Ultra Sports Bet » Horse Racing

Grasshopper jumps back onto the track

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 11:19:40 +0000

There is a whole lot of interesting horse racing going this weekend, as the Triple Crown trail reaches a new level and some golden oldies come back in action. I’ll be watching it all, but one horse that I am especially excited to see is Grasshopper (on the rail in the Travers when he wasn’t quite good enough against Street Sense). He was terrible last time out in the Super Derby, but he is well rested and quite a bit older now, and I am very curious to see if he is better off for it. He runs in the Mineshaft at Fair Grounds on Saturday, and he is the 5/2 second choice behind the incredibly overrated Magna Graduate. The sport has a pretty big void in the older horse division that was made even more gaping with Curlin heading to Dubai for two races. Grasshopper has the talent to step up into that void, and I can’t wait to see if he has the heart to go with it.

Post from: Ultra Sports Bet

Why people bet on the ponies

Sat, 10 Nov 2007 18:55:49 +0000

The second race at Churchill Downs today was as standard and unexciting as a race can be – a $7,500 Claiming race at six furlongs with a dozen horses. Every so often, though, a forgettable race can turn into something that can seduce the imagination of horseplayers forever.

The favorite, Wrzeszcz (easily the hardest to pronounce name in the country), was never a factor. Neither were the second or third choice. A 40-1 shot somehow found the lead at the start and never gave it up. A 45-1 horse made a ridiculous move all the way from last to second at the wire. The 7-1 fourth choice was third, and a 16-1 horse finished the superfecta.

What did that all mean? Ridiculously huge payouts. And I do mean ridiculously huge. The exacta paid $2,103.60 on a $2 bet. The trifecta was a stunning $17,270.60 for a $2 investment, and the super was $57,620 from $1. Needless to say, this will lead to gigantic pick three and pick four tickets, too.

There is very likely no sound handicapping system that would have led you to nailing this result. Mine sure didn’t. Nonetheless, it’s always fun to dream, and a win like this is certainly something to dream about.

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Chasing serious longshots

Sun, 30 Sep 2007 02:28:39 +0000

I think he’s somewhat kidding, but Jay Cronley wrote an interesting article on ESPN.com about how to hit 50/1 winners at the racetrack. His theory is that you only have to hit a $100 winner one time in 50 to break even. The math is obviously true, but I doubt that a lot of bettors have the discipline and mental strength to endure that many losses with the prospect of a win somewhere down the road. Most people would panic and change what they are doing as the inevitable losses piled up. Still, chasing the longshots can be a fun thing to do during a lazy day at the track, and some of what he talks about is relevant and interesting even if you aren’t looking to make your fortune on just one bet. One of his points in particular jumped out at me:

‘Lousy horses picking up decent jockeys.’ – This is always something to look out for. The jockeys and their agents know more about what’s going on at the track than you ever could. Jockey’s don’t like wasting their time or giving up a chance to make some money, so a serious upgrade in jockey is a sign that a horse might be ready for a big run.

Post from: Ultra Sports Bet