Am I The Only HR Handicapper Here?

[Appyhawk]

Horses and horsemanship have been a big part of my life. I used to be a licensed horse racing trainer but have been reduced to just handicapping the races for the past 8 yrs or so. I play about 4-5 days a week, time permitting, and have studied handicapping for at least 20 years.
Any other handicappers and/or racing fans here among our Seahawk faithful?

 

[Seahawkfan80]

I learned about Horses about 30 years ago. Went to the races here in the Boise valley when we had Les Bois Park and they were racing live. They somewhat closed and dont reopen that much as they really dont like paramutual racing or the other racing venue items there as it takes away from the betting venue they want to keep here...I daho Lottery. So not really any more.

A local lady that was a great rider got a special on her one time on PBS.

I cant find the article..but here is one.

https://www.idahopress.com/sports/big-f ... 93055.html

 

[Appyhawk]

Hey there and thanks SH80. I wasn't expecting I'd even get an answer, let alone so quick. :lol: I lived in NW Montana until 2000, so I know horse racing struggles in that area. But there are pretty decent tracks in Washington and Oregon, except the handle is so small I play elsewhere.
I take it you don't pursue the action at other tracks around the country?
Horse racing is about the only way I have left to make any money so it's a profession for me. It's anything BUT easy though. I work really hard at it every day.
Seahawks are my 'fun' outlet, although this year they've tried hard to test the validity of my health insurance. LOL

 

[chris98251]

Have not went to the races since Long Acres closed and my ex fiancé and I broke up. But I never lost money and always came home with more in my pocket then I left with. That was like 25 years ago.

 

[Appyhawk]

Good on you chris! Not many can say they quit while they were ahead of the most challenging game going. Don't you miss going for the thrill of victory?

 

[chris98251]

Good on you chris! Not many can say they quit while they were ahead of the most challenging game going. Don't you miss going for the thrill of victory?

I missed it, but it was the company I kept at that time that made it special. Never went to win as much to have fun with whom I was with, maybe that was the key, always maintained my bet limit, read racing forms before we went and then made bets, after double checking track conditions, sloppy versus fast track are night and day and some horses just don't run as fast while others it never made a difference. Seeing that in forms in the history of times was a big help.

 

[Appyhawk]

Great post. Can't even begin to tell you how much time I've spent studying forms. I maintain a huge database and have developed systems based on circumstantial trends and profiles for each track, trainer, jock, horse, sireline, when and how much they excel in about 30 different categories. Also now use software which makes all that much faster and easier. Having said that, I don't think anything beats manually studying the form. Trouble with that is it takes so much time it's tough for me to get through an entire card to find those best races to play. So i do both! :lol:
I'm a value player, so I have to be extra judicious in finding the right race to invest in. I do my utmost to eliminate gambling as much as possible. That's why I say the most overall profitable play you will make is passing races instead of trying to play them all.

 

[Seahawkfan80]

Hey there and thanks SH80. I wasn't expecting I'd even get an answer, let alone so quick. :lol: I lived in NW Montana until 2000, so I know horse racing struggles in that area. But there are pretty decent tracks in Washington and Oregon, except the handle is so small I play elsewhere.
I take it you don't pursue the action at other tracks around the country?
Horse racing is about the only way I have left to make any money so it's a profession for me. It's anything BUT easy though. I work really hard at it every day.
Seahawks are my 'fun' outlet, although this year they've tried hard to test the validity of my health insurance. LOL

A football great used to own a small ranch out here. Sold it when he got divorced and that ranch produced a horse that placed/showed/won one of the 4 main races. Born out here, and sent down to Cali to train when old enough to handle it. I dont remember the name of the horse. Sorry.

Name of the place is TreeTop Farms. The old owner is Green Bay Packer Jerry Kramer. He lives in Boise. Played golf with him one time at my course that I worked on.

 

[Appyhawk]

I remember Jerry Kramer. Didn't know he lives in Boise. Without horse name I have no idea about that one. There are so many big races now, and so many horses with such crazy names it's hard to keep track of them. Especially over a haul as long as mine! :lol:

 

[pmedic920]

I spent some me time around Playfair in Spokane (back in the day). Late 70s early 80s

Surly wouldn’t call myself a HCer.
I knew a couple of trainers, and occasionally exercised a few horses for extra pocket money.

I learned how to read a forum but still didn’t do much betting unless I heard something around the barns that made it a “sure thing”, I made a few bucks but thankfully I learned quickly that there is no such thing as a “sure thing”least not in Horse Racing.

 

[Appyhawk]

Goodstuff pmedic. Working as an exercise rider is how I got started in racing too. 60s and mostly quarter horses at the time. Since then I've gravitated exclusively to Tbreds, except for my pleasure horses which are Apps.
You are so right that there is no sure thing. In fact, as a value player, that is exactly what keeps me going! Playing those 'sure things' wins a lot of races, but puts very little in your pocket. Accurately identifying the vulnerable favorites is a big part of picking races to play or pass.
I see you're now in Texas. One of my sons is a businessman in San Antonio. I celebrated a big Belmont Stakes win
(and my ganddaughter's HS graduation) while visiting there earlier this year. The .10 super pd about $1750. Big pool races like that I don't play for dimes. The BElmont is THE race that has been most generous to me over the years.
I never got to Playfair when I lived just over the line in NW Montana, but knew a lot of folks there from playing tennis tournies. The son I mentioned above got a schollie offer to play for the Zags but ended up going to Missoula.
Nice to get acquainted with you and chris and 80.

