Am I The Only HR Handicapper Here?

[Appyhawk]

Largent a winner!
I don't play horses at 4/5 odds but in this case I used on top and cashed ex/tri plays.
3W pd 3.60
3/5 $2 ex pd 16.60
3/5/12 .50 tri pd 27.95
9 horse@99/1 came 4th. I didn't have that horse nor play the super. But if you did you collected $178.10 for a dime.

 

[Seahwkgal]

I can’t believe I missed this post.
Another HR fanatic here. I can handicap pretty good but I love the history and stories of the sport. In fact, I am a published pedigree writer from the now defunct Pedigee Post. Bloodlines are my passion and I know my shite.
Favorite of all time is Seattle Slew followed by AP Indy, Cigar, Rachel Alexandra and California Chrome.
Favorite breed founders are Lexington, Glencoe, Diomed, La Troienne, Pocahontas and Janus.

 

[Appyhawk]

COOL!!!!
I bethca we'll get along fine and have some great conversations. Looking forward to it Seahwkgal.

 

[Largent80]

You have got to be kidding me...I've posted so many horse racing threads for 2 decades here and largely ignored outside of Andrea. I've posted free PP's for the Derby for at least 17 years here.

 

[Appyhawk]

Kidding you how Largent? I never saw any of those threads but if I had I sure would have been involved. If you want to talk horses and/or racing I'm all in pard!

 

[Seahwkgal]

Kidding you how Largent? I never saw any of those threads but if I had I sure would have been involved. If you want to talk horses and/or racing I'm all in pard!

No offense Appy, but Rob(Largent80) has been the only other horse racing fanatic on this board that I knew of as well, however I don’t frequent the Sports Bar much so I could have missed any other topic about the ponies. :lol:
You seem relatively new here to me but Rob and I are OLD members here.
No biggie.
The pandemic has changed my habits at home a bit recently because I am running out of things to watch on TV, so I started reading a book I recently purchased called ‘Legacy Of Lexington’ by Kathleen Kirsan. Fascinating read about the breed, the history and the bloodlines of the American sport horse. Man the American Thoroughbred racehorses come from some tough stock. Too bad they can’t hold up like that anymore. The 20 mile race story involving Black Maria and Trifle is amazing.

 

[Appyhawk]

No offense taken. I'm not ashamed to have only joined this board within the past year. Heck, I was a Seahawk before I first began using the internet! That was in the 90s. But I've been a horse guy my entire life. My first job was as a vet assistant (I get along very well with most all animals) but quit that to become the exercise rider for a guy who ran both quarters and TBreds. I was about 17 at that time. Then I grew too much for doing lots of speedwork, so that ended that gig. Years later I became a trainer. Also did shows and the fun stuff competitions, mostly into timed events as I've always had very fast horses. Also loved the endurance events, which is where my guy Stormy (Storm Eagle) came in. He's fast enough, but he can go hard forever! Upside is a lot of the events happen on great courses flagged out in scenic areas, so it's a great ride whether you're into the competitive aspect or not. Stormy didn't like all the vet check delays involved in the modern format! :lol: He's 21 now but he could still go tomorrow...although we haven't done much in the way of conditioning for over a year now.
Re: "they can't hold up like that anymore". Im a WOH guy. Don't use or believe in drugs for my horses (or me) except in emergency or the preventative annual vaccs. We eat good and work hard. It is my opinion the routine use of lasix is a primary reason behind spate of breakdowns and bleeding although cheaters use any drug they think they can get away with. And that works for them too, at least for awhile. That is one of the biggest problems in racing. Too many cowboy chemists and not enough real "horse first" horsemen.

 

[Largent80]

Where do I start?...I grew up literally 2 blocks from Los Alamitos. Went there with my dad all the time. Of course we would also go to Santa Anita, Hollywood Park and Del Mar, whatever was open in the SoCal area. During the Fair we would go to Fairplex.

When I moved to Washington in early 77 I got a job at Yakima Meadows. Most of the equipment from there was transported over from Longacres. All of the horsemen and trainers/jockies we're from there outside of a few from Playfair or Les Boise. A jockey showed up there , actually 2 jockies that are brothers, Gary and Scott Stevens. My buddy who also worked there and is the son of the track photographer knew Gary from Boise.

He introduced me and we began a friendship. Of course he went on to stardom at SA and won riding titles everywhere he went. Still hear from him from time to time. I also befriended Gary Ross a prominent trainer.

I was at closing day of Hollywood Park and it was a sad day, I was also at Longacres last Day (equally devastating)......Glad to see the sport is still going even after the disasterous SA meeting last year. I was at the Breeders Cup in 2008 when Curlin and Zenyatta both ran. I actually have a Zenyatta bobblehead from the givaway day at HP.

Lots of great memories. Hit some huge exactas, tri's and Supers over the years, some were tips from both Garys, some from Vicky Aragon, and some strictly hunches.

