Value Tech Blog

Good news from Remington!

Remington Sees Handle Increase, Record Purses
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/66604/remington-sees-handle-increase-record-purses

Remington Park’s Thoroughbred season produced an increase in average wagering handle and a record level for purses during the 67-day season that ended Dec. 10, the Oklahoma City racetrack reported.

The meet experienced a 2.6% increase in pari-mutuel handle per-race compared to the 2010 season of the same length, according to a Dec. 14 press release from the track. Through 615 betting races this year, 24 less than a year ago, the average handle per race was $86,980.

Posted via email from Michael Pizzolla On ValueCapping™, Horse Racing, And Technology

Remarkable achievement…

Rapid Redux rolls to 21st straight victory, ties Citation’s season record
http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/racing-news/2011/12/13/rapid-redux-wins.aspx

Rapid Redux extended his modern North American record to 21 consecutive victories and matched Citation’s remarkable run of 19 wins in a single season on Tuesday with another of his trademark front-running performances in a starter allowance race at Laurel Park.

Posted via email from Michael Pizzolla On ValueCapping™, Horse Racing, And Technology

The Jersey saga continues…

New Jersey Governor Puts Blame on Horsemen
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/66574/new-jersey-governor-puts-blame-on-horsemen

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said Dec. 12 the state’s horsemen are responsible for a last-minute breakdown in plans for developer Morris Bailey to assume operation of Monmouth Park.

During a press conference to announce cabinet changes, Christie called the state’s Thoroughbred horsemen “completely untrustworthy” and warned that they have seven days to improve their offer to save Thoroughbred racing in the state, according to NJBiz.com.

Posted via email from Michael Pizzolla On ValueCapping™, Horse Racing, And Technology

Florida gambling law filled with barrel-sized loopholes
http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/12/05/2527534/florida-gambling-law-filled-with.html

As Florida considers ushering in a new era of casino mega-resorts, a dispute in the tiny Panhandle town of Gretna has focused attention on the state’s existing gambling landscape — and the considerable confusion that surrounds it.

Florida’s current gambling laws, some say, are so haphazard, so disjointed, that no one can even agree on what the term “horse racing” means anymore.

If you’re thinking of the Kentucky Derby, think again. Gretna’s new Creek Entertainment barrel racing facility — which also will offer poker and hopes to add slots — has just opened, despite fervent opposition from the state’s horse trainers and breeders. Instead of racing around an oval track, these horses zig-zag around red barrels, rodeo-style.

Posted via email from Michael Pizzolla On ValueCapping™, Horse Racing, And Technology

This is the point: It’s about the betting handle!

Does Thoroughbred horse racing have a drug problem?
http://www.forbes.com/sites/teresagenaro/2011/12/07/does-thoroughbred-horse-racing-have-a-drug-problem/

In McKinsey’s report for the Jockey Club, presented at the annual Round Table in August, 38% of those surveyed said that they would bet more if they knew horses were not given drugs, and 36% said that medication is one of the top three issues facing racing.

Posted via email from Michael Pizzolla On ValueCapping™, Horse Racing, And Technology

If this game is to continue, more players must have a strategy that gives them a chance to show a profit on wagers!

Handle Still Down in U.S. as Purses Improve
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/66464/handle-still-down-in-us-as-purses-improve

National pari-mutuel handle on Thoroughbred racing continued to decline in November, though the dip is not nearly as pronounced as it was a year ago at this time.

Meanwhile, purses nationally continued to rebound and race days — individual racing programs at each track — are on an upward trend.

Figures are from the “Thoroughbred Racing Economic Indicators” report released Dec. 4 by Equibase.

Handle for wagering on races in the United States during November 2011 totaled $874,386,107, a decline of 3.47% compared to last year’s November total of $905,848,904. Last year, overall handle for November 2010 was off 7.78% from the corresponding month in 2009.

Posted via email from Michael Pizzolla On ValueCapping™, Horse Racing, And Technology

Encouraging numbers for the troubled NYRA… 

Online Bets for NY Horse Races
http://nyconvergence.com/2011/12/online-bets-for-ny-horse-races.html

Last December, the New York State Racing and Wagering Board made the approval for online streaming of bets after coming to the realization that many horseplayers now watch races over the Internet. And now, the board unanimously voted to extend the agreement, which was originally meant to be terminated on December 22 for an addition year due to the fast growth of online gambling.

The success of the online streaming is substantial. The New York Racing Association noted that they have seen a 49% increase in total money wagered over the phone and internet since January 2011 and a 195% increase in its account wagering program.

Posted via email from Michael Pizzolla On ValueCapping™, Horse Racing, And Technology

Interesting that GP is going to run the 8.5 furlong distance.  It’s a much better test than that one turn mile!

 Park making real strides
http://espn.go.com/horse-racing/story/_/id/7306628/gulfstream-park-making-strides

The Gulfstream Park season begins Saturday, a month earlier than usual, and the seventh race will be run at 1 1/16 miles. The early start might attract the most media attention, and the Spectacular Bid Stakes stir the most curiosity, but it’s the distance of the seventh race that’s most auspicious. The distance isn’t a gimmick or a gimcrack to attract a younger audience, nor does it have anything to do with camel races. The distance represents a restoration of values.

Suddenly, it seems, Gulfstream Park has remembered what its season is all about: quality racing and, more than anything, the development of young horses into classic prospects. That mile and a sixteenth suggests that Gulfstream, unlike most racetracks, understands itself and the product it’s selling.

(via Instapaper)

Posted via email from Michael Pizzolla On ValueCapping™, Horse Racing, And Technology

Davis Wins First Race–With Daughter Aboard
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/66458/davis-wins-first-race–with-daughter-aboard

Trainer Robbie Davis congratulations his daughter, jockey Jackie Davis.
Former jockey Robbie Davis got his first win as a trainer Dec. 3 at Aqueduct as 39-1 shot Sandyinthesun, ridden by his daughter, Jackie, got up by a nose to win the seventh race (). 

Posted via email from Michael Pizzolla On ValueCapping™, Horse Racing, And Technology

Horse Racing 2011: NTRA Chief Alex Waldrop Weighs In
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/liz-o/horse-racing-2011-ntra-ch_b_1123555.html

Breeding: down. Ownership: down. The betting handle for racing: substantially down. According to Waldrop the closure of the New York City Off-Track Betting (NYC OTB) outlets has had a huge impact on the amount of money wagered nationally this year. The overall decrease in handle is one of the forces that resulted in a significant contraction in the number of race days at tracks throughout the country.

All is not lost.

“We are seeing positive trends,” Waldrop contends. “Watching carefully, we see upticks in the major yearling sales this year — these are important early-indicators that there is demand returning for horses. There was strong business at boutique meets this year. Saratoga (NY) was strongest ever, and Del Mar (CA) had a big meet; Churchill Downs and Keeneland have been good too. It looks like we are stabilized as an industry and are going start seeing some positives.”

Posted via email from Michael Pizzolla On ValueCapping™, Horse Racing, And Technology