A few days ago I anted up $125 to the NTRA to join the NHC Tour, which consists of 90 handicapping tournaments, including 20 online, that offer prize money and the chance to qualify for the 2009 NTRA/Daily Racing Form National Handicapping Championship in Las Vegas, all expenses paid. The chances of doing that are similar to a home-game player making it to the World Series of Poker from a $40 satellite online, but I figured the entry fee was cheap and I could write it off on my taxes as a work-related expense. Then I factored in the aggravation I could blog about, and no writer can turn down such good material. There's nothing more entertaining than detailing your excruciating bad beats. And if you like action, cheap thrills and eyestrain, there's still time to sign up on the NTRA Web site.
I spent most of Friday afternoon poring over the Saturday competition's 10 races -- five from Gulfstream Park and five from Santa Anita -- and, as expected, I found most of them confusing. Here are my picks, on which I will bet a mythical $2 to win and $2 to place with faint hopes of earning one of three qualifying spots for the Vegas event next January.
4th race (Sacred Icon); 5th race (Sway); 7th race (Bearish); 8th race (Bordeaux Bandit) and 10th race (Le Grand Chief) at Gulfstream;
7th race (Colonel John); 8th race (War Monger); 9th race (Monterey Jazz); 10th race (Loh Collado) and 11th race (Option) at Santa Anita.
I'll be putting real money on my best bet of the day, War Monger, unless he's 6-5 or lower, in the Grade I Kilroe Mile Handicap. He has the potential to be a Breeders' Cup Mile contender, and trainer Bill Mott uncharacteristically has been talking him up.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Curlin's back
Halfway around the world, Curlin proved that he still rules it.
The defending Horse of the Year made his 4-year-old debut Thursday under the lights in Dubai and dominated five overmatched opponents in the 1 1/4-mile Jaguar Trophy Handicap at Nad al Sheba Racecourse. The huge chestnut colt's margin over the British-bred Familiar Territory was a very measured 2 1/4 lengths and could have been many more if Robby Albarado had so desired.
"You could have ridden him tonight," the Cajun joked to an English racing commentator. "We wanted to give him an easy race for the [Dubai] World Cup and we accomplished that. He really needed this race mentally and physically."
Despite spotting the field 15 pounds (Curlin carried a career-high 132) and racing without Lasix for the first time (it's banned in Dubai), the champion cruised in his first race since dominating the Breeders' Cup Classic Oct. 27 in the slop at Monmouth Park. The 1-5 favorite in the international pool (Dubai bans betting, too) broke well from the rail and was a bit keen to run on, but Albarado took a firm hold and guided him to the 3- or 4-path as he stalked in second behind Imperialista. Curlin glided into the lead with virtually no encouragement in upper stretch and completed his paid public workout for the March 29 World Cup. It was his seventh win in 10 career starts, and the winner's share of the $175,000 purse raised his career earnings above $5.2 million. The time on a fast track was 2:00.60.
Before the race, trainer Steve Asmussen said, "I don't want him doing too much because it's a prep for the World Cup. He's hydrated well since the trip and his prep work has gone extremely well. As far as his attitude goes, he's maybe a little more bossy. He definitely has the presence."
The defending Horse of the Year made his 4-year-old debut Thursday under the lights in Dubai and dominated five overmatched opponents in the 1 1/4-mile Jaguar Trophy Handicap at Nad al Sheba Racecourse. The huge chestnut colt's margin over the British-bred Familiar Territory was a very measured 2 1/4 lengths and could have been many more if Robby Albarado had so desired.
"You could have ridden him tonight," the Cajun joked to an English racing commentator. "We wanted to give him an easy race for the [Dubai] World Cup and we accomplished that. He really needed this race mentally and physically."
Despite spotting the field 15 pounds (Curlin carried a career-high 132) and racing without Lasix for the first time (it's banned in Dubai), the champion cruised in his first race since dominating the Breeders' Cup Classic Oct. 27 in the slop at Monmouth Park. The 1-5 favorite in the international pool (Dubai bans betting, too) broke well from the rail and was a bit keen to run on, but Albarado took a firm hold and guided him to the 3- or 4-path as he stalked in second behind Imperialista. Curlin glided into the lead with virtually no encouragement in upper stretch and completed his paid public workout for the March 29 World Cup. It was his seventh win in 10 career starts, and the winner's share of the $175,000 purse raised his career earnings above $5.2 million. The time on a fast track was 2:00.60.
