More good news!

Taken from thebigm.com:

MIDATLANTIC CO-OP, NYRA UNABLE TO REACH SIMULCAST AGREEMENT

Scottsdale, AZ [April 28, 2008] — MidAtlantic Cooperative LLC, the simulcast purchasing enterprise that represents 16 regional racetracks, has been unable to reach a new simulcast agreement with New York Racing Association Inc. [NYRA]. 

Therefore, effective April 30, 2008, MidAtlantic Cooperative members will cease simulcasting NYRA racing from Belmont Park.  The cessation will not affect the simulcast of the Belmont Stakes, for which a separate agreement has been reached. 

MidAtlantic Cooperative could not accept NYRA’s unprecedented monetary demands for its Aqueduct, Belmont and Saratoga signals.  A series of counter proposals, which would have provided significant increases to NYRA, were rejected by it.

“MidAtlantic Cooperative remains committed to reaching an acceptable contract and minimizing the interruption of simulcasts,” said Executive Director Martin Lieberman.  “However, this is a necessary step to protect the long-term interests of our members.  NYRA’s unreasonable price demands, if agreed to, will negatively impact our member racetracks’ ability to present live and simulcast racing in the region.”

The MidAtlantic Cooperative includes 16 member tracks and their off-track wagering entities, including: Meadowlands Racetrack, Monmouth Park, Freehold Raceway, Atlantic City Race Course, Philadelphia Park, Penn National Race Course, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, Charles Town Races, Delaware Park, Dover Downs, Harrington Raceway, Ocean Downs, Rosecroft Raceway, Colonial Downs, Suffolk Downs and Rockingham Park.
 
Contact: Martin Lieberman
(480) 614-1307; (631) 766-1948<!–martinlieberman@cox.net

Cool huh? For me, that also means I cannot wager on NYRA races through my NJ Online Wagering account. Nor can I go to Freehold, Atlantic City, Philly Park, Delaware Park or the Philly Turf Clubs which are all within an hour of me. The ray of hope is that Harrah’s Chester Downs isn’t on the list and that is only 30 minutes away. I usually play the Belmont meet with regularity and was looking forward to opening day.

This happened a number of years ago ( three years ago ) during a Belmont meet. Went on for about a month. The one thing I did notice is that Laurel and Pimlico are no longer members of the Co-Op. When this happened in ‘04, they were included.

One thing that is the same? The fans and players lose.

A racing fans version of Monday, the return of Etude & random thoughts …

That is how I feel about Wednesdays. In three days, the big stakes races of the weekend will take place. This week, topping that list and getting the most attention is the Tampa Bay Derby which will feature War Pass. I read tonight that he may only face 3 rivals, which will probably leave him lone speed again. You would think with graded earnings as important as they are this time of year that you could get 6 or 7 together to battle for the balance, guess not.

Mike “The Mouth” Battaglia …

He has got to be the worst race caller in the country. If you just heard his call of the 11th at Turfway how could you say otherwise? He is terrible.

He missed the winning call and was 2 furlongs behind the whole race.

More cancellations …

In addition to the the Big A and Laurel, Penn National, Charles Town, Freehold, Monticello and the Meadowlands have also cancelled.

Aqueduct & Laurel cancel, Play of the Day, War Pass …

Aqueduct and Laurel have scrapped tomorrows ( Friday ) cards due to the forecasted winter storm that is headed this way. I’m right smack in the middle of the two and they are calling for 2 inches of snow overnight into tomorrow morning with freezing rain and sleet to conclude the mess throughout the day. Those two cancelling put a halt to my thoroughbred wagering.

Arrgggh!

I played the pick 4 today at Laurel. While my play of the day bombed at 7-5 in the 6th, I did have the Lake horse that went wire to wire on my ticket.

Now, with 10 mins to post for the 7th, after the pick 4 has begun, they announce a scratch in the 8th race. The scratch was Happy Surprise, whose scratch will no doubt have an affect on how this race will be run. He was one of the three horses that do their best running on the lead. His scratch leaves two and often times two isn’t enough to setup a duel that adversely affects the other two.