 

[Appyhawk]

When I started in racing I was all about horses. Had no interest in betting. Even after I became a trainer I still just worked for purse $ without playing. Spending all your time on the backside you become aware of whats going on with certain trainers. Could have made a lot of money with that info, but I was just into helping the horses I was working with be as good as they could be. In my estimation having the best horse is the only way to WIN. Doping is not winning its cheating...stealing.
My business model as an owner/trainer focused on state breds. Figured that was my best chance to win at a higher rate. After all, raising and starting youngsters is my specialty. Unfortunately politics put a kibosh on those plans. When the state elected a Tea Party gov the first thing he did was invent a loophole that created a monopoly favoring the state owned casinos which caused the tracks to close their doors. Flushed all my investment as well as source of income down the toilet overnight. Yes almost 10 years later, I'm still bitter about that.
That's when I turned to playing the horses. Same gov even tried to shut that down in our state! But the legislature didn't want to lose that revenue and kept online open. So I can at least play from home,
Currently (ever since the big bust) racing results are in something of an upheaval. Unexpected horses seem to drop out of the clouds to find their way into the winner circle or second to ruin your exotic play. The betting public simply has not adjusted to loss of dependable cheaters filling those spots, thus the enormous payouts we've been seeing despite limited racing. Its my theory that the cheaters winning so much screwed up the speed figures for other horses who are now emerging as competitive.
Anyway, whatever the cause, I'm in something of a holding pattern until MY results are more consistent. My rule of play is to avoid gambling to the greatest extent possible. Yesterday was encouraging. We'll see how today goes. About the time I get it figured out the last of the tracks still running will shut down! That's when I'll start singing the "if it weren't for bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all" song. :lol:

 

[Appyhawk]

I'l lbe busy today and tomorrow. It's the last 2 days of this years Oaklawn meet. While it's been strange not to have the huge crowds so typical for OPX, the racing has been great, and as usual, challenging. This is Arkansas Derby weekend. There were so many nominations and entries they decided one race wasn't enough, so there will be 2 Ark Derbies this year! I'm OFF!!

 

[Appyhawk]

Started with a bang good enough to carry me through the last 2 days with a nice + margin.
I'm normally very cautious about getting involved in the first race on the card as that race is prone to producing anomalous results. But after capping the entire card it was Race 1 that really stuck out to me as being clearly defined, so I played it top to bottom, W through Super...and nailed it clean. Played the super for $1, which grossed 7 bills by itself! Passed R2, lost R3, but repeated my R1 result in R4! The Super ony produced $387, but the acculated roll carried me to a nice end after both days. Followed that with another Rosario W in R5, but missed on the Sup due to flipping the place and show horses, otherwise I would have scored a 3peat! That woud have been historic for me.
Saturday Rosario rode 5 horses to wins on the 14 race card. As Rosario has long been my favorite jock, when he does well I tend to do the same. Unfortunately he rode a few short priced faves, in which case I usually pass on the W pool and focus on the exotics. Turned out pretty good.
Amazingly great meet for Oaklawn this year, even without the stands being packed full with fans.

 

[Seahwkgal]

The Triple Crown is dead to me. Not only is there more time between races, the Belmont has been shortened to 9 furlongs. No longer a test of champions. No longer a true Triple Crown.
9f Belmont on 6/22
10f Ky Derby on 9/5
9.5f Preakness in October.

This is a joke.
CDI is the reason it got all screwed up in the first place. Greedy bastards.
They could have raced on 5/2 without spectators. The f-ing horses don’t care. Oaklawn Park did and had massive record handle.

 

[Largent80]

TC is ruined. The Belmont first?....reduced distance?
KY Derby next, more distance than the Belmont?
Preakness ?...who cared anyway?

They totally screwed the entire mythical perception of a triple crown.

 

[Largent80]

This is awesome........https://newvocations.org/

 

[Appyhawk]

Yep, that's great Largent. 2 of y 3 Tbreds are horses I rescued while in their prime. Now they are 'old' (14-17) but still full of juice and great companions.
The Belmont Stakes has long been my favorite race of the year. It is also one of my most profitable. But I whole heatedly agree with both of you about what is taking place this year. They are running a race Saturday, and they are calling it Belmont Stakes, but it is NOT the Belmont Stakes.
IF I play it at all I will treat it as just another race.
The entire TC series is a makeshift shambles for this year. Maybe that will make the Breeders Cup weekend into the center of racing attention the way it SHOULD be.

The Queen Ann yesterday was a horse racing treat of a race!

 

[Largent80]

It is what it is.

With limited training a mile and a half is pretty daunting for a young 3 Y.O...... Its still going to be interesting, but the mystique is gone and so is the trophy.

 

[Appyhawk]

Just concluded my 3rd winning day in a row playing Belmont. (Probly just jinxed myself!) So I' looking forward to tomorrow. Haven't even looked at the card yet, but I will later tonight.
You going to be playing tomorrow Largent?

 

[Seahwkgal]

I should kick myself. I had the Trifecta of the fake, pussified Belmont. Didn’t play it because I don’t have an online betting account. I still think Max Player would have loved the 12 furlongs. Oh well, we will NEVER know.
I love how the Honor Code 3 yos are performing. He is the final HUGE AP Indy son at stud.

 

[Largent80]

At least we have something to watch with this ******* bullshit going on.

 

[Appyhawk]

Yep Largent. I see Belmont was highest rated sporting event of the week.
Hey Seagal! Sounds like you and I capped the Belmont nearly identical. I DNP anything but ex so collected that @ $16 per click. Wish now I had played tri and sup too, but I didn't. Best for me on the day was R12. Had the 10 as my top choice. That one came in and saved my day w/$33.80 W.
Haven't played anything since Sat. Went to see my son in KC and he gifted me a new cell phone and a kickass new laptop. Boy howdy this new machine is a doozy! Only prob is my horse racing software is no longer supported and there is no installation file in the package. So I'm going bananas trying to figure out how to transfer all the files and get it to work. In the meantime my previous puter with a working version of my program will do...but gawd I love this new machine!