horse racing

my girlfriend and I are going to head down to a local race track next week, just for some fun, neither of us have done it before... we're obviosuly not about to drop a fat wad of cash, likely jsut some min. bets to keep amused and try something new... I know there some people here who know what's going on.. anything special I need to know before I go, or things I shoudl avoid doing to avoid looking like a moron?

thanks.

Comments

  • Step 1. Every track has betting on multiple tracks. Always annouce the track first. If you want to bet at Woodbine say Woodbine before anything else.

    Step 2. Win - horse must win
    Place horse must win or come 2nd
    show horse must come 1 2 or 3.

    Exactor must correctly pick 1st and 2nd horses. 8 - 6 exactors and 6 8 exactors are not the same.
    triactors, superfectas, pick 3 pick 4 etc I don't think you need to worry about.

    Easiest way to have some fun is to pick a horse by whatever means and bet it to show, if you cash parlay the money on your next selection. If you have beginners luck then you might be able to make some good coin. even with no luck it's a $50 night out with a $5 bet on every race.

    Hope this helps.
  • thanks, thats quite helpful.. hopefully i can not look like a tool and have some funwhile i'm at it :)
  • How did you do??

    mike
  • Just an afterthought, was it Thorobreds or Standardbreds? Which track did you go to?
    I grew up around the Standbred side of things and can ace betting on Trotters usually by betting on the driver. If you flip through the program you can find the top ten driver's, they made that list for a reason. It is kind of like variance in poker...bet on the winningest driver enough and you should do okay. Driver's get paid based on a %. So they only take goo horses...you dig?

    Joe is right, betting to Show if you are a beginner is smart, I'd half parlay though...
  • How did you do??

    mike

    This friday coming up, not last friday :)


    and thanks for hte extra info haddon, I'll be sure to look through thr program for drivers.

    and i have no idea what kind of horses they are.. all i know is that it's the hose-and-buggy thingy :P and it's at flamborough downs, near hamilton.
  • Flamboro is a Standard B Track but is 'the fastest' half mile track in Canada. Standardbred are the horse and sulky. Thorobreds are bullshit...the ones with 'jockeys'. ANYWAY...

    http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/entries/data/eflmdfr.html

    That's the sheet for this Friday coming.
    You should pick a up a program around Wednesday and learn how to read it. They are fairly complicated but have a pretty explanatory guide on how to make your way through. I am looking at the sheet now, not a very 'good' night in terms of quality, high stakes racing...but nonetheless will be a blast...if you are feeling up to it you should sit in the dining room for maximum comfort. Good food, nice setting etc. However, standing outside on the rail as horses are coming down the stretch you can't help but join in the cursing and yelling and slaping of your program. It is a riot.

    A few tips from a humble barn rat, I haven't seen the past starts but I know some of the trainers and drivers and a few of the horses.

    -Race 1: Peggy Stena is a HUGE favourite and Dowling (her trainer) has a great record. Not a great driver but he knows his stuff. The only problem is she drew the 6 hole, which you'll see at Flamboro is not a great draw. I'd take a $5 show here. On the 9 horse bet a $2-4 show. Kerwood has always done well and she is getting good odds. However, this all changes once post time comes (the start of the race) because horse racing is parimutal...so there is no house..you are betting against others. So if some jerk puts $500 on her, even if you got 12-1 when you bet, you'll be gettgin 3-1 or worse come post.

    -Race 3: Take the 8 horse, to Place like Joe said.

    -Race 4: Randy Waples is my cousin. And he is driving the 6 horse. Notice he isn't on the card for driving anything else. He is one of the top 10 winningest driver's in the past five years and he wouldn't make the trip for one horse if he wasn't going to make his 5%. Cool?

    -Race 6: I'd bet a 2/5 boxed exactor. It means that the 2 horse and the 5 horse need to come in first and second in whichever order. Fun bet, will cost $3 I think. Phil Hudon does really well and Jamieson...same deal.

    -Race 10: If Springbrook Rocky gets in, a safe Show bet.

    Like I said, just humble musings from a sleepless ex-barn rat.
    Also, Jim Whelan has a lot in on Friday. He is a great trainer, so if you want to have fun with one of his long shots...do it! :)


    Goodluck, you'll have tons of fun.
  • first off, thanks for all the help and advice, I'll probably take most of it :)

    second, well, I wno't bother asking you to explain it, i'll google it. but I always thought you bet against the house at a track, not against others.
  • Yeah, no house.
  • No you bet against the others not the house (track). They act much like poker rooms, they supply a service and take their cut (up to 25% depending on the bet). They pay out the winners from what's left over. The odds are based upon how much money is bet on each horse. If you were playing against the house you would be getting the odds that you bet at not the final odds. Nothing worse than betting a horse to win at 5-1 and watch a ton of late money pound him down to 8-5.
  • okay, so it got bumped a day and we went saturday. and she worked late so we got htere just before race 7. girlfriend = up 40 bucks. me, down 20. however, we had a fun time, and then hit the slots. where i proceeded to lose a few more bucks, while she won. she paid for dinner :P
  • Did you go in the afternoon or last night. Our horse raced in the 4th race last night. Don't ask it wasn't pretty.
  • afternoon i guess.. we were there until 7:30 ish I guess.. were there races after that?
  • oh sorry I thought you were at woodbine, I now see you were at Flamborough. My bad.
  • You race at Woodbine Joe?
    Who is your trainer? Do you own as yourself or a numbered company or what?
  • hes got the biggest druglord of them all....montini
  • So, I made it out to the track again last night. after 8 races, I made out like a bandit, up $1.30 after buying apop and a hotdog. whoopee!
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