Graded Stakes Contest - Feedback Please

[RichieP]

Thinking out loud here and need some feedback please.

How bout a Graded Stakes (Grade 1 and 2 ONLY) to kickoff with the Kentucky Derby?

Contest would run weekly and take us through the summer and end on Labor Day.

Different tracks - different surfaces - different distances

I have a list of stakes I compiled and will post here for you to see. I will add some from Delmar if this goes.As of right now they have NO stakes schedule up

Now some feedback/suggestions please:

1) what kind of wager format? IF we are gonna do something that needs totaling on a weekly basis that gets carried over to an overall total (like the FG contest)I need help. I can handle the totalling of that days scores but would need someone to transfer them and update the Overall totals.

a) simple win betting?
b) include exotics?
c) amount available per race to bet?

2) Wagering rules? do we do an advance betting type thing or "live" where folks can wager right up to post time?

3) contest format?
a) simple week to week winners ( like last years Friday race of the week format)
b) carryover totals for one ultimate winner ( Like Fg contest)
c) Something else?

Here is the list of races/ dates that I have drawn up consisting of ONLY grade 1 and grade 2 races run almost exclusively on the weekends.

On Belmont stakes day ONLY there will be TWO races for us. Any stakes that has Woody Stephens name on it HAS to be included man. He was the best and a total class act. So we do the Belmont stakes PLUS the Woody Stephens that day.

I welcome all feedback/suggestions. Derby less than a month away so we need to see if there is enough interest to have it ok?

thanx and here is the list I have compiled:
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1) Kentucky Derby - Saturday May 5th - Churchill- 10f Dirt- Grade 1

2) Jim Murray Memorial - Saturday May 12th - Hollywood- 12f Turf- Grade 2

3) Preakness Stakes - Saturday May 19th - Pimlico - 9.5f Dirt - Grade 1

4) Gamely Stakes - Monday - May 28th - Hollywood - 9f Turf - Grade 1

5) Ohio Derby - Saturday - June 2nd - Thistledown -9f Dirt - Grade 2

6) Belmont Stakes - Saturday June 9th - Belmont - 12f Dirt - Grade 1

7) Woody Stephens - Saturday - June 9th - Belmont - 7f Dirt - Grade 2

8) Stephen Foster - Saturday - June 16th - Churchill - 9f Dirt - Grade 1

9) NY Breeders - Saturday - June 23rd - Belmont - 10f Turf - Grade 2

10) Hollywood Gold Cup -Saturday June 30th- Hollywood- 10f Dirt - Grade 1

11) Princess Rooney - Saturday July 7th - Calder - 6f Dirt -Grade 1

12) Bowling Green - Saturday July 14th - Belmont- 11f Turf- Grade 2

13) Virginia Derby - Saturday July 21st- Colonial - 10f Turf - Grade 2

14) Whitney - Saturday July 28th - Saratoga - 9f Dirt - Grade 1

15) Haskell - Sunday August 5th - Monmouth - 9f Dirt - Grade 1

16) Arlington Million - Saturday August 11th- Arlington - 10f Turf- Grade 1

17) Alabama - Saturday August 18th - Saratoga - 10f Dirt - Grade 1

18) King Bishop - Saturday August 25th - Saratoga - 7f Dirt - Grade 1

19) Penn Derby - Monday September 3rd - Philly - 9f Dirt - Grade 2

[Houndog]

Richie, I am all for it. As far as the format is concerned I would want to make it as easy as possible for you as alot of work is involved especially when you are talking about exotic bets with part-wheels; boxes; etc.

So any betting format you think would be best is fine with me.

[RAMON201]

I like the way the Fair Grounds Contest was set up but if I had one thing to change it would be that the amount bet would be deducted from the winnings. If you don't hit the amount bet would be deducted from your total.Other than that I like the stakes race idea.At least the races will feature quality horses.Count me in !

[noddub62]

Good idea.

How about a one horse per race win bet and let's see how we all do.
Bud.

** Bud**
I edited your post for legal reasons since you will be participating in the contest as well ok? Just double checked with Bill on this amigo. see next post.
Richie

[RichieP]

Just a quick note please:

A good friend of Pace and Cap has generously donated $200.00 and this has been matched by another very good friend of Pace and Cap.

We now have $400.00 in CASH early on as a prize fund donated generously by Friends of Pace and Cap!

Amazing.

Hoping for a lot of feedback and participation on this in the next few days. YOU help form the contest structure and rules. This is OUR site and ALL are welcome to submit feedback,donations , ideas!

thanx
Richie

[finishline1]

excellent idea. i liked the f/g contest as it was. win and place and exacta betting. betting up to 5 min. before post time. week to week like the f/g contest.the race dates listed are o.k. with me. i hope it happens.


*** Finish***
Gonna edit your post to "Friends of Pace &Cap". Thanx man!
Richie

[JimG]

Since it is looking to be some cash, I suggest only people that had accounts here with at least one post as of yesterday should be eligible.

Jim

PS...A scoring suggestion, make it $2 win bet only with the total amount collected multiplied by the number of winners overall selected. This gives all people a fair shake, those that pick longshots and those that pick winners.

For example, after 5 weeks player A has $40 in winners and had 2 winners. Player B has $30 in winners comprising 3 wins. Player B would have 90 pts and player A would have 80 pts after 5 weeks.

[emilio840]

I suggest that we have only win bets. The reason for this is that we must learn to pick winners first. You can not win any type of race unless you pick a winner. And we should only be allowed to pick 1 horse to win.

I am trying to learn to bet like Jim or You. And I am sure that Jim only bets 1 horse in a race and you only bet 1 horse in a race. This will make us focus on winners. And this exercise would really help us.

AND IT WILL also MAKE IT EASIER ON THE PERSON THAT KEEPS THE SCORE.

emilio

[Turbulator]

I don't know if I'll be able to participate, but here are my thoughts.

Win Betting Only. If someone hits a big super or try, it's game over. In my opinion win betting has more skill as witnessed by the results of the win betting only contest just finished. Only 7 or 8 out of 30 were profitable win betting after 17 weeks. Granted not everyone participated, nor did they take the win betting aspect all that seriously, but it shows an interesting trend. Besides, like someone above pointed out--if you can't pick winners, how you gonna pick an exacta or a tri? (I also think an exacta betting only contest down the road might be interesting.)

I just happen to believe that a win betting only contest would be more beneficial--not only for developing your skills, but to see the different insights in the way everyone else plays the races.

There are several interesting formats you could use. Here are a couple of suggestions.

1. Bet as many horses to win as you like.

1a. Bet only one horse per race to win.

A contest such as this could be structured similar to a Las Vegas handicapping contest. I've only played in one, but it was years ago, so I don't know the exact rules for these kinds of things. But I did glance at the rules in the link below and they seemed pretty straight forward. They could easily be copied for this contest. I think this would be great practice for everybody.

That being said, any contest is a good contest. But any contest that includes supers and tris requires too much thinking on my part. I tend to handicap these things very quickly. (Look at the results of the win betting contest and you'll see how that worked our for me.

Here is a link to some rules for a recent contest.

http://tinyurl.com/3ydxzh

[jms62]

Richie,

Can I recommend the same format that the National Handicapping Contest uses in Vegas. A 2.00 WP on 1 horse.. I would like to donate 2 clubhouse passes(each day) to Saratoga for Wed. 8-22-2007 and Mon 8-27-2007. Since the contest extends past these 2 dates, you need to think about how to work them in. Maybe for the Triple Crown Races ? Your call.