Century Downs......racing tactics

[chenoa]

I went down to see live racing twice this past week and don't know how anyone can lay money on this crap.

I realize some horses like to be covered up when they race, but jostling and fighting a horse who is in the 2 hole approaching the half and knowing you are going to get boxed in until it is too late with the stretch there and NOT pulling to take the lead is CRIMINAL. And then to come on like a firecracker to get 2nd. An obvious stiff job, why not, the race is part of the P4 sequence.

Also don't understand why all the horses aren't on the starting gate at the start, didn't there used to be a fine for drivers willfully backing off the gate at the start.

[Sinner369]

You have to understand Alberta harness racing........it is different from harness horses racing in Mohawk or the Meadowlands.

The average Alberta horses are not as good as the ones down East..........the drivers are also not as good overall (as a group) as the eastern drivers at the big tracks.

Therefore, you have horses that are not as brave (meaning that the horses can pull and race parked for as long as the eastern horses (again as a group)..........thus, you have the horses that race in a single line until pass the half mile point before they pull and try to win the race.

I am talking about the average harness horse in Alberta.....but there are always exceptions every year.