most have become a gambling event and not a skill contest.

It should be both.

The results at Red Rocks were nonsense.