Greetings from Del Mar, California where I'll be attending today's closing-day card at the seaside oval.
I've secured four seats in the prestigious Turf Club.
After yesterday's chaotic happenings at Del Mar racetrack, I'll be requesting a table in the non-shooting section.
Get it?
The non-shooting section.
Did you hear what happened yesterday at Del Mar?
A gunman was shot shortly after 6:30 p.m. by a female sheriff's deputy after he opened fire in a crowded area outside the racetrack's main entrance.
The gunfire broke out after the crazed man was told tickets were not available for a post-race concert featuring Ice Cube.
The suspect, a 22-year-old Escondido man, is currently listed in stable condition at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla.
No one else was injured in the incident which escalated quickly from a shouting match to a shoving match to a shoutout.
TVG host Mike Joyce could be heard frantically crying out three times, "Gunfire at the track!" following the live presentation of the day's final race.
EOG contributor Mr. Pink attended the races on Sunday and left after the seventh race.
He could feel trouble in the air as a sketchy concert crowd descended on the usually-peaceful setting.
It was merely coincidental the gun shots rang out during the stretch run of the day's final race.
THE DAMN TAKEOUT....I curse the takeout every time I lose money at the track.
Handicapping the races is a fabulous intellectual pursuit but carries a tax that attracts mostly suckers.
Horseplayers are separated from their money to the tune of $2.5 million every racing day at Del Mar.
The formula to compute the losses is simple: Take one-fifth of the average daily handle which last summer exceeded $12.5 million.
Horseplayers are subjected to a tax (20%) more than four times the amount levied on sports bettors (4.5%), making losers of virtually everyone in the grandstand and clubhouse.
Optimistic gamblers see things differently.
They view $10 million changing hands daily and look to grab a small slice of a large pie.
I've discussed handicapping theory with some of the game's most celebrated horseplayers like Andy Beyer, Steven Crist, Steve Davidowitz, James Quinn and Tom Brohamer.
While Crist is the sharpest gambler of the group, I'm convinced most of the recognized authorities in the game struggle like everyone else.
I'll never forget a conversation with Bill Finley, an East Coast-based handicapper who authored a book titled "Betting Synthetic Surfaces: Conquering Racing's Newest Frontier."
Finley makes money selling his opinions to newspapers, websites and other media outlets willing to pay him.
In preparation for our 30-minute chat, I thoroughly researched Finley's work.
One dedicated East Coast gambler criticized Finley's talent by telling me, "He can't pick winners on the dirt or the turf and now he wants to lecture the masses on synthetic tracks?"
I decided a simple, straightforward question to open the interview was the proper approach.
After a polite introduction and an obligatory plug of his book, I shot into action.
"Bill Finley, are you a winning horseplayer?"
His response shocked me.
"No," he said flatly and did not elaborate.
The interview went downhill from there.
I honestly cannot remember a word he said after his initial response.
After the interview, I gave Finley high marks for honesty but a failing grade as a gambling authority.
I'm accustomed to public handicappers either representing themselves as winning gamblers or stating they are at least break-even players.
Sometimes, fiction is better than the truth.
MONDAY'S BEST BET...Play 963-964 San Diego Padres-Arizona Diamondbacks UNDER 9 runs (-115) widely available.
I've secured four seats in the prestigious Turf Club.
After yesterday's chaotic happenings at Del Mar racetrack, I'll be requesting a table in the non-shooting section.
Get it?
The non-shooting section.
Did you hear what happened yesterday at Del Mar?
A gunman was shot shortly after 6:30 p.m. by a female sheriff's deputy after he opened fire in a crowded area outside the racetrack's main entrance.
The gunfire broke out after the crazed man was told tickets were not available for a post-race concert featuring Ice Cube.
The suspect, a 22-year-old Escondido man, is currently listed in stable condition at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla.
No one else was injured in the incident which escalated quickly from a shouting match to a shoving match to a shoutout.
TVG host Mike Joyce could be heard frantically crying out three times, "Gunfire at the track!" following the live presentation of the day's final race.
EOG contributor Mr. Pink attended the races on Sunday and left after the seventh race.
He could feel trouble in the air as a sketchy concert crowd descended on the usually-peaceful setting.
It was merely coincidental the gun shots rang out during the stretch run of the day's final race.
THE DAMN TAKEOUT....I curse the takeout every time I lose money at the track.
Handicapping the races is a fabulous intellectual pursuit but carries a tax that attracts mostly suckers.
Horseplayers are separated from their money to the tune of $2.5 million every racing day at Del Mar.
The formula to compute the losses is simple: Take one-fifth of the average daily handle which last summer exceeded $12.5 million.
Horseplayers are subjected to a tax (20%) more than four times the amount levied on sports bettors (4.5%), making losers of virtually everyone in the grandstand and clubhouse.
Optimistic gamblers see things differently.
They view $10 million changing hands daily and look to grab a small slice of a large pie.
I've discussed handicapping theory with some of the game's most celebrated horseplayers like Andy Beyer, Steven Crist, Steve Davidowitz, James Quinn and Tom Brohamer.
While Crist is the sharpest gambler of the group, I'm convinced most of the recognized authorities in the game struggle like everyone else.
I'll never forget a conversation with Bill Finley, an East Coast-based handicapper who authored a book titled "Betting Synthetic Surfaces: Conquering Racing's Newest Frontier."
Finley makes money selling his opinions to newspapers, websites and other media outlets willing to pay him.
In preparation for our 30-minute chat, I thoroughly researched Finley's work.
One dedicated East Coast gambler criticized Finley's talent by telling me, "He can't pick winners on the dirt or the turf and now he wants to lecture the masses on synthetic tracks?"
I decided a simple, straightforward question to open the interview was the proper approach.
After a polite introduction and an obligatory plug of his book, I shot into action.
"Bill Finley, are you a winning horseplayer?"
His response shocked me.
"No," he said flatly and did not elaborate.
The interview went downhill from there.
I honestly cannot remember a word he said after his initial response.
After the interview, I gave Finley high marks for honesty but a failing grade as a gambling authority.
I'm accustomed to public handicappers either representing themselves as winning gamblers or stating they are at least break-even players.
Sometimes, fiction is better than the truth.
MONDAY'S BEST BET...Play 963-964 San Diego Padres-Arizona Diamondbacks UNDER 9 runs (-115) widely available.
