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URGENT: The full Breeders' Cup show on Saturday, Oct.
27 will NOT be shown at home on regular TV cable channels. You'll
have to come to the track to see the full show, including colour
commentary, etc. TSN is only carrying Friday's three preliminary
races but, on Saturday, only specialty
"alternate" TSN channels are set to carry it.
Why? The Insider is trying to find out. You can,
however, still watch the track feed (odds, etc.) on the horseracing
channel at home (Shaw 87, MTS 194-195.)
THIS JUST IN: The Breeders'
Cup Advance Edition of the Daily Racing Form is now in
and available at the track and at off-track betting locations (except
casinos). It contains all past performances of horses eligible for
Breeders' Cup races. Cost: $5.35. Glance through a copy over cabbage
rolls at tonight's Ukrainian theme night at the track! For other
program and betting info on the 'Cup, click here.
So, folks, ready
to pocket "dead money?" As promised, today's column will list 10
ways in which you can be a shark, gobbling up all the dead money that
will be available on Breeders' Cup day nine days away. Grrrr . . .
And just to remind you: Canadians yesterday, for the first
time ever, were able to bet directly into New
Jersey pools (at the Meadowlands). Which means everything is set for Monmouth
Park
and the Breeders' Cup. That leaves only one non-common-pooled state--Florida.
However, Sean Pinsonneault, Woodbine Entertainment's
vice-president of wagering, said the outlook is "positive"
that an agreement will soon be reached with Florida.
But, like the voter count in Florida that deprived Al Gore of the U.S. presidency seven years ago, Florida has
a history of last-minute disappointments so no-one will be holding
their breath on this.
TRIVIA TEASER: How
many Breeders' Cup races are there this year?
(a)
7 (b) 8 (c) 10 (d)
11 (See answer at end of
column.)
BREEDERS' CUP DAY: 10 ways to pocket "dead money"
Tons
of "dead money" will be bet into the giant pools on Breeders'
Cup Day. You can be either (a)
the "dead money" or (b)
the shark that gobbles up the dead money. Let me guess. You'd rather pocket dead money than be dead money.
For
the uninitiated, dead money comes from:
(1) hordes of
inexperienced occasional players and (2) veteran players who get carried away by the hoopla and
throw caution to the wind. It's
like poker in Vegas. The sharks circle, waiting for the "dead
money" (i.e. enthusiastic amateurs) to arrive at the table then
promptly strike, relieving them of their holiday money.
Here are 10 ways to be the shark:
 1.
Be professional and get a grip. It’s
how you feel AFTER the Breeders' Cup races are over that's important,
not how you feel during the races.
Empty pockets are not the way to punctuate a great day of
racing.
2.
Separate your money into two: (a) Your "dinner and
a movie" money. This is the
money you're willing to blow on a good time and you don't mind parting
with. You know it's "dead money" but you don't mind. (b) Your shark money. This is money for one play or several
plays that your good judgement
tells you are rock solid. It could even be one big place bet or show
bet or a superfecta box. (My surest bet several years ago was a
six-horse super box in a turf race: I spent $360 to get back
$2,200.) Remember, you're going
to get back a higher return than you should because of all the dead
money in circulation. If you
don't have anything solid, just be content to enjoy yourself with your
"dinner and a movie" money.
3.
Play a show parlay. If you can find
four show plays, and let your money ride, I'll bet you can increase an
initial $10 outlay to $200 or more.
And you can't find a less risky bet than that.
4.
Wheel: If you have a
rock-solid winner, and can afford it, wheel that horse with ALL horses
in other legs in pick-3s.
Payoffs are often well into four figures.
5.
Don't ignore program selections. A pick-4 two years ago paid $14,000
and all you had to do was play all program selections at a cost of
$81. (3 x 3 x 3 x 3 = 81)
6.
Watch replays on your computer. They're free at www.breederscup.com.
I have to admit most of it will be for naught but last year I
spotted one horse that looked like he was prepared for a big effort--Thor's Echo--so I keyed him in
a pick-3 which returned $1,200.
Without watching replays, I wouldn't have had it.
7.
Go with what you're best at and go with your gut. If you're usually not good at picking
turf horses, for example, then don't play turf races. You're not suddenly going to do
something you don't normally do on other days.
8.
Take experts with a grain of salt. They're wrong most of the time. A prime example was the pick-6 pool
of $2.7 million won several years ago by a South Dakotan who spent a
mere $8. The best minds in the
business with deep pockets couldn't do it.
9.
Workouts, workouts, workouts.
This is the most important info to go with. Classy horses tell you they're ready
with a sharp work.
