This is nothing new. Happens every day. In this case it just so happened that someone noticed.
I remember betting Monarchos in the Florida Derby back in 2001 and he dropped from 5/2 to 8/5 when they were on the backstretch. Pissed me off completely. I made a huge stink about it and the answer I eventually got back was that some guy in the midwest somewhere placed a very large bet via a wagering service, all perfectly legal, about 5 seconds before the gates opened. That was in 2001, and it was pretty educational for me.
This game has always been about finding an edge on the crowd. Data is part of that, but we are in the information edge and it\'s gotten tougher and tougher to maintain an edge that way.
I don\'t play like I used to, but I know a couple of people that do and much of their money goes offshore with someone who offers rebates. Why wouldn\'t it? If you can get 2 or 3% or more of your money back automatically in exchange for guaranteeing a monthly or anuual handle, that\'s a big edge. You just lowered your takeout. Since most pros more or less break even or turn a small profit on the majority of their daily bets but keep swinging at big scores and make their money that way when they hit, that rebate is more or less their monthly nut, and it makes a big difference.
I\'ve also seen a couple of pretty cool programs that analyze pools and spit out suggested tickets. Like it or not, that is part of deal. Anyone who wants to go that route can choose to make the investment. And if you don\'t want to make the investment you can\'t complain about the people who do. Should the guy in the crowd be able to bitch at you because you bought a set of sheets for the day and he didn\'t?
I remember when I lived in Chicago one of the daily track guys, a guy who wrote for the DRF, was offering up the name of a steamer for $1000. That horse came in a week later and paid 15-1. Don\'t know how he knew about the horse and I never asked because you don\'t ask about stuff like that. It just happens. Especially at tracks that are near a bunch of private training farms. You don\'t think those guys have an edge and are going to use it?
What about the stable that knows their horse with bad form on paper or a long layoff is really coming around and acting like he is sitting on a big one all of sudden in the mornings since that nagging little whatever has seemed to go away. When he shows up in a 10K claimer does that outfit have an edge? Should they be required to tell all of us?
Or what about the people that get up daily and head to the track at 5AM just so they can play horses like that. Should they have to share that info?
If you are willing to put in the time or make the investment to get an edge, as long as you are not breaking the law I say you are entitled to keep it and good for you.
