Why Calif. will get away with this crime

[Bill V.]

no offense Charlie
But I lost a lot of respect for Bill Finley when I heard him
say that race tracks should have the same take out percentages as
casinos. He is very clever with his example of an $80 dollar exacta
now only paying $75
to me to hit an exacta that pays $80 takes 2 nice price horses

If you win a $30 exacta with the increase takeout what would be your new
return?


Bill

[Charlie D]

Read, listen to the HANA blog Bill. They explain it much better than i ever could.

Horseplayers of America are shooting themselves in foot and they've been doing it for years as Bill Finley pointed out in his article.

[Ted Craven]

Originally Posted by Charlie D

Jeff

Might be wrong, but i think you may be misinterpreting Ted's reply. I don't think he is calling YOU a loser.

Indeed, Jeff, I was not calling you a loser and I will accept your statement and PDF that you are winner.

I was responding to the complaining (and IMO somewhat irrational) tone of your post that somehow an admission/parking fee at Hollywood Park (what to speak of the price of a DRF which has nothing to do with either Hollywood or California) plus the threatened new increases in some pools (and not even counting annoying announcers) is somehow a reason to abandon California polytrack racing for small Texas or Boston dirt tracks, as your post seems to advise as an antidote.

There are always things to complain about and we know that many horseplayers love to blame their lack of success on anyone or anything other than themselves (present company apparently excepted), and whining and complaining plus $1.50 gets you a cup of coffee.

Advising folks to abandon California racing for small tracks gets us nowhere (except interesting small tracks). If you were in the HANA delegation to the California Racing Commission, charged with attempting to convince them to make change in their overall policy and direction (you are a member of HANA, aren't you?), what would you tell them? Fire Trevor and Vic, eliminate parking fees, send their customers out of state? If the 'Governator' were in attendance, he'd ZAP you (or Bo Derek would, which might be more pleasant, I'll admit).

As an alternate strategy to holding our breath and threatening to turn purple, how about the following: Doc Sartin's motto was 'The cure for Losing is Winning." I respectfully suggest that 'the cure for high takeouts and resulting decline of handle and thus the industry - is Winning!'

If you're a long-term winning bettor (which you say you are), higher takeouts affect you not moreso than unpredictable and unavoidable last minute odds fluctuations. So you get $200 for your Pick 3 instead of $210 due to increased takeout. Or you get the $200 because some whale dropped $30,000 into the Pick 3 pool using the 8/5 winner of the first leg. What's the difference - and who cares!? If one is not a long-term winner it's all a moot point, semantics for the debating team.

If you're a long-term winning bettor, and you show it to others, others see they can become winners too, especially if you help teach them and coach them. Feel free to do more of this in the Selections or Matchers Forums, please! We need you.

Aside from lending their weight to the numbers of a consumer advocacy group like HANA, educating others in how to successfully bet on horse racing, whether on track or off track, is the number one thing an individual successful race analyst/investor can do to help the sport. Not co-incidentally, success starts at home and radiates outward from there, hence my earlier reference to 'look in the mirror to see who is responsible for one's own success or failure'.

If a younger generation (at least those inclined towards a thinking-person's game) thought they stood a real chance of making a profit by having access to and mentoring in good analysis and wagering tools AND guidance in mental preparedness - whether at the track, at cool off-track facilities, in Friday night betting parties (e.g. as an alternative to Friday night guys poker parties, or weekly 'ladies' investment clubs) - then they would bet more, handle would rise, takeout increases would be halted or decreased, media would cover the sport more, more people would become interested= a virtuous cycle. Founded on education and winners as positive energy role models, rather than eccentric Howard Beale "I'm-mad-as-hell-and-not-going-to-take-it-anymore!" types.

For example, when I was at Del Mar last month, Bud Jones and I met with Tim Reid, Director of Operations to discuss an education seminar series for the 2011 Del Mar meet. We also reminded him that takeout was bizarre (I think he agreed). We didn't suggest a boycott - we suggested engagement, education! Who knows what will come of that, but no seeds planted = no future growth...

As for your kind invitation to a handicapping Contest, thank you very much, perhaps another time And congratulations on your success (and in Southern California, no less!)

cheers,

Ted