Before the race, trainer Steve Asmussen said, "I don't want him doing too much because it's a prep for the World Cup. He's hydrated well since the trip and his prep work has gone extremely well. As far as his attitude goes, he's maybe a little more bossy. He definitely has the presence."
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Meet the Cybertout
My name is Ed McNamara, and I'm a horseplayer.
"Hello, Ed."
I didn't get hooked on the horses until I was 31, but gambling is in my DNA. At age 8 I was handing out NFL picks to a gambler named Tony Stupiello at my uncle Pete's luncheonette in Paterson, New Jersey. Tony would ask who I thought would win each game, then say "By a little or by a lot?" It would be years before I figured out why that mattered. I must have been on a roll during that autumn of 1958, because every Monday after school I'd sit down at the counter and Tony would buy me a cheeseburger and a Coke.
In the past 27 years I've made on-site wagers at 74 tracks in North and South America, Europe and Asia, leaving thousands of torn tickets in my wake. Since 1993 I've covered every Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup and been to Hong Kong, Royal Ascot, Longchamp and dozens of obscure tracks. Besides writing and handicapping for Newsday, I freelanced as Eddie Mac at the Track from 1995-2006 for ESPN.com and even had a couple of articles published in French and Italian racing journals. (OK, somebody had to translate them, so I'm not truly continental).
So, with all that experience (some would call it wasted time and energy), you might call me an expert. Well, there are no experts, only people with a lot of information rattling around in their heads and the urge to spew it. My mother always feared I'd end up as an educated bum, and I'm afraid she was right. Being a thoroughbred tout is far from a distinguished calling, yet if you're on the money when the price is right, you're a hero for the moment to anyone who took your advice.
I've handed out many live longshots over the years and hope to do it again on this blog. As Newsday's racing writer, I'll be covering the big events, sharing insights and looking for winners, as I've done for nine years while battling the point spread as the Gridiron Guide. Picking horses that finish first isn't easy, but when you hit one, you collect regardless of the margin. Here's one to watch for, a turf horse named Morgan's Run who ran very well Feb. 7 at Gulfstream despite finishing out of the money. If it wins next time out and you play it, you owe me a cheeseburger.
"Hello, Ed."
I didn't get hooked on the horses until I was 31, but gambling is in my DNA. At age 8 I was handing out NFL picks to a gambler named Tony Stupiello at my uncle Pete's luncheonette in Paterson, New Jersey. Tony would ask who I thought would win each game, then say "By a little or by a lot?" It would be years before I figured out why that mattered. I must have been on a roll during that autumn of 1958, because every Monday after school I'd sit down at the counter and Tony would buy me a cheeseburger and a Coke.
In the past 27 years I've made on-site wagers at 74 tracks in North and South America, Europe and Asia, leaving thousands of torn tickets in my wake. Since 1993 I've covered every Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup and been to Hong Kong, Royal Ascot, Longchamp and dozens of obscure tracks. Besides writing and handicapping for Newsday, I freelanced as Eddie Mac at the Track from 1995-2006 for ESPN.com and even had a couple of articles published in French and Italian racing journals. (OK, somebody had to translate them, so I'm not truly continental).
So, with all that experience (some would call it wasted time and energy), you might call me an expert. Well, there are no experts, only people with a lot of information rattling around in their heads and the urge to spew it. My mother always feared I'd end up as an educated bum, and I'm afraid she was right. Being a thoroughbred tout is far from a distinguished calling, yet if you're on the money when the price is right, you're a hero for the moment to anyone who took your advice.
I've handed out many live longshots over the years and hope to do it again on this blog. As Newsday's racing writer, I'll be covering the big events, sharing insights and looking for winners, as I've done for nine years while battling the point spread as the Gridiron Guide. Picking horses that finish first isn't easy, but when you hit one, you collect regardless of the margin. Here's one to watch for, a turf horse named Morgan's Run who ran very well Feb. 7 at Gulfstream despite finishing out of the money. If it wins next time out and you play it, you owe me a cheeseburger.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)