 

[pmedic920]

Goodstuff pmedic. Working as an exercise rider is how I got started in racing too. 60s and mostly quarter horses at the time. Since then I've gravitated exclusively to Tbreds, except for my pleasure horses which are Apps.
You are so right that there is no sure thing. In fact, as a value player, that is exactly what keeps me going! Playing those 'sure things' wins a lot of races, but puts very little in your pocket. Accurately identifying the vulnerable favorites is a big part of picking races to play or pass.
I see you're now in Texas. One of my sons is a businessman in San Antonio. I celebrated a big Belmont Stakes win
(and my ganddaughter's HS graduation) while visiting there earlier this year. The .10 super pd about $1750. Big pool races like that I don't play for dimes. The BElmont is THE race that has been most generous to me over the years.
I never got to Playfair when I lived just over the line in NW Montana, but knew a lot of folks there from playing tennis tournies. The son I mentioned above got a schollie offer to play for the Zags but ended up going to Missoula.
Nice to get acquainted with you and chris and 80.

The Palouse Pony huh?

I’m fairly familiar.

I worked the APPY Nationals and World show for several years.

Cattle Manager.

5-6 days of pure Hell but so enjoyable.

Four Winds West: Wizzer (rip) and Kathy Baker, if you’re familiar with them.
I’ve long since lost contact, not sure if Kathy continued in the business after Wizzers passing.


Edit:
Ha, this is stirring some memories that I haven’t pondered in many years.

 

[Appyhawk]

"Ha, this is stirring some memories that I haven’t pondered in many years."
That's a GOOD thing. I figure memories are kind of a connection to forever.

I raised a line of Apps for more the 40 years, based on a Red Eagle colt I raised., Red Eagle was an APHC foundation sire. I just have 2 of my Apps left now and the youngest is 16. I had one that passed away last fall that was down from 2 world speed record holders, His name was O'Sage's Eagle and I bet he was the fastest thing ever born. Never in my life rode or saw a faster accelerator. He was a one man horse. We were a team. Gawd I miss that horse. He was something outa this world, an athletic freak of nature. I still have his brother Storm Eagle. He's 20, but still spry.

 

[Sports Hernia]

Have not went to the races since Long Acres closed and my ex fiancé and I broke up. But I never lost money and always came home with more in my pocket then I left with. That was like 25 years ago.

Emerald Downs is decent but a bit out of the way. Last time I went there were a lot of races where there were only 5 horses.
It’s hard to make money with only 5 horses racing. Though I heard the Muckelshoot tribe runs it now and increased the prize money attracting bigger fields.

 

[Appyhawk]

I hear ya Hernia, and thanks for the contribution.
I'm not much for playing small fields or small handle. But I am interested in learning more about Emerald and Portland tracks as I still entertain notions of relocating to that area of the country. I watch racing from there when it's available. Another putoff is that both those tracks seem dominated by early speed chalk. I rarely play chalk and prefer closers. But it takes weeding through a lot of races to find the right one to pull the trigger on.
The trouble with relocating is that to find a place there that would resemble what I have here would probably cost a $1M or more. IF I could even find one.
I like tribal run tracks though. So I'll do some research and see what's up with the arrangements. I know the Seahawks have partnered with that tribe for some things in the way of developments. Not sure exactly what they're talking about when they say "development' though. As a rule I frown on what 'development' turns out to be.
Thanks again for the convo. Glad for this chance to get to know some of board members a little bit better.

 

[Appyhawk]

Well, it seems the virus has left horse racing the only game still going, albeit simulcast/TV only. No attendance allowed at the track, but the ponies are still running.
For as long as I can remember this time of year it's wall to wall basketball at my house. KU has been in the tourney a record 31 consecutive yrs, until now. So I'm dealing with a severe empty feeling.
Tough times for racing too, what with the cheater cleanup going on, but IMO the sport will be better for it. If HORSES are better off for it that will be worth any downside. That's the rule of law here at my place, Horses FIRST, everything else after that. 28 cheaters arrested so far, with more on the vine.

 

[Cyrus12]

My wife has 3 horses...I know they are expensive....that's all I know...oh and she loves them more than me.

 

[Appyhawk]

Sounds to me like you are a lucky man Cyrus!

I just received a letter from Churchill Downs explaining their coronavirus caution regarding upcoming spring Derby meet, letting me know they are delaying opening the stable area and adjoining training barns for the new meet by 2 weeks. So at this time they are not considering cancelling the Derby, and I doubt they will do that, but it might be possible they would run it without fans like they are doing with all other racing at tracks right now around the country.
In case you think that implies I might have a Derby horse...NOT HARDLY. If I could afford a horse like that I might be part owner of the Seahawks! :lol: :lol:

 

[Appyhawk]

HUGE day at Gulfstream today. Last of 14 races on the card is the FLorida Derby which historically has heavy implications for Triple Crown race winners. It is also likely the last racing day of the meet as. like most other major tracks, they will probably shut down GPX until this virus thing has run it's course.
I got some of my work done on the card last night, but with only an hour before post time they still haven't posted changes, IF there are no scratches I'll have to start all over as there are several horses in the outside 3 of the 16 stall gate which figure to be factors. I capped it anticipating anything from 13 out would probably scratch, as is usually what happens. But with closing an impending probability maybe no one is willing to take the chance they can find a better race to enter. In any case it should be a GREAT day of racing today at Hallandale.

 

[Appyhawk]

I have mentioned a few times there have been several horses running at Gulfstream this year with Seahawk ties. I haven't yet figured out if it's due to the owners or breeders, but we've seen entries named Beast Mode, Beast, Marshawn, and Largent, among others.
R3 today has Largent going out of gate 3 as likely fave, out of the Pletcher barn. Largent has a good shot to take it, but will certainly be challenged by at least 4 others in the 12 horse field.