10. Look for the less obvious: Horses that raced big two races ago
and "bounced" in their last race; equipment changes. Four years ago, longshot Volponi
put blinkers back on to win the Classic and prevent anyone from winning
the pick-6. Spotting that little detail could have put you on easy
street forever.
"ALMOST-LIVE" WINNERS: Friday's poker winner ($100 in
betting vouchers): Jon Wawryk. Said promotions assistant Chelsea, "He used his vouchers to bet
horses for the first time and loved it!" The top show parlayer
was Dexter Starks who
increased his imaginary $10 to $49 Saturday night. Almost-live, where the volume and fun
are turned up, goes every Friday and Saturday
at 6:30 p.m. at the track
on races from the Downs' sister
track, Remington Park in Oklahoma.
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Kielbousa and sauerkraut
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BORSCHT, chicken
Kiev, perogies, kielbasa with sauerkraut and cabbage
rolls highlight--what else?--Ukrainian night tonight in the Terrace
Dining Room from 5 to 8
p.m.
Plus bountiful salads and a spectacular dessert table. All you can
eat $14.95. Menu. Next Thursday: Italian. Coming
soon: "Soul" food.
Reserve today for Christmas and New Year's! Phone 885-3330.
BREEDERS' CUP CA$H BONANZA: Is this your number?
Today's
$50 bonus winning number is 1063. To claim your prize click
here. Breeders'
Cup Bonanza cash giveaway numbers were distributed on the final three
days of live racing. A new
winning number is published every day on the Downs' home page www.assiniboiadowns.com and a new $50 bonus number will be
published here each Thursday until Thursday, Oct. 25, two days before
Breeders' Cup Day. On that day,
draws will be made at the track for cash prizes of $500, $250 and $100. Also, 20 betting vouchers of $10 will
be drawn for.
READERS WRITE: Staggering night of humour
Ivan: Last Thursday had to be one of the
funniest nights I've had in racing for a while. Funny horse name:
Takemedrunkimhome
(Penn National Race 5). Best commentator line of the
night: Australia race 1A. Announcer says:
"And how about that
number 4, Largo Lad, all around like a drunk sailor but manages
to get up for second. There's one for your black book." -- Jeffrey McInnes
HORSEPLAY TIP OF THE WEEK: Give yourself "permission" to
win at the races. Sound
kooky? Not so. Think about it. You're probably already giving
yourself permission to lose, aren't you? Because you probably have the
idea that that's the inevitable natural outcome of playing. If you give yourself permission to
win, you'll automatically start doing things that will make you a
better player and, hence, win. A
so-so criminal lawyer in the U.S.
(Gerry Spence) wrote a book describing how he gave himself
"permission" to be a stellar jury-presenter and developed
into one of the best defense lawyers in the U.S.
UPCOMING EVENTS: Richest
Canadian race goes Sunday
At one of the finest turf courses in the
world--Woodbine--the prestigious Pattison Canadian International
stakes, at $2 million the richest race in Canada, goes Sunday featuring
European star Ask. Post time for Sunday's card:
12:00 p.m. For more on this 1 1/2 mile classic, go to www.woodbineentertainment.com.
Sunday - $300,000 Oklahoma Derby from Assiniboia Downs'
sister track, Remington Park. Post
time 1:30 p.m.
Monmouth
meet begins Wednesday: Monmouth
Park
will begin its short meet next Wednesday, two days before the
preliminary Breeders' Cup races, and a good opportunity to make notes
on the track bias.
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George Williams
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Breeders'
Cup Day schedule (Saturday, Oct. 27)
9:30 a.m. Breeders' Cup preview and tips
down in the Finish Line banquet hall.
I'll be hosting with special guest analysts including George Williams
who is the Free Press
race selector and race-charter for the Daily Racing Form. Share in a pick-6 ticket! Everyone welcome. Complimentary
coffee and rolls.
10
a.m. First race from Monmouth. We'll play this race as a group in
the Finish Line.
11:30
a.m. First of eight Breeders' Cup races
goes to the post.
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 Halloween
Social--on Breeders' Cup night: Celebrate
your winnings by attending a special Halloween Social
down in the Finish Line at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct.
27. Only $5. Cash and
prizes for best costume.
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NEXT INSIDER: How
to spot Breeders' Cup longshot winners.
Also: contests and draws to get into on Breeders' Cup Day.
Answer to Trivia
Teaser: This
year's Breeders' Cup has (d)
11 races. Three preliminary
races for $1 million each in purse money will be run Friday afternoon,
Oct. 26 and eight for a total of $20 million be
held on Saturday starting at 11:30 a.m.
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