You couldn’t have announced this scratch earlier? The horse is cross entered tomorrow in the J Campbell and is part of an entry, I have to believe they knew he was going to be scratched much earlier than this.

 Oh well.

 If anyone wants to route me home the ticket goes:

1/2/4 - R6

1/2/3/7/8 - R7

1 - R8

1/3 - R9

 $60 dollars for 2 bucks. First leg winner paid $10.00

Bad weather and cancellations …

Were the story of the day … Well I guess the NYRA struggle finally being resolved was the story of the day. No matter to me though, I don’t think my female friend is going to want to switch from a movie and high dollar dinner to racing from the Big A and the Big M. with some take out in between.

Panaramic Art, Stylish Solution, Mike Battaglia

Another neat racing night at the Big M. Both Stylish Solution and Panaramic Art kept their respective winning streaks intact.

 In the 1st division of the Cape and Cutter series for open mare pacers, Ulrica Bromac N swept the field from last and tripped the timer in 1.51.4 for Nat Varty and Tim Tetrick.

In the 2nd division, Stylish Solution paced away from the gate and made all the fractions before tripping the timer in 1.52.1 for Nat Varty and Brian Sears. It was her 13th in a row.

So this is how you do this huh?

Can’t believe I figured it out … or perhaps I haven’t.

Anyways, decided to give this a try after commenting over at http://theaspiringhorseplayer.wordpress.com/ … I’m always looking to talk horses, whether it is about handicapping, tough beats, lack of uniform rules and regs ( that’s worth at-least a months worth of comments ), pedigrees, or predictions. I soon learned by accident that talking about the days racing card gave me an edge when I was betting later on. Who knows why, I guess it goes back to what studying for a high school or college test, when I always would score better when I would read or write the material as oppose to just listening to lessons by the teacher or professor.

 I am only 25 years old so some may wonder my qualifications for talking about such things … here they are.  My uncle owned and trained standardbreds ( pacers and trotters ) for quite a few years, he no longer does so, but stays involved by handicapping. I spent sometime on the backstretch at Garden State, Freehold and the Meadowlands with his horses. I have a few friends in the business, ranging from an assistant trainer for a prominent mid-Atlantic racing stable, a blacksmith that works for the leading barns at Philly Park as well as a few major barns that ship in, including one that won the Breeders Cup Classic a few years ago. I also have a longtime childhood friend that helps gather folks together to form partnerships that invest in thoroughbreds.

 My background in handicapping is probably considered brief as far as years spent learning go but I have dove in head first over the last 5 years. From studying trainers intentions, to keeping track bias information daily to keep track profiles from distance to distance on excel spreadsheets. I also have spent 3 years now making my own speed figures for periods of time for various tracks. Most of my handicapping background is based around the mid-Atlantic circuit. Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York and the short Colonial Downs meet in Virginia. My strongest opinions and best handicapping is done on the Maryland/Delaware circuit.

 I’ve been lucky enough to associate myself with someone who invest ( I use invest because people tend to listen for one more sentence as oppose to the reaction when gambling is used ) on sports for a living, though most of his day as well as most of his income is spent betting horses. This same person also made his way through the back stretch ranks, starting as a hot walker and making it all the way up the ladder to the point in which he had his own stable as a private trainer.

 I made an attempt ( not really by choice ) to handicap for a means of income a 3 years ago and was actually successful during that short time ( only a few months ), however it is a stress like no other and while at the time it was exhilarating and also gratifying, it took the fun out of it also. That isn’t to say I wouldn’t love to give it another go with a much bigger bankroll and margin for error, but what they say about mixing business and pleasure has never been so glaringly true as it is when you start investing for your major means of income.

 All of the additional work and studies that it takes to gain an edge on your pari-mutuel competition isn’t a hobby at that point, it is work.

 This probably should have been an “About Me” page and it might be soon, but for now it is my